The Western College of Veterinary Medicine (WCVM) opened in 1965, with the first veterinarians graduating in 1969.
These provinces and territories subsidize a select number of seats for students from these areas.
Originally, the WCVM also served Alberta but this changed with the establishment of the University of Calgary Faculty of Veterinary Medicine.
WCVM was the second of the English-speaking veterinary colleges to be established in Canada.
The clinics serve a dual purpose: providing primary and specialized veterinary services to the public, and being a platform for clinical learning for the veterinary students.