Ottawa – Vaccination, in combination with personal protective measures, are critical tools to protect against infectious respiratory diseases. Community-driven initiatives are fundamental in fostering confidence in vaccination, particularly during respiratory illness season as people return to more indoor activities, such as school and holiday gatherings.
Mark Holland, Minister of Health, announced a renewed commitment to the Immunization Partnership Fund (IPF) of over $9.5 million in 2023-2024 to 53 organizations to help people in Canada have access to vaccines, as well as accurate information on the safety and effectiveness of vaccines so that they can make informed vaccination choices.
This investment will support community-based partners across the country to build on previously funded projects supporting vaccine confidence, uptake and access to vaccines. The work of these organizations will help people in Canada keep themselves, their families and their communities healthy, while also contributing to a reduction in pressure on health care systems across the country.
The IPF is the first and only federal grants and contributions program designed to build capacity for evidence-informed vaccination communication, support community-based immunization education, promotion, and outreach, and build the capacity of health care providers as vaccinators. The ultimate goal is to increase vaccine confidence and uptake in Canada, particularly among underserved communities and those with persisting gaps in vaccine coverage.
The IPF program has demonstrated clear results with its COVID-specific investments throughout the pandemic. Through these investments, more than 100 IPF funding recipients tailored over 23,000 evidence-informed, equity-based and culturally safe COVID-19 resources and services for the audiences they served. The investments resulted in more than 350,000 vaccinations of individuals within marginalized and undeserved communities who may not have otherwise chosen to be vaccinated or may have experienced barriers to accessing vaccines. Approximately 1 million individuals accessed in-person programming efforts and online information materials were accessed over 19 million times.
“The science is clear – vaccines save lives. Community-led projects funded through the Immunization Partnership Fund were essential to sharing credible vaccine information throughout the COVID-19 pandemic and will continue to do so well into the future. By engaging in conversations and breaking down barriers to care, we can reduce vaccine hesitancy and increase vaccine uptake. This will lead to better health outcomes for Canadians, and better protect our healthcare system.” – Mark Holland, Minister of Health
“As we prepare for the winter months, we need to build on the capacity and knowledge gained in the past years in protecting ourselves, our health workforce and each other. Through the COVID-19 pandemic, we saw that the work led by community-based organizations is crucial to effectively reach underserved and under-vaccinated populations, as they provide tailored outreach and interventions to fill information gaps and reduce barriers to vaccination.” – Dr Theresa Tam, Chief Public Health Officer Public Health Agency of Canada