Manitoba's Agriculture Minister Derek Johnson was at the Ste. Rose Veterinary Clinic yesterday to announce further details of the province's plan to address the shortage of vets in rural areas.
Minister Johnson was joined by Dr. Gillian Muir, Dean of the Western College of Veterinary Medicine (WCVM); Dr. Deanne Wilkinson, Extension Veterinarian for Manitoba Agriculture; Tyler Fulton, the President of Manitoba Beef Producers; Jill Verwey, the Vice-President of Keystone Agricultural Producers; and Ste. Rose Mayor Robert Brunel.
Yesterday's announcement builds on the announcement the government made last week, increasing the number of subsidized seats for Manitobans at the WCVM. Manitoba currently subsidizes 15 seats at WCVM, and that number is going up to 20, starting in the 2023-24 school year.
Minister Johnson says the new seats will be filled by students with a rural background.
"When you have a background, especially from rural Manitoba, you will be more inclined to reside, and build a practice in rural Manitoba."
He said they're also working on ways to encourage students to return to Manitoba after graduating.
"This year students, when they come back, we help subsidize their wages. So when they come and work in a clinic in Manitoba, they're more likely to lay down roots there, and when they graduate the following year, usually they migrate back to the good experience that they had at that vet clinic."
Dr. Muir says there are studies that show students are more likely to return to a familiar situation.
"We know from many studies that students who come from a rural background or live in small towns are more likely to go back to work in small towns or in rural areas. So we're hoping, or we know that that's the case, and that's why these five seats, in particular, are targeted at students with a rural background."
Students filling the new subsidized seats will be expected to have the following:
- An expressed desire to pursue veterinary practices in commercial agriculture in rural Manitoba;
- A solid academic foundation through achievement in a university-level animal science program; and
- Practical knowledge and experience in the livestock or poultry industries, gained through significant experience prior to enrolment.
Tyler Fulton, the President of Manitoba Beef Producers says it's good to see the government addressing the issue.
“We appreciate the focus on recruiting students who have a direct interest and first-hand experience in working with animals, and who have been raised in a rural environment. We thank the provincial government for its investment in training more vets.”
