Veterinary and veterinary technologist locums working in the B.C. Food Animal Practices Pilot Program

On this page:

• Program overview
• Program timeline
• Program goals
• Program funding
• Program eligibility
• Applications
• Reimbursement
• Additional information

Program overview 

The program is designed to increase the pool of veterinarians and registered veterinary technologists (RVTs) that are available to provide locum services for B.C. veterinary practices that offer care for food animals, with a priority for servicing practices outside of the Lower Mainland. See the full program guide (PDF, 172KB).

This program is funded in part by the governments of Canada and British Columbia under the Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership, a federal-provincial-territorial initiative.

Program timeline 

The pilot is planned to run until December 31, 2025. Application intake window for locum veterinarians and RVTs is now closed.

Between now and December 31, 2025, as funding permits, additional application windows may be opened to accept new applications. 

Applicants who do not submit a completed application by the deadlines will be considered to have withdrawn their application and previously approved funding may be given to other applicants. 

Program goals 

Establish a locum bank of veterinarians and RVTs that are willing to provide veterinary services for B.C. veterinary practices that offer food animal services, with priority for servicing practices outside of the Lower Mainland.

Program funding 

Maximum annual funding is anticipated to be $10,953 for veterinarian locums and $4,660 for RVTs per program year, April 1 to March 31.

Program eligibility 

Veterinarians

To be eligible for the program, applicants must meet the following eligibility requirements:

• Hold full active registration in the Private Practice Registrant class with the College of Veterinarians of British Columbia (CVBC); or
• Hold active registration in the Provisional Supervised Active (PSA) registration in the Private Practice class and ensure all CVBC practice requirements are met for the locum period

Registered Veterinary Technologists

Applicants must have active membership as a Registered Veterinary Technologist (RVT) with the BC Veterinary Technologists Association (BCVTA). 

Practices where the locum occurs must meet the following criteria

Practices where the locum occurs must meet the following criteria:

• Be accredited by the College of Veterinarians of B.C. (CVBC) to provide food animal services
• Actively offer food animal services to clients during the locum period. For this program, food animals are defined as animals raised to produce food or fibre, and include cattle, swine, sheep, goats, poultry, bison, and fish
  • Practices that provide services to clients at any production scale (e.g. large-scale, small lot) are eligible
• If the practice is hiring a Provisional Supervised Active (PSA) locum, ensure that all CVBC requirements are met for the locum period

See examples of eligible locum arrangements (PDF, 94 KB).

Applications 

Applications will collect information, including:

• Locum name, professional qualification and license number, address, phone number, email and business number
• Estimated geographic and temporal availability
• Information on capacity to provide different types of veterinary or veterinary technologist services
• Standard demographic information (Indigeneity, gender, age)
• Confirmation of willingness to provide 10 or more days of service per year at B.C. veterinary clinics that offer food animal services, including at least five days of service to practices outside of the Lower Mainland
• Consent for program staff to share locum contact information and scope of practice with B.C .veterinary practices that offer food animal services

Reimbursement 

Funding is provided through a periodic reimbursement to approved applicants through a claim form. Accepted applicants must complete and attach the direct deposit application form (PDF, 407KB) for general and service suppliers, along with a void cheque, to receive reimbursement. Further details will be provided to successful applicants.

After acceptance to the locum bank, applicants can submit a claim to the program for reimbursement of their 2024 annual registrant/membership fees with either the College of Veterinarians of BC (CVBC) or BC Veterinary Technologists Association (BCVTA).

Veterinarians can also apply for reimbursement of Society of BC Veterinarians annual membership (SBCV) in their claim. If the locum remains active in the bank as of January 2025, they can submit a reimbursement claim to the program for 2025 annual registrant or membership fees.

Locum veterinarians working in-person at eligible veterinary practices are eligible for support at a rate of $300 per day, and RVTs are eligible for $150 per day.

Locum veterinarians or RVTs providing telemedicine services for an eligible veterinary practice will be eligible for support at a rate of $50 per day. These amounts are intended to be additional to the remuneration negotiated between the locum and the practice.

Under this program, a locum may claim for up to 30 days per year, with a maximum of 15 days per veterinary practice per program year. Locums will be reimbursed for a maximum of five days of service per year in the Lower Mainland.

Additional information 

The program is distinct from, and takes no responsibility for any aspect of the negotiated conditions and scope of work or remuneration agreement between the locum and the practice.