Alberta’s COVID-19 Vaccine Policy Puts Public Health at Risk

The Canadian Public Health Association (CPHA) is deeply concerned by Alberta’s decision to restrict free access to COVID-19 vaccines to only the highest-risk groups, while requiring most Albertans—including seniors and frontline workers—to pay out-of-pocket for immunization.

While fiscal responsibility and efforts to reduce vaccine wastage are important, public health decisions must prioritize equitable access, disease prevention, and collective protection. COVID-19 continues to pose a serious threat to health and health systems, particularly for structurally disadvantaged populations. Universal access to vaccination remains one of the most effective and efficient tools to reduce severe illness, hospitalizations, and long-term health impacts.

CPHA is particularly troubled by:

• The introduction of user fees for COVID-19 vaccination for Albertans aged 65 and older, who face a higher risk of severe outcomes.
• The exclusion of pharmacies as immunization providers, limiting access for rural residents, shift workers, and others who rely on community-based care.
• The lack of publicly funded access for frontline health workers, many of whom are at elevated risk of exposure and transmission.
• The fact that COVID-19 vaccines will only be available at a cost for the general population, undermining public trust and uptake.
• The suggestion that last year’s vaccine wastage is justification for restricting access—when the quantity of doses ordered was determined by the Government of Alberta itself. Over-ordering and poor forecasting should not be used to justify introducing barriers to care.

Vaccines are not merely personal protective measures—they are a public good. Alberta’s new policy risks deepening health inequities, weakening immunization coverage, and increasing the likelihood of future outbreaks.

CPHA urges the Government of Alberta to reverse course and restore universally accessible, publicly funded COVID-19 immunization for all residents. We also call on all provinces and territories to uphold immunization as a core public health function and to collaborate with the federal government to ensure consistent, equitable access to vaccines across the country.