$60M shortfall for vet school delays opening to 2008

The opening of Western Canada's second veterinary school has been delayed by at least a year because of a huge funding shortfall.

Officials at the University of Calgary say that although veterinarians are in short supply across the country, there's a multimillion-dollar roadblock to openingthe new veterinary college.

Dean Alastair Cribb said Thursday the school needs an additional $60 million for renovations and a new building.

The college's opening date was pushed back to 2008 after a summer meeting with the American Veterinary Medical Association,which accredits veterinary colleges.Currently, the Western College of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Saskatchewan serves the western provinces.

"Right now we don't have the offices and laboratories to house the faculty in," Cribb said.

"Without the clear commitment of the funds from the provincial government, it would be difficult to go through the accreditation process."

Alberta already committed $47 million

When the new school was first announced, then Education Minister Lyle Oberg hailed it as a training ground in the fight against BSE and avian flu.

"We have to be positioned to be able to solve those questions before they sort of multiply into what we've seen today," he said in 2004.

Cameron Traynor, a spokesman for Alberta Advanced Education, said Thursday the province has already committed nearly $47 million towards the school for capital and operating costs.

"The university has a number of requests in for capital funding, and they're all being looked at and they're all being treated seriously. The vet school is the top priority and we're considering the request."

Cribb said the school will begin the accreditation process next spring and would like to bring in its first class of 30 students in a couple of years.

"I don't think people should be worried," said Cribb. "We're going to produce the best program. That's the message. We're making these changes to ensure the quality of the program."