ACCESSING FOOD ANIMAL VETERINARIANS IN NORTHERN ONTARIO

Funded through the Ontario Agri-Food Innovation Alliance - Special Initiatives Program

Primary Investigator: Dr. Sara Epp

Co-Investigator: Dr. David Kelton

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Livestock farms need consistent and reliable access to veterinary services to ensure optimal animal health and welfare, and to maintain food safety. Certain regions of the province, such as northern Ontario have few/no food animal veterinary clinics, which make it difficult for livestock operations in these areas to receive routine or even emergency veterinary services in a timely manner. With growth in the livestock sector, the need for food animal veterinarians has increased and the challenges for under-serviced communities has heightened. This study will identify under-serviced agricultural communities in northern Ontario and examine the social and economic barriers that impact food animal veterinarian attraction and retention to these communities. By engaging producers, veterinarians, government staff, and numerous other stakeholders, this project will develop a series of policy, program, and practice recommendations to improve veterinary services to these underserved regions of Ontario

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Research Team:

Steven Roche, ACER Consulting

Minerva Cancilla-Styles, MSc Rural Planning and Development

Alex Boekestyn, MSc Candidate, Rural Planning and Development

Pooneh Derakhshan, MPlan, Rural Planning and Development

Kaleigh Vanbokhorst, MSc, Rural Planning and Development