About

Since 1968, the CCAC has taken a unique and truly Canadian approach to the ethical care and use of animals in science. It provides the only national oversight of animal-based scientific activities in Canada through a rigorous process of assessment and certification, and standards development and ensures that animals in science are used only when necessary, and that when they are, they receive optimal care according to high-quality, evidence-informed standards.

The CCAC provides an essential service to the scientific community by creating and overseeing the ethical animal practices upon which robust and valid scientific findings are built. This structure is also essential to the Canadian people, who, while generally supportive of animal-based science, believe that the welfare and ethical treatment of the animals involved are of the utmost importance.

To meet its mandate, the CCAC relies on the support of more than 2,000 volunteer experts, serving on more than 190 local animal care committees and other subcommittees and task forces. Also comprised of volunteer experts, the CCAC's governing Board of Directors is nominated and elected by member organizations reflecting a wide range of interests, concerns, and objectives surrounding animal-based science in Canada. The CCAC’s staff and volunteers are wholly committed to the ethical care and use of animals in science and work diligently to deliver these programs in institutions across Canada.

The CCAC is financed primarily by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research and the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada, with additional contributions from annual program participation fees paid by CCAC-certified institutions.