Conflict of Interest
Status: Regulatory concept received general consensus at the Transition Council at the September 23 & 24, 2024 meeting. Prior to public consultation, the Transition Council will review all the proposed concepts again.
Overview
A conflict of interest arises when a licensed member’s duties and responsibilities may be influenced by some other interest the member has, usually a personal or financial interest. The public expects licensed members use their knowledge, skills, and judgement in the best interest of any animal(s) in their care and that their choices will be based on objective professional judgement. The current regulations specifically describe conflict of interest. Under the Veterinary Professionals Act, conflict of interest will continue to be an act of professional misconduct and also be included in regulations.
The regulatory concept proposes regulations that focus on activities that qualify as potential conflicts of interest, instead of work locations or arrangements. Further, the concept proposes regulatory language focused on whether an interest impacts the licensed member’s professional judgement.