April 1, 2026
In June 2021, the federal government began accepting applications for its Vaccine Injury Support Program (VISP). This post summarizes the transition to the Vaccine Impact Assistance Program (VIAP), which replaces VISP as of April 1, 2026. The details provided reflect official information released by the Government of Canada at the time of publication. To see relevant information on VISP’s launch in 2021, we invite you to read our previous blog post.
Background And Purpose of VISP
VISP was launched to ensure that individuals in Canada—except those vaccinated in Quebec, which has its own longstanding provincial compensation program—who experience a serious and permanent injury following a Health Canada–authorized vaccine administered on or after December 8, 2020, have access to financial support. This program applied to all Health Canada–authorized vaccines and immunoglobulins for preventable infectious diseases.
Transition From VISP to VIAP
On March 31, 2026, following multiple investigations and a federal audit, the Government of Canada ended its agreement with Oxaro—the private company that administered VISP since the program’s inception. Starting April 1, 2026, the federal government (via the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC)) took over direct administration of the program.
Effective April 1, 2026, VISP was officially renamed the Vaccine Impact Assistance Program (VIAP). This transition brings the program fully in‑house under PHAC and marks the end of contractor-led administration.
Medical assessment decisions issued under VISP before March 31, 2026, are preserved under VIAP and will not be re‑evaluated unless appealed or the medical condition changes. The Government of Canada has advised that existing applications through VISP will be transferred to the VIAP program. After April 1, 2026, claimants will need to submit applications under VIAP via the new online Claimant Portal.
Expanded Support Categories Under VIAP
The 2026 VIAP model provides clearer, explicitly defined categories of financial support:
- Payments for injury
- Income replacement
- Other eligible costs, such as uncovered medical expenses
Financial support is also available to the dependent or beneficiary of someone who died as a result of vaccination.
Under VIAP, a standardized Severity Rating (expressed as a percentage) is assigned during the medical assessment. This rating determines both eligibility and the level of financial support.
Eligibility Requirements Under VIAP
Claimants must still meet all of the following requirements:
- The vaccine was authorized by Health Canada.
- Administered in Canada on or after December 8, 2020: Under VIAP, vaccines administered to Canadian Armed Forces members, Government of Canada officials, and their dependents while deployed abroad are considered as “Administered in Canada.”
- The injury was reported to a healthcare provider.
- The injury is serious and permanent or resulted in death.
- Claims filed within 3 years of vaccination, death, or when the injury became apparent: For injuries that emerge gradually, the 2026 framework clarifies that this three-year window only begins once the injury becomes apparent or a medical link to the vaccine is established by credible sources.
Exceptions to the three‑year time limit may be granted in rare and exceptional circumstances, where credible evidence supports the delay, the circumstances were beyond the claimant’s control, and it is reasonable to grant an extension. If a claim is denied due to the limitation period, claimants may submit a reconsideration request within 90 days of the Notice of Decision, with supporting documentation explaining the delay.
Determining eligibility and financial support depends on the nature and complexity of the claim, and a causal relationship between the injury and the vaccination must be objectively established during the medical assessments.
Claims Process Overview
Applicants (or authorized representatives) must submit extensive documentation including:
- Physician and patient contact details
- Vaccine details
- First medical consultation report
- Patient medical history
Claimants should expect a complex, lengthy, and documentation‑heavy process. Oxaro previously advised that claims may take 12–18 months after assignment to a case manager.
VIAP Appeals
Under VIAP, only medical assessment decisions — including causality, serious and permanent determinations, and the severity rating — can be appealed. Eligibility decisions cannot be appealed and may only be addressed through the reconsideration process.
While the appeals process offers a path for review, claimants should be aware of a new financial safeguard in the 2026 policy: if an appeal results in a lower severity rating than the initial decision, any “excess” funds already paid are considered a debt to the Crown. Under the Financial Administration Act and Interest and Administrative Charges Regulations, these overpayments must be repaid with interest. This makes it essential to ensure any appeal is backed by strong, new medical evidence to avoid unintended financial liabilities.
Support Navigating VIAP Claims
According to the previous VISP website (now discontinued), as of December 1, 2025, VISP had received 3,557 claims, reflecting the scale of the program and the continued need for clear, accessible information for those navigating Canada’s vaccine‑injury support system.
If you have questions about your claim, need clarification on the process, or wish to follow up on an application, the Vaccine Impact Assistance Program can be contacted directly at:
- Telephone (toll‑free): 1‑833‑489‑0839
- TTY: 1‑833‑803‑8698
- Mail:
- Vaccine Impact Assistance Program
- PO Box 5000
- Bathurst, NB
- E2A 5B8
We encourage you to reach out to VIAP directly to get the most accurate information on the transition and answers regarding your specific claim.
Author
Fiona Balaton
Health Law Group
T: 403.705.3667
E: [email protected]