College Connection | Winter 2025
Legacy Council
College Connection | Winter 2025
Legacy Council
The Legacy Council met on November 26, 2025. Highlights and replays from policy discussions are available at cvo. org / Council. Legacy Council meets again in March. The public is welcome to watch Council proceedings via the livestream; please contact the College if you plan to attend in-person. The Legacy Council considered the following items at its November meeting.
Antimicrobial Stewardship Project Recommendations
The Legacy Council discussed a report, prepared by ACER Consulting, which identifies opportunities to enhance antimicrobial stewardship in companion animal and equine medicine in Ontario.
Last fall, the Legacy Council approved a project to raise awareness of antimicrobial stewardship and to seek opportunities to shape the prescribing behaviours and choices of veterinarians to reduce the use of publicly important antimicrobial drugs in animals. The research project included focus groups with veterinarians to explore current prescribing practices and behaviours, particularly in equine and companion animal medicine.
Following discussion of the opportunities identified in the report, the Legacy Council decided its future policy work will include review of its position on the use of antimicrobial drugs, and consideration of antimicrobial stewardship programs as part of its facility accreditation standards. Further, the plan includes establishing a provincial advisory group on antimicrobial stewardship to support education, as well as a public education campaign that supports evidence-based antimicrobial prescribing in animal health care.
Revisions to Policy Statement on Facility Directors
The Legacy Council discussed parameters for a facility director to be considered to be engaged in the practice of veterinary medicine conducted in or from the facility. Following discussion, the Legacy Council decided a facility director needs to practise through the accredited facility for a minimum of four days a month. When not onsite, the facility director must be available to be contacted during operating hours and respond within a reasonable timeframe. As well, another veterinarian who is employed or contracted at the accredited facility is permitted to cover for the facility director for short-term absences.
Advisory Group on Shelter Medicine and the VCPR
The Legacy Council approved the establishment of an advisory group on animal shelter medicine and the veterinarian-client-patient relationship( VCPR). The advisory group will identify and recommend new approaches to the delivery of veterinary medicine in shelter environments. The advisory group will include veterinarians, veterinary technicians, representatives from humane societies and municipal pounds, a representative from
the Association of Animal Shelter Administrators of Ontario, and a representative from the Ministry of the Solicitor General. The advisory group will be looking for options related to the defined boundaries of the VCPR, the need for informed client consent when owners do not exist or do not present themselves, access to pharmaceuticals, and access to veterinarians and veterinary technicians.
Workforce Data Project
The Legacy Council approved the establishment of a veterinary professionals data advisory group to support workforce planning initiatives through informed data collection strategies. Standardized consistent and comparable data would enable the College to supply current, relevant and timely information about veterinary professionals.
cvo. org / Council
Public confidence in veterinary regulation cvo. org 2