- 604-929-7090
- reception@cvbc.ca
The CVBC’s on-site facility inspections were suspended as of March 2020 until further notice due to social distancing requirements. Since April 2020, the CVBC’s Practice Facility Accreditation Committee (PFAC) has been implementing evolving policies and protocols for the use of a live-feed, videoconferencing platform for conducting virtual inspections, to ensure that new practice facilities were able to open despite pandemic restrictions, and to being to address the list of existing practice facilities now due for their reaccreditation inspections.
The current inspection policy, PFAC’s Unified Policy for Remote/Virtual Inspections during the COVID-19 Pandemic, was approved by the CVBC Council on June 4, 2021 and replaces the previous policies (PFAC’s Temporary Policy during COVID Pandemic: Remote/Virtual Practice Facility Inspections and PFAC’s Temporary Policy during COVID Pandemic: Remote/Virtual Reaccreditation Inspections (approved October 2020), effective immediately.
The office has also developed a “Frequently Asked Questions” document to help answer questions about the decision process.
The inspections require submission of documents and information prior to the inspection – please review the policy to get a better understanding of these requirements, and general information about the virtual inspections. The office will provide an electronic OneDrive folder to which you will be able to directly upload the required documents, to avoid the complications of emailing large attachments or faxing large documents.
If after reviewing the information provided, you have questions, please reach out to a member of the Facilities Accreditation Department at 604-929-7090 or facilities@cvbc.ca.
The Practice Inspection requirements and bylaws are in compliance with the Veterinarians Act.
Practice Facilities are inspected on a 5-year cycle. When it is time for a facility to be inspected, a CVBC practice facility inspector will be in touch with you to schedule an inspection. Once the inspection is complete, the inspector will forward all documents and notes to the CVBC office along with their recommendation for accreditation. With the inspector’s recommendation, the facility will be put on the agenda for the next Practice Facility Accreditation Committee (PFAC) meeting to be granted accreditation. Once granted, the CVBC office will mail an accreditation letter and certificate to the facility.
If the inspector notes deficiencies in the practice facility, they will not recommend it for accreditation. Instead, they will follow up to make sure deficiencies are addressed and when satisfied, will at that time recommend the facility for accreditation.
Unless the facility or practice moves, expands its scope of practice, or has a major renovation requiring a new inspection, the facility or practice will not need to be inspected more than once every 5 years unless deemed necessary by the PFAC.
A Designated Registrant whose facility or practice accreditation has been denied or cancelled by the PFAC may apply to Council to review the decision within 30 days of the negative accreditation. There is no fee for this request.
The fee for a new Practice Facility Inspection is $850.00 + GST. This fee accounts for inspector travel expenses, administrative costs and inspector remuneration. The fee must be paid before the inspection is scheduled.
Starting in the calendar year following the year in which a new practice facility inspection is conducted, the practice facility is assessed an Annual Fee for Maintaining Practice Facility Accreditation ($170.00 + GST), due payable by December 31st of the calendar year. This fee covers the costs associated with ongoing accreditation, including administrative costs including updating the file and processing annual declaration submissions, and the costs of reaccreditation inspections, which happen on an approximately 5-year cycle.
If the Practice Facility Accreditation Committee directs an “off-cycle” inspection, a fee of $400 + GST will be assessed. Off-cycle inspections may be required following material renovations or restorations, requests to expand the scope of services provided or the nature of the practice facility (eg. adding a mobile service to a fixed facility), or due to concerns about compliance with the Accreditation Standards.
Consulting Practice
A Consulting Practice is recognized in bylaws, Part 3 – Accreditation and Naming, “Definitions” as a veterinary practice in which a registrant provides veterinary services to other registrants or practice facilities, including on line, and does not have its own premise, structure, vehicle or facility. Consulting practices do not differ substantially from other “limited scope” practices in that they specifically choose to dramatically limit their practices to a very narrow description. Such a practice falls under the mandate of the Practice Facilities Accreditation Committee (PFAC).
The nature of the practice inspection for a consulting practice will be determined by the type of services provided by the consulting practice.
Please contact the CVBC at facilities@cvbc.ca to discuss the requirements for your Consulting Practice
