Class Expansion Spurs $44.5 Million Fundraising Campaign to Upgrade Veterinary Training Facilities to Enhance Graduate Readiness at U of G

Starting in fall 2025, the Ontario Veterinary College (OVC) at the University of Guelph (U of G) will welcome 20 new students from northern Ontario. These students will be trained to serve their communities, particularly in the expanding agri-food sector and in companion animal care, reinforcing the university’s commitment to bridging veterinary care gaps.

“At the University of Guelph, we are committed to educating the next generation of veterinarians and helping to ensure every region in Ontario has access to quality animal care,” says Rene van Acker, Interim President of the University of Guelph. “Our Ontario Veterinary College has led veterinary education for over a century, and this partnership with Lakehead University expands our reach to northern students who are passionate about serving their communities.”

Each year, the program will recruit 20 students from northern Ontario—including residents of the Districts of Algoma, Cochrane, Kenora, Manitoulin, Nipissing, Parry Sound, Rainy River, Sudbury, Thunder Bay and Timiskaming. The first two cohorts (2025 and 2026), known as the “Northern Cohort,” will complete all four years of their studies at the University of Guelph. If everything goes as expected, starting in 2027, the northern cohort students will study at Lakehead for the first two years and finish their training for the final two years at Guelph.

Students in the program will gain hands-on experience, working alongside veterinarians and completing coursework to prepare them for northern practice. Upon graduation, they will receive a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) degree from the University of Guelph.

To accommodate the expanded class size, OVC is actively fundraising for a $44.5-million Medical and Surgical Learning Centre a multi-storey state-of-the-art facility designed to enhance veterinary training.

With the long-awaited expansion of the DVM class, OVC’s Dean, Dr. Jeffrey Wichtel says there is a great need to right-size and modernize OVC’s learning facilities for medical and surgical management of patients. “It’s about increasing the number of quality learning experiences for every one of these students. As a result, final year students will be more fully prepared to apply these skills confidently and effectively for the benefit of all animals, everywhere, across a spectrum of environments,” he says.  

The Government of Ontario is backing this initiative with a $14.7-million investment, including $4.5 million for facility enhancements at Lakehead University with the balance of funding earmarked for the OVC’s Medical and Surgical Learning Centre.  

Further support, including grants through the Veterinary Incentive Program, will ease the transition of graduates into northern communities where their expertise is needed most.   

“The University of Guelph is proud to lead Ontario’s veterinary education and support communities across the province,” says Wichtel. “This program is a major step forward in training veterinarians where they are needed most, ensuring northern Ontario’s agricultural sector and pet owners receive high-quality, accessible veterinary care.”   

With this strategic investment in veterinary education and infrastructure, the University of Guelph and Lakehead University are not only enhancing the accessibility of animal healthcare but also ensuring that future veterinarians are well-equipped to serve communities across Ontario.   

For more information, please contact:    

Hannah James, Director, Marketing + Communications 

OVCinfo@uoguelph.ca  

-30-