Canada's Veterinary Workforce in 2026

Salaries, Shortages, Clinic Types, and Industry Trends

Introduction

The veterinary profession in Canada continues to evolve rapidly. Rising pet ownership, increasing expectations for animal healthcare, expanding specialty services, and growing public health responsibilities have created significant demand for veterinary professionals across the country.

At the same time, many communities are facing veterinarian shortages, particularly in rural and remote regions. These workforce challenges are affecting access to veterinary care, appointment availability, and the long-term sustainability of veterinary services.

This article explores the current state of Canada's veterinary workforce, including salaries, practice types, clinic distribution, workforce shortages, and future trends shaping the profession.

The Importance of Veterinarians in Canada

Veterinarians play a critical role far beyond treating dogs and cats. They contribute to:

• Companion animal healthcare

• Livestock and food animal medicine

• Public health

• Food safety and food security

• Shelter medicine

• Wildlife conservation

• Research and academia

• Government regulatory programs

• Emergency preparedness and disease surveillance

The profession supports both animal welfare and human health through the One Health approach, recognizing the connection between people, animals, and the environment.

Veterinarian Salaries Across Canada

Veterinary compensation has increased substantially over the past decade as demand for services continues to grow.

Median hourly wages vary by province, with western provinces generally offering some of the highest compensation levels.

Approximate Median Hourly Wages

Province	Median Hourly Wage
Alberta	$62.50
British Columbia	$60.00
Ontario	$60.00
Saskatchewan	$58.00
Newfoundland and Labrador	$57.35
Nova Scotia	$52.20
New Brunswick	$51.82
Manitoba	$50.48

Typical Annual Salaries

New Graduates

• Approximately $100,000–$140,000 annually

Experienced Veterinarians

• Approximately $140,000–$200,000+

Leadership, Specialty, and Ownership Roles

• Often exceed $200,000 annually

Actual earnings vary depending on location, experience, production bonuses, emergency duties, specialty certification, and ownership interests.

Where Canadian Veterinarians Work

Most veterinarians work in companion animal medicine, but career opportunities exist across many sectors.

Estimated Workforce Distribution

Small Animal Practice

• Approximately 75–80%

Large Animal and Food Animal Practice

• Approximately 10–15%

Equine Practice

• Approximately 2–5%

Government, Industry, Academia, Shelter Medicine, Public Health, and Other Areas

• Approximately 10–15%

Companion animal medicine remains the largest employer within the profession due to Canada's growing pet population and increasing demand for advanced veterinary care.

Types of Veterinary Clinics in Canada

Veterinary facilities vary considerably in size, scope, and patient population.

Small Animal Clinics

These clinics focus primarily on:

• Dogs

• Cats

• Rabbits

• Small mammals

• Companion animals

They represent the majority of veterinary practices across Canada.

Mixed Animal Practices

Mixed practices are particularly common in rural communities and often provide services for both companion animals and livestock.

Patients may include:

• Dogs and cats

• Cattle

• Horses

• Sheep

• Goats

• Swine

Large Animal Clinics

These clinics primarily serve agricultural producers and food-animal operations.

Common patients include:

• Beef cattle

• Dairy cattle

• Poultry

• Swine

• Small ruminants

Emergency and Specialty Hospitals

This sector continues to experience significant growth.

Services may include:

• Emergency medicine

• Surgery

• Internal medicine

• Oncology

• Neurology

• Cardiology

• Diagnostic imaging

• Critical care

Other Veterinary Settings

Veterinarians also work in:

• Animal shelters

• Universities

• Research institutions

• Public health agencies

• Government departments

• Pharmaceutical companies

• Wildlife rehabilitation programs

Canada's Veterinary Workforce Shortage

One of the most significant challenges facing the profession is the ongoing workforce shortage.

Current projections suggest that demand for veterinarians will continue to exceed available supply over the coming years.

National Workforce Outlook

Projected veterinary openings:

• Approximately 5,000

Projected job seekers:

• Approximately 4,300

Estimated shortfall:

• Approximately 700 veterinarians

This shortage is expected to affect both companion animal and food-animal sectors.

Key Factors Driving the Shortage

Growing Demand for Veterinary Services

Pet ownership increased substantially during recent years, resulting in higher demand for:

• Wellness care

• Surgery

• Diagnostics

• Emergency services

• Specialty medicine

Rural and Remote Community Challenges

Many rural communities struggle to recruit and retain veterinarians.

Challenges include:

• Geographic isolation

• On-call responsibilities

• Limited workforce availability

• Difficulty replacing retiring veterinarians

Burnout and Well-Being Concerns

Veterinary medicine is a demanding profession.

Common challenges include:

• Long working hours

• Emotional stress

• Staff shortages

• Compassion fatigue

• High client expectations

Limited Training Capacity

Canada currently has a limited number of veterinary schools and training positions relative to future workforce needs.

Increasing training capacity remains an important discussion within the profession.

Why the Shortage Matters

Veterinary workforce shortages affect more than just veterinary clinics.

Potential impacts include:

• Longer appointment wait times

• Reduced access to care in rural communities

• Increased workload for veterinary teams

• Delayed treatment for animals

• Public health implications

• Food animal healthcare challenges

• Reduced support for agricultural industries

Ensuring adequate veterinary workforce capacity is essential for both animal welfare and public health.

Future Outlook

Despite current challenges, the outlook for veterinary medicine remains strong.

Several trends are expected to shape the profession over the coming decade:

• Continued growth in companion animal healthcare

• Expansion of specialty and emergency services

• Increased use of telemedicine and digital tools

• Greater focus on preventive medicine

• Enhanced support for veterinary well-being

• Increased demand for shelter medicine and community outreach services

• Ongoing workforce planning initiatives

Veterinary medicine continues to be one of the most rewarding and impactful healthcare professions in Canada.

Key Takeaways

• Veterinary demand continues to grow across Canada.

• Companion animal practice remains the largest employment sector.

• Veterinarian salaries have increased significantly in recent years.

• Rural and large-animal shortages remain ongoing challenges.

• Workforce projections suggest continued shortages through the coming decade.

• The profession plays a vital role in animal health, public health, food security, and community well-being.

As Canada's veterinary landscape evolves, addressing workforce challenges while supporting the next generation of veterinarians will be critical to ensuring access to high-quality veterinary care for all Canadians.