Veterinarians say British Columbia isn't doing enough to fix shortage

The professional association representing veterinarians in British Columbia says the provincial government is unnecessarily delaying changes that would alleviate a shortage of vets in the province.

In a news release this week, the Society of BC Veterinarians - a chapter of the Canadian Veterinary Medical Association - accused Minister of Advanced Education and Training Melanie Mark of saying no to "an immediate and time-sensitive opportunity to train an additional 20 B.C. students to become veterinarians."

The society says it regularly receives calls from farmers and pet owners across the province complaining about how long they have to wait for veterinary care.

At issue is the province's allotment of seats at the Western College of Veterinary Medicine in Saskatchewan. B.C. currently funds 20 seats for veterinarians in training at the college each year, joining the provinces of Saskatchewan (which funds 20 seats) and Manitoba (which funds 15).

According to the society, Alberta used to fund 20 seats at the college as well, but recently stopped doing so, choosing to expand its own veterinary university instead. The society would like to see B.C. assume responsibility for those seats to address what it calls an increasingly "dire" shortage of veterinarians in the province.

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'It's becoming a crisis': Veterinarians say B.C. isn't doing enough to fix shortage