Backgrounder: New Projects Funded Under the Immunization Partnership Fund

Backgrounder

July 2021

The Government of Canada launched the Immunization Partnership Fund (IPF) in 2016 to support projects that improve access to vaccines and encourage vaccine uptake. In 2020, this fund received $64 million to support projects aimed at improving vaccination coverage in Canada in three priority areas:

  • Build capacity of health care providers as vaccinators and vaccination promoters
  • Support community-based COVID-19 education, outreach, and vaccine promotion
  • Build capacity for evidence-based vaccine communication

The funding includes:

  • $30.25 million for community-led projects to develop tailored, targeted tools and educational resources to raise awareness of, and confidence in, COVID-19 vaccines. These funds will also support the efforts of community members and leaders to increase vaccine confidence and address barriers to access and acceptance within their communities.
  • $32.5 million to be dispersed over 2.5 years to support provincial and territorial governments in enhancing their electronic vaccination registries to help monitor vaccine uptake.
  • $1.3 million to amend existing funded projects to incorporate measures and activities to address COVID-19.

Five new projects funded by the IPF are:

Lead organization: African Arts & Culture Community Contributor Society
Project Name: Increasing confidence in the COVID-19 vaccine in British Columbia's Black Community
Description: This project will work to empower Black community leaders in British Columbia to be COVID-19 vaccine promoters, establish a coalition of Black-led vaccination clinics, and develop vaccination promotion and management tools that are culturally responsive. An online portal will enable people to find and register at a Black-led clinic, and provide reminders for clients to follow up and receive their second COVID-19 vaccine dose.
Funding: Up to $450,000

Lead organization: Mainline, a program of the Mi'Kmaw Native Friendship Centre
Project Name: Promoting Vaccine Access and Acceptability for People who Use Drugs and Urban Indigenous People in Halifax, Nova Scotia
Description: This project will work to increase uptake and improve accessibility of COVID-19 vaccines for people who use drugs and urban Indigenous people accessing the Mainline Needle Exchange and the Mi'Kmaw Native Friendship Centre. This project will tailor, develop, and share information with these communities to increase their trust and confidence in the COVID-19 vaccines. Single-day community vaccination clinics will be held at central and trusted locations, and a mobile vaccination service will provide enhanced accessibility and uptake of COVID-19 vaccination.
Funding: Up to $123,000

Lead organization: Regina Treaty / Status Indian Services Inc.
Project Name: Regina Urban Indigenous COVID-19 Vaccination Strategy
Description: This project will implement a range of community-based COVID-19 education, promotion, prevention and outreach strategies to support COVID-19 vaccine uptake among the urban Indigenous populations of Regina and surrounding communities. The project will also involve the delivery of vaccinations through community-based clinics.
Funding: Up to $100,000

Lead organization: Regroupement des centres d'amitié autochtones du Québec (RCAAQ)
Project name: Miro Matisiwin (bien-être)
Description: This project will train the staff of three Quebec-area Friendship Centres located in La Tuque, Trois-Rivieres, and Joliette, to promote the importance of getting vaccinated against COVID-19 among the Indigenous populations they serve, with a particular focus on reaching Indigenous youth. The Friendship Centres are trusted pillars within the Indigenous community and their culturally responsive outreach will help Indigenous people in these communities get vaccinated.
Funding: Up to $475,000

Lead organization: Vancouver Infectious Diseases Centre
Project Name: Community Pop-Up Clinics for COVID-19 Outreach at Single Room Occupancy Dwellings & Homeless Shelters
Description: The Community Pop-Up Clinics program will provide a vehicle to reach underserved individuals in Vancouver and New Westminster who are underhoused or homeless. This project will provide COVID-19 testing and vaccine education, promotion, and outreach through weekly pop-up clinics at single room occupancy dwellings and homeless shelters to encourage and facilitate COVID-19 vaccine uptake among these populations.
Funding: Up to $460,000

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