Veterinarians in Canada work as associates and owners in private clinics, and for governments, universities and industry. This page shows Job Bank’s wage estimates for veterinarians by province, what vets earned in the 2021 Census, how their wages compare with veterinary technicians’, and the federal government’s published pay scale for veterinarians. It is part of the salary by profession hub; pharmacist pay and optometrist pay are covered on their own pages.
Veterinarian wages by province
| Region | Low (per hour) | Median (per hour) | High (per hour) | Period and data |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Canada | $34.15 | $60.00 | $84.13 | 2023-2024, Labour Force Survey |
| Newfoundland and Labrador | $40.13 | $57.35 | $76.72 | 2024, Small Area Estimation |
| Prince Edward Island | $29.33 | $51.82 | $71.23 | 2023-2024, Labour Force Survey |
| Nova Scotia | $49.31 | $52.20 | $71.23 | 2023-2024, Labour Force Survey |
| New Brunswick | $29.33 | $51.82 | $71.23 | 2023-2024, Labour Force Survey |
| Quebec | $25.00 | $64.10 | $70.00 | 2023-2024, Labour Force Survey |
| Ontario | $29.81 | $60.00 | $86.54 | 2023-2024, Labour Force Survey |
| Manitoba | $38.46 | $50.48 | $72.12 | 2023-2024, Labour Force Survey |
| Saskatchewan | $38.65 | $52.88 | $65.00 | 2023-2024, Labour Force Survey |
| Alberta | $40.75 | $62.50 | $88.94 | 2023-2024, Labour Force Survey |
| British Columbia | $35.58 | $60.00 | $86.54 | 2023-2024, Labour Force Survey |
Source: Job Bank wages (Employment and Social Development Canada), NOC 31103. Low is the 10th percentile and high the 90th percentile of wages.
Employed veterinarians in Quebec have the top provincial median, $64.10 an hour, and those in Manitoba the bottom one, $50.48. The Canada-wide median of $60.00 an hour would be about $117,000 for a full-time year of 1,950 hours. A practice owner’s income depends on the clinic’s revenue and costs rather than an hourly wage, and this page doesn’t estimate it.
Veterinarians and veterinary technicians
Animal health technologists and veterinary technicians are a separate occupation, NOC 32104:
| Occupation (NOC) | Low (per hour) | Median (per hour) | High (per hour) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Veterinarians (31103) | $34.15 | $60.00 | $84.13 |
| Animal health technologists and veterinary technicians (32104) | $17.00 | $23.00 | $33.16 |
Source: Job Bank wages (Employment and Social Development Canada), 2023-2024, Labour Force Survey. Low is the 10th percentile and high the 90th percentile of wages.
Veterinarians in the 2021 Census
Vets who worked all of 2020 full time reported a median employment income of $96,000 and an average of $103,500. Newfoundland and Labrador’s median of $134,000 was the highest provincial figure.
| Province | Median, 2020 | Median in August 2026 dollars | Average in August 2026 dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Canada | $96,000 | $119,000 | $128,300 |
| Newfoundland and Labrador | $134,000 | $166,100 | $183,500 |
| Prince Edward Island | $101,000 | $125,200 | $119,000 |
| Nova Scotia | $86,000 | $106,600 | $106,600 |
| New Brunswick | $97,000 | $120,300 | $128,900 |
| Quebec | $88,000 | $109,100 | $119,400 |
| Ontario | $98,000 | $121,500 | $132,300 |
| Manitoba | $104,000 | $128,900 | $127,700 |
| Saskatchewan | $85,000 | $105,400 | $120,300 |
| Alberta | $100,000 | $124,000 | $135,600 |
| British Columbia | $101,000 | $125,200 | $130,900 |
Source: Statistics Canada, 2021 Census of Population, Table 98-10-0586-01: employment income in 2020 of people who worked full year, full time. Columns in August 2026 dollars multiply the 2020 figure by the change in the Consumer Price Index from its 2020 average to August 2026 and round to the nearest $100; they are not newer survey results.
Federal government veterinarian pay scale
Veterinarians employed by Treasury Board in the federal public service are paid in the Veterinary Medicine (VM) group under the Health Services (SH) agreement (Treasury Board, Health Services (SH) agreement). From October 1, 2025, the VM scale goes from $86,409 at the bottom of VM-1 to $157,818 at the top of VM-5, a range of $71,409. The pay increment period at these levels is 12 months. Those are the agreement’s last scheduled rates; it carries an expiry date of September 30, 2026.
| VM level (rates from October 1, 2025) | Step 1 | Top step |
|---|---|---|
| VM-1 | $86,409 | $104,880 |
| VM-2 | $100,821 | $121,873 |
| VM-3 | $111,148 | $134,491 |
| VM-4 | $124,915 | $145,427 |
| VM-5 | $136,925 | $157,818 |
Where vets train in Canada
The Canadian Veterinary Medical Association lists these accredited veterinary colleges (CVMA, Canadian veterinary colleges):
- Atlantic Veterinary College, University of Prince Edward Island
- Faculté de médecine vétérinaire, Université de Montréal
- Ontario Veterinary College, University of Guelph
- Western College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Saskatchewan
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Calgary
Licences are issued by a licensing body in each province. Passing the National Examining Board (NEB) examination, which earns the CVMA’s Certificate of Qualification, is a prerequisite to apply for a general licence in any province, and a province may require further examinations in addition to it or in its place. For graduates of veterinary colleges outside Canada who want a licence here, the NEB reviews and evaluates their credentials on behalf of some provincial licensing bodies. The NEB itself doesn’t license veterinarians (CVMA, about the NEB).
Taxes
The salary after tax calculator shows take-home pay for a given salary and province. Practice owners paid through a corporation choose between salary and dividends; the guide to salary vs dividends from a corporation covers that choice.
Related pages
Sources
The figures and rules on this page come from these sources, last checked against them between September 24, 2026 and October 4, 2026. How we check facts.
- Government of Canada: Wages - Open Government Portal
- Government of Canada: Sh
- Statistics Canada: Data table
- Statistics Canada: Consumer Price Index, annual average, not seasonally adjusted