The average veterinarian salary in Canada is $90,000-$130,000 per year. This guide breaks down vet pay by province, practice type, and specialization.
Veterinarian Salary by Province
| Province |
New Grad |
Experienced |
Practice Owner |
| Ontario |
$85,000 |
$120,000 |
$175,000 |
| British Columbia |
$90,000 |
$125,000 |
$180,000 |
| Alberta |
$95,000 |
$130,000 |
$190,000 |
| Quebec |
$75,000 |
$105,000 |
$150,000 |
| Saskatchewan |
$90,000 |
$120,000 |
$170,000 |
| Manitoba |
$85,000 |
$115,000 |
$160,000 |
| Nova Scotia |
$80,000 |
$110,000 |
$155,000 |
| New Brunswick |
$78,000 |
$105,000 |
$150,000 |
| Newfoundland |
$85,000 |
$115,000 |
$160,000 |
| PEI |
$75,000 |
$100,000 |
$145,000 |
| Territories |
$110,000+ |
$150,000 |
$200,000+ |
Salary by Practice Type
| Practice Type |
Salary Range |
| Small Animal (General) |
$90,000-$130,000 |
| Emergency/Critical Care |
$110,000-$160,000 |
| Large Animal/Mixed |
$95,000-$140,000 |
| Equine |
$80,000-$120,000 |
| Food Animal/Livestock |
$100,000-$150,000 |
| Government/CFIA |
$95,000-$130,000 |
| Industry/Pharmaceutical |
$110,000-$160,000 |
| Academic |
$90,000-$140,000 |
| Research |
$85,000-$130,000 |
| Relief/Locum |
$120,000-$180,000 |
Specialist Salaries
| Specialization |
Salary Range |
| Surgery |
$150,000-$250,000 |
| Internal Medicine |
$140,000-$220,000 |
| Oncology |
$150,000-$230,000 |
| Dermatology |
$140,000-$200,000 |
| Cardiology |
$150,000-$230,000 |
| Ophthalmology |
$140,000-$210,000 |
| Radiology |
$160,000-$250,000 |
| Emergency/Critical Care |
$130,000-$180,000 |
Salary by Experience
| Experience |
Salary Range |
| New Graduate |
$80,000-$95,000 |
| 2-5 years |
$95,000-$120,000 |
| 5-10 years |
$110,000-$140,000 |
| 10+ years |
$130,000-$160,000 |
| Practice Owner |
$150,000-$300,000+ |
Take-Home Pay (Ontario Example)
| Gross Salary |
Annual Take-Home |
Monthly Net |
| $95,000 |
$69,500 |
$5,790 |
| $120,000 |
$84,500 |
$7,040 |
| $150,000 |
$101,000 |
$8,420 |
Practice Ownership Economics
| Metric |
Typical Range |
| Practice Revenue |
$800,000-$2,000,000 |
| Owner Compensation |
15-22% of revenue |
| Owner Salary |
$150,000-$350,000 |
| Practice Value |
60-85% of revenue |
| Startup Cost |
$300,000-$800,000 |
Education & Debt
| Factor |
Details |
| DVM Program |
4 years |
| Canadian Schools |
5 (WCVM, OVC, Calgary, PEI, Montreal) |
| Tuition (4 years) |
$80,000-$120,000 |
| US Program (common) |
$200,000-$350,000 |
| Average Debt |
$100,000-$200,000 |
Work-Life Balance
| Factor |
Details |
| Typical Hours |
40-50 hours/week |
| On-Call |
Common, especially rural |
| Emergency Work |
High demand, premium pay |
| Burnout Risk |
Industry concern |
| Mental Health |
Higher suicide rate than average |
Current Job Market
- Shortage: Severe in rural and emergency medicine
- Signing Bonuses: $10,000-$50,000 common
- Loan Repayment: Some employers offer assistance
- Locum Rates: $800-$1,500/day
- Corporate Consolidation: VCA, NVA buying practices
Is Veterinary Medicine a Good Career in Canada?
Pros:
- Passion-driven career working with animals
- Strong job security (shortage)
- Practice ownership opportunity
- Growing demand for specialists
- Respected profession
- Various practice settings
Cons:
- High student debt (especially US schools)
- Emotional toll (euthanasia, difficult cases)
- Long hours and on-call requirements
- Compassion fatigue/burnout common
- Difficult client interactions
- Lower pay than human medicine