Livestock services will be privatized over the next three years
Livestock farmers in New Brunswick are concerned about the future of public vet services in the province.
Liberal Premier Susan Holt’s government is phasing out provincially run veterinary lab services for private alternatives over the coming years, her 2026-2027 budget indicates.
Farmers are worried about what this means for their herds and believe consumers should share their concern.
“Food safety is a big issue, disease control is a big issue,” Cindy Howe, a dairy farmer in Burton, told CBC. “We need to have our labs that can do tests and things like that, and it’s just anybody that buys food in this province should be concerned.”
The government’s rationale for the decision includes multiple reasons.
One is that privatizing vet services will align New Brunswick with almost every province in the country.
“New Brunswick is only one of two provinces (the other being Newfoundland and Labrador) who still provide provincial veterinary services,” the budget speech says. “Over the next three years, this will be phased out gradually. Provincial field veterinary services will be handed off to the private sector, in addition to provincial veterinary lab and foreign animal disease lab services.”
Other reasons include redirecting taxpayer dollars and allowing the private sector to better support farmers.
It’s estimated phasing out the public services will save upwards of $5 million annually. Money the government could use to support other areas like education and healthcare.
“By transitioning these functions into the private sector, we can allow the private clinics and veterinarians to provide more responsive and flexible services to our agricultural community,” Agriculture Minister Pat Finnigan said in a statement. “It also creates a significant opportunity for private sector innovation that will support the agriculture industry in New Brunswick for the long term.”
Affected members of the public vet services team have spoken out about the phase out.
On Facebook, Jason Cleghorn, a provincial veterinarian for almost 25 years, posted that he and his colleagues learned about the government’s decision during an online call prior to the budget’s release.
If the government doesn’t change its tune, New Brunswick may experience a shortage of available vets.
“My colleagues are already looking for new employment outside of NB as there is no longer any opportunity here in NB and becoming a single practice private Veterinarian is not mentally or physically possible,” he wrote. “I am afraid that if this decision is not overturned quickly we will lose a valuable group of well trained Veterinarians elsewhere.”
A labour union representing public employees is pushing back against the cuts as well.
The Professional Institute of the Public Service of Canada, which represents more than 9,000 employees in New Brunswick including veterinarians, warns privatizing their services won’t result in savings.
“Privatizing veterinary services will not save money,” Katie Francis, vice president of the union, said in a statement. “Farmers will either face higher out-of-pocket costs at private clinics, or the government will end up paying more through contracts. Either way, New Brunswickers lose.”
New Brunswickers are exploring multiple avenues to push back against these planned cuts.
An online petition has more than 24,000 signatures as of March 24.
And social media activity indicates a rally is scheduled for March 31 from 9am to 5pm at the Fredericton Legislature.