Ottawa takes charge of vaccine injury compensation program
As of April, the newly renamed Vaccine Impact Assistance Program is being run directly by the Government of Canada through the Public Health Agency of Canada.
The federal government officially took over administration of Canada’s vaccine injury program, a move that comes amid ongoing scrutiny over how the program has been managed.
As of April, the newly renamed Vaccine Impact Assistance Program is being run directly by the Government of Canada through the Public Health Agency of Canada, replacing the previous Vaccine Injury Support Program launched in 2020.
The program provides financial assistance to individuals assessed as having suffered serious and permanent injuries linked to Health Canada-authorized vaccines.
The system operates on a no-fault basis, meaning applicants are not required to prove negligence. Instead, claims are reviewed by medical experts to determine whether a vaccine likely caused the injury.
Eligible recipients may receive compensation for lost income, medical costs, and other long-term impacts, while families of those who died may also qualify for support.
The federal takeover follows mounting concerns about the program’s prior administration. A private consultancy firm, OXARO, had been overseeing the system.
The firm faced a federal audit into its handling of taxpayer funds. Federal officials have acknowledged there is no firm timeline for when that audit will be completed.
At a House of Commons health committee meeting in October, Conservative MPs pressed Liberal Health Minister Marjorie Michel and Public Health Agency of Canada president Nancy Hamzawi over the audit, compensation levels and the program’s effectiveness.
OXARO has faced allegations that it retained a significant portion of public funding intended for injured Canadians, with critics questioning how much support is ultimately reaching claimants.
The company has disputed those claims, saying funds were directed toward administration and medical assessments.