Priority Areas

Increasing the National Examining Board’s (NEB) Examination Capacity

Western College of Veterinary Medicine (WCVM)

The Western College of Veterinary Medicine (WCVM) is offering additional Preliminary Surgical Assessment (PSA) and Clinical Proficiency Examination (CPE) seats in 2023. The NEB is also looking at other exam site options (e.g., the CVMA accredited veterinary technician colleges). WCVM is looking at expanding its capacity to administer the CEP on behalf of NEB with the aim of becoming the National Testing Centre.

University of Calgary - Faculty of Veterinary Medicine (UCVM)

The University of Calgary Faculty of Veterinary Medicine (UCVM) is looking to implement a bridging program that will support candidate credentialing through the NEB clinical year option, pending funding approval.

Increasing Capacity at Canadian Veterinarian Colleges

As a result of the efforts of veterinary college deans, veterinary medical associations, and stakeholders, provincial funding has been secured for additional student seats:

Atlantic Veterinary College (AVC)

The Atlantic Veterinary College (AVC) will expand the total number of seats available for first-year Nova Scotia students from 16 to 24 from fall 2024, thanks to a five-year, $50.8-million investment from the Government of Nova Scotia. Read more here. .

Ontario Veterinary College (AVC)

The Ontario Veterinary College (OVC) at the University of Guelph is expanding its Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) program to train more veterinarians in partnership with Lakehead University. Read more here.

The Ontario Veterinary College (OVC) also applied for funding of an additional 20 seats and will double the number of international students from 15 to 30 for fall 2023 and 2024 and is also now accepting students from the University of St. Georges and Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine.

University of Calgary - Faculty of Veterinary Medicine (UCVM)

The Alberta government made a $9 million investment over three years to University of Calgary’s Faculty of Veterinary Medicine (UCVM) to support its Diagnostic Services Unit (DSU). Read more here.

The University of Calgary - Faculty of Veterinary Medicine (UCVM) also received provincial funding to address growing demand for vets, particularly in rural Alberta.

A ground-breaking ceremony was held at the university's Spy Hill campus on December 1, 2023 to mark the start of construction on the new Veterinary Learning Commons building. When complete, it will double veterinary medicine seats to 100. Read more here.

Western College of Veterinary Medicine (WCVM)

The Western College of Veterinary Medicine (WCVM) now has all 88 seats funded, and will conduct a study in the fall of 2023 to develop requirements for a 50% expansion.

• Note: The funding from BC, MB, and SK does not increase the number of seats at WCVM but increases the number of funded seats.

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 Manitoba Veterinary Medical Association (MBVMA) has sent a letter to the Manitoba provincial government requesting subsidization for eight (8) un-funded veterinary students at the WCVM. If successful, this request would not increase the total seats, but increase the funding for existing seats.

University Programs Tailored to Internationally Trained Veterinarians

The University of Saskatchewan and the University of Montreal are planning to introduce programs for foreign-trained veterinarians (FTV). These programs have been tailored to provide FTVs with the necessary education and certification to seek licensing at the provincial levels. 

The Department of Large Animal and Clinical Sciences at the University of Saskatchewan are establishing the Swine Medicine Advancement Recruitment and Training (SMART) program. This SMART program includes the Foreign-Trained Veterinarian (FTV) Swine Residency Certification Program. This program provides an alternative route for FTVs who are Canadian citizens or permanent residents and presently working in Canada to upgrade skills, achieve board certification in swine health management, and eligibility for VMA licensure in Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba at this time. Please contact Dr. John Harding, SMART program director, at john.harding@usask.ca for more information.

The Faculty of Veterinary Medicine (FMV) of the Université de Montréal will introduce a new qualification program in veterinary medicine in 2024. This new program will lead to an attestation of qualification in veterinary medicine. It will allow veterinarians, who are Canadian citizens or permanent residents and who hold a degree from an educational institution that is not accredited by the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) and the Canadian Veterinary Medical Association (CVMA), to complete a preparatory trimester and a year of clinical practice at the FVM by enrolling in the Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) program.

Candidates will then be eligible to take the North American Veterinary Licensing Examination (NAVLE). An application for licensure may subsequently be filed with the Ordre des médecins vétérinaires du Québec (OMVQ), after successful completion of the clinical year and the NAVLE. Read more about the program here.