National Immunization Strategy

The National Immunization Strategy is a strategy for dealing with new challenges in current and future vaccination needs of all Canadians.

The strategy helps Federal, Provincial and Territorial governments and key stakeholders work together to improve vaccination programs across Canada.

On this page

• Status of National Immunization Strategy Objectives
• National Immunization Strategy Publications and Reports

Status of National Immunization Strategy Objectives

We are working to reduce vaccine preventable disease and increase the number of Canadians vaccinated over the next five years.

Progress has been made towards meeting our objectives:

1. Canada has evidence-based goals for vaccine preventable disease rates and immunization coverage

An expert task group was formed to prepare new goals and targets to be achieved by 2025.

Goals for vaccination coverage and targets for the decrease of vaccine preventable diseases have been endorsed by provinces and territories via the Pan-Canadian Public Health Network Council.

• Progress towards reaching the national vaccination coverage goals and vaccine preventable disease reduction targets will be reported using data collected using national coverage surveys and vaccine preventable surveillance systems.

2. Canada is better able to identify under and un-immunized populations and has an enhanced understanding of the determinants of vaccine acceptance and uptake

We are working to improve the methods used for national vaccination coverage surveys.

Revised surveys will include questions about peoples' vaccination-related:

• knowledge
• attitudes
• behaviours

Research to understand where and why people are not vaccinated has started. The research is being funded through the Canadian Institutes of Health Research.

3. Canadians have timely and equitable access to immunization

The mandate of the National Advisory Committee on Immunization (NACI) has been expanded and now includes scientific and economic evaluation. This will help to make vaccination program decision-making faster.

4. Canada has the evidence needed to develop and implement evidence-based interventions, to improve immunization coverage rates

The Canadian Immunization Research Network (CIRN) supports many research projects on vaccination issues. CIRN will receive $3M per year for a total of $15 million between 2024 and 2029. This funding will further strengthen Canada's research capacity, evidence base, and expertise in the field of immunization, vaccine safety and vaccines for vaccine-preventable diseases.

5. Canada understands the key barriers to, and best practices in, improving immunization coverage and invests in addressing them

A new Immunization Partnership Fund was launched. This supports the provinces, territories and other partners to carry out projects that improve vaccination access and uptake.

National Immunization Strategy Publications & Reports

National Immunization Strategy: Objectives 2016-2021
National Immunization Strategy: Final Report 2003