The Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) has announced a two-year pilot project to invest in the continued professional development of AGCO Official Veterinarians.
Effective immediately, veterinarians that participate in select accredited training opportunities will be eligible to receive a fee reimbursement.
The AGCO will be using funds collected from issuing monetary penalties when licensees contravene the alcohol, cannabis, gaming and horse racing statutes overseen by the agency. These funds are designated to be used exclusively for: education and training programs to support licensees, authorization holders, permit holders and registrants; public awareness campaigns; and
to further promote regulatory compliance and awareness.
The AGCO stated that enhanced access to training and professional collaboration strengthens the veterinary workforce in the province and contributes to long-term industry sustainability. The AGCO is proud to champion the highest standards of horse health and welfare in Ontario’s horse racing industry. The AGCO noted that investment in fostering a culture of learning and continuous improvement will ensure its veterinarians remain current with leading-edge industry best practices.
Professional development opportunities
The AGCO will reimburse the registration and/or membership costs of the following opportunities (based on the Canadian exchange rate at the time of conversion):
- RegVet CE 2026: BASICS & BEYOND – Providing Educational Tools for the Regulatory Veterinarian: An annual in-person educational conference for regulatory and official racetrack veterinarians, presented by the Racing Medication and Testing Consortium’s (RMTC), offering 16 hours of continued education credit.
- Location: Live in-person at Los Alamitos, Cypress, CA
- Date: March 9-10, 2026
- Cost: $450 USD
- RegVet CE 2026 LIVE Webinar Series, including On-Demand access: A course offering six live webinars that will present additional educational tools for regulatory veterinarians, providing up to an additional 12 hours of continued education credit.
- Date: April 7 – Sept. 1, 2026
- Cost: $225 USD (Note: The entire 2026 course package is $525 USD. There is also a $100 USD discount for International Group of Specialist Regulatory Veterinarians (IGSRV) Members.)
For more information or to register, visit the RMTC website at rmtcnet.com.
- International Group of Specialist Regulatory Veterinarians (IGSRV) Membership: An association that unites regulatory racing veterinarians; advises authorities and encourages research on drugs, health and welfare of the horse Membership benefits also include access to education webinars and past proceedings from the International Conference of Racing Analysts and Veterinarians.
- Membership term: 1 year (renewing annually in July)
- Cost: $100 USD
Note: To become a member, complete the online form on the IGSRV website at igsrv.org and wait to receive an email confirmation and request to proceed with payment. This membership should be purchased prior to the RegVet conference in order to qualify for the discount.
For general questions about training and reimbursement, contact AGCO Veterinary Services at [email protected] or 1-855-261-6821.
(With files from AGCO)