Chatham-Kent's planning committee has some zoning decisions to make during the council's upcoming meeting, one of which could bring a new veterinary clinic to Wallaceburg.
A building at the intersection of Margaret Avenue and Main Street has stood vacant since the owners of D.S. Walker Jewellers decided to retire.
David and Karen Walker's business stood at the corner from 2006-2022 and before that D.S. Walker Jewellers was located in the local mall.
The 150 square metre building sits on residential land, but current zone permits allow for an office or retail store to operate on the property. The proposal before the council asks to allow 'veterinary clinic' as a permitted use of the property.
Myslik Veterinary Professional Corporation, the company that has put the proposal forward, believes that a potential veterinary clinic meets all of the required criteria.
Chatham-Kent Council still needs to approve the clinic before it moves forward, but if it's approved, the facility will provide veterinary care for dogs, cats and other household pets and includes provision for overnight accommodation on the premises.
The College of Veterinarians of Ontario has been concerned for years with a shortage of veterinarians.
"Demand for veterinary services has been growing for several years. Veterinary healthcare teams have been stretched to the breaking point, and the added pressures of offering care during the pandemic has further reinforced the importance of robust veterinary healthcare services," the College wrote in a 2021 report. "Results of a 2020 study by the Canadian Veterinary Medical Association confirmed that demand for veterinary services has or will soon exceed capacity in most parts of Canada."
The College noted the demand for veterinarians in Ontario reached a new record high in each year from 2017-2020 and continued to rise in 2021.
"A strong Ontario economy, a growing population, and a high demand for veterinary services have contributed to this surge in demand," wrote the College. "While workforce shortages are not uncommon in the rural and remote areas of Ontario, the current shortage of veterinarians is province-wide, including the Greater Toronto Area. Emergency services are particularly under pressure."
The College said it's working on measures to help address the shortage of veterinarians and to help the public and veterinary healthcare teams adapt to the "mismatch in demand and capacity" for veterinary services.
Currently, there are two veterinary clinics in Wallaceburg.
*With files from Paul Pedro