The mission of the Office of the Chief Veterinarian for Ontario (OCVO) is to provide leadership in preserving and enhancing animal and public health within a strong agri-food sector.

The position of Chief Veterinarian for Ontario (CVO) was created in May 2005, giving Ontarians a single voice to advocate on behalf of animal health and food safety issues. The CVO will take the lead in the event of an animal health or related food safety emergency in the province. The CVO also maintains links with the Chief Veterinarian of Canada, the Chief Medical Officer of Health in Ontario, Emergency Management Ontario, other ministries and other provinces.

The OCVO works closely with other areas within OMAFRA, other government Ministries, federal government agencies, industry and academia to better integrate programs and information related to animal health and public health in Ontario and nationally. For example, the OCVO maintains strong links to the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) and the Animal Health Laboratory at the University of Guelph in prevention, detection and response activities and planning. These strong relationships and coordinated efforts will create a transparent and robust system that prevents and manages risks to animal and related public health in Ontario.

Staff

Chief Veterinarian - Dr. Deb Stark

Assistant Chief Veterinarian - Dr. David Alves

Lead Veterinarian, Epidemiology - Dr. Bruce McNab

Lead Veterinarian, Provincial Biosecurity - Dr. Paul Innes

Coordinator, Animal Health -  Heather Kuntz

Administrative Service Representative - Anne Marie Baker