Yommie
Elite Member
Tu Thanh Ha
Alanna Smith Health reporter
Published Yesterday
Quebec will no longer administer free flu shots for its entire population this fall, a year after it stopped providing COVID-19 vaccinations at no cost.
Other provinces, when reached by The Globe and Mail, said they are still maintaining their flu shot coverage, typically offering the vaccine for free to everyone six months of age and older.
The Quebec Health Department said its decision relied on the guidance of the province’s immunization committee, an independent advisory panel also known by its French abbreviation, CIQ.
“In recent years, particularly during the pandemic, the decision was made to offer free vaccination to everyone. This year marks a change so that the vaccination program reflects the recommendations of the CIQ,” department spokesman Émile Giard said in an e-mail.
In an 11-page interim scientific opinion released in April, CIQ recommended that Quebec harmonize the criteria for its flu and COVID-19 vaccination programs.
“There is an interest in synchronizing the vaccination campaigns against COVID-19 and against influenza during the fall to increase coverage, facilitate planning and reduce costs.”
The CIQ opinion noted that the benefits of vaccination against COVID-19 “for healthy people aged 65 to 74 are more limited.”
As a result, it suggested maintaining the previous year’s policy on offering COVID-19 shots for Quebeckers 75 and older, immunocompromised people and those living in remote locations, seniors’ homes and long-term care facilities.
Quebec’s outgoing public-health director hopeful there will be enough free COVID-19 shots to go around
Marilie Beaulieu-Gravel, a spokeswoman for an association representing pharmacy owners in Quebec, also known by its French acronym AQPP, said it is too early to know how much its members would charge for a flu shot.
Quebec was the second province after Alberta to stop providing free COVID-19 vaccines to its population last year. Alberta limited coverage to specific high-risk and vulnerable populations, in addition to health care workers after union bargaining and widespread pushback.
The two provinces scaled back after the federal government decided in January, 2025, to stop funding provinces for the purchase of COVID-19 shots.
Alberta has since defended its approach to COVID-19 coverage as a way to reduce vaccine waste, but has also cited Quebec’s analysis as part of its reasoning. Roughly eight per cent of Alberta’s population was vaccinated against COVID-19 last season. Coverage was 14 per cent in 2024-25 when it was universally available.
The western province has been tight-lipped on its 2026-27 vaccine campaign, but further details are expected to be released in the coming weeks.
However, on Friday, Alberta’s Ministry of Primary and Preventative Health Services confirmed it has no plan to change its flu immunization program, meaning residents will still be able to access flu shots free of charge this season.
The ministry declined to answer questions from The Globe and Mail about COVID-19 coverage.
Canada’s National Advisory Committee on Immunization recommends that the seasonal flu vaccine should be offered annually to everyone six months of age and older who does not have a medical reason to avoid it. The committee said vaccination is “particularly important” for people at high risk of flu-related complications or hospitalization, including seniors and pregnant individuals.
For COVID-19 shots, NACI strongly recommends the vaccine be offered to high-risk individuals and that adults older than 80, long-term care home residents, moderate or severely immunocompromised individuals and adults 65 to 79 with underlying medical conditions receive a second dose per year. Everyone else may receive an annual vaccine.
In Saskatchewan, influenza and COVID-19 vaccines will continue to be provided free of charge to all residents six months and older. The same is true in Newfoundland and Labrador, New Brunswick, Ontario and Manitoba.
The British Columbia Ministry of Health said free flu shots will be available to all residents six months and older, but it’s unclear who will be covered for COVID-19 shots. While COVID-19 vaccines will be available this fall, eligibility and immunization locations have yet to be announced.
The government website states: “If a COVID-19 vaccine is recommended for you, you will receive a notification.”
Similarly, Nova Scotia said that details of the full respiratory vaccine program, including COVID-19 and respiratory syncytial virus, or RSV, shots, will be announced in coming weeks.
Alanna Smith Health reporter
Published Yesterday
Quebec will no longer administer free flu shots for its entire population this fall, a year after it stopped providing COVID-19 vaccinations at no cost.
Other provinces, when reached by The Globe and Mail, said they are still maintaining their flu shot coverage, typically offering the vaccine for free to everyone six months of age and older.
The Quebec Health Department said its decision relied on the guidance of the province’s immunization committee, an independent advisory panel also known by its French abbreviation, CIQ.
“In recent years, particularly during the pandemic, the decision was made to offer free vaccination to everyone. This year marks a change so that the vaccination program reflects the recommendations of the CIQ,” department spokesman Émile Giard said in an e-mail.
In an 11-page interim scientific opinion released in April, CIQ recommended that Quebec harmonize the criteria for its flu and COVID-19 vaccination programs.
“There is an interest in synchronizing the vaccination campaigns against COVID-19 and against influenza during the fall to increase coverage, facilitate planning and reduce costs.”
The CIQ opinion noted that the benefits of vaccination against COVID-19 “for healthy people aged 65 to 74 are more limited.”
As a result, it suggested maintaining the previous year’s policy on offering COVID-19 shots for Quebeckers 75 and older, immunocompromised people and those living in remote locations, seniors’ homes and long-term care facilities.
Quebec’s outgoing public-health director hopeful there will be enough free COVID-19 shots to go around
Marilie Beaulieu-Gravel, a spokeswoman for an association representing pharmacy owners in Quebec, also known by its French acronym AQPP, said it is too early to know how much its members would charge for a flu shot.
Quebec was the second province after Alberta to stop providing free COVID-19 vaccines to its population last year. Alberta limited coverage to specific high-risk and vulnerable populations, in addition to health care workers after union bargaining and widespread pushback.
The two provinces scaled back after the federal government decided in January, 2025, to stop funding provinces for the purchase of COVID-19 shots.
Alberta has since defended its approach to COVID-19 coverage as a way to reduce vaccine waste, but has also cited Quebec’s analysis as part of its reasoning. Roughly eight per cent of Alberta’s population was vaccinated against COVID-19 last season. Coverage was 14 per cent in 2024-25 when it was universally available.
The western province has been tight-lipped on its 2026-27 vaccine campaign, but further details are expected to be released in the coming weeks.
However, on Friday, Alberta’s Ministry of Primary and Preventative Health Services confirmed it has no plan to change its flu immunization program, meaning residents will still be able to access flu shots free of charge this season.
The ministry declined to answer questions from The Globe and Mail about COVID-19 coverage.
Canada’s National Advisory Committee on Immunization recommends that the seasonal flu vaccine should be offered annually to everyone six months of age and older who does not have a medical reason to avoid it. The committee said vaccination is “particularly important” for people at high risk of flu-related complications or hospitalization, including seniors and pregnant individuals.
For COVID-19 shots, NACI strongly recommends the vaccine be offered to high-risk individuals and that adults older than 80, long-term care home residents, moderate or severely immunocompromised individuals and adults 65 to 79 with underlying medical conditions receive a second dose per year. Everyone else may receive an annual vaccine.
In Saskatchewan, influenza and COVID-19 vaccines will continue to be provided free of charge to all residents six months and older. The same is true in Newfoundland and Labrador, New Brunswick, Ontario and Manitoba.
The British Columbia Ministry of Health said free flu shots will be available to all residents six months and older, but it’s unclear who will be covered for COVID-19 shots. While COVID-19 vaccines will be available this fall, eligibility and immunization locations have yet to be announced.
The government website states: “If a COVID-19 vaccine is recommended for you, you will receive a notification.”
Similarly, Nova Scotia said that details of the full respiratory vaccine program, including COVID-19 and respiratory syncytial virus, or RSV, shots, will be announced in coming weeks.
