Regulatory Exemptions for Members
Status: The Transition Council has approved the proposed regulatory concepts in the area of regulatory exemptions for members. These regulatory concepts focus on members who work as employees of the Crown or under other federal/provincial legislation, and veterinary technicians who are working independently from an accredited veterinary facility.
Overview
The Transition Council has been considering potential pathways related to exemptions for members that maintain public protection safeguards under the Veterinary Professionals Act. The Transition Council has been considering, and consulted on, four pathways for regulatory exemptions for members.
Research and legal perspectives indicated concerns in regulatory oversight and public protection with the exemptions that permitted veterinary technician members to practise independently from an accredited veterinary facility. It is not in the public interest to provide a scenario that permits licensed veterinary technicians to practise authorized activities independently from an accredited facility or a veterinarian.
The proposed regulatory concept on regulatory exemptions for members, approved by the Transition Council at its August meeting, includes the following:
- members can carry out authorized activities outside of an accredited facility, if they work for the Crown or under federal or provincial legislation
- veterinary technician members can carry out authorized activities outside of an accredited veterinary facility if they are working under a veterinarian member's treatment plan
The proposed regulatory concepts not moving ahead, as decided by the Transition Council at its August meeting, include the following:
- a proposed regulatory concept that permitted a veterinary technician to carry out authorized activities outside of an accredited veterinary facility, based on a written referral from a veterinary member
- a proposed regulatory concept that permitted a veterinary technician to carry out certain authorized activities outside of an accredited facility, as an employee of a non-veterinary animal care provider offering services directly to the public
In removing these concepts, the Transition Council further recommends the future Council of the new College consider expanding the facility accreditation model to allow veterinary technicians to hold a Certificate of Accreditation and serve as Veterinary Facility Directors. In addition, the Transition Council recommends a future Council research the possibility of permitting licensed members to carry out certain authorized activities outside of an accredited facility when employed by non-veterinary animal care providers.