Election of Council Members

What is proposed?

I hope you have heard the Ontario government has introduced a new piece of legislation that will cover the regulation of the veterinary profession into the future. This means the current Veterinarians Act will cease to be and a new Act, the Enhancing Professional Care for Animals Act, will come in to effect.

This is wonderful news as it moves the profession towards stronger team-based models of care delivery, with both veterinarians and veterinary technicians licensed under the same system.

The introduction of Bill 171, the Enhancing Professional Care for Animals Act, on March 7, 2024 was historic! It represents the commitment of many groups to make sure veterinary medicine in Ontario is well-equipped to serve animals and their owners.

Between now and finalization of the new legislation, we will have a transition period. This may be about two years for the development of six or so regulations and governance By-Laws. To help shepherd these changes through, the current Council believes there is a need to ensure we have the most informed and knowledgeable voices at the Council table. This is a time like no other!

Why is this amendment proposed?

The current Council will exist to see matters under the existing Act through to completion. As examples, this would include member matters going through the current complaints process and discipline hearings.

The current Council members will also be part of the transitional Council which will also include Registered Veterinary Technicians as voting members. The role of the transitional Council is to introduce our new regulations and a new set of By-Laws. This is a lot of important work in a short period of time.

To ensure the College can perform at its best in the public interest, the Council has considered adding new veterinarian voices through regular election during this time. While new additions to the Council table have been welcome every year, consistency and continuity seem more important during the time of transition. 

At its March meeting, Council decided to maintain the current Council until the new Act has final proclamation. Council's aim is to bring stability during a time of change to support strong decision-making.

This proposed change to the By-Laws is now open for consultation until June 6, 2024. This By-Law amendment is being circulated for your thoughts and we welcome your perspective. 

A video replay of Council's discussion on the proposed change is available for your review. Please contact the College if you have questions about the proposed By-Law amendment.

Proposed Changes to the College By-Laws

The proposed changes add a transition period election provisions section to the By-Laws. Changes to the By-Laws require public consultation for 60 days prior to final approval of the Council. Feedback from the consultation is provided to Council for consideration prior to final approval. This consultation is open until May 29, 2024.

Proposed changes to By-Laws