Alberta announced a two-part rollout of its COVID-19 vaccine policy Friday, while revealing that it will charge many residents $100 to get one. For Phase 1, starting in October, the province will offer free vaccines to eligible Albertans, including the following: “Health care workers are now also eligible for COVID-19 immunization as part of Phase 1,“ the province said in a media release. ”Offering the vaccine to health care workers helps protect vulnerable patients and maintain a strong workforce, ensuring the health system can continue delivering safe, effective care.” Phase 1 appointments will start on Oct. 1 They can be pre-booked using the Alberta Vaccine Booking System at alberta.ca through Sept. 1. Phase 2 appointments, pending the availability of vaccines, are expected to start Oct. 20 and will require recipients to pay an administrative fee of $100. Most vaccinations will be administered through public health clinics, although select pharmacists will be able to provide immunizations at continuing care and assisted living facilities. The province maintains that it is charging Albertans to prevent vaccine wastage. “We are striking a balance between protecting vulnerable Albertans and preventing vaccine wastage,” said Adriana LaGrange, minister of primary and preventative health services, in a release. “We remain committed to ensuring Albertans who are at a higher risk of severe outcomes from COVID-19 have access to vaccines.” Free in B.C. Despite many Albertans having to pay for the shot, the Government of British Columbia says it will continue to have a publicly-funded COVID-19 vaccination program. Citing a reciprocal agreement between provinces and territories in place since 2013, B.C.’s Ministry of Health says Canadian travellers should be able to receive publicly-funded immunization anywhere. The ministry says that of course includes COVID-19 shots and of course includes Albertans. You will need identification as a resident of Canada and a personal health number or equivalent. However, the ministry says there are some caveats that can result in lengthy waits: Premier Smith defends vaccine policy On Thursday, Alberta Premier Danielle Smith defended her decision for many Albertans to pay for the COVID-19 shot. She said that the federal government had covered the cost of COVID-19 vaccines for the past three years, but that’s no longer the case. “They chose to stop funding it and so we had to make an assessment of what it would cost us if we resume covering in the same way that they did,” Smith told reporters. “The challenge is that fewer and fewer people each year are choosing to seek the COVID vaccine. Last year was only 13.7 per cent and so we have a mismatch of how much we’re ordering versus what the demand is.” Smith went on to says that many of the doses for COVID vaccines were also getting destroyed or thrown away. “It was being packaged up in packages of 10, you have to store it at a very low temperature, what we found last year was 54 per cent of the doses were spoiled at $110 per dose, which is what the average cost was up to in three years.” “It’s about $284 million worth of doses in Alberta alone that has been destroyed. So I can tell you, we don’t want to carry on with that kind of approach.” Opposition reaction Alberta NDP Leader Naheed Nenhi criticized the UCP vaccine strategy. “This UCP government’s decision to make Albertans pay for COVID vaccines is wrong and must be reversed immediately.,” he said in a statement. He called on Alberta’s UCP government to make public health care more of a priority by setting up a free registration system to get everyone the vaccine who wants one. “This will help reduce the burden on our hospitals this fall,” Nenshi added. “If the UCP government were truly concerned about waste in health care, hey wouldn’t be bleeding millions on their Turkish Tylenol stockpile and bloated Corrupt Care contracts. “If Albertans want the COVID shot,” he added, “they should be able to get it here in Alberta, for free.” ‘Shameful’ Gil McGowan, president of the Alberta Federation of Labour, also spoke to CTV News Friday. “It’s shameful what we Albertans have been reduced to by our anti-vax premier and her government,” he said. “Now we’re in the position we’re going to have to sneak across the border to our neighbouring provinces to get access to the vaccine. It’s shameful and shocking, and this government needs to do a U-turn.” He added that Premier Smith’s arguments about cost savings simply don’t ‘pass the smell test.’ “The reality is that if we have more outbreaks of COVID that could have been mitigated by a more fulsome vaccine strategy, those outbreaks are going to have much bigger costs than whatever she’s saving by not distributing the vaccine. This is an example of the premier once again being penny wise and pound foolish, and it’s Albertans who are going to pay the price.” Meanwhile, the president of the Health Sciences Association of Alberta, Mike Parker is also speaking out. He says his members fought hard to secure coverage of the COVID-19 vaccine for all healthcare professionals in the province as it is. “It’s an important step toward keeping both staff and patients safe this fall, as broad-based immunization helps reduce the seasonal pressure on our hospitals and health centres,” Parker said. “No Albertan should have to travel to another province to get their COVID-19 shot. We hope the government continues listening to Albertans.” Concerns from health experts Dr. Shelley Duggan, president of the Alberta Medical Association said in a statement that “the Alberta government’s decision to offer free COVID-19 vaccines to health care workers is a welcome step,’ but more still needs to be done. “Major barriers still remain. Our province’s immunization strategy still diverges from national recommendations and there are major concerns around pre-ordering, eliminating pharmacies from distribution and potential charges for most Albertans including those prioritized by the National Advisory Committee on Immunization (NACI),” Duggan said. “Immunization is a cornerstone of public health and access should not be limited by cost or logistics.” Dr. Tara Upshaw, a Calgary family medicine resident, agreed that access is a major issue for those in need of the vaccine. “I think they should absolutely be free. It’s a major issue for access. It’s a huge barrier the government has put in place here, making people pay for this,” she said. “It costs, I think around $1,200 just to open a chart in the emergency department in Calgary when someone presents there. That’s just the first step. Then when you add on the cost of stay in the hospital, the ICU, it’s astronomical. It’s anti-science and inequitable.” Uncertainty Chris Galloway, executive director of Friends of Medicare is also sounding the alarm over Alberta’s vaccine policy. “What I’m hearing is a lot of uncertainty now. You should be able to show up, get the vaccine you need, like a flu shot or COVID shot. It should be covered. It shouldn’t be a debate of who’s paying out of pocket,” said Galloway. “We know what’s going to happen. Fewer people will get vaccinated, and more people will have to pay out of pocket, which means certain people won’t have access to that care. The premier has chosen to say you as an Albertan have to pay out of pocket now for something that no one else in the country will have to pay for. “That’s her choice, and she should own that choice.” Impact on seniors Kalman Herbath, an 85-year-old Calgary resident, is concerned about many people in his age demographic who might not be eligible for a free COVID shot. “It absolutely should be free. I’m on a fixed income, and I only have so much money, and I’m always a dollar short.” “So I guess I’m going to have to pay the $100 out, and that’s it,” he said. “Think of gas if I had to drive to British Columbia — that probably will eat up $200 alone anyway.” Herbath added, “I think it’s important. Not everybody can afford it. I’m 85 years old. For seniors especially who are more vulnerable, it’s important to get this shot.” COVID-19 in other provinces Other provinces in Canada are taking different approaches when it comes to the COVID-19 vaccine. Saskatchewan’s health ministry said, “Plans are still in development for Saskatchewan’s fall/winter immunization program. Saskatchewan residents who have a valid Saskatchewan health card are eligible to receive a publicly funded COVID-19 vaccine. Eligibility also extends to residents of Lloydminster, Alberta who access Saskatchewan immunization services. Full details will be announced publicly in the coming weeks.” “In Manitoba, out-of-province visitors remain eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccine free of charge, whether or not they have Manitoba Health coverage or third-party insurance. In some cases, an administration fee may apply,” the province said. New Brunswick said, “For fall 2025, anyone six months and older are eligible to receive a free COVID-19 vaccine.” Prince Edward Island stated, “For the 2025-2026 respiratory season, PEI will have a universal COVID-19 immunization program (no cost to residents). Certain populations are high priority for vaccination, such as older adults and individuals with chronic health conditions, as they are at higher risk for serious illness from COVID-19.” The Government of Nunavut sent the following statement: “COVID-19 vaccines in Nunavut are publicly-funded and administered as part of the territory’s immunization program, which is designed to serve Nunavut’s population. The program is not structured to accommodate out-of-territory residents seeking vaccination, and there is no indication of a policy that supports vaccine tourism or non-resident access without specific eligibility criteria. “While the vaccines themselves are federally procured and free of charge, Nunavut’s immunization planning and logistics, including supply allocation and clinic operations, are based on the needs of Nunavummiut. “There is no publicly available guidance suggesting that non-residents can receive vaccines in Nunavut, nor any mention of administrative fees for such services. “Therefore, the answer is no, it is not currently possible for Albertans or other Canadians to travel to Nunavut solely to receive a COVID-19 vaccine.”
