The two-year, $250,000 Veterinary Student Recruitment and Retention Pilot Grant Program is aimed at enticing rural practices to hire summer veterinary students and encouraging students to continue their careers in those communities. The program focuses on practices that provide livestock veterinary services and have a current or anticipated veterinarian vacancy.
Albertans need vets they can rely on in all corners of the province. The demand is especially high in rural communities, where veterinary access is essential to livestock producers’ livelihoods.
“Alberta’s ranchers take the health and well being of their livestock seriously, and veterinarians in rural communities are an essential part of their operations. This program helps vets plant roots and helps producers do what they do best – providing safe, high-quality food while building the rural communities that help drive Canada’s economy”
“We understand the urgency of the veterinary shortage in Alberta. Rural and mixed-practice veterinarians are essential to the well-being of our livestock and the sustainability of our agriculture sector. By investing in veterinary students, we are investing in the future of Alberta’s agriculture industry. More trained vets in Alberta means we are one step closer to ensuring every livestock producer has reliable access to veterinary care for their animals, and we can continue to be world leaders in animal health and food safety.”
Rural vet clinics can apply now for the pilot grant program. Eligible clinics will receive up to $10,000 as a wage incentive for one veterinary student who works at the clinic between May 1 and Aug. 31, 2026. Applications for 2027 will open next year.
“Investing in veterinary students today is an investment in the future of rural veterinary care. Helping rural practices to provide meaningful, hands-on experiences to our students will result in lasting connections and strengthen a resilient veterinary workforce that Alberta can rely on for years to come.”
“Rural Alberta depends on accessible, quality veterinary care. Creating meaningful opportunities for students in rural practice helps build lasting connections and supports a strong, sustainable workforce. This is an important step toward addressing the veterinary shortage where it’s felt most."
Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership
Sustainable CAP is a five-year (2023-28), $3.5-billion investment by federal, provincial and territorial governments to strengthen competitiveness, innovation and resiliency in Canada’s agriculture, agri-food and agri-based products sector. This includes $1 billion in federal programs and activities and $2.5 billion that is cost-shared 60 per cent federally and 40 per cent provincially/territorially for programs that are designed and delivered by provinces and territories.
Quick facts
- In 2021, the Alberta Veterinary Medical Association and Alberta Veterinary Technologist Association released a report on veterinary workforce shortages, highlighting a significant shortage in the veterinary professions.
- While the provincial job vacancy rate is about three per cent, the report quoted a provincial vacancy rate of almost 17 per cent for veterinarian positions, rising to nearly 19 per cent in rural areas.
- Based on current attrition rates and growing demand for veterinary services, the report estimates a need for more than 1,600 new veterinarians by 2035.