Fall 2026 COVID vaccine: dates and rules by province

Free fall COVID-19 vaccines are now available in most provinces, and Ontario opens its shots to the general public on Oct. 26, 2026, while Alberta and Quebec limit free doses to priority groups. Dates, eligibility and booking methods differ by province, so the table below shows what each government has published.

Updated October 29, 2026: Added B.C.’s Oct. 13 start, Saskatchewan and New Brunswick booking details, a province-by-province table and Alberta’s fee for people outside priority groups.

The National Advisory Committee on Immunization (NACI) published its guidance on COVID-19 vaccines for fall 2026 in June. Provinces and territories decide for themselves who gets a free dose and when, which is why the rules are not the same everywhere.

Fall 2026 COVID-19 vaccine rules by province

Ontario

Ontario started with higher-risk groups during the week of Sept. 28. That group includes adults 80 and older, long-term care residents 18 and older, congregate living residents 65 and older, adults 65 to 79 with specified medical conditions, people who are moderately to severely immunocompromised, and Indigenous people 55 and older and their household members.

On Oct. 26, the vaccines open to anyone 6 months and older who lives, works or goes to school in Ontario. Both COVID-19 and flu vaccines are free. The province says to call your primary care provider or local pharmacy to confirm supply before you go. Details are on the Ontario COVID-19 vaccine page, and pharmacies are listed in the province’s vaccine locator.

British Columbia

B.C. said COVID-19 immunization appointments begin on Oct. 13, 2026, and continue through the fall and winter. The province said updated vaccines are free for B.C. residents and that anyone interested can get a dose at no cost, with notifications going out from October to November.

The vaccine is specifically recommended for adults 65 and older, long-term care and assisted living residents, people 6 months and older who are severely immunocompromised, First Nations, Inuit and Métis people, pregnant people, and people who provide essential community services, including health-care workers and first responders. A non-mRNA vaccine, Nuvaxovid, is offered at select locations.

You need a personal health number to book online through the Get Vaccinated system. If you have no notification by mid-November, the province said to call 1-833-838-2323. The line is open Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Pacific time, plus Saturdays from Oct. 17 to Nov. 7.

Alberta

Alberta’s provincially funded program begins Oct. 19, according to information shared with pharmacists. Global News reported that COVID-19 vaccine is free only to specific groups, and that other Albertans 12 and older can buy it at pharmacies. Global News also reported that children 6 months to 11 years who are eligible get a provincially funded vaccine, and that others can get a dose at Primary Care Alberta for an administrative fee of $100 per dose or series. Flu shots are free to all Albertans. See the Alberta College of Pharmacy summary and check with your pharmacy before you go.

Saskatchewan

Saskatchewan opened bookings on Oct. 6. The province said flu and COVID-19 vaccines are free to everyone 6 months and older and encouraged seniors, people with chronic conditions or weakened immune systems, children under five and pregnant women to get vaccinated as soon as possible.

Book at 4flu.ca or call 1-833-727-5829 on weekdays during business hours. Children from 6 months to five years can only be immunized at a Saskatchewan Health Authority public health clinic or office, or by a physician or nurse practitioner. Details are in the province’s Oct. 6 release.

Manitoba

Manitoba’s 2026-27 program plan says regional public health clinics begin on Oct. 13, and long-term care facilities are expected to finish by the end of the month. Everyone 6 months and older is eligible at no cost, with priority for adults 65 and older, congregate care residents, people with underlying conditions, pregnant people and Indigenous community members.

Manitoba uses a provider-based model. Find a provider with the province’s vaccine finder or call 204-788-8200 in Winnipeg or 1-888-315-9257 toll-free. The full program plan is online.

Quebec

Global News reported on Sept. 28 that COVID-19 vaccine is free in Quebec for residents of long-term and residential care, people in private seniors’ residences, people 65 and older, pregnant people, adults in remote or isolated areas, health-care workers, and people 6 months and older who are immunocompromised, on dialysis or have certain chronic diseases. People 12 and older outside those groups must pay at a pharmacy or clinic. We did not find a confirmed start date on a provincial page.

Atlantic Canada

New Brunswick said updated COVID-19 and flu vaccines are free for everyone 6 months and older beginning Oct. 13, with bookings open through the government website or participating pharmacies. Not all pharmacies are in the online system, so you may need to call. Some pharmacies vaccinate children two years and older. See the Oct. 2 government release.

CTV News reported on Oct. 8 that Nova Scotians can now book free flu and COVID-19 vaccines. We could not confirm the eligibility details from the article. Global News reported that Prince Edward Island is offering vaccines through Health PEI community clinics, pharmacies, family doctors and nurse practitioners, free to anyone living in the province, and that Newfoundland and Labrador’s booking website lists anyone 6 months and older as eligible.

Yukon and the territories

Global News reported that Yukon residents can book at a local clinic, participating pharmacy or health centre, and that all Yukoners 6 months and older are eligible. The Northwest Territories and Nunavut had not published details as of Sept. 28, and we found nothing newer. Contact your local health centre.

Related: 2026 flu shot guide by province, RSV vaccine for adults by province and pneumococcal vaccine eligibility by province.

This article is based on official provincial guidance and is provided for general public information. It is not a substitute for medical advice. If you have questions about how this applies to you, talk to your doctor or pharmacist.

If you find reporting like this useful, consider supporting Canada News Media, an independently owned Canadian newsroom.

Sources: Ontario, Manitoba, Alberta College of Pharmacy, B.C., Saskatchewan, New Brunswick, NACI (Public Health Agency of Canada). Additional reporting via Global News and CTV News.