Inclusion of Veterinarians and Animal Health Technicians in the Federal Student Loan Forgiveness Program

WHEREAS the Government of Canada has implemented and expanded the Canada Student Loan Forgiveness Program to attract and retain essential professionals in rural and underserviced areas, including family doctors, nurses, and, as of December 31, 2025, a range of additional health and social services professionals such as teachers, early childhood educators, social workers, dentists, dental hygienists, pharmacists, midwives, psychologists, personal support workers and physiotherapists; and   

WHEREAS veterinarians and animal health technicians were not included among these newly eligible occupations; and  

WHEREAS rural and remote communities face serious workforce challenges, including shortages of veterinarians and registered veterinary technicians, which directly impact animal health, herd productivity, disease surveillance, animal welfare, and the economic stability of agricultural producers; and 

WHEREAS the exclusion of veterinarians and animal health technicians from this federal incentive means that even though these professionals face high educational debt and are vital to rural economies and food production systems like the beef industry, they do not receive the same targeted federal support that helps reduce student loan burdens or increase recruitment into rural practice; and 

WHEREAS recruiting and retaining veterinarians and animal health technicians to serve rural producers is essential to timely preventive care, disease management, herd health planning, emergency responses (including foreign animal disease preparedness); and  

WHEREAS rural practices struggle to compete with urban clinics and corporate employment, especially when debt servicing is a deciding factor for early-career professionals;