diff --git a/scripts/data/load_toronto_data.py b/scripts/data/load_toronto_data.py
index 6a29459..dc625be 100644
--- a/scripts/data/load_toronto_data.py
+++ b/scripts/data/load_toronto_data.py
@@ -288,6 +288,10 @@ class DataPipeline:
         logger.info("Running dbt transformations...")
 
         dbt_project_dir = PROJECT_ROOT / "dbt"
+        venv_dbt = PROJECT_ROOT / ".venv" / "bin" / "dbt"
+
+        # Use venv dbt if available, otherwise fall back to system dbt
+        dbt_cmd = str(venv_dbt) if venv_dbt.exists() else "dbt"
 
         if not dbt_project_dir.exists():
             logger.error(f"dbt project directory not found: {dbt_project_dir}")
@@ -302,16 +306,14 @@ class DataPipeline:
             # Run dbt models
             logger.info("  Running dbt run...")
             result = subprocess.run(
-                ["dbt", "run", "--profiles-dir", str(dbt_project_dir)],
+                [dbt_cmd, "run", "--profiles-dir", str(dbt_project_dir)],
                 cwd=dbt_project_dir,
                 capture_output=True,
                 text=True,
             )
 
             if result.returncode != 0:
-                logger.error(f"dbt run failed:\n{result.stderr}")
-                if self.verbose:
-                    logger.debug(f"dbt output:\n{result.stdout}")
+                logger.error(f"dbt run failed:\n{result.stdout}\n{result.stderr}")
                 return False
 
             logger.info("  dbt run completed successfully")
@@ -319,14 +321,16 @@ class DataPipeline:
             # Run dbt tests
             logger.info("  Running dbt test...")
             result = subprocess.run(
-                ["dbt", "test", "--profiles-dir", str(dbt_project_dir)],
+                [dbt_cmd, "test", "--profiles-dir", str(dbt_project_dir)],
                 cwd=dbt_project_dir,
                 capture_output=True,
                 text=True,
             )
 
             if result.returncode != 0:
-                logger.warning(f"dbt test had failures:\n{result.stderr}")
+                logger.warning(
+                    f"dbt test had failures:\n{result.stdout}\n{result.stderr}"
+                )
                 # Don't fail on test failures, just warn
             else:
                 logger.info("  dbt test completed successfully")