Our Commitment to Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Accessibility
At the College of Veterinarians of Ontario, we are committed to fostering inclusion, diversity, equity and accessibility as fundamental to our mandate to serve the public interest. In regulating the delivery of veterinary medicine in Ontario, we will continue to provide services in a fair, transparent and empathic manner and address discrimination on any grounds, including race, ethnicity, religion, age, gender, sexual orientation, ability and socio-economic status. The College is committed to accommodations which assure all persons can obtain, use and benefit fairly and equitably from the College's programs and resources.
We recognize that there may be systemic barriers impacting the full and meaningful participation of veterinarians and licensure applicants in the profession, and members of the public in accessing veterinary care. As we continue to listen to diverse voices, learn from lived experiences and reflect on our role as a regulator, we will actively seek opportunities to reduce those barriers that impact our regulatory practices and mandate.
The College shares its specific initiatives and expected outcomes in its Action Plan on inclusion, diversity, equity and accessibility.
IDEA Action Plan
The College recognizes a thoughtful, collaborative and multipronged approach is essential to support the principles of inclusion, diversity, equity and accessibility in its work. In 2020, the College began work on recommendations, prepared by its Customer Diversity Taskforce, with the goal of being current and responsive to all our audiences. We published Our Commitment to Inclusion and support the use of pronouns among Council and committee members, applicants, licensed members and staff.
In 2021-2022, the College engaged All Things Equitable, a consulting firm, to conduct an extensive diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) audit of its processes and to identify opportunities for the College to be more inclusive and equitable in its work. The Audit report focuses on the College’s policies and procedures in licensure, investigations and hearings, accreditation and quality practice. Following reflection on the report, the College has identified further opportunities for change.
The College is working on initiatives in the following areas:
Enriching IDEA learning for the College Council, committees and staff
Advancing IDEA through engagement and data collection
Strengthening policies and practices using an equity & inclusion lens
Exploring opportunities to boost diversity in representation
As also underscored in College’s Strategy 2026, these initiatives are key to our objective “focusing regulation on people and context”.