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Regulatory Concept: Authorized Activities

The Veterinary Professionals Act enables team-based veterinary care with the introduction of an authorized activity model.

Authorized Activities

Regulatory concepts related to the authorized activities model have been approved for submission to the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Agribusiness.

Status: The Transition Council has approved several proposed regulatory concepts in the area of Authorized Activities. These regulatory concepts focus on non-delegable activities, delegation, order, initiate, and forms of energy. The Transition Council will review a proposed regulatory concept on specific exemptions for members at a later date.

Replay from Transition Council: A replay of the Transition Council's discussions and decisions from the May 14, 2025 meeting is available below. The proposed regulatory concepts under "Authorized Activities" include: Non-Delegable Activities, Delegation, Order, Initiate, and Forms of Energy.

Overview of Authorized Activities

The regulatory concept related to the authorized activity model is one of the most complex and multi-faceted aspects of the Transition Council’s work. The Veterinary Professionals Act introduces an authorized activity model and outlines 17 authorized activities.

Introducing Authorized Activities

Delegation, Order, and Initiation

Non-Delegable Activities

The authorized activities framework moves away from an exclusive scope of practice to a more prescribed approach to practice for veterinarians, veterinary technicians, and auxiliaries that outlines the types of activities that can be performed by members, as well those working under their supervision and delegation. Non-delegable activities are one aspect of the authorized activities model.

The proposed regulatory concept on non-delegable activities, approved by the Transition Council at its May meeting, includes the following:

  • identifies authorized activities that cannot be delegated by a veterinarian member including, performing an assessment related to fitness for purpose or soundness, prescribing a drug, performing major surgery, and performing dental extractions
  • communicating a diagnosis to an individual cannot be delegated except when a veterinary technician member is:
    • providing confirmation of an animal's death
    • communicating a veterinarian’s diagnosis based on the veterinarian’s delegation and the veterinarian is available to talk with the individual
    • providing confirmation of pregnancy in a food-producing animal following a transabdominal diagnostic ultrasound

Delegation

The authorized activities framework moves away from an exclusive scope of practice to a more prescribed approach to practice for veterinarians, veterinary technicians, and auxiliaries that outlines the types of activities that can be performed by members, as well those working under their supervision and delegation. Delegation is one aspect of the authorized activities model.

The proposed regulatory concept on delegation, approved by the Transition Council at its May meeting, includes the following:

  • outlines how a veterinarian is permitted to delegate authorized activities, and recognizes the veterinarian's responsibility for the delegation and performance of the activities
  • recognizes the veterinarian technician's professional responsibility for performance of the tasks when they choose to accept the delegation of authorized activities
  • continues the veterinarian’s ability to delegate to a non-member
  • indicates veterinary technician members are not permitted to sub-delegate authorized activities
  • includes three levels of supervision, being immediate, direct, and indirect

Orders

The authorized activities framework moves away from an exclusive scope of practice to a more prescribed approach to practice for veterinarians, veterinary technicians, and auxiliaries that outlines the types of activities that can be performed by members, as well those working under their supervision and delegation. The development and use of orders are one aspect of the authorized activities model.

The proposed regulatory concept on orders, approved by the Transition Council at its May meeting, includes the following:

  • defines Order
  • includes the ability for orders to be used in the performance of authorized activities by veterinary technician members
  • identifies expectations for informed client consent
  • outlines overarching components before an order can be utilized
  • permits all delegable authorized activities to be the subject of orders

Initiate

The authorized activities framework moves away from an exclusive scope of practice to a more prescribed approach to practice for veterinarians, veterinary technicians, and auxiliaries that outlines the types of activities that can be performed by members, as well those working under their supervision and delegation. Initiation is one aspect of the authorized activities model.

The proposed regulatory concept on initiation, approved by the Transition Council at its May meeting, includes the following:

  • defines Initiation
  • includes the ability for initiate to be used in the performance of authorized activities by veterinary technician members

  • identifies expectations for informed client consent

  • outlines overarching components before authorized activities can be performed through initiation

  • identifies authorized activities permitted to be performed through initiation

Forms of Energy

The Veterinary Professionals Act contains a list of 17 authorized activities that can only be performed by members or by non-members to whom the activity is delegated or who are otherwise specifically authorized in legislation. One of these authorized activities is applying or ordering a prescribed form of energy. The forms of energy that constitute an authorized activity must be laid out in regulation.

The proposed regulatory concept on forms of energy, approved by the Transition Council at its May meeting, includes the following:

  • identifies specific forms of energy that are authorized activities