‘Stakes are huge’: Concerns mount over N.B. plan to privatize large-animal vet service

There are growing questions and concerns around cuts to New Brunswick’s public veterinary services.

The New Brunswick government’s plan to privatize veterinary field and lab services for large animals dominated Tuesday’s question period with the official Progressive Conservative opposition slamming the decision made in last week’s Liberal budget.

Pat Finnigan, New Brunswick’s minister of Agriculture, Aquaculture and Fisheries, told reporters the government’s approach to phase in privatization over three years was responsible and gradual.

“We’re working on this to transition this to a model where those services will be available in the private sector but making sure it is fully accredited,” said Finnigan.

Finnigan said the province would support provincial veterinarians to start their own practices or join private clinics.

Interim PC Leader Glen Savoie said the government’s plan was presumptuous.

“This government is trying to make New Brunswickers believe that all provincial vets are going to simply switch over to the private sector,” said Savoie. “We all know they did not consult with veterinarians on this at all.

“Do they think vets can do the same work they did today while doing all the administrative, logistical and financial work needed to get a business off the ground?”

The official opposition also questioned the closure of the provincial laboratory, with Finnigan’s response: “The lab is not being closed tomorrow.”

“We’re going to work on a very good transition plan to make sure there’s a seamless continuance of service provided for any kind of disease or animal health.”

Provincial laboratory services are scheduled to stop by the end of 2028.

The province said it would maintain the chief veterinary officer position to oversee disease management and animal welfare.

New Brunswick farming community has been raising concerns about the change since it was announced, saying it put the health of animals at risk.

Scott Elliott, president of the NBSPCA Board of Directors, issued a statement on Tuesday requesting a meeting with the province for more information about the plan.

“We depend on provincial veterinary services to support animal protection investigations, provide care for animals in need, perform necropsies, and offer expert testimony in cases that proceed through the courts,” said the statement from Elliott, adding that protection officers seized 50 agricultural animals in 2025, up from 28 the previous year.

The New Brunswick Equestrian Association said services for equines were scheduled to end Dec. 31.

“Some of us have been around through similar fights to preserve vet lab services at least twice,” said a statement issued last week by the association’s board of directors. “But the threat was always to equine services before, not the whole agricultural veterinary branch. The stakes are huge.”

With files from CTV’s Sean Mott and Laura Brown

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