Overview

The Veterinary Assistance Program (VAP) provides financial support to veterinary practices providing food, fur-producing and equine animal veterinary services in applicable communities to help maintain a viable livestock industry.

VAP provides conditional grants to designated food, fur-producing and equine animal veterinarians and registered veterinary technicians for:

  • travel to food, fur-producing and equine producers and owners
  • continuing education
  • locum assistance (substitute veterinary services)
  • telemedicine

The Ministry of Northern Economic Development and Growth oversees the program, and veterinary practices can submit applications directly to the ministry for review.

Program eligibility

You are eligible for VAP if you:

  • operate an eligible veterinary practice within one of the following applicable areas:
    • Northern Ontario (all areas north of, and including, the districts of Parry Sound and Nipissing)
    • County of Renfrew
    • County of Haliburton
    • Township of Addington Highlands
    • Township of Carlow/Mayo
    • Township of Limerick
    • Township of Wollaston
    • Township of Georgian Bluffs
    • Town of South Bruce Peninsula
    • District Municipality of Muskoka
  • or can demonstrate that the rural area where you provide veterinary services is underserviced

To be considered a veterinary practice, you must meet all of the following criteria:

  • be registered with the College of Veterinarians of Ontario (CVO)
  • have a director who is licensed under the Veterinarians Act, R.S.O. 1990, c. V.3
  • maintain an accredited food-producing animal mobile throughout the program period

With the approval of the ministry, a veterinarian licensed under the Act who has an accredited Food-Producing Animal mobile that works as an independent contractor may also be considered eligible.

To be considered an isolated veterinary practice, you must be located north of the 48th parallel.

Eligible food, fur-producing and equine animals include:

  • horses
  • cattle
  • sheep
  • goats
  • swine
  • rabbits
  • poultry
  • bison
  • deer
  • fish
  • honeybees
  • other animals kept in captivity for producing fur, velvet or meat

How to apply

To apply to the program, veterinary practices must submit an application to the ministry.

Veterinary practices can submit applications for the 2026-27 fiscal year starting in late March 2026. Interested veterinary practices should contact the ministry’s program manager to learn more about how they can apply to the program.

Melissa Gainer
Manager, Sudbury and North Bay Area Team
Regional Economic Development Branch, Northern Development Division
Ministry of Northern Economic Development and Growth
Email: melissa.gainer@ontario.ca

Eligible expenses

Visit the VAP guidelines for details on the program, including eligibility, eligible expenses and the application submission process.