[News] Vaccine Report Card 2025

New Report Scores Alberta a 'C-' on Vaccinating Seniors

CanAge releases Vaccine Report Card—$100 COVID fee creates barrier despite world-class infrastructure

For immediate release

TORONTO ON, October 14, 2025—CanAge, Canada's National Seniors' Advocacy organization, has

released its Vaccine Report Card, evaluating all provinces and territories on their efforts to vaccinate older

adults. Alberta scored an overall grade of C- due to critical funding gaps that undermine excellent healthcare

infrastructure.

"Alberta has some of the best vaccine delivery infrastructure in the country—excellent digital records,

outstanding outreach programs to long-term care," said Laura Tamblyn Watts, CEO of CanAge. "But then they

charge seniors $100 for a COVID vaccine? That's like building a state-of-the-art highway and then putting up a

toll booth that only a portion of the population can't afford."

Alberta will charge most Albertans including seniors $100 for COVID-19 vaccines this season, whilst early

wastewater surveillance shows COVID-19 leading circulating respiratory viruses. The province also does not

provide funding for shingles vaccines, which also costs adults 50+ around $300 for the series.

Alberta is home to 740,710 seniors (15.15% of the population), with 66.8% living with multiple chronic

conditions.

Despite other funding failures, RSV programs in the province are offered to those aged 70+, and are provided

to those living in long-term care, and congregate care settings for those aged 60+. This exceeds the current

NACI standard for those living in the community.

Alberta demonstrates exceptional delivery capability through its MyHealth Records portal and Alberta Outreach

immunization Program, which serves as a national model. The province fully funds enhanced influenza

vaccines and provides modern pneumococcal vaccines.

"If Alberta reversed the COVID fee and expanded funding to include shingles, their grade would jump

immediately," said Tamblyn Watts. "The infrastructure is already there, functioning beautifully. The only thing

standing between Alberta and excellence is the willingness to fund prevention rather than force seniors to pay

out-of-pocket."

The latest edition of the Vaccine Report Card is available at www.canage.ca/vaccinereport2025.

About CanAge

CanAge is Canada's National Seniors' Advocacy organization; a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization that works

to improve the lives of older adults through advocacy, policy, and community engagement.