In order to address the growing demand for veterinarians, the Government of Nova Scotia has announced its intent to increase its veterinary education investment. Starting this fall, 24 first-year seats at the Atlantic Veterinary College (AVC) at the University of Prince Edward Island will be reserved for Nova Scotia residents—a notable increase from the previous allocation of 16 seats.

“Nova Scotia needs more veterinarians to care for our animals,” says Brian Wong, minister of advanced education. “We’ve had a positive partnership with the Atlantic Veterinary College for many years, and we’re looking to continue investing in the college to offer a high-quality education in veterinary medicine, while increasing the number of available seats to train the veterinarians Nova Scotia needs.”

The newly established five-year $50.8-million agreement between the Department of Advanced Education and AVC also includes initiatives aimed at retaining veterinary talent within the province. Nova Scotians admitted to the program will complete at least six weeks of their final-year clinical rotations in the province. They must also commit to providing three years of service in the province following graduation and licensure.

Greg Morrow, minister of agriculture, says, “There’s a widespread shortage of veterinarians – not just here in Nova Scotia, but throughout the country. This can be especially challenging for farmers and livestock owners who rely on that care. Getting more veterinarians trained and working here at home is welcome news because, to put it simply, the solution to a veterinarian shortage is more veterinarians.”