Lakehead University has received $10 million toward its new veterinarian training facility, which is being constructed on the Thunder Bay campus.
The facility will be a key component in the new Collaborative Doctor of Veterinary Medicine program, which is being rolled out in conjunction with the University of Guelph’s Ontario Veterinary College.
Lakehead announced on June 19 the endowment comes from Kim and Stu Lang, Guelph philanthropists that have a long history of funding community endeavours.
In particular, the couple has a longstanding interest in improving animal welfare. The Kim and Stu Lang Community Healthcare Partnership Program at the University of Guelph helps remove barriers to health care for companion animals in under-resourced and made-vulnerable communities.
“When faced with a large-scale crisis like Northern Ontario’s veterinarian shortage, we must be innovative when seeking solutions,” said Dr. Gillian Siddall, president and vice-chancellor of Lakehead University, in a news release.
“Kim and Stu Lang are visionaries — the innovative nature of this collaborative, solutions-based approach between Lakehead and Guelph universities spoke to their interests and values. We are deeply grateful for this groundbreaking gift that will move Lakehead University into a new chapter in our 60-year history of serving Northern Ontario's social and economic needs.”
Under the Lakehead-Guelph agreement, 20 students from Northern Ontario each year will enter the program, which will incorporate Indigenous perspectives and approaches to animal care and include experiential learning opportunities specific to northern practice.
The first two cohorts of students from Northern Ontario — in 2025 and 2026 — will complete the full program at the University of Guelph.
Starting in 2027, northern students will complete their first two years of studies in Thunder Bay before finishing their last two years in Guelph.
The Thunder Bay training facility is expected to be constructed in time for the 2027 cohort, and it already has a new name.
It will be called Gakina Awesiinyag, from the Anishinaabemowin language, which translates to All Animals (Place For). The name was chosen in consultation with Indigenous Elders.
“When considering a name for the new building that will house animals and educate future generations of veterinarians, it was important to us to choose an inclusive name that honours the land,” Kim Lang said in the release.
“We were grateful to receive guidance from Indigenous Elders from the North to choose this beautiful, fitting name. It is our privilege to play a part in building this lasting legacy for northern communities.”
In April, Lakehead said a request for proposals was being issued to find a contractor for the building, and recruitment for the first cohort of veterinary medicine students was underway.
