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CVBC CONNECT

SEPTEMBER 2026

 

NEWS AND NOTICES

Registration Renewal


A reminder to all registrants that the current registration year will end on December 31, 2026. The registration renewal window will open soon. Expect to receive an email around October 19, 2026 containing notification that access to the renewal process has become available through registrants’ online accounts. Please review the Maintaining Registration webpage for information and discussion about registration renewal requirements and key deadlines, changing registration status, consequences of failing to maintain registration, and pathways back to registration following cancellation.


Changes to Online Payment Options


In recent years, the fees charged to the College by credit card processors have increased significantly, resulting in ballooning costs to the College.


As part of the College’s ongoing commitment to fiscal responsibility, the College introduced the option to pay College fees by e-transfer earlier this year. E-transfer is a far more cost-effective payment method that still provides the convenience of online payment and aligns with options offered by other professional regulators in British Columbia.


Effective September 15, 2026, payments made by credit card are subject to a 2.2% cost-recovery fee to offset credit card processing fees. Payments made by e-transfer will not incur any additional fee.


Registrants are able to select their preferred payment method at the time of payment.


Retired Registrants



This is a reminder that starting with the 2026 registration renewal period, and effective the 2027 registration year, individuals registered in the RETIRED class of registration will be required to take active steps annually to renew their registration. This is to ensure that the College maintains an accurate register of retired registrants for the proper administration of the College and its regulatory responsibilities, and to implement changes enacted by the 2025 Bylaw Vote on Fees.


Please be aware that the CVBC bylaws require the cancellation of the registration of retired registrants who do not renew their registration.  


More information about the renewal process for retired registrants is available here.



FOR REGISTRANTS

Continuing Education - New Website Content


Please visit the College’s updated Continuing Education webpage for a summary of registrant obligations regarding continuing professional development. Registrants will find a detailed discussion about the requirements of the College’s Continuing Competence Program, presented in an accessible Q&A format.  


As the College enters the final three months of the current Continuing Education cycle with impending deadlines for (a) the completion of CE requirements (December 31, 2026); and (b) reporting of minimum-required CE hours for the purpose of successful registration renewal (end of day on January 4, 2027), registrants are encouraged to visit the new Continuing Education content page and refresh their understanding of the College’s requirements.


Duty to Report


Registrants are reminded that registrants have a duty to report to the College certain matters involving misconduct, incompetence, incapacity, or unauthorized practice. Information and guidance on registrants’ duty to report are available here. 


Homewood Health


Homewood Health is available free of charge to registrants and their families. Services offered include counselling, treatment for addiction, legal and financial resources, career coaching, crisis support, and much more.


Follow this link to learn more, including instructions on accessing the services.

 

Useful Links


Registrants are encouraged to review the Useful Links page on the College’s website. It contains links to a variety of external resources, including those made available by government ministries, public health agencies, workplace safety agencies, regulators, and animal welfare organizations.



COMMITTEES & WORKING GROUPS

Practice Facility Accreditation Committee


The College is grateful to Dr. Josh Waddington and Dr. Gurmeet Bhullar, whose appointments to the Practice Facility Accreditation Committee recently ended, for their service and dedication.


The Practice Facility Accreditation Committee welcomes Dr. Terry Chatton and Dr. Justin McLash, whose appointments were effective September 11, 2026. 


Investigation Committee


The College is grateful to Dr. Shawn Llewellyn, whose appointment to the Investigation Committee recently ended, for their service and dedication.


The Investigation Committee welcomes Dr. Susan Malone, whose appointment was effective September 11, 2026.  


Registration Committee


The College is grateful to Dr. Simrat Kaur, whose appointment to the Registration Committee recently ended, for their service and dedication. 


Dr. Garth Graham has been appointed the Chair of the Registration Committee, effective September 11, 2026. 


Committee Service Opportunities


Much of the College’s regulatory decision-making is carried out by the College’s five committees: Registration, Investigation, Discipline, Practice Facility Accreditation, and Continuing Competence. 


Accordingly, the members of the College’s committees play a critical and direct role in giving effect to the College’s regulatory duties and functions. The College encourages registrants to consider serving on one or more committees and invites registrants to submit their expressions of interest.   



More information about the College’s committees and the application process can be found here.



DISCIPLINE DIGEST

The College’s discipline decisions are found here.


Discipline matters are heard and decided by a panel of the Discipline Committee, a statutory committee enacted under the Veterinarians Act. Subject to very limited exceptions, the Veterinarians Act requires discipline decisions to be published on the College’s website.


Since 2025, 14 discipline decisions have been rendered. Matters addressed include:

  • failure to cooperate with an investigation
  • professional misconduct
  • deficient medical records
  • breach of the bylaws
  • breach of the professional practice standards


Orders made include:

  • costs ranging from $9,140 to $84,013
  • suspensions ranging from one month to indefinite subject to meeting specific terms or conditions
  • reprimands
  • requirement to complete specified continuing education
  • requirement to take and pass the College’s Bylaw and Ethics course and exam


More information on complaints, investigations, and discipline, including on registrant rights and responsibilities, can be found here. 



PUBLIC HEALTH AND SAFETY

The message below was prepared by and is circulated at the request of the British Columbia Centre for Disease Control


Rabies remains a topic of significant public interest, and veterinarians play a critical role in rabies prevention, exposure assessment and management, client education, and protection of both animal and human health. We encourage all registrants to review the attached reminder, which outlines professional responsibilities related to rabies communications, appropriate use of social media, client education and vaccination messaging, and implementation of the BC Rabies Guidance for Veterinarians.


September 28, 2026 - Reminder to BC veterinarians: professional responsibilities for communication about rabies, rabies prevention, exposure assessment and management.

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In relation to the above notice from the BC CDC, the College would like to remind registrants of their responsibilities as established in the College bylaws, which include:


Section 203. General principles 

(1) A registrant must conduct him or herself in accordance with the spirit of the Code. 

(2) A registrant must at all times be courteous, respectful and professional in all dealings with clients, the public, other registrants and registrants of other professions. 

(3) A registrant must not, when engaged in extra-professional activities or professional practice, engage in conduct that 

(a) casts doubt on the registrant’s professional integrity or competence, or 

(b) reflects adversely on the integrity or competence of the profession. 

(4) A registrant must use his or her knowledge and skill to improve the health, safety and well-being of patients, clients and the public.


Section 206. Duty to the public 

(2) A registrant should make efforts to contribute to the education of the public in matters relating to and promoting the health and safety of animals, and thereby the health and safety of the public, but must do so in accordance with generally recognized standards of integrity, competency and professionalism.


Section 235. Improper declarations 

235. A registrant must not make, or induce a client to make, any statement or declaration or sign any document which the registrant knows or ought to know to be untrue, misleading or otherwise improper.