Tracking Canada’s COVID-19 vaccine rollout plans: A continuing guide

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Less than a year after COVID-19 first reached its shores, Canada began vaccinating people against the virus that causes it. The federal government, provinces and First Nations have a difficult task ahead – a general vaccination that Ottawa hopes to begin by April and finish by the end of the year – but it’s already hit some snags as production slowdowns and European regulatory chaos brought Canada’s shipments to a near-standstill in late January and early February.

Here’s a primer on the rollout plans so far. You can also consult our main COVID-19 data page for the latest numbers of vaccine doses administered, nationwide and by province.

Vaccine rollouts by province

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Newfoundland and Labrador

• Official page: Check Newfoundland and Labrador’s coronavirus information page here.
• The plan so far: The first phase of vaccinations is focused on seniors in congregate-living arrangements, people 85 and older, health-care workers and adults in remote Indigenous communities. The rollout in long-term care got off to a slow start in February as vaccine shipments from Europe slowed down.

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Prince Edward Island

• Official page: Check PEI’s coronavirus information page and its guide to the vaccine rollout specifically.
• The plan so far: Health officials managed to finish first doses for all long-term care residents by January. Front-line workers and seniors over 80 are also in the priority group for phase one, which continues through March. The next phase, from April to June, covers seniors over 70 and essential workers, plus anyone left over from phase one.

Nova Scotia

• Official page: Check Nova Scotia’s coronavirus information page here.
• The plan so far: Nova Scotia is still in the first phase of its rollout, focused on long-term care residents, health workers and seniors 80 and older.

New Brunswick

• Official page: Check New Brunswick’s coronavirus information page here and its guide to the vaccine rollout specifically.
• The plan so far: New Brunswick’s rollout got off to a sluggish start, but in late February it changed tack, saying it would delay second doses to people considered at lower risk and get first doses to everyone in licensed nursing homes by the end of March. Front-line health workers, Indigenous adults and people 85 and older are also in the priority group to be vaccinated by March’s end.

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Quebec

• Official page: Check Quebec’s coronavirus information page and its guide to the vaccine rollout specifically.
• The plan so far: Quebec was the first province to put long-term care home residents at the front of the line, and began to see dramatically lower infection and death rates by early February. Every Quebecker born in 1936 or earlier is currently eligible to book vaccination appointments in all health regions, with younger cohorts of seniors to be covered later.

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Ontario

• Official page: Check Ontario’s coronavirus information page and its guide to the vaccine rollout specifically.
• The plan so far: Winter supply shortages left Ontario lagging behind other provinces in its long-term care vaccinations, but it has been racing to catch up. An online booking system will be operational by March 15, according to Rick Hillier, the retired general in charge of the rollout. Ontarians 80 and older will be eligible to book appointments starting the third week of March. The next age cohorts are 75 and older (April 15), 70 and older (May 1), 65 and older (June 1) and 60 and older (July 1). The Ontario cabinet is still finalizing criteria for essential workers, who are likely to get vaccinated starting in May, Mr. Hillier says.

Manitoba

• Official page: Check Manitoba’s coronavirus information page and its guide to the vaccine rollout specifically. Manitoba also has a queue calculator where you can get an estimate of where you are on the priority list.
• The plan so far: Manitoba managed to vaccinate all long-term care residents by January and has moved on to other priority groups in health care, Indigenous communities and old-age cohorts. Indigenous people 75 and older and all Manitobans 95 and older are currently eligible: A call centre is available (1-844-626-8222) to screen people before booking appointments.

Saskatchewan

• Official page: Check Saskatchewan’s coronavirus information page and its guide to the vaccine rollout specifically.
• The plan so far: Saskatchewan is still in its first phase of vaccinations for long-term care residents, other seniors and front-line health workers. The next phases would work through the population in 10-year age brackets.

Alberta

• Official page: Check the Alberta government’s coronavirus information page and Alberta Health Services’ vaccination page.
• The plan so far: Almost all long-term care residents and staff were vaccinated as of early February. Any Albertan 75 or older can now book a vaccination appointment, and younger age brackets will be prioritized in one of four groups (A, B, C and D) in the second phase of the rollout in April to September. In the meantime, Albertans can sign up for notifications when it’s their turn to get shots.

B.C.

• Official page: Check B.C.’s coronavirus information page and its guide to the vaccine rollout specifically.
• The plan so far: Long-term care residents were first in line in December and got their first doses by January. The next phase will expand to remaining seniors 80 and older, hospital staff and other vulnerable people in congregate living arrangements.

Territories

• Official pages: Check the coronavirus information pages for Nunavut, the Northwest Territories and Yukon.
• The plan so far: All three territories are using Moderna’s vaccine almost exclusively, since it is easier to transport and store in the North than Pfizer-BioNTech’s. Elders, front-line health workers and people in remote communities at risk of outbreaks were the first to get it. The territorial governments aim to vaccinate 75 per cent or more of their populations by March of 2021.

National overview

How do the vaccines get to where I live?

The Trudeau government has bought tens of millions of doses of various vaccines and is co-ordinating with provinces, territories and First Nations to deliver them to Canadians free of charge. The vaccines go through a central agency, the National Operations Centre, where health officials and the military organize their distribution.

The rollout of COVID-19 vaccines may follow

a similar pattern but in the initial stages the

federal government will play a more active

role because of the logistical challenges

associated with vaccines that require cold

or ultracold infrastructure.

ALTA, SASK., ONT., QUE. AND N.B.

MANUFACTURER

CENTRAL DEPOT

PHARMACY WHOLESALE DISTRIBUTORS AND SELF

DISTRIBUTING CHAINS

REGIONAL DEPOT

ADMINISTRATION

SITES AND

FIRST NATIONS

PROVIDERS

PHARMACIES

B.C., N.S. and N.L.

MANUFACTURER

CENTRAL DEPOT

REGIONAL DEPOTS

ADMINISTRATION SITES AND

FIRST NATIONS PROVIDERS

Man., PEI., Yukon, NWT, Nunavut, Department of National Defence and Correctional Service Canada

MANUFACTURER

CENTRAL OR

REGIONAL DEPOTS

ADMINISTRATION SITES AND

FIRST NATIONS PROVIDERS

MURAT yükselir / the globe and mail,

source: Public Heath Agency of Canada

The rollout of COVID-19 vaccines may follow a

similar pattern but in the initial stages the federal

government will play a more active role because of

the logistical challenges associated with vaccines

that require cold or ultracold infrastructure.

ALTA, SASK., ONT., QUE. AND N.B.

MANUFACTURER

CENTRAL DEPOT

PHARMACY WHOLESALE DISTRIBUTORS AND SELF

DISTRIBUTING CHAINS

REGIONAL DEPOTS

ADMINISTRATION

SITES AND

FIRST NATIONS

PROVIDERS

PHARMACIES

B.C., N.S. and N.L.

MANUFACTURER

CENTRAL DEPOT

REGIONAL DEPOTS

ADMINISTRATION SITES AND

FIRST NATIONS PROVIDERS

Man., PEI., Yukon, NWT, Nunavut, Department of National Defence and Correctional Service Canada

MANUFACTURER

CENTRAL OR

REGIONAL DEPOTS

ADMINISTRATION SITES AND

FIRST NATIONS PROVIDERS

MURAT yükselir / the globe and mail,

source:Public Heath Agency of Canada

The rollout of COVID-19 vaccines may follow a similar pattern but

in the initial stages the federal government will play a more active role

because of the logistical challenges associated with vaccines that require

cold or ultracold infrastructure.

Alta, Sask., Ont., Que. and N.B.

B.C., N.S. and N.L.

Man., PEI., Yukon, NWT, Nunavut, Department of National Defence and Correctional Service Canada

MANUFACTURER

CENTRAL DEPOT

CENTRAL DEPOT

CENTRAL OR

REGIONAL DEPOTS

PHARMACY WHOLESALE DISTRIBUTORS AND SELF

DISTRIBUTING CHAINS

REGIONAL DEPOTS

REGIONAL DEPOTS

ADMINISTRATION

SITES AND

FIRST NATIONS

PROVIDERS

ADMINISTRATION

SITES AND

FIRST NATIONS

PROVIDERS

ADMINISTRATION

SITES AND

FIRST NATIONS

PROVIDERS

PHARMACIES

MURAT yükselir / the globe and mail, source: Public Heath Agency of Canada

Which vaccine will I get?

So far, Health Canada has approved three vaccines: First Pfizer-BioNTech’s, then Moderna’s, and now Oxford-AstraZeneca’s. All three were at least 95-per-cent effective in late-stage clinical trials, but only if patients are given two doses a few weeks apart. Studies suggest those vaccines are still mostly effective against the COVID-19 variants observed so far, especially the British variant, so far the most common one.

The Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine has to be stored between -60 and -80 C, so the provinces have scrambled to get enough ultracold storage space. Moderna says its drug is stable at -20 C (a standard freezer temperature) for up to six months, and at two to eight degrees (a standard refrigerator temperature) for 30 days.

Ottawa has pre-purchased four other vaccine candidates, some of which are in a “rolling submission” process that allows Health Canada to evaluate them before all the data is gathered:

• Janssen/Johnson & Johnson
• Medicago/GlaxoSmithKline
• Novavax
• Sanofi/GlaxoSmithKline

What is Ottawa’s overall plan?

Ottawa’s initial timetable calls for three million vaccinations by the end of March, general inoculation by April and all Canadians vaccinated by December. That plan isn’t set in stone, as much will depend on global supply chains: There was much less less vaccine to go around in January and February due to supply shortages from BioNTech and Moderna.

CANADA’S VACCINE CONTRACTS

The federal government has signed contracts to buy seven COVID-19 vaccine candidates. If all of those vaccines get Health Canada authorization, then Ottawa would buy 234 million vaccine doses. The government also negotiated options that give it the right to buy 164 million more doses if it chooses to.

Doses

purchased

Options

available

VACCINE (type)

DOSAGE

STATUS

Pfizer/BioNTech (mRNA) 

(millions of doses)

Authorized

in Canada

40

36

Moderna (mRNA) 

Authorized

in Canada

40

Under Review

in Canada;

Partial phase 3

data available

AstraZeneca/Oxford U.

(Adenovirus vector)

20

Janssen/Johnson & Johnson

(Adenovirus vector)

Under Review

in Canada;

Phase 3 data

pending

10

28

NovaVax (Protein nanoparticles)

Phase 3

data pending

52

24

Medicago/GSK

(Virus-like particles with protein)

Phase 2/3

trial underway

20

56

Sanofi/GSK (Recombinant protein)

Phase 3 trial

delayed till at

least Q2 2021

52

20

CANADA’S IMMUNIZATION PLAN

By September, the federal government says they will have

enough vaccine to inoculate everyone in Canada who wants a

shot. If more vaccines are authorized, and delivered, that timeline

could be sped up.

FIRST QUARTER

SECOND QUARTER

THIRD QUARTER

38 million

vaccinated

3 million

vaccinated

Goal

23 million

vaccinated

J

F

M

A

M

J

J

A

S

Enough doses

secured for

3 million

Enough doses

secured for

13 million

Enough doses

secured for

36 million

Reality

THE GLOBE AND MAIL

CANADA’S VACCINE CONTRACTS

The federal government has signed contracts to buy seven

COVID-19 vaccine candidates. If all of those vaccines get Health

Canada authorization, then Ottawa would buy 234 million vaccine

doses. The government also negotiated options that give it the

right to buy 164 million more doses if it chooses to.

Doses

purchased

Options

available

VACCINE (type)

DOSAGE

STATUS

Pfizer/BioNTech (mRNA) 

(millions of doses)

Authorized

in Canada

40

36

Moderna (mRNA) 

Authorized

in Canada

40

Under Review

in Canada;

Partial phase 3

data available

AstraZeneca/Oxford U.

(Adenovirus vector)

20

Janssen/Johnson & Johnson

(Adenovirus vector)

Under Review

in Canada;

Phase 3 data

pending

10

28

NovaVax (Protein nanoparticles)

Phase 3

data pending

52

24

Medicago/GSK

(Virus-like particles with protein)

Phase 2/3

trial underway

20

56

Sanofi/GSK (Recombinant protein)

Phase 3 trial

delayed till at

least Q2 2021

52

20

CANADA’S IMMUNIZATION PLAN

By September, the federal government says they will have

enough vaccine to inoculate everyone in Canada who wants a

shot. If more vaccines are authorized, and delivered, that timeline

could be sped up.

FIRST QUARTER

SECOND QUARTER

THIRD QUARTER

38 million

vaccinated

3 million

vaccinated

Goal

23 million

vaccinated

J

F

M

A

M

J

J

A

S

Enough doses

secured for

3 million

Enough doses

secured for

13 million

Enough doses

secured for

36 million

Reality

THE GLOBE AND MAIL

CANADA’S VACCINE CONTRACTS

The federal government has signed contracts to buy seven COVID-19 vaccine candi-

dates. If all of those vaccines get Health Canada authorization, then Ottawa would buy

234 million vaccine doses. The government also negotiated options that give it the right

to buy 164 million more doses if it chooses to.

Doses

purchased

Options

available

VACCINE (type)

DOSAGE

STATUS

Pfizer/BioNTech (mRNA) 

(millions of doses)

Authorized

in Canada

40

36

Moderna (mRNA) 

Authorized

in Canada

40

Under Review

in Canada;

Partial phase 3

data available

AstraZeneca/Oxford U. (Adenovirus vector)

20

Janssen/Johnson & Johnson

(Adenovirus vector)

Under Review

in Canada;

Phase 3 data

pending

10

28

NovaVax (Protein nanoparticles)

Phase 3

data pending

52

24

Medicago/GSK (Virus-like particles with protein)

20

Phase 2/3

trial underway

56

Sanofi/GSK (Recombinant protein)

Phase 3 trial

delayed till at

least Q2 2021

52

20

CANADA’S IMMUNIZATION PLAN

By September, the federal government say sthey will have enough vaccine to inoculate

everyone in Canada who wants a shot. If more vaccines are authorized, and delivered,

that timeline could be sped up.

FIRST QUARTER

SECOND QUARTER

THIRD QUARTER

3 million

vaccinated

Goal

23 million

vaccinated

38 million

vaccinated

J

F

M

A

M

J

J

A

S

Enough doses

secured for

3 million

Enough doses

secured for

13 million

Enough doses

secured for

36 million

Reality

MARIEKE WALSH, IVAN SEMENIUK AND JOHN SOPINSKI / THE GLOBE AND MAIL

Compiled by Globe staff

With reports from The Canadian Press, Ivan Semeniuk and Kelly Grant

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