Current State of Veterinary Technology
Registered Veterinary Technologists (RVTs) are essential, highly trained professionals who play a critical role in delivering safe, effective veterinary care in British Columbia.
Clinics across the province increasingly rely on RVTs to improve team efficiency, expand access to care, and meet rising demand for veterinary services. Yet, British Columbia remains the sole province in Western Canada lacking regulation in this field – a gap that potentially puts the public, animals and the profession at risk.
The BCVTA is working to change this. Regulation would align B.C. with national standards, provide legal recognition for RVTs, and strengthen the veterinary profession as a whole—benefiting animals, veterinary teams, and the people who depend on them.
Why Change is Needed
Regulation of veterinary technology serves several important goals:
- Ensuring Public Safety: Regulation helps ensure that individuals practicing veterinary technology have met specific educational and training standards. This helps safeguard the health and well-being of animals under their care and minimizes the risk of
malpractice or negligence that could harm animals or public health. - Ensuring Accountability and Consumer Protection: Regulation establishes a formal mechanism for oversight, complaints, and disciplinary action, ensuring that RVTs are held accountable to professional standards and providing recourse for the public.
- Maintaining Professional Standards: Regulation establishes a clear set of standards and guidelines for the practice of veterinary technology, including ethical conduct, competence, and accountability. This helps maintain the integrity and professionalism of
the profession. - Promoting Consistency and Quality of Care: By setting standards for education, training, and practice, regulation helps promote consistency and quality of care across the veterinary technology profession. This ensures that all RVTs possess the necessary knowledge and skills to perform their duties competently.
- Enhancing Recognition and Credibility: Regulation provides formal recognition of the veterinary technology profession, which can enhance its credibility and status within the veterinary industry. This recognition may also lead to increased public trust and confidence in the services provided by RVTs.
- Facilitating Career Advancement: Regulation may create pathways for career advancement and specialization within the veterinary technology field. This can include opportunities for additional training, certification, or licensure in specialized areas of practice.
FAQs
Regulation would give RVTs formal recognition under provincial law, defining their role, responsibilities, and scope of authorized activities within veterinary teams . This is similar to other provinces including Ontario, Alberta and Saskatchewan.
Regulation would also establish public oversight through a regulatory body with clear standards for licensing, continuing education and professional accountability. Regulation affirms the value of RVTs, elevates the profession, and provides the legal tools to ensure safe, high-quality care province wide.
If RVTs become regulated in BC, the use of the title “Registered Veterinary Technologist” would be protected under provincial law and restricted to individuals who meet the required educational and licensing standards. This would strengthen the meaning and credibility of the RVT designation.
While enforcement would fall under the regulator, we expect that legal recognition will lead to a natural and ongoing reduction in the misuse of the title. Clinics and employers will have clearer guidance on who can legally perform RVT duties, and the public will have greater confidence in who is providing care.
For most RVTs currently practicing, regulation is not expected to change day-to-day responsibilities, however, it will provide clarity and legal backing for what RVTs can and cannot do.
Defining a scope of authorized activities in law ensures that RVTs can work to their full training and that unqualified individuals are not permitted to perform regulated medical tasks. This can help reduce role confusion in clinics, support better team collaboration and increase confidence in delegation by veterinarians.
Regulation ensures that only individuals who meet defined education, credentialing, and professional standards can call themselves Registered Veterinary Technologists. This protects animal owners by creating clear expectations around who is qualified to deliver care and what responsibilities they are authorized to perform.
For the public, regulation builds trust in the veterinary system by establishing accountability. It means there is a mechanism in place to address concerns if standards are not met, and it helps ensure consistent, safe care across all veterinary settings in the province.
Yes. In every province where RVTs are regulated, a professional association continues to play a vital role. BCVTA would continue to represent and support RVTs through advocacy, continuing education, networking and member engagement, much like ABVTA in Alberta and SAVT in Saskatchewan. Regulation would complement, not replace, the work BCVTA does to elevate the profession.
BC is one of the last provinces without formal regulation for RVTs. Eight provinces have already moved forward with legal recognition, and Ontario recently passed new legislation creating an integrated veterinary regulator that includes RVTs. There is growing political and professional momentum across the country to align with national standards. Regulation is a necessary next step to strengthen the profession in BC.
Get Involved: Your Voice Matters
There are several ways to participate in the regulatory process:
- Attend town hall meetings and AGMs, and read communications from the BCVTA for upcoming meetings and notices for review of documents.
- Encourage your veterinary colleagues to keep up to date on the regulation process with the CVBC.
- Consider volunteering with the BCVTA when opportunities arise.
For additional questions, contact us at executivedirector@bcvta.com