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Chapter 1 - Overview
1.4 Special provisions (updated July 2021)

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The CFIA's National Accredited Veterinarian Program allows accredited veterinarians to perform certain testing and regulatory functions. This module details the use of technicians and areas of professional obligation.

Special provisions

Use of technicians

1. For the purpose of the Accredited Veterinarian Program, the CFIA allows the delegation of dutiesFootnote 1 of an accredited veterinarian to a technician. A technician is defined under these circumstances as an individual who is employed by the accredited veterinarian and has been thoroughly trained by the accredited veterinarian to assist with the testing and inspection of animals.

2. An accredited veterinarian may be assisted by a technician when inspecting and testing animals in the course of performing duties and functions as an accredited veterinarian. Except for technicians designated as inspectors under subsection 13(3) of the Canadian Food Inspection Act for the purposes of the Health of Animals Act as described below, any activity performed by a technician in assisting an accredited veterinarian must be done under the direct supervision of the accredited veterinarian.

"Direct supervision" means the veterinarian is close by so that the veterinarian is available to attend to the animal as competent veterinary practice requires.

3. Any report or test submission form prepared by a technician must be signed by the accredited veterinarian who performed the inspection of the livestock, poultry, animal embryos, or animal semen identified on the certificate.

4. The accredited veterinarian is responsible for his/her employee(s) and assumes all financial obligations and liability in relation to activities performed by employees when assisting in the performance of duties and functions as an accredited veterinarian.

Digital signature

5. Digital signature can only be used for submitting Equine Infectious Anemia (EIA) information electronically through a CFIA-approved electronic certification system. Accredited veterinarians are responsible for the security and proper use of their digital signature when its use is allowed, and shall take reasonable care to prevent its misuse. Only accredited veterinarians are authorized to sign documents using their password protected electronic signature. Other clinic staff does not have the authority to be part of the signing process. Utilization of your electronic signature by anyone other than yourself would be considered a breach of your agreement as an accredited veterinarian and would render the form invalid. Please note that provisions of article 10 from your Accredited Veterinarian Agreement also apply to the electronic submission of documents through an electronic system.

Designated technicians

6. Technicians who are employees of accredited veterinarians may apply to be designated as inspectors under the Canadian Food Inspection Act specifically for the purpose of affixing CFIA approved seals to conveyances carrying cattle, bison, sheep and/or goats to the U.S. or Mexico under section 102 of the Health of Animals Regulations.

7. Accredited veterinarians must provide the CFIA district office with the names of technicians working under their supervision that require designation as inspectors, so that the appropriate designations may be completed. Accredited veterinarians also have the responsibility to update (add/delete) this information with the supervising district office.

Inter-provincial practices

8. Accreditation is on a province-by-province basis. Accredited veterinarians must inform their CFIA district veterinarian if they would like to perform accredited veterinarian functions in another province. A pre-requisite is that the accredited veterinarian must be licenced to practice veterinary medicine in that province or territory before accreditation will be authorized. Export documents relevant to a particular location are to be stamped for export and endorsed by the district veterinarian or veterinary officer responsible for the local district, unless prior suitable arrangements have been made. The district in which the practice is headquartered is responsible for audits.

Relocation

9. If an accredited veterinarian moves:

  1. to another location within the same district, the accredited veterinarian only needs to advise the district veterinarian of a change of address;
  2. to another district in the same area or province, the accredited veterinarian is required to contact the district veterinarian responsible for that district to assure the transfer of files and responsibility;
  3. to another province, the accredited veterinarian is required to report to the district veterinarian responsible for the district. A new authorized agreement (CFIA/ACIA 1625 - Accredited veterinarian agreement) will be required;
  4. to another country, the accredited veterinarian is required to report the intended move to the district veterinarian. The accreditation agreement will be suspended. If the accredited veterinarian returns before the agreement has expired, the accredited veterinarian can have the accreditation reinstated if the district veterinarian is satisfied that duties can be performed.

Certificate endorsing

10. Export documents should be endorsed by the district veterinarian responsible for the district in which the animals originate except when prior suitable arrangements have been agreed upon.

Conflict of interest

11. Unless otherwise stated in this Manual, it is considered a conflict of interest for accredited veterinarians to inspect, test and/or certify their own animals, or any animal in which they have a financial interest, in performing duties as an accredited veterinarian. Having a "financial interest in" refers to any arrangement where the accredited veterinarian directly benefits financially from the performance or sale of the animal.

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