Office of the Chief Veterinarian
for Ontario
Mission Statement
The mission of the Chief Veterinarian for Ontario (CVO) 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 related food safety issues. The CVO will play a lead role 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 Animal Health &
Welfare Branch supports the Chief Veterinarian for Ontario.
The CVO 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 CVO 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.
Chief Veterinarian - Dr. Deb Stark, Assistant Deputy Minister, Food
Safety and Environment Division, OMAFRA
Links
Livestock Health Management and Biosecurity
