In Toronto’s Corktown neighbourhood, a striking glass-fronted building at 445 King Street East is set to open its doors in mid-April as the flagship location of PetNation, a Canadian veterinary startup founded by Dr. Jeff Aramini. But unlike traditional veterinary clinics, this facility represents something more ambitious: a systematic attempt to solve what Aramini describes as a “crisis in affordability” plaguing pet healthcare.
Multidisciplinary Background Drives Innovation
“I started thinking about PetNation after recognizing fundamental problems in pet healthcare delivery,” explains Aramini, whose multidisciplinary career makes him uniquely positioned to reimagine the veterinary industry.
A Doctor of Veterinary Medicine from Western College of Veterinary Medicine, Aramini later earned a Master’s and PhD in Epidemiology from the University of Saskatchewan and University of Guelph, respectively. His career spans senior epidemiology positions with the Public Health Agency of Canada, founding and leading health technology companies including Intelligent Health Solutions and Focus21, and serving as Director of Market Acceleration at Ontario Bioscience Innovation Organization.
This diverse background gave Aramini a perspective few in veterinary medicine possess when he returned to clinical practice in 2020 after a 20-year hiatus. “When I looked at veterinary medicine again, I saw significant challenges around accessibility and affordability,” he says. “You can have the best science in the world, but if people can’t afford it, then pets aren’t getting treated.”
Addressing a Market-Wide Crisis
The problems Aramini identified extend beyond pricing to affect the entire ecosystem of pet care in Canada, a market valued at approximately $10.8 billion annually.
“People are giving up their pets because they can’t afford care – what rescues call ‘economic surrender,'” he notes. “Meanwhile, veterinarians are experiencing burnout partly because they can’t deliver care to animals whose owners can’t afford treatment.”
Recent industry reports confirm Aramini’s observations. The Canadian Veterinary Medical Association has documented increasing concerns about affordability, with average veterinary costs rising at approximately twice the rate of inflation over the past decade.
“When you dive into the data, you see pet parents increasingly delaying even basic care,” Aramini explains. “We’re seeing people not only postponing their second pet, but choosing between their own healthcare needs and those of their animals.”
Data-Driven Solutions to Structural Challenges
Rather than accepting these market trends as inevitable, Aramini spent five years developing a comprehensive approach to make pet healthcare more accessible and affordable, officially registering the PetNation name in 2017 before securing investment partners in 2023.
“It’s not about building another hospital,” Aramini emphasizes. “It’s about designing something from the ground up that fundamentally changes the economics of veterinary care.”
The PetNation model addresses cost drivers systematically through data analysis methodologies Aramini refined during his epidemiology and health informatics career. One example is diagnostic testing, where his analysis found pet owners paying exponentially more than the human healthcare system for identical tests.
“When I compared what veterinarians pay for diagnostic tests versus what provincial laboratories pay, it’s about ten times more for pets,” he reveals. “It’s the same machine, the same test – but there’s no downward pressure on price in the veterinary sector.”
PetNation’s solution includes building their own in-house diagnostic laboratory. “We’ll never get to the volumes where we can do tests for $1.50, but if we can do it for half the current cost, it’s huge,” says Aramini.
Similar innovations include leveraging global expertise for imaging interpretation, offering human generic medications as lower-cost alternatives to branded veterinary formulations, and investing in technology that enhances efficiency – like a panoramic dental X-ray machine that reduces procedure times from 40 minutes to 23 seconds.
A Transparent Building for a Transparent Business Model
The company’s commitment to transparency is physically embodied in its Corktown location, a 13,000 square-foot former Italinteriors showroom designed by Sweeny & Co. Architects and completed in 2013.
“When I saw this building with its full glass front, it screamed transparency,” Aramini recalls of his first impression of the property. “Most vet clinics are in older buildings with limited visibility. We could have found a much less costly building in some basement somewhere, but our brand positioning demanded transparency.”
The structure’s glass façade and open interior presented both symbolic alignment with PetNation’s business philosophy and practical advantages for creating a multi-level healthcare delivery system with minimal renovation costs.
The building’s strategic location in Corktown aligns with PetNation’s target demographic. “This neighbourhood is perfect – high density with young professionals,” explains Aramini. “If you’re trying anything new, the bigger the population, the better.”
Its proximity to the future Corktown station on the Ontario Line adds long-term value to the site selection, while supporting the facility’s business model that depends on high patient volume to make advanced diagnostic technologies economically sustainable.
Paul Courchesne and Jason Book from Colliers International Toronto facilitated the real estate transaction.
Membership Commerce Model Redefines Client Relationships
At the core of PetNation’s approach is a membership model that reframes the client-practice relationship while creating more predictable revenue patterns.
“We call everybody a member, but anybody can be a member as long as they buy into the same vision – that we’re working together to make pet healthcare affordable,” Aramini explains.
The strategic decision to implement a membership structure directly addresses veterinary medicine’s feast-or-famine revenue patterns while promoting continuity of care. While basic membership is free, pet owners can choose between pay-as-you-go services or monthly subscriptions covering office visits.
“The subscription economy has transformed industries from software to transportation,” notes Aramini. “Yet healthcare remains largely transactional, creating misaligned incentives for both providers and consumers.”
PetNation is developing expanded subscription options to include illness and accident coverage as an alternative to traditional pet insurance, which has seen double-digit premium increases in recent years.
“Pet insurance has become unaffordable, particularly for aging pets,” Aramini observes. “Our subscription model puts responsibility on both sides – the pet parent commits to a monthly payment they can afford, and it becomes our responsibility to deliver quality care efficiently within that price point.”
This approach replaces the traditional “raise prices, you pay more” dynamic with incentives for the business to continuously improve operational efficiency.
“When you’re constrained by subscription pricing, you’re forced to innovate,” explains Aramini. “That’s precisely when the most creative solutions emerge.”
Creating a Community-Focused Environment
Beyond clinical services, PetNation’s strategy includes developing its facility as a community hub that welcomes pet owners beyond medical appointments.
“We want to make the top floor a comfortable, welcoming space,” says Aramini. “We want people to come here and engage with the brand even if their pet isn’t currently receiving care.”
The facility design emphasizes comfort and connection, with thoughtful space planning that encourages interaction while maintaining clinical efficiency on the lower floors. This multi-level approach allows PetNation to maximize the value of their King Street East location while creating distinct environments for different aspects of the pet healthcare journey.
The environment will potentially showcase products from local pet brands, many of which “are literally being run out of patios and garages,” according to Aramini. This approach creates complementary benefits: additional visibility for emerging local businesses and a more engaging experience for pet owners while reinforcing PetNation’s commitment to the broader pet care ecosystem.
“The goal is creating a destination that supports the complete pet ownership journey, not just medical interventions,” says Aramini. “When you reframe veterinary care as part of a broader wellness experience, it fundamentally changes how people engage with preventive health.”
Network Expansion Through Strategic Partnerships
Though the Corktown location isn’t yet open – final city permits are pending for an anticipated mid-April launch – PetNation’s leadership team is already mapping an expansion strategy across the Greater Toronto Area.
“The partnership group is evaluating locations in Halton and Mississauga,” reveals Aramini. “We strategically need representation on the west end because in the GTA, west end and east end might as well be in different provinces due to traffic barriers.”
The expansion model demonstrates the company’s retail sophistication, exploring options beyond traditional standalone facilities.
“We’re considering smaller satellite locations that could function within complementary retail environments,” Aramini explains. “Why not leverage existing foot traffic in established retail corridors?”
Perhaps most innovative is PetNation’s approach to industry collaboration. Rather than competing directly with independent veterinarians, the company is developing an alliance model that could transform how after-hours care is delivered across the region.
“We’ve initiated conversations about creating an alliance where independent practices could refer after-hours cases to PetNation instead of corporate emergency chains,” Aramini notes. “We provide more affordable care and seamlessly share records back with the primary veterinarian – creating value for everyone involved.”
This networked strategy directly applies lessons from Aramini’s experience as Commercial Advisor at UWVelocity and Director of Market Acceleration at Ontario Bioscience Innovation Organization, where he guided emerging companies through strategic growth phases.
Technology Integration Drives Innovation
Aramini’s background in health informatics and technology development is evident in PetNation’s operational model, which integrates digital systems throughout the care delivery process.
“We’re using AI-driven patient management systems and developing technologies like a collar-implant combination that could monitor vital signs in real-time,” he explains. “That creates entirely new preventive healthcare opportunities that potentially reduce emergency interventions.”
The technology strategy draws directly from Aramini’s experience at Focus21, where he specialized in developing “cutting-edge and first-of-its-kind information solutions” for science and technology organisations.
“When you look at other healthcare sectors, technological innovation has driven both quality improvements and cost reductions,” Aramini notes. “Veterinary medicine has been slow to adopt these approaches, partly because the traditional business model doesn’t incentivize efficiency.”
PetNation is currently developing a suite of proprietary systems designed to enhance care coordination across their locations while generating data that can further improve operational efficiency.
“The goal isn’t technology for technology’s sake,” emphasizes Aramini. “It’s about using digital tools to make veterinary professionals more effective while making quality care more accessible and affordable.”
A Vision for Healthcare Transformation
As PetNation prepares to welcome its first patients in Corktown, Aramini’s vision ultimately comes down to what he calls a “quadruple-win” philosophy that reflects his holistic understanding of healthcare systems.
“This model delivers better care for pets, more affordable access for pet parents, a better experience for veterinary staff, and a sustainable business outcome,” he summarizes. “Without that fourth element, everything stops – but with all four aligned, you create a fundamentally different healthcare experience.”
The company expects to be fully operational by May 2025, with staffing capacity for approximately 20 veterinarians once ramped to full capacity. Current recruitment efforts are targeting veterinary professionals who share the company’s vision for healthcare transformation.
“We’re not just building a clinic – we’re building a model that could potentially transform how pet healthcare is delivered across urban centres,” says Aramini. “That starts with transparency in both our physical space and our business practices.”
For Toronto’s pet owners and the veterinary community, PetNation’s Corktown facility will soon provide a real-world test of whether reimagining healthcare delivery from first principles can successfully address the affordability crisis facing both pet families and the professionals who care for them.
Dustin Fuhs is the Editor-in-Chief of 6ix Retail. He is the former Editor-in-Chief of Retail Insider, Canada’s most-read retail trade publication. He has over 20 years of experience in the retail, marketing, entertainment and hospitality industries, including with The Walt Disney Company, The Hockey Hall of Fame, Starbucks and Blockbuster.
Dustin was named as a RETHINK Retail Top Retail Expert in 2024 and 2025.