Independent practices, with a network behind them.

A practice's name, team and community relationships matter. We are building Harmony to help local leaders carry that work forward, with capital and administrative support shared across a Canadian network.

Two women petting a husky together outdoors

Canadian owned

Harmony is built, owned, and led in Canada.

Independently owned

Harmony sets its own direction, guided by veterinarians and healthcare leaders on its board and in its hospitals.

Veterinarian led

Medical decisions stay with the veterinarians in each hospital.

The choices facing a practice owner.

A transition raises questions about ownership, workload and who will make decisions about the practice.

Running an independent practice

An owner can shape the practice and its place in the community. Alongside patient care, that often means responsibility for hiring, payroll, purchasing and business decisions.

Part of a large chain

A larger organization can take on administration and investment. An owner considering that route needs to understand what will change, including local leadership and the way the practice works.

Harmony's approach is co-ownership with the people who lead the hospital. We want those leaders to have a stake in its results, a voice in its future and colleagues to turn to. The network must also earn enough to invest in its people and hospitals.

How co-ownership works.

The model brings Harmony and hospital leaders into co-ownership. Veterinarians make clinical decisions; hospital directors lead day-to-day operations. The network is being built to share capital, purchasing and administrative support. Each hospital's arrangements must set out who owns what, the investment and borrowing involved, and each co-owner's responsibilities.

Ownership and profit sharing need to fit the role and the hospital. Ontario limits share ownership in a veterinary professional corporation to licensed veterinarians. Arrangements for other team leaders must respect that distinction, with the structure and terms explained before anyone agrees.

Read our values →

What the model preserves

The name on the door. The hospital keeps its name and its place in the community.
Who makes the medical call. The veterinarians on site decide clinical questions, together with their teams.
The team. Local leaders stay in place.

What Harmony aims to add

Capital. Funding for equipment, facility improvements and growth.
Administrative relief. Payroll, purchasing, HR, and back-office support shared across the network.
Backing when it matters. Colleagues and appropriate support when a veterinarian faces a complaint or a difficult case.
After-hours help. A way for clients to reach help when their hospital is closed.

How we work together.

Working alongside

Clinical standards should explain the range of reasonable approaches and the reasons behind them. Veterinarians use that guidance and their judgment to decide what fits the patient.

Listening first

Hospital teams know their patients and communities. Their experience should inform decisions, and a decision from Harmony should come with an explanation.

Plain talk about money

Hospital leaders should be able to read the financials, ask questions and understand how decisions affect the hospital's ability to care for patients.

Operating leadership.

Our operating leaders have co-founded a veterinary hospital, run teaching hospitals and animal welfare organizations, and led national healthcare and pharmaceutical businesses.

Scott Wilks

Chief Executive Officer

B.Sc. Statistical Science, Western University.

Scott Wilks has led businesses in pharma, healthcare and retail for 30 years. At Shoppers Home Health Care, Scott launched the Wellwise brand, and at Pfizer Canada led the established products unit to become Pfizer's top-ranked affiliate worldwide in 2012.

Career highlights

30 years of senior leadership across pharma, healthcare, and retail.
SVP/GM, Long-Term Care Division, Medical Pharmacies Group (acquired by CareRx).
VP/GM, Shoppers Home Health Care: launched the Wellwise brand.
Led Pfizer Canada's established products unit to become Pfizer's top-ranked affiliate worldwide in 2012.

Dr. Jacques Messier

Vice Chairman

DVM, Université de Montréal, 1972. MBA.

Dr. Jacques Messier directed the Veterinary Teaching Hospital at the University of Saskatchewan and spent a decade as CEO of the Toronto Humane Society. Dr. Messier has also been President and CEO of Novopharm and CEO of Semex Alliance, and served as Director General of the Veterinary Drugs Directorate at Health Canada.

Career highlights

CEO, Toronto Humane Society: led one of Canada's largest animal welfare organizations for a decade, overseeing a full-service veterinary clinic, shelter intake, foster and adoption programs, and a $15M+ operating budget.
President and CEO, Novopharm: ran a major Canadian generic pharmaceutical company with distribution across more than 80 countries.
CEO, Semex Alliance: expanded the world's leading livestock genetics company from 70 countries to 120.
Director General, Veterinary Drugs Directorate, Health Canada: oversaw federal regulation of veterinary pharmaceuticals, and represented Canada at CODEX and in NAFTA agricultural negotiations.
Director, Veterinary Teaching Hospital, University of Saskatchewan: led the teaching hospital at the Western College of Veterinary Medicine.

Dr. Michael Bumby

Chief Financial Officer

DVM, Ontario Veterinary College, 1988. MBA, Rotman School of Management.

Dr. Michael Bumby co-founded the Toronto Equine Hospital before moving into corporate finance. Dr. Bumby spent six years at Eli Lilly and has been CFO of three public companies: XORTX Therapeutics, VIVO Cannabis and Merus Labs International.

Career highlights

Co-founded the Toronto Equine Hospital before moving into corporate finance.
Six years at Eli Lilly, including as regional CFO for the Czech and Slovak Republic and director of corporate finance in Indianapolis, where he worked on more than $1 billion in mergers and acquisitions.
CFO of three public companies: XORTX Therapeutics, VIVO Cannabis, and Merus Labs International.

Board of Directors.

Five directors bring experience in healthcare policy, pharmaceuticals, law, retail and venture investing.

Dr. Eric Hoskins

Chairman

MD, OC, ICD.D

Health policy, governance, global health

Dr. Eric Hoskins was Ontario's Minister of Health from 2014 to 2018 and introduced OHIP+. A physician and Rhodes Scholar, Dr. Hoskins is also a Partner at Maverix Private Equity and co-founded War Child Canada and War Child USA.

Career highlights

Ontario's Minister of Health from 2014 to 2018, where he introduced OHIP+.
Physician, Rhodes Scholar (DPhil, Oxford), and Officer of the Order of Canada.
Partner at Maverix Private Equity, and co-founder of War Child Canada and War Child USA.

Peter Bloch

Director

CPA, CA

Finance, operations

Peter Bloch was Chairman and CEO of Bionik Laboratories, which reached a peak valuation over $100 million. Peter has also been joint interim CEO at Sanofi-Aventis Canada and CFO at Just Energy and at Gennum Corporation.

Career highlights

Chairman and CEO of Bionik Laboratories, reaching a peak valuation over $100 million.
Joint interim CEO at Sanofi-Aventis Canada.
CFO at Just Energy and at Gennum Corporation.

Sonia Yung

Director

LL.B.

Law, capital markets

Sonia Yung is a corporate securities lawyer with 30 years in capital markets and governance. A former partner at Baker McKenzie, where Sonia headed the Toronto Corporate and Securities Group, Sonia is General Counsel at Bloom Burton & Co. and Chair of Diabetes Canada.

Career highlights

Corporate securities lawyer with 30 years in capital markets and governance.
Former partner and head of the Toronto Corporate and Securities Group at Baker McKenzie.
General Counsel at Bloom Burton & Co., and Chair of Diabetes Canada.

Shelagh Stoneham

Director

Retail, brand and marketing

Shelagh Stoneham is Founder and CEO of Power WearHouse. Shelagh has been Chief Marketing Officer at Shoppers Drug Mart and at Chico's FAS, and Senior Vice President of Brands and Marketing at Rogers Communications.

Career highlights

Founder and CEO of Power WearHouse.
Chief Marketing Officer at Shoppers Drug Mart and at Chico's FAS.
Senior Vice President of Brands and Marketing at Rogers Communications.

Eric Almon

Founder and Executive Director

Investing, strategy

Eric Almon founded Harmony Veterinary Services. A healthcare venture investor at iGan Partners who also led digital transformation at CBRE Canada, Eric currently serves in the Canadian Armed Forces.

Career highlights

Founded Harmony Veterinary Services.
Healthcare venture investor at iGan Partners, and led digital transformation at CBRE Canada.
Currently serves in the Canadian Armed Forces.

Questions?

Ask us about Harmony, the people behind it or the co-ownership model.