'We're deeply disappointed': Saskatoon's veterinary college loses $8M in funding

Saskatoon's veterinary college will see a hefty funding cut after the Alberta government recently decided to withdraw its longtime support.

The Alberta government announced on Thursday it will not renew its inter-provincial agreement with Saskatoon's Western College of Veterinary Medicine after 2020, which means a loss of $8 million in funding.

"We're very troubled at the shift in the partnership," said Dr. Douglas Freeman, the college's dean. "We're deeply disappointed."

No more Alberta students

The Saskatoon-based college was jointly founded by the provinces of Saskatchewan, British Columbia, Alberta and Manitoba in 1963.

The Alberta partnership represents 25 per cent of the college's shared operating costs.

Funding supports more than tuition for the 80 Alberta students enrolled in the Doctor of Veterinary Medicine program. The money also covers the cost of training interns and residents, post-graduate programs and necessary research.

The cuts will not be inconsequential as to maintaining the program, said Freeman.

But when the partnership ends, Alberta funding will only be allocated to new vet students at the University of Calgary. That means Albertans will no longer be able to complete a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine in Saskatoon.

Next steps

In a release, Alberta's Advanced Education Minister Marlin Schmidt said the decision was made to achieve provincial cost savings and to increase access.

The money will go towards the University of Calgary's Doctor of Veterinary Medicine program. Enrolment there will increase from 30 to 50 students per year.

Freeman said he doesn't harbour hard feelings towards the Alberta government for its decision.

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New funding models will be top of mind as 2020 approaches, said Freeman. The college will be looking to new and existing partnerships to ensure operating costs continue to be met.

"We're an outstanding program. This is going to be a difficult issue to overcome in terms of funding, but it certainly doesn't change our commitment to serving Western Canada," he said.