What accreditation and ownership rules apply when buying a veterinary practice?

Buying a veterinary practice means buying into a regulated profession, and two sets of rules decide who can take it over: accreditation of the facility, and limits on who may own the company that runs it. Both are set provincially, by the veterinary regulator or by provincial law. This page uses Ontario for accreditation and Quebec for ownership, then points to where other provinces differ.

Ontario: an accredited facility and a facility director

The College of Veterinarians of Ontario says a veterinarian providing clinical care to animals in Ontario must work from an accredited facility, and that each accredited facility is overseen by a licensed veterinarian called the facility director. The director applies for the certificate of accreditation, may be an owner, a partner or a veterinarian designated by the owners or partners, and must be engaged in practising at the facility.

The holder of the certificate must immediately notify the College in writing of listed changes, including a change in the identity of the facility director, a new facility name, a relocation, or a change in species treated or services offered. A sale that replaces the director or moves the clinic therefore triggers a notice. Ask the College early what it expects of a buyer, including whether a new certificate is needed.

Quebec: who may hold the shares

Quebec’s regulation lets veterinary surgeons practise within a joint-stock company or limited liability partnership if, at all times, all voting rights are held by veterinary surgeons or by enterprises held entirely by them, among other conditions. No manufacturer or wholesaler of medications or food for animals, and no majority shareholder of one, may hold shares, and a majority of the directors and the chair must be veterinary surgeons. A buyer who is not a veterinary surgeon should ask a lawyer whether the purchase can meet these conditions.

Other provinces

Each province’s regulator sets its own rules, so the Ontario and Quebec examples do not carry over. Alberta’s regulator, for instance, says it inspects all veterinary clinics in the province against its standards. Ask the regulator in the clinic’s province who may own the practice, what accreditation or inspection applies, and what must be reported on a change of ownership. The veterinary practice buyer checklist lists the other questions.