Meningococcal vaccine: ages and grades by province

Meningococcal disease is rare in Canada, but it can move fast and cause serious illness, including meningitis and bloodstream infection. Vaccines are the main defence, and the school grade or age at which your child is offered the shot depends on where you live. According to the Public Health Agency of Canada’s national summary of provincial and territorial schedules, last updated in July 2026, the timing varies widely, from Grade 4 in Newfoundland and Labrador to Grade 12 in the Northwest Territories.

Two kinds of vaccine appear in the schedules. The monovalent vaccine (Men-C-C) protects against one group of the bacteria, serogroup C. The quadrivalent vaccine (Men-C-ACYW-135) protects against four groups: A, C, Y and W-135. The federal page defines “N/A” in its table as meaning the vaccine is not publicly funded in that province or territory, so a blank in the chart does not necessarily mean a family cannot get the shot. It means it is not part of the free routine program.

Meningococcal vaccine schedule by province and territory

The table reflects what is listed on the federal page. It does not show the number of doses, and it does not cover other programs such as vaccines for people with certain medical conditions.

What stands out

Most jurisdictions offer the quadrivalent vaccine to toddlers at 12 months (18 months in Quebec) and again to adolescents. Alberta and British Columbia still list the single-group MenC shot for babies, followed by a quadrivalent dose in Grade 9. Nova Scotia and Nunavut give MenC at 12 months, and Nova Scotia follows with the quadrivalent shot in Grade 7. Newfoundland and Labrador gives MenC at 12 months and the quadrivalent vaccine in Grade 4.

The school dose is most often given in Grade 9 (British Columbia, Alberta, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, Yukon and Nunavut). Ontario offers it in Grade 7, Manitoba in Grade 6 and Saskatchewan in Grade 8. In Quebec, it is given in the third year of secondary school, and the province runs a catch-up program in that year for missed vaccines, such as those against serogroup C.

The Northwest Territories is the outlier. It lists doses at ages 2 and 12 months and in Grade 12. The federal page attaches a note to the territory’s entry saying the shot applies to people attending post-secondary school outside the territory, or military recruits who will be living in a congregate setting.

Why the teen dose matters

Adolescents and young adults are a focus of meningococcal programs. Living in close quarters, such as residences, camps and barracks, is the kind of setting where the bacteria can spread, which is why the Northwest Territories ties its Grade 12 entry to post-secondary students and recruits. If your child missed a school clinic, it is worth asking about catch-up options before they move into residence.

How to check your child’s status

Check the immunization record your public health unit or family doctor holds, or the yellow card if you have one. Ask your local public health office or pharmacist what is offered in your province, since eligibility, booking and any cost for people outside the funded groups are set locally. For Ontario, the province publishes a meningococcal vaccine Q and A for health-care providers, and Alberta, New Brunswick and Toronto Public Health each post their own meningococcal pages. The national Canadian Immunization Guide offers background on the vaccines.

If you are travelling to a country where meningococcal disease is more common, or you have a medical condition that raises your risk, you may be eligible for doses beyond the routine schedule. That is a conversation for a doctor, pharmacist or travel clinic.

This article is based on official guidance from the Public Health Agency of Canada and is provided for general public information. It’s not a substitute for medical advice, if you have questions about how this applies to you, talk to your doctor or pharmacist.

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Sources: Public Health Agency of Canada, provincial and territorial routine and catch-up vaccination schedule for infants and children; Government of New Brunswick, Men-C-ACYW vaccine; Toronto Public Health, meningococcal vaccines.