The governments of Canada and Manitoba are investing $2 million through the new Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership to enhance the capacity of rural veterinary services districts (VSDs) throughout Manitoba, Federal Agriculture and Agri-Food Minister Marie-Claude Bibeau and Manitoba Agriculture Minister Derek Johnson announced today.
Each VSD will be eligible to receive up to $75,000 toward the purchase of large-animal veterinary equipment, which will allow them to offer expanded services in their district, noted the Ministers. The funding will assist clinics in modernizing their equipment, which may support the recruitment and retention of veterinarians in rural areas. The investment promotes overall animal health and welfare, supports a resilient food chain and helps ensure Manitoba is well-prepared for animal disease emergencies, added Johnson.
The Ministers noted this investment builds on other recent initiatives implemented to expand the province's animal health-care capacity to support the ongoing success of the agricultural sector. In 2022, the Manitoba government expanded its training agreement with the Western College of Veterinary Medicine to address the critical need for veterinarians and invested in a modernized Animal Health Laboratory Information Management System (LIMS) to strengthen the provincial animal disease surveillance program.
