News Release

March 25, 2011
For Immediate Release

Government of Canada Awards Contracts for the Supply of Influenza Vaccine

March 25, 2011 OTTAWA –The Honourable Leona Aglukkaq, Minister of Health, and the Honourable Rona Ambrose, Minister for Public Works and Government Services and Minister for Status of Women, today announced that after an open, fair and transparent bidding process the Government of Canada awarded contracts for the supply of the influenza vaccine for seasonal immunization programs and for use in the case of a pandemic.

“We have worked with our provincial and territorial counterparts to provide governments with a broader range of vaccine products for seasonal flu and to deliver on the commitment to have a long-term pandemic vaccine contract in place before the current contract expires on March 31, 2011,” said Minister Aglukkaq. “Our new primary pandemic vaccine supply contract provides timely, cost-effective access to a secure domestic supply of vaccine for Canadians in the event of an influenza pandemic.”

Our Government is committed to ensuring that Canadians have timely access to a safe and effective influenza vaccine,” said Minister Ambrose “We want to ensure the best value for taxpayers’ dollars while protecting the health and well-being of Canadians.”

To reduce possible delays in delivery and distribution, the Government has entered into a 10-year contract with GlaxoSmithKline Inc., headquartered in Mississauga, Ont., as the primary domestic supplier of pandemic vaccine. The contract, valued at $425.9 million, will ensure that Canada has access to the pandemic vaccine at a competitive price from the supplier if needed. The vaccine will be manufactured at GlaxoSmithKline’s world-class vaccine production facility in Ste.Foy, Quebec.

A three-year contract with Sanofi Pasteur Ltd. of Toronto, Ont., has also been put in place to provide access to a back-up supply of pandemic vaccine if needed. This contract, valued at $33.1 million, will provide an alternate source of vaccine that would be used to treat Canada’s most vulnerable populations, such as pregnant women and those suffering from chronic disease, if an outbreak were to occur.

These two contracts, along with a three-year contract with Novartis Pharmaceuticals Canada Inc. valued at $49.9 million, will also provide the provinces and territories with vaccine for their annual influenza immunization campaigns.

Immunization is the safest and most effective way to protect the population against infectious disease.

Media Enquiries

Jenny VanAlstyne
Media Relations Officer
Office of the Honourable Leona Aglukkaq
Federal Minister of Health
(613) 957-0200

Public Health Agency of Canada
Media Relations
(613) 941-8189

Public Works and Government Services Canada
Michelle Bakos
Office of the Honourable Rona Ambrose
819-956-9549

Public Works and Government Services Canada
Media Relations
819-956-2315