The Canadian Veterinary Medical Association (CVMA) recently wrote to the Honourable Kody Blois, Canada’s new Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, highlighting the country’s ongoing veterinarian shortage, particularly in food animal and regulatory medicine. The CVMA warned that this shortage “threatens public health, food safety, and the economy,” stressing the critical need for more veterinarians in the agriculture sector.

The letter advocates for the creation of a National Testing Centre, which could “triple the number of veterinarians licensed to practice each year.” The CVMA explained that the current testing capacity, based at the Western College of Veterinary Medicine (WCVM) at the University of Saskatchewan, only allows 100 candidates annually, leaving over 150 qualified international veterinarians waiting for licensure.

The CVMA proposed a $50 million capital investment in a National Testing Centre at WCVM as part of a $100 million initiative. This centre would address the shortage of licensed veterinarians and “serve as a hub for retraining programs, continuing education, and outreach initiatives for livestock producers, Indigenous communities, and other stakeholders.”