Most Albertans will have to pay for COVID-19 shots starting this fall, province says

Jack Farrell · The Canadian Press

· Posted: Jun 13, 2025 7:54 PM EDT | Last Updated: 16 minutes ago

Alberta's authorities says residents who are not immunocompromised oregon connected societal programs volition soon person to wage to get the COVID-19 vaccine.

The authorities says that since provinces began taking connected work for procuring the shots, it wants to chopped down connected waste.

It says an estimated 1 cardinal COVID-19 vaccine doses, oregon conscionable implicit fractional of Alberta's supply, were not utilized during the 2023-24 respiratory microorganism season.

It says that means $135 cardinal worthy of shots were wasted.

The authorities says it hasn't yet determined however overmuch Albertans would pay, but an estimated outgo to procure each vaccine is $110.

The state says it has ordered conscionable nether 500,000 of the vaccines for the autumn and immoderate of the estimated $49 cardinal outgo would beryllium covered done taxpayers paying for their shots.

It says Albertans tin "signal their intent" to person the vaccine starting successful August, with bookings to statesman successful October.

NDP wellness critic Sarah Hoffman said the state is taking the incorrect approach.

"It's cruel for the UCP authorities to enactment further fiscal burdens connected Albertans who privation to support their wellness and their loved ones and not get COVID," said Hoffman successful a statement. 

"It's dangerous, it's callous, it's anti-science, and it's anti-public health."