The University of Saskatchewan’s Western College of Veterinary Medicine is putting the final touches on what has been a costly expansion and renovation project.
On June 12, the college received $9.06 million in federal and provincial government funding to renovate its diagnostic lab, which is the final phase of an infrastructure renewal plan that began in 2004.
Saskatchewan producers, veterinarians and researchers will now have access to animal diagnostic services that meet the highest biosafety standards. Construction is expected to start this summer, with project completion slated for December 2010.
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That is two and a half years behind the original targeted April 2008 completion date. Costs ballooned well beyond the initial estimate of $41 million. The latest tally puts the project at $72 million.
WCVM dean Charles Rhodes said increased demand for construction services in Saskatoon led to the delay and the increased price tag.
“The costs were going up pretty much at about 1.5 percent per month,” he said.
The end result is a modernized facility that meets international accreditation standards and can remain competitive in research and teaching with other vet colleges, including the new facility at the University of Calgary.
That can already be seen in the enrolment numbers. The college will have 77 first year students this fall, up from 70 students when the renewal project began.
The money has paid for a new loading dock that meets biosecurity and biosafety standards, two new classrooms, a new food animal teaching facility, the expansion and renovation of the small animal clinic, renovation of the large animal clinic, a two-storey research wing and the renovation of the diagnostic lab.
“You aren’t going to attract good faculty or good graduate students and researchers if you don’t have the facilities and modern equipment for them,” said Rhodes.
Some of the original plans had to be scrapped due to the escalating costs of the project. There were cuts in plans for the pathology area and the expansion of the large animal clinic.
Rhodes said the college will be able to provide better service to its clients using the new small and large animal clinics and the soon-to-be renovated diagnostic lab.
The lab has played an important role in maintaining the health of Canada’s livestock herds. Avian influenza and almost all of the anthrax outbreaks have been diagnosed in the facility.
