Toronto, ON—Ontario’s Minister of Food, Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Lisa Thompson, announced the tabling of the Veterinary Professionals Act, 2024, under the Enhancing Professional Care for Animals Act in Ontario’s legislature today. The proposed legislation formally recognizes the growing role of Registered Veterinary Technicians (RVTs) in team-based veterinary care. This legislation is a significant, positive development in the regulation and modernization of veterinary care for the benefit of animals, veterinary teams, and the public.
This moment comes thirty-one years after the passing of the OAVT Act, 1993 which formally protected the Registered Veterinary Technician (RVT) title and established the modern Ontario Association of Veterinary Technicians (OAVT) in Ontario.
OAVT President Kirsti Clarida, RVT, OAVT Vice-President Kelsey Streef, OAVT Executive Director and Registrar Elise Wickett, RVT, and Kristina Cooper, RVT, Provincial Manager of the OAVT Rabies Response Program were invited to Queen’s Park for the historic occasion.
“This is a historic moment for RVTs, and I am so proud of the work we have done together to get here,” said Kirsti Clarida, President of the OAVT. “This new legislation will expand our scope of practice, give RVTs a seat on the Council governing our profession, and enable the OAVT to focus exclusively on providing services for and advocating on behalf of RVTs in Ontario.”
The OAVT, together with its partners, the College of Veterinarians of Ontario (CVO) and the Ontario Veterinary Medical Association (OVMA), have been advocating for an updated Veterinarians Act for many years to better reflect the current practice of team-based care in veterinary medicine.
The OAVT will continue to work alongside the government as the bill is introduced and debated in the legislature. As this legislation moves forward, the OAVT is committed to providing RVTs with regular updates and analysis of the bill and its impacts on the veterinary community.
The OAVT also wants to know what its members have to say about this new legislation and the future of our profession. Please click here to share your feedback.
For more information about legislative reform, including frequently asked questions, please visit www.oavt.org/reform.
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Victoria Evans, Communications and Advocacy Manager