Legislative Reform

**Bill 171, Enhancing Professional Care for Animals Act, has received Royal Assent and is officially law in Ontario!**

Changing the Veterinarians Act

The OAVT, together with the College of Veterinarians of Ontario (CVO) and the Ontario Veterinary Medical Association (OVMA), have been advocating for an updated Veterinarians Act, 1996 for many years to better reflect the current practice of team-based care in veterinary medicine.

In late 2022, the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA) announced the Veterinarians Act, RSO 1990, was open for public consultation.

On March 7, 2024, Ontario’s Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, Lisa Thompson, announced the new Veterinary Professionals Act, 2024, under the Enhancing Professional Care for Animals Act, which will formally recognize RVTs’ growing role 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, RVTs, and the public. On June 6, 2024, the bill received Royal Assent and is now law in Ontario.

FAQs

What does the Veterinary Professionals Act mean for RVTs?

The Veterinary Professionals Act, 2024 is a positive next step in acknowledging the evolving role of Registered Veterinary Technicians in the veterinary profession.

The legislation will enable RVTs to use their education and training to benefit animals, veterinary teams, and the public. The legislation will also ensure RVTs have a seat at the Council table where the profession is governed, increasing representation of RVTs’ interests and concerns.

Under the new legislation, RVT regulation will shift from the OAVT to a new regulatory college, The College of Veterinary Professionals, regulating veterinarians and RVTs together. This change will allow the OAVT to focus exclusively on its mandate as the professional association for RVTs.

What has happened since the Veterinary Professionals Act passed?

The Act became law in June 2024 which was the first step towards creating and implementing a new regulatory framework for veterinary professionals. Following passage, the first step towards implementation was the creation of a Transition Council that has been working with the College of Veterinarians to develop new regulations governing our profession.

The Transition Council was established in August 2024 and consisted of the current legacy College of Veterinarians of Ontario council members, which included veterinarians and members of the public, and three RVTs appointed by the OAVT.

The first phase of consultations was open to the public for comment in early 2025. The OAVT submitted a formal response to the consultation which can be read on our website here.

The OAVT crafted our submission based on the feedback we received from the OAVT Board and RVTs through a series of information sessions and RVTs were encouraged to submit their own feedback through the consultation website.

Will there be more opportunities for RVTs to provide feedback on the Veterinary Professionals Act?

No, the Veterinary Professionals Act received Royal Assent on June 6, 2024, making the Act legally binding within Ontario.

While the opportunity to submit recommendations on the contents of the Act has passed, RVTs will have the chance to comment on other parts of the development process such as the draft regulations brought forward by OMAFA. Further consultation on the regulations drafted by the government and the rules governing elections will occur in 2025, and RVTs will be able to submit further feedback once the comment period has opened.

Once formally approved by the government, a coming into force date will be set, and the process for electing the new council will begin. The OAVT expects this process, including the new regulatory framework, to be complete by 2026*.

We will be sure to keep our members informed when the regulations are made available for public comment.

We encourage open communication and invite you to contact us at advocacy@oavt.org if you have any questions or would like to discuss further.

When will the regulations be in effect?

Regulations will be determined in ongoing discussions and partnership between the College of Veterinarians, the Government of Ontario and the professionals who work every day in our industry, including RVTs. OMAFA will take the regulatory concepts agreed to by the Transition Council and use them to draft regulations.

Once draft regulations have been developed, they will be posted online for comment, and the OAVT will make a formal submission outlining our position on the draft proposal. We will be sure to keep our members informed as this process progresses and to facilitate your own participation in that phase of consultation.

The OAVT expects this process to be complete before the end of 2025 with regulations taking effect over the course of 2026*.

If there are specific regulations you would like to comment on or to see in place, don’t hesitate to get in touch with us at advocacy@oavt.org.

When does RVT scope of practice expand under the new Veterinary Professionals Act?

The OAVT expects this process to be complete before the end of 2025 with regulations taking effect over the course of 2026*.

If there are specific regulations you would like to comment on or to see in place, don’t hesitate to get in touch with us at advocacy@oavt.org.

What will happen to the OAVT once the changes in the Veterinary Professionals Act are implemented?

The OAVT will continue to play a crucial role as the professional association and voice of RVTs in Ontario. The mandate of the OAVT will shift to focus more on providing services and education for RVTs, as well as advocating on behalf of RVTs to the government and other stakeholders.

Like the role of RVTs, the mandate of the OAVT is evolving to serve our members better.

The OAVT values feedback from our members, and we encourage you to share your thoughts on how we, as an organization, can best support RVTs moving forward by emailing us at advocacy@oavt.org.

What is the difference between a professional association and a regulator?

The primary duty of the regulator is to serve and protect the public interest, governing the practice of RVTs and overseeing the profession. Meanwhile, the primary role of a professional association is to serve and advocate for their members with external stakeholders.

When the planned changes to modernize the regulation of veterinary medicine are implemented, the OAVT will transition from its current dual mandate to a single mandate organization. The sole purpose of the OAVT will be to act as the professional association for RVTs, where we will continue to accredit RVT educational programs in the province while expanding our focus on providing services for and advocating on behalf of our members.

What is the difference between self-regulation and professional regulation?

In practice, the regulatory process between self-regulation and professional regulation has one main difference – who the regulator is. In this case, RVTs are currently self-regulated by the OAVT, but once the Veterinary Professionals Act is implemented, RVTs will be moving to professional regulation held by the new College of Veterinary Professionals. The new College of Veterinary Professionals has the authority to regulate both RVTs and veterinarians with oversight from the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Agribusiness (formerly OMAFRA).

In principle, the difference between self-regulation and professional regulation is a significant increase in the recognition of a given profession. Professional regulation indicates the growth of a profession from one that was not considered on par with others who are professionally regulated to one seen as deserving of the same level of standing as others. The move from self-regulation to professional regulation is a very positive sign in the growth of a profession.

What will happen to the “Registered Veterinary Technician” (RVT) title once the changes in the Veterinary Professionals Act are implemented?

Under the new Veterinary Professionals Act, individuals currently using the title “Registered Veterinary Technician” or “Registered Veterinary Technologist” and any individuals who become licensed with the new College of Veterinary Professionals will be allowed to use these titles, including any variations, abbreviations, or equivalents in another language.

Importantly, the legislation is also expanding title protection for individuals licensed with the College to include “Veterinary Technician” or “Veterinary Technologist,”. The change provides greater flexibility in how professionals refer to themselves, while at the same time maintaining their official status and recognition.

It is expected that the College will primarily refer to members of our profession as Veterinary Technicians for simplicity.

When will RVTs become licensed with the College, and how much will it cost?

RVTs will be licensed through the College of Veterinary Professionals of Ontario, which will be established when the regulations and By-Laws governing veterinary professionals are in place. The OAVT expects the regulatory development process to be complete by the end of 2025 and implementation to take place over the course of 2026*.

With licensure available through the College, they will also establish costs. A fee structure will be developed as part of the transition process.

*timelines are an estimate and subject to change

MORE ABOUT THESE CHANGES

Why Change is Good

The new Veterinary Professionals Act will distinguish for the first time between RVTs and the other non-credentialled staff who work in veterinary practices.

This change will formalize the one profession, two professionals model that is already widely in practice among modern veterinary teams. RVTs will finally be able to practice to the full scope of their training, enabling them to use their education and training to benefit animals, veterinary teams, and the public. The legislation will also ensure RVTs have a seat at the Council table where the profession is governed, increasing representation of RVTs’ interests and concerns.

And while change is good, we haven’t lost sight of all the hard work and amazing accomplishments of RVTs who got us to this point. We will continue to recognize and celebrate our past, while leveraging the platform that has been built to continue expanding the scope and recognition of our profession into the future.

Get Involved

Along with our partners at the College of Veterinarians of Ontario (CVO) and the Ontario Veterinary Medical Association (OVMA), we will continue to work alongside the government as regulations are developed.

We also hope you will use your voice to join us throughout this process to ensure that the government gets this right for RVTs.

To find out how you can be involved, email advocacy@oavt.org

ADVOCACY IS...

Acting or speaking in favour of a cause, idea, or policy
Attempting to influence outcomes such as public policy and resource allocation decisions.
Telling your story to someone in government so that they are compelled to do (or not to do) something.

For an association like the OAVT, advocacy means building relationships with members of provincial Parliament (MPPs) and other government decision-makers and educating them about priorities for RVTs in Ontario.

In this section

Video: OAVT Executive Director Elise Wickett, MBA, RVT, explains what’s next in the legislative reform process in this video presentation for both RVTs and DVMs from the Fall of 2024.

Video: OAVT Executive Director Elise Wickett, MBA, RVT, and OAVT President Kirsti Clarida, RVT, discuss the legislative reform process and answer questions in this hour-long town hall meeting from Spring 2023

Podcast Listen to this January 4, 2022 episode of Oculus Insights' Hire the Smile Podcast, hosted by Dr. Mike Pownall, DVM. In this important episode, titled "HOW REGISTERED VETERINARY TECHNICIANS CAN HELP SAVE THE VETERINARY PROFESSION," Dr. Pownall speaks with OAVT President Kirsti Clarida, RVT about the roles, value and utilization of RVTs. They also touch on the topics of RVT burnout and setting boundaries.

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Legislative Reform