B.C. seeks ban on public drug use, dialing back decriminalization
The B.C. NDP has asked the federal government to recriminalize public drug use, marking a major shift in the province's approach to addressing the deadly overdose crisis.
Canada’s yearslong shortage of veterinarians was exacerbated during the pandemic, as more people welcomed pets into their homes to add joy and companionship during lockdowns. Now, concerns around quickly accessing medical care for animals is more urgent than ever, says one vet.
“This problem existed well before the pandemic, we saw it coming down the pipeline in 2020…what happened during the pandemic though is the pet population grew at a rate that was not previously predicted,” said Dr. Trevor Lawson, a Nova Scotia-based veterinarian and the president-elect of the Canadian Veterinary Medical Association (CVMA).
“We now have a situation where the individuals needing care are having more trouble than ever getting it, and that’s a stressful situation for the veterinary team and the pet owner,” Lawson told CTV’s Your Morning on Tuesday.
According to a workforce study published by the CVMA in May 2020, Canada was already experiencing population growth and an increased pet population, specifically of dogs.
In 2018, about 7 million dogs in Canada visited a vet, compared to 5 million in 2007, the report states.
Canadian veterinarians are graduating at a rate that is about equal to those retiring. A survey within the report also found that one in five clinics hadscaled back hours due to a shortage of vets to fill shifts, especially in Quebec.
“It’s been a big challenge for us,” said Lawson. There have been several initiatives launched to graduate more veterinarians in Canada, with provinces like Manitoba and Saskatchewan announcing more funding in 2022 for the Western College of Veterinary Medicine in Saskatoon, meaning more seats for students will be open in the College for the 2023-2024 school year.
But that doesn’t solve issues now, nor in every jurisdiction, said Lawson.
For pet owners looking for appointments now, it’s going to take longer than veterinarians would hope, he explained.
“Being very proactive on planning for preventative care is absolutely critical…it hopefully results in fewer emergencies and sick animals,” he said. A lapse in preventative care would lead to more urgent cases, and fewer spots for those in need, said Lawson.
Another solution could rest with the many Canadian students who are trained internationally, and the CVMA is doing work to help make it easier for those students to work at home, said Lawson. At the same time, the organization has reached out to the Ministry of Immigration to make it easier for veterinarians abroad to work in Canada, he said.
As well, veterinarians told CTV National News many vets are suffering from stress due to being overworked, and need relief.
Lawson said he’s also worried about physician burnout. “I worry about individuals in our profession who are exhausted and leaving the profession,” he said.
The B.C. NDP has asked the federal government to recriminalize public drug use, marking a major shift in the province's approach to addressing the deadly overdose crisis.
More than 115 people who viewed the solar eclipse in Ontario earlier this month experienced eye damage after the event, according to eye doctors in the province.
A Sherwood Park family says their new house is uninhabitable. The McNaughton's say they were forced to leave the house after living there for only a week because contaminants inside made it difficult to breathe.
A man has been handed a lengthy hunting ban and fined thousands of dollars for illegally killing a grizzly bear, B.C. conservation officers say.
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau says there is 'still so much love' between her and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, as they navigate their post-separation relationship co-parenting their three children.
George Mallory is renowned for being one of the first British mountaineers to attempt to scale the dizzying heights of Mount Everest during the 1920s. Nearly a century later, newly digitized letters shed light on Mallory’s hopes and fears about ascending Everest.
An emergency slide fell off a Delta Air Lines jetliner shortly after takeoff Friday from New York, and pilots who felt a vibration in the plane circled back to land safely at JFK Airport.
An Ontario man who took out a loan to pay for auto repairs said his car was repossessed after he missed two payments.
A girl and a boy, both 14 years old, made their first appearance today in a Halifax courtroom, where they each face a second-degree murder charge in the stabbing death of a 16-year-old high school student.
Mounties in Nanaimo, B.C., say two late-night revellers are lucky their allegedly drunken antics weren't reported to police after security cameras captured the men trying to steal a heavy sign from a downtown business.
A property tax bill is perplexing a small townhouse community in Fergus, Ont.
When identical twin sisters Kim and Michelle Krezonoski were invited to compete against some of the world’s most elite female runners at last week’s Boston Marathon, they were in disbelief.
The giant stone statues guarding the Lions Gate Bridge have been dressed in custom Vancouver Canucks jerseys as the NHL playoffs get underway.
A local Oilers fan is hoping to see his team cut through the postseason, so he can cut his hair.
A family from Laval, Que. is looking for answers... and their father's body. He died on vacation in Cuba and authorities sent someone else's body back to Canada.
A former educational assistant is calling attention to the rising violence in Alberta's classrooms.
The federal government says its plan to increase taxes on capital gains is aimed at wealthy Canadians to achieve “tax fairness.”
At 6'8" and 350 pounds, there is nothing typical about UBC offensive lineman Giovanni Manu, who was born in Tonga and went to high school in Pitt Meadows.