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Modernization

The Veterinary Professionals Act provides a modern framework for the regulation of the veterinary profession. We are excited to evolve into the College of Veterinary Professionals of Ontario!

Moving toward the College of Veterinary Professionals of Ontario

The Veterinary Professionals Act provides a new framework for the regulation of the veterinary profession in Ontario.

While the Veterinary Professionals Act has been approved, there is work to be done to propose regulations and draft by-laws to support the new legislation and the College of Veterinary Professionals of Ontario. Your engagement is essential as we move through the next steps. Please contact the College with your questions. 

Proposed Regulatory Concepts - now open for consultation!modernization graphic

The Veterinary Professionals Act grants the Transition Council the ability to propose regulations to support the new legislation. The Transition Council is proposing regulatory concepts for your review. The proposed concepts are now open for public consultation. The Transition Council appreciates your input on the concepts before they are finalized and forwarded to the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food, and Agribusiness, who will develop the regulatory language.

Begin the Consultation on Regulatory Concepts

Veterinary Technicians: Connect with the College 

The Veterinary Professionals Act provides an exciting, new framework for the regulation of the veterinary profession. We want to help you stay informed. Veterinary technicians and veterinary team members who wish to receive helpful e-mails around the work of the Transition Council, upcoming consultations, timelines, and opportunities, can be added to our e-mail distribution list through the link below. Sign up today and you will be entered in a monthly draw for a $50 gift card!

Register to receive communications

The Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food, and Agribusiness has oversight of the legislation governing the veterinary profession. As a regulatory college, the College of Veterinarians of Ontario has legal authority through its governing legislation, the Veterinarians Act. While the College can identify the need for legislative changes, it is ultimately the responsibility of the provincial government to revise legislation and establish regulations. 

The College Council adopted key principles to guide the work of the legislative reform working groups, College staff, and Council through the legislative review process. 

Right Touch Regulation: Right touch regulation means utilizing the minimum regulatory approach required to achieve the desired result. The intent is to focus on identified and verified risks and simplicity in solutions. 

Agility: Agility in regulation means looking forward and anticipating change. The Act intended to provide for broad authority which permits a flexible approach to actual implementation and the opportunity to refine regulatory responses over time. 

Just Culture: A just culture ties discipline to an individual's intent or behavioural choices rather than the outcome of their actions. In promoting a just culture, we accept that mistakes occur. We consider both the individual and the system which gives rise to errors and seek to learn from incidents and errors. 

Collaborative self-regulation: Collaboration in self-regulation is demonstrated by an approach that views the public, veterinarians, government, and others involved in the safe delivery of veterinary medicine as partners in achieving quality practice outcomes. 

Risk Mitigation: Our regulatory solutions seek to mitigate risks in practice. Our processes support the measurement and evaluation of risk(s), and solutions which manage them effectively and responsibly. 

Transparency: The public needs access to information to trust that profession-based regulation works effectively. Transparency includes the provision of information to the public that enhances its ability to make decisions or hold the regulator accountable. Transparency, however, must balance public protection with fairness and privacy. 

For more information on legislative reform activities, please review the following reference materials.

Legislative Primer - Understanding the difference between Act, Regulation and Policy:
Legislative-Primer-Act-Regulation-Policy

Infographic Towards Modernization: A graphic outlines the College's progress towards modernization beginning with the early work in 2013 towards final proclamation when the College becomes the College of Veterinary Professionals of Ontario.
Infographic Towards Modernization

Achieving a Modern Approach to the Regulation of Veterinary Medicine in Ontario: 
Achieving a Modern Approach to the Regulation of Veterinary Medicine 2018.pdf 

Progress towards College of Veterinary Professionals of Ontario

1877
1989
2014-2018
2018
2020
2022
2023
March 2024
April 2024
May 2024
June 2024
September 2024
March - April 2025
1877

Agriculture and Arts Act

Veterinary medicine regulated with the first Agriculture and Arts Act
1989

Veterinarians Act update

The most recent update to the Veterinarians Act was in 1989.
2014-2018

Legislative reform

Council approves recommendations for legislative reform through analysis and consultations
2018

A modern approach

College Council, in collaboration with the Ontario Association of Veterinary Technicians, sends 19 recommendations, compiled in Achieving a Modern Approach to the Regulation of Veterinary Medicine in Ontario to the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs.
2020

Further recommendations

College Council continues research and consultation on further recommendations for legislative reform looking at Council composition, title protection, and defining incompetence.
2022

Regulatory changes

Province announces changes to Regulation 1093 relating to advertising and accreditation.
2023

Consultation

Province held an extensive consultation on a discussion paper.
March 2024

Enhancing Professional Care for Animals Act introduced

The proposed legislation aims to improve transparency and align oversight of the veterinary profession with other regulated professions. It recognizes veterinary technicians as part of the broader animal care team. In combination with regulations, this legislative framework also recognizes non-veterinary animal care providers.
April 2024

College supports new legislation at Queens Park hearing

“Our College supports the new Bill (Enhancing Professionals Care for Animals Act) and we shared suggestions to further enhance the legislation. We are committed to a framework that supports team-based care, licensure of veterinary technicians, quality veterinary care, and recognition of competent, non-veterinary animal care providers,” Dr. Wade Wright, President
May 2024

Legislation passes third reading

The Enhancing Professional Care for Animals Act received unanimous support in the Ontario legislature on May 27, 2024.
June 2024

Veterinary Professionals Act finalized

A new legislative framework, the Veterinary Professionals Act, to govern the veterinary profession in Ontario received Royal Assent on June 6, 2024.
September 2024

Transition Council begins work

The Transition Council is developing regulations, by-laws and standards for the College of Veterinary Professionals of Ontario. The Transition Council includes members of the Legacy Council and three Registered Veterinary Technicians.
March - April 2025

Consultation on proposed regulatory concepts

The Transition Council seeks public input on proposed regulatory concepts to support the new legislation. Concepts cover licensure, authorized activities, regulatory exemptions for non-members, quality team-based care, and administration.