Alberta Premier Danielle Smith is standing by her government’s controversial move to introduce charges for many residents seeking COVID-19 vaccinations, a change quietly announced late Friday through a media release.
Speaking on her weekly radio program Your Province, Your Premier on Saturday, Smith argued that the decision comes after significant vaccine wastage due to declining public demand.
“We ended up discarding more than one million doses in 2023-24 because the uptake simply wasn’t there,” Smith explained. She blamed the vaccine delivery method used at pharmacies, noting that vials often contained multiple doses which had to be discarded within 12 hours of opening if not used.
“The packaging was in lots of ten doses. If only one dose was administered, the remaining nine expired quickly,” she said. Smith estimated the financial loss from these discarded vaccines amounted to about $135 million.
Responding to a caller who criticized her spending priorities, Smith countered that the money wasted on unused vaccines could have been used to address surgical backlogs. “With $135 million, we could have made a real dent in knee and hip replacement waitlists,” she said.
Smith pointed to declining demand as a key factor behind the province’s new vaccine rollout plan, stating that “Albertans increasingly are choosing not to get this vaccine.”
New vaccine rollout in phases
The province’s updated COVID-19 vaccine program will unfold in four phases. In the first phase, only seniors in supportive living and home care will receive free vaccines.
The second phase expands access to people with compromised immune systems, those living in congregate care settings, social assistance recipients such as those on AISH, and individuals experiencing homelessness.
During the third and fourth phases, vaccines will be made available for purchase to the general population, beginning with Albertans aged 65 and over.
NDP, experts criticize decision
Opposition parties and public health experts are sharply criticizing the move. Alberta NDP health critic Sarah Hoffman condemned the decision as “cruel” and “anti-science.”
“This government is placing an unnecessary financial burden on people trying to protect themselves and their families from COVID-19,” Hoffman said. She argued that promoting vaccinations would reduce waste while safeguarding public health.
Lorian Hardcastle, a law and medicine professor at the University of Calgary, said the policy sends the wrong message. “Vaccines not only protect individuals but also reduce pressure on hospitals and benefit the wider community,” she said. Hardcastle emphasized that preventive measures like vaccinations ultimately save the health system money by avoiding costly hospitalizations and lost productivity.
Pricing not finalized
Smith said that the exact cost for individuals seeking a COVID-19 vaccine has yet to be determined but promised it would be lower than the $300 cost of the RSV vaccine.
To help manage costs, Smith said vaccines will be administered through public health clinics rather than pharmacies. “We can negotiate better pricing and avoid paying extra dispensing fees by using the staff we already have in our public clinics,” she said.
Smith explained that the province is following a similar approach to its RSV vaccine policy, offering free shots only to those at highest risk. She added that the province will review demand for the COVID vaccine and may adjust its approach in future years.
“There are many critical priorities in health care, and we simply can’t afford to keep wasting taxpayer dollars on unused vaccines,” Smith said.
