Government of Canada funds new project to encourage vaccine uptake in Canada

As more and more Canadians get vaccinated against COVID-19, the Government of Canada is taking action to make sure every Canadian who wants a vaccine can get one, closing the gap among populations with lower vaccine uptake.

Today, the Honourable Hedy Fry, Member of Parliament, on behalf of the Honourable Patty Hajdu, Minister of Health, announced funding to the Dr. Peter Centre to increase COVID-19 vaccine confidence and address barriers to vaccination among communities disproportionately affected by COVID-19.

The Dr. Peter Centre will develop a bilingual National Community of Practice to help community health agencies across Canada improve uptake and access to the COVID-19 vaccine, for people living with HIV and other complex health and social conditions. Through the creation of an online portal of resources, the Dr. Peter Centre will create a space for community leaders to access and share COVID-19 vaccination resources and best practices so they can increase vaccine uptake among the populations they serve.

The Government of Canada is working closely with experts, provinces and territories, and other partners to encourage vaccine confidence and better understand what barriers people may face to getting vaccinated. The Immunization Partnership Fund is one tool to help people in Canada make informed vaccine choices through community mobilization and public outreach.

Quotes

“Vaccines are an important tool to protect Canadians against COVID-19. The Immunization Partnership Fund is one of the ways we’re making sure all people in Canada have equitable access to COVID-19 vaccines. This funding will use the expertise of trusted community leaders to share credible and culturally relevant information on vaccines and help address the unique community-based challenges people face to getting vaccinated.”

The Honourable Patty Hajdu
Minister of Health

“Some of the communities hardest hit by the COVID-19 pandemic are also our most vulnerable. Vaccination is one of the most important ways we can protect the health of these communities. Through the Immunization Partnership Fund, we are supporting trusted local organizations like the Dr. Peter Centre to reduce the barriers these populations face to getting vaccinated and increase vaccine uptake. I am confident that addressing COVID-19 vaccine barriers with community-driven projects like this one will help more people get vaccinated and build safer communities.”

The Honourable Hedy Fry
Member of Parliament

“The aim of this community of practice is to support and learn from each other about how to reduce vaccination hesitancy and increase likelihood of uptake for the people we serve. We want to ensure that the communities that we serve are not left behind. Through the community of practice, we’re identifying barriers for people in terms of getting the vaccine and crafting strategies to work toward solutions.”  

Scott Elliott
Executive Director, Dr. Peter Centre

Quick facts

• The Immunization Partnership Fund (IPF) supports projects that improve access to vaccines and encourage vaccine acceptance and uptake.
• In 2020, as a response to Canada’s COVID-19 vaccination efforts and building on the early momentum of the IPF, the Government of Canada invested an additional $64 million for projects to support vaccine uptake in Canada. This funding includes:
  • $30.25 million for community-led projects to develop tailored, targeted tools and educational resources to raise awareness of, and confidence in, COVID-19 vaccines.
  • $32.5 million to support provincial and territorial governments in enhancing their electronic vaccination registries to help monitor vaccine uptake.
  • $1.3 million to amend existing funded projects to incorporate measures and activities to address COVID-19.
• Through the IPF, the Dr. Peter Centre is receiving $537,301 for its project COVID-19 Vaccine Micro-Funding and Community of Practice for Frontline Organizations: Promoting Community, Education, and Acceptance.