Canada-wide veterinarian shortage raises concerns in the Maritimes

Many pet owners are grappling with a shortage of veterinarians in Canada.

Being a veterinarian is not just a job for Dr. Christina Chong – it’s a passion.

A vet since 1990, Chong owns Vet-Champlain in Dieppe, N.B.

“I am almost retired but have not been able to because there’s still the demand for me to come in to help out,” she said.

Over the last few years, Chong says there has been an increased demand for vet care at her clinic.

“We’re struggling to schedule clients and we’re struggling to find appointment slots for new clients, let alone our regular clients that we are struggling to see. So there is definitely an influx or higher demand,” she said.

“Unfortunately, we have turned away clients that require care, but thank goodness we have two urgent care facilities here that could accommodate.”

The veterinary industry across Canada is currently facing a labour shortage.

The Atlantic Veterinary College says there’s a few reasons behind it, pointing at economic growth, an aging population, and the increase of pet ownership seen during the pandemic.

“The Canadian Vet Schools right now are graduating just enough veterinarians to replace the ones that are retiring, so any growth in the profession, any growth in the number of animals, then we don’t have enough vets to service all the clients,” said Dr. Daniel Hurnik, a veterinarian and professor at the college.

The college graduates around 70 students each year. While it’s looking at ways to address the shortage, Hurnik says it’s going to take time.

“To become a veterinarian in our program is four years and then students will study before that, so the process from when you start to when you become a licensed veterinarian is multiple years. So, it takes time to change that process. To build a new vet school is a major undertaking. To increase the class size, and that’s one of the things that we’re looking at, also takes some structural change,” he said.

When students graduate they are able to work in Canada, the United States, Australia and the UK. While many graduates chose to travel, Hurnik says a lot end up coming back to the Maritimes as well.

The school is also welcoming students who did their studies elsewhere to complete their clinical year in P.E.I.

“One success story is a recent student that was trained in the Caribbean did their final year with us and took a job in New Brunswick and it’s a win-win situation,” he said.

Overall, the Canadian Veterinary Medical Association says the workforce shortage is an increasing concern.

According to the Canadian Occupational Projection System, veterinarians are expected to face labour shortage conditions until 2031.

Breaking it down even further, data points to there being 5,000 job openings and only 4,300 looking for a position.

“The workload is too much. Mental health issues, it is a demanding career, it’s not for everyone, so it combines,’ said Chong.

“It’s not for the money. Definitely the money aspect of it could be a problem for some new vets coming out with the tremendous student debt loan that some of these new graduates are coming out with, which kind of falls back onto veterinarian hospitals. The private owners have to pay a lot, which again, that is a problem by itself, so it’s a multi-factorial issue in terms of veterinary shortage in Canada. Not just one thing.”

Looking at a solution, Chong says more seats at schools would be a start to fixing the problem. She’d also like to see students accepted in a more holistic approach as opposed to just on their grades, but for now, she’ll keep managing the influx of clients the best she can.

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