Alberta (Rural Roots Canada) – A new pilot program aimed at addressing Alberta’s rural veterinary shortage will provide financial incentives to clinics hiring veterinary students for summer work placements.
The two-year, $250,000 Veterinary Student Recruitment and Retention Pilot Grant Program is designed to encourage rural vet practices to bring in summer students and to introduce them to careers in rural communities. The initiative targets clinics that provide livestock veterinary services and have a current or expected veterinarian vacancy.
The program will provide eligible clinics with up to $10,000 to help cover wages for one veterinary student who works at the clinic between May 1 and August 31, 2026. The goal is to encourage the students to work and stay in rural Alberta.
Federal Agriculture and Agri-Food Minister Heath MacDonald said veterinarians play a key role in supporting livestock producers, as well as rural economies.
“Alberta’s ranchers take the health and well-being of their livestock seriously, and veterinarians in rural communities are an essential part of their operations,” he said. “This program helps vets plant roots and helps producers do what they do best – providing safe, high-quality food while building the rural communities that help drive Canada’s economy.”
Alberta Agriculture and Irrigation Minister RJ Sigurdson noted the province faces an urgent need for more veterinarians, particularly in rural and mixed practices.
“We understand the urgency of the veterinary shortage in Alberta,” said Sigurdson. “More trained vets in Alberta means we are one step closer to ensuring every livestock producer has reliable access to veterinary care for their animals, and we can continue to be world leaders in animal health and food safety.”
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The program is funded under the Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership (Sustainable CAP), an investment by federal, provincial, and territorial governments to help strengthen Canada’s ag sector.
The Alberta Veterinary Medical Association (ABVMA) says expanding opportunities for students in rural clinics is a necessary step towards building a sustainable veterinary workforce where it’s needed most.
“Rural Alberta depends on accessible, quality veterinary care,” said Dr. Jami Federick, president of the ABVMA. Creating meaningful opportunities for students in rural practice helps build lasting connections and supports a strong, sustainable workforce.”
Renate Weller, dean of the University of Calgary Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, said providing hands-on rural experience can encourage students to pursue long-term careers in those communities.
“Investing in veterinary students today is an investment in the future of rural veterinary care,” said Weller. “Helping rural practices to provide meaningful, hands-on experiences to our students will result in lasting connections and strengthen a resilient veterinary workforce that Alberta can rely on for years to come.”
A 2021 report from the AVMA and the Alberta Veterinary Technologist Association highlighted significant workforce shortages in the veterinary profession. While Alberta’s overall job vacancy rate sits at about 3%, the report estimated a vacancy rate of nearly 17% for veterinary positions, rising to almost 19% in rural areas.
Based on current attrition rates and growing demand for vet services, the report estimates the province will need more than 1,600 new veterinarians by 2035.
