Canada’s public health agency is officially taking over administration of a program that compensates people who have been injured by vaccines.
The move, which takes effect Wednesday, ends a contract with Oxaro Inc., the third-party contractor previously hired to manage the program, after allegations of mismanagement and delays at the vaccine injury support program (VISP). The federal program was meant compensate people who experienced serious, lasting injuries linked to Health Canada-approved vaccines.
The Public Health Agency of Canada says it plans to improve access and address outstanding claims.
In March 2025, the Public Health Agency announced it would take over the program — renaming it the Vaccine Impact Assistance Program (VIAP). With Oxaro’s contract expiring, here’s what the federal government says about the takeover and how it plans to fix existing issues.
What is the Vaccine Injury Support Program?
The program, announced by the Liberal government in 2020, was created to encourage people to get vaccinated against COVID-19, reassuring them that if they did have a chronic, life-altering injury from the shot, the federal government would have their back.
In 2021, the Public Health Agency of Canada contracted Oxaro Inc., a private company, to administer the Vaccine Injury Support Program across Canada, except in Quebec, which operates its own compensation system. The contract was valued at about $75 million over five years to run the program’s administration.
VISP started accepting claims that year, with people who experienced serious injury as a result of receiving a vaccine by Health Canada after Dec. 8, 2020, eligible to make a claim. Claims had to be made within three years of receiving the vaccine. As of Dec. 1, 2025, data from the program shows 3,557 claims had been filed with Oxaro since June 2021.
What’s the problem?
A Global News investigation in July 2025 alleged that Oxaro was unprepared to handle the influx of claims, and that $33.7 million of the $50.6 million the company received for the program had been spent on administrative costs. The Star contacted Oxaro for comment but didn’t hear back immediately.
Only 234 people were helped, receiving a total of $18 million for lost income and medical costs, according to Global News reports. Applicants said they are still trying to access the program, waiting for a response on their claim, or have been denied. During a briefing Tuesday, a spokesperson for PHAC said average wait times for claims were 12 to 24 months under Oxaro’s administration.
In July 2025, the federal government launched and then expedited a compliance audit of Oxaro, contributing to the decision to take the program back in-house.
What’s next?
After the handover, several parts of the program will remain the same. Existing claim identification numbers will not change, and all current claims and appeals will stay active. PHAC is introducing an appeals process for claims decisions. A spokesperson said the agency will also review claims previously denied by Oxaro, and allow more flexibility in how the three-year deadline is applied.
The agency has also created a portal for new claimants, where they can see documents related to their claim and other account information.
The portal will be available as of April 1 for new claimants, but those with already existing claims will still have to communicate via letters, emails and the call centres until the portal is ready.
