Modernizing the
Governance
of the College
PURPOSE
Existing Provisions
The Veterinarians Act states that the principal object of the College is to “regulate the
practice of veterinary medicine and to govern its members in accordance with this
Act, the regulations and the by-laws in order that the public interest may be served
and protected.”
It further states that the College has the following additional objects:
1. To establish, maintain and develop standards of knowledge and skill among its
members.
2. To establish, maintain and develop standards of qualification and standards of
practice for the practice of veterinary medicine.
•Objects of the
College•
3. To establish, maintain and develop standards of professional ethics among its
members.
4. To promote public awareness of the role of the College.
5. To perform such other duties and exercise such other powers as are imposed
or conferred on the College under any Act.
What Change is Proposed?
While the current objects of the College included in the Veterinarians Act have held
the College in good stead, it is proposed that the provision of the Act relating to the
purposes of the College be updated to also include the following objects:
1. To develop, establish, and maintain programs to assure the quality of the
practice of the profession.
2. To develop, establish, and maintain standards and programs to promote the
ability of members to respond to changes in practice environments, advances
in technology and other emerging issues.
3. To inspect and accredit veterinary facilities.
4. Any other objects relating to the practice of veterinary medicine that Council
considers desirable.
Why is the College Considering Changes to this Concept?
The current College objects, despite existing authority in the Act, do not presently
speak to the College’s role in protecting the public interest in the inspection and
accreditation of veterinary facilities. This needs to be explicitly and clearly stated. The
object provisions also do not speak to ensuring the quality of the practice of the
profession. A mandatory quality assurance program is being proposed (see page 26).
To facilitate this work and acknowledge its importance to the reputation of veterinary
medicine, as with other professions, a specific object is necessary. Further, the current
objects are not sufficiently agile to account for new developments in veterinary
medicine. The rationale for the inclusion of the last object, namely, “Any other objects
relating to the practice of veterinary medicine that Council considers desirable” is that
it allows for responsiveness, agility, and flexibility. Examples of such objects would
include the College’s current involvement with the antimicrobial resistance initiative
federally, and its animal welfare agenda.
The proposed changes are recommended to ensure that the profession’s regulatory
authorities remain current and flexible, both now and in the future.
12 Achieving a Modern Approach to the Regulation of Veterinary Medicine in Ontario