Priority Areas

Veterinary Shortage in Rural and Remote Areas

Ontario

The Ontario government introduced legislation designed to enhance access to professional animal care. The Enhancing Professional Care for Animals Act would, if passed, pave the way to formalizing the broad scope of practice for veterinary technicians that could result in an expanded role. The legislation would also streamline the complaints resolution process and increase penalties for actions that intentionally harm an animal.  The proposed new legislation would provide a number of important benefits, including:

• Enabling the creation of a formal scope of practice for veterinary technicians that would allow them to perform to the full potential of their training and expertise.
• New requirements for continuing education similar to other regulated professions.
• An improved complaints resolution process to allow disputes to be addressed more quickly.
• Increased penalties to better reflect the seriousness of actions that could harm animals.
• Ensuring more public representation on the council of the regulatory college overseeing veterinary professionals to bring broader perspectives.

The Ontario government is launching the Veterinary Incentive Program to encourage newly licensed veterinarians to practice in northern and underserviced communities. The program intake opens today and will provide grants of up to $50,000 over five years to veterinarians who provide care to livestock and poultry in these communities.

Dr. Jason Coe of the Ontario Veterinary College will conduct research related to these areas in the next 12 to 24 months as part of his ongoing research agenda and will make these studies available through the CVMA.

Saskatchewan

The Government of Saskatchewan is recognizing the demand for veterinary professionals across their province and have taken steps to support demand in this field in its 2024 Labour Market Strategy by:

• Increasing the number of subsidized veterinary student seats at the Western College of Veterinary Medicine from 20 to 25; and,
• Expanding the veterinary professional loan forgiveness program to encourage professionals to practice in rural Saskatchewan. Read more here.
• The amount of eligible forgiveness is calculated annually and is paid as a reduction to their provincial student loan. Veterinarians and veterinary technologists will receive forgiveness of one-fifth (20%) of their outstanding Saskatchewan Student Loan debt, up to $4,000 annually, for up to five years, to a maximum of $20,000.
• The total amount of forgiveness an applicant will be eligible for is calculated on the value of the provincial student loan the day before the start date of the forgiveness period of the first application. This balance is divided by five to calculate the total amount allowed, up to $4,000 annually.
• To be eligible for Saskatchewan Student Loan Forgiveness, applicants need to:
  • Practice as a veterinarian or veterinary technologist in a designated rural community or provide services to livestock clients from designated communities. Designated communities include any Saskatchewan community with a population of 10,000 or less;
  • Have started your current employment (full-time, part-time, or casual) on or after January 1, 2021;
  • Read more here.

Manitoba

The Manitoba Veterinary Medical Association (MVMA), in partnership with the Winnipeg Humane Society (WHS) and the Government of Manitoba, unveiled the Limited Access Vaccinator Program, slated to begin on June 1, 2024. This initiative is specially designed to deliver crucial veterinary services to underserved areas, focusing on communities located above the North 53rd parallel and all First Nations communities in Manitoba. The program's training will include how to administer over-the-counter medications like non-prescription deworming medications, microchips, and combination vaccines for cats. Read more about the program here.

British Columbia

The governments of Canada and British Columbia, under the Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership, launched a new initiative for veterinary and veterinary technologist students working in BC food animal practices. Veterinary practices in British Columbia that offer food animal services are eligible for support to hire veterinary and registered veterinary technologist (RVT) students for work placements of 12 consecutive weeks or longer in 2024. Read more about the program here.