Kitchener-Waterloo

Ontario Vet College gets $23M for learning space, equipment

The Ontario Veterinary College at the University of Guelph will be receiving $23 million from the province to put towards a new state-of-the-art learning space and renovations to the companion animal hospital.

College at University of Guelph transforms to meet the needs of students, MPP says

The Ontario Veterinary College hosts College Royal at the end of March Break each year, allowing the public to tour barns and classrooms. On Friday, Minister of Training, Colleges and Universities Reza Moridi announced the college would be receiving $23 million from the province for a new building and to renovate the companion animal hospital. (Kate Bueckert/CBC)

The Ontario government is investing $23 million into a new, state-of-the-art learning space at the Ontario Veterinary College in Guelph.

Reza Moridi, minister of training, colleges and universities, made the announcement Friday afternoon at the University of Guelph.

"This major funding commitment will help the University of Guelph build a new learning space with modern and flexible classrooms that will use computer-based case studies, patient simulators and medical communications labs to give students a hands-on, interactive learning experience," he said. 

Some of the money would also go towards the building of a "state-of-the-art space for advanced surgery and anesthesia" at the college according to Moridi. 

OVC 'keeps transforming'

Guelph MPP Liz Sandals said OVC, which was named fourth best veterinary college out of 50 by Quacquarelli Symonds, has a unique place in the world of veterinarian medicine.

"The important story here is that the veterinary college keeps transforming itself to meet the needs of the students and the needs of the population of Ontario," she said.

The university said in a release that administration had asked the province for $33 million to address infrastructure deficiencies at the college. OVC will raise the remaining $10 million.

Along with new classroom and lab space, the college will install new equipment and improved biosecurity and infection control.