On June 13, 2025, the Government of Alberta announced that they will be implementing changes to their COVID-19 immunization program. As of August 22, 2025, the government shared that the rollout includes a new two-phase plan starting in October. The purpose of introducing this change is to streamline access to immunization while minimizing waste. You can read the full government statement here.
Phase 1 will provide free vaccines to eligible Albertans including:
- All residents of continuing care homes and seniors supportive living accommodations
- Home care clients
- Individuals six months of age and older with underlying medical conditions and compromised immune systems, as recommended by the National Advisory Committee on Immunization (NACI)
- Health care workers
- Individuals experiencing homelessness
- Individuals 65 and older receiving the Alberta Seniors Benefit
Phase 2 will make vaccines available to all other Albertans but with an administration fee of $100. Alberta is the only province that is implementing a cost for the COVID-19 vaccine.
The majority of ARTA members will not be eligible for vaccination during phase 1 and would be required to pay out of pocket for the COVID-19 vaccine. If you are unsure of whether you fit one of the above categories or not, please call Health Link at 811 for more information.
How the Updated Program Impacts ARTA Members
The province has ordered 485,000 doses for the new program, which is a decrease of 250,000 compared to last fall. In Alberta, there are approximately 235,000 health care workers. As for seniors who are eligible for the Alberta Seniors Benefit, there are around 174,000. Even if only half of these eligible groups get the vaccine, this leaves a significantly lower number of doses available for the rest of the province, which has a population of nearly five million.
Another significant change with this program includes where Albertans can receive the vaccine. All COVID-19 immunizations will be provided by Primary and Prevention Health Services (formerly Alberta Health) clinics only. Community pharmacies, including ARTARx, will no longer be able to supply COVID-19 vaccines to patients starting this fall. However, Influenza immunization will continue to be provided by community pharmacies.
The Alberta government’s changes to the COVID-19 vaccine program – including lowering the number of doses available, pivoting vaccination sites to public health clinics only, and implementing a cost of $100 per dose – makes the vaccine less accessible for Albertans and puts our collective health risk. This also poses concerns for seniors who live in rural areas, have difficulty accessing reliable transportation, and who are living on a reduced income.
As continued advocates for Alberta’s seniors, ARTA wrote a letter in June to Premier Danielle Smith and Health Minister Adriana LaGrange to express our concern, which you can read here. If you haven’t already, please consider writing to your MLA, the Health Minister, and the Premier, being a voice for yourself and the rest of Alberta’s seniors who deserve access to necessary health resources without barriers. To help you get started, visit our advocacy toolkit on our website here.
How to Register for the COVID-19 Vaccine
Albertans have until September 30, 2025 to register for COVID-19 vaccinations. Once you pre-order, you will receive a text or email notification in October to book an appointment and confirm eligibility. Pre-ordering for the 2025-26 season also allows you to pre-order your vaccine for the 2026-27 season. If you do not pre-order by September 30, you can still book a COVID-19 vaccine appointment once vaccines become available in October.
We highly encourage you to pre-order your COVID-19 booster to protect yourself, your community, and our healthcare system. You can register online through the Alberta Vaccine Booking System here. If you have any questions regarding this new system, please call Health Link at 811 for assistance.