Neighbourhood Pharmacies is deeply concerned by the Alberta government’s recent decision to eliminate public funding for COVID-19 vaccines and to remove community pharmacies as delivery partners. We are further disappointed by the suggestion that vaccine wastage in pharmacies was a central factor in this decision.
Canada’s community pharmacies have been an effective and accessible delivery channel for COVID-19 vaccinations; firmly established as a key partner in supporting public health goals in all jurisdictions. In Alberta, community pharmacies have administered more than 4.5 million COVID-19 vaccine doses since the start of the pandemic, delivering care safely, efficiently, and with extended hours and broad community reach. This change undermines equitable access to vaccination—particularly for seniors, low-income individuals, and Albertans living in rural and underserved areas. Pharmacies are often the most accessible healthcare provider in these communities, and the removal of publicly funded vaccines from pharmacies will lower uptake, delay protection, and result in avoidable illness and added pressure on the healthcare system.
Importantly, immunization services at pharmacies are more than one-time encounters—they often serve as a trusted point of entry to the broader healthcare system. Patients receiving vaccines at pharmacies frequently go on to access additional care such as medication reviews, chronic disease management, or referrals to other providers. Removing pharmacies from the vaccination network severs a critical link in Alberta’s health infrastructure and fragments patient care.
Claims that pharmacy decisions were responsible for vaccine wastage misrepresents certain facts. COVID-19 vaccines are typically distributed in 10 dose vials. Pharmacies followed government guidelines for proper storage, administration, and timely vaccination, including the expectation to prioritize patient access to the vaccines. Wastage, when it occurred, was predominantly due to short vaccine expiry windows—not lack of public demand or inappropriate pharmacy decisions.
Neighbourhood Pharmacies is also concerned about the lack of consultation with pharmacy associations, operators and stakeholders, including the Alberta Pharmacists’ Association (RxA). Paired with a substantial reduction in government COVID-19 vaccine orders, this move signals a troubling departure from effective public health care planning.
We urge the Alberta government to reverse this decision and work with pharmacy providers and healthcare stakeholders to ensure COVID-19 vaccines remain available, affordable, and equitably accessible to Albertans through their community pharmacy.
To support this Statement, we have also developed some Key Messages for Members and Partners to support your advocacy on this issue.