Increasing Support for Veterinary Students

In addition to providing care to all animals, veterinarians play a key role in food security and safeguarding against the spread of animal-borne diseases. 

To support increasing the number of veterinarians in the province, the Government of Alberta is increasing funding for the new veterinary medicine facilities at the University of Calgary by $10 million, for a total of $68.5 million. 

Construction is already underway on the Veterinary Learning Commons building at the University's Spy Hill Campus, and is expected to be complete in the 2025-26 academic year. When completed, the number of training seats will double from 50 to 100.

As part of the new funding, $1.2 million will support equipment for molecular diagnostics for livestock as well as funding for renovations to the Clinical Skills Building and lab equipment. The funding is deemed integral to the long-term goals of the faculty to provide a full-service veterinary diagnostics laboratory and continued support for livestock diagnostics in Alberta. This project is anticipated to lower operating costs for Alberta producers who are currently having to send samples out of province for testing. 

Saddle Hills County offers its own Veterinary Medicine Bursary to encourage students to return to the Peace Region post-graduation to provide this much needed service to our local producers.