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Global News
7 days ago
- Health
- Global News
‘I am on it': Health minister accelerates audit of vaccine injury program
The Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) is expediting its audit of the company that oversees the troubled Vaccine Injury Support Program (VISP) and has asked agency staffers to recommend new ways of delivering the services to ailing Canadians. 'PHAC is currently accelerating its audit of Oxaro and Oxaro's management of the Vaccine Injury Support Program, and the Agency will provide recommendations on alternative delivery models for the program,' said Emilie Gauduchon-Campbell, a senior communications adviser responsible for issues management in the health minister's office. Gauduchon-Campbell revealed those developments in an email this week following the broadcast and publication of a three-part investigation Global News investigation into VISP in July. 'All options are on the table as we make sure that taxpayer dollars are being spent appropriately, and that the money is being spent on supporting Canadians who have been injured,' she added. Story continues below advertisement Asked about the sped-up scrutiny at a news conference in Fredericton Tuesday, Health Minister Michel told reporters: 'I cannot add any comment more for now, but I am on it.' The audit's previous deadline was not disclosed and the minister's spokeswoman declined to disclose the revised deadline. 'PHAC's audit of OXARO's work is part of normal practice and understood from the outset of any program as a condition of the contribution agreement. However, PHAC has accelerated its response based on its initial analysis of the program and the direction from Minister Michel to find a solution that resolved the identified problems,' Gauduchon-Campbell added in a second statement last night. Neither the minister nor her staff would elaborate on what they mean by 'alternative delivery models.' Those could include the government taking back administration of the program itself or hiring a new private company to serve as administrator to handle vaccine injury claims. The Liberal government in 2020 announced it would create VISP to provide financial support to anyone who is seriously and permanently injured as it embarked on the COVID-19 vaccination campaign, the largest such effort in the country's history. The government decided to outsource its administration to an Ottawa consulting firm, Oxaro Inc., in 2021. But the Global News series revealed allegations and complaints by applicants and former workers about its flawed delivery over the past four years, despite $54 million in taxpayer dollars going to the program. Story continues below advertisement 2:41 'Slap in the face': Calls for investigation into Vaccine Injury Support Program In response to the revelations, four opposition Conservative MPs called for a Commons committee investigation into the VISP, and a pivotal non-profit health foundation also said the program needs an urgent overhaul. Get weekly health news Receive the latest medical news and health information delivered to you every Sunday. Sign up for weekly health newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy The five-month Global News investigation that prompted the outcry revealed that: Oxaro had received $50.6 million in taxpayer money; $33.7 million has been spent on administrative costs, while injured Canadians received $16.9 million. Updated Health Canada figures released last week show the company has now received $54.1 million and spent $36.3 million on administration costs, with just $18.1 million paid to injured Canadians PHAC and Oxaro underestimated the number of injury claims VISP would get, initially predicting 40 per year and then up to 400 valid claims annually. More than 3,317 applications have been filed — of those, more than 1,738 people await decisions on their claims Some injured applicants say they face a revolving door of unreachable VISP case managers and require online fundraising campaigns to survive 3:02 Federal Vaccine Injury Support Program leaving some injured people waiting for years Some VISP applicants and former staff said Oxaro was unequipped to deliver fully on the program's mission to deliver 'timely and fair' support, and questions emerged about why the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) chose this company over others, while internal documents suggested poor planning from the start Global News obtained internal government documents that suggested poor planning from the start as both PHAC and Oxaro underestimated the number of applications the program would get. Story continues below advertisement In an email to Global News Monday, a VISP spokesman identified only as 'William, Case Escalation Manager,' reiterated earlier comments and responses by the consulting company but confirmed Global News reporting on the wildly inaccurate claims forecasts. 'Applications to the program grew to more than 10 times the originally anticipated levels,' William said. 'The program processes, procedures and staffing were adapted to face this unexpected increase in volume.' 'VISP is a program that adapts to changing circumstances and continuously improves to meet its objectives,' William added. The Oxaro spokesman said the company and PHAC have been collaborating closely to evaluate how the program 'can remain agile to handle the workload on hand while respecting budget requirements.' Oxaro has also said that its monthly invoices sent to the government include documents and details, which in turn PHAC reviews and approves prior to all payments it gets. Story continues below advertisement When it bid for and won the VISP contract in 2021, Oxaro vowed it had the 'people, processes, and tools' to run the initiative with 'industry best practices.' Global News also heard descriptions of a workplace that lacked the gravitas of a program meant to assist the seriously injured and chronically ill: drinking in the office, ping pong, slushies and Netflix streaming at desks. 2:48 Whistleblowers allege 'high school' workplace inside federal program Some workers said the office distractions had improved in recent months and emphasized that they had done their best with the resources they were given. One worker added that: 'I don't think anyone actually understood the severity or the relevance of the program that was being contracted to the firm.' READ MORE OF OUR COVERAGE PART 1: Canada set up a $50M vaccine injury program. Those harmed say it's failing them Story continues below advertisement PART 2: 'Nothing was ready': Inside Canada's Vaccine Injury Support Program PART 3: VISP aimed to curb vaccine injury lawsuits. Now, people are suing in 3 provinces READ OTHER RELATED STORIES: Vaccine injury programs elsewhere also face challenges, criticism Is VISP an independent administrator? Here's what some documents say Tory MPs, health group call for investigation and overhaul of vaccine support program Federal auditors target vaccine injury program amid surprise Oxaro office visit 'Breach of trust': Critics slam Ottawa's vaccine injury program 'failure' Want to contact us about this investigation? Email: or You can also reach Andrew at (416) 550-4684.
Global News
22-07-2025
- Health
- Global News
Health Minister: Ottawa will try to improve Vaccine Injury Support Program
The federal government will 'try' to improve how the Vaccine Injury Support Program delivers services and financial support to ailing and fragile Canadians, Health Minister Marjorie Michel said Monday. Michel made the brief remarks in New Brunswick, as she publicly answered questions for the first time about the VISP's performance since a five-month Global News investigation was broadcast and published online earlier this month. 'As you know, for now, it's a third party delivering the (VISP) services. We heard that some people are complaining about it. We are tracking this closely with the third party with delivering services. And we will try to improve,' Michel said. 2:41 'Slap in the face': Calls for investigation into Vaccine Injury Support Program Michel was responding to Global News' questions at a news conference she held in Moncton, N.B. She had travelled there to announce the injection of federal money into French-language health services for francophone communities in the Atlantic province. Story continues below advertisement The Liberal government in 2020 announced it would create the VISP to provide financial support to anyone who is seriously and permanently injured by a vaccine as it embarked on the COVID-19 vaccination campaign, the largest such effort in Canadian history. The Public Health Agency of Canada decided to outsource the administration of this program to an Ottawa consulting firm, Oxaro Inc., in 2021. Last week, four Conservative MPs called for a Commons committee investigation into the how VISP is being administered, and a pivotal non-profit health foundation said the effort needs an urgent overhaul because it was too slow. 3:02 Federal Vaccine Injury Support Program leaving some injured people waiting for years Global News' five-month investigation that prompted the outcry revealed that: Get weekly health news Receive the latest medical news and health information delivered to you every Sunday. Sign up for weekly health newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy Oxaro had received $50.6 million in taxpayer money; $33.7 million has been spent on administrative costs, while injured Canadians received $16.9 million. Updated Health Canada figures released last week show the company has now received $54.1 million and spent $36.3 million on administration costs, with $18.1 million paid to injured Canadians PHAC and Oxaro underestimated the number of injury claims VISP would get, initially predicting 40 per year and then up to 400 valid claims annually. More than 3,317 applications have been filed — of those, more than 1,738 people await decisions on their claims Some injured applicants say they face a revolving door of unreachable VISP case managers and require online fundraising campaigns to survive Some VISP applicants and former staff said Oxaro was unequipped to deliver fully on the program's mission to deliver 'timely and fair' support, and questions emerged about why the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) chose this company over others, while internal documents suggested poor planning from the start When asked at her Moncton news conference whether the Liberal government will renew Oxaro's contract once it expires next year, the Health Minister responded: Story continues below advertisement 'Every option is on the table, for now, I will tell you,' Michel said. 'That's my answer to you, I know everything we heard. It's very, you know, we are tracking it. It's unacceptable what we heard about this. And we are, every option is now on the table.' 'No, people shouldn't wait if they really need services or to get compensation, but as I will tell you it's more complex than this. Sometimes there's reason why they cannot get access to the benefits,' Michel added. Global News obtained internal documents that suggested poor planning from the start as both the government and consulting firm underestimated the number of applications the program would get. In an email to Global News Monday, a VISP spokesman identified only as 'William, Case Escalation Manager,' reiterated earlier comments and responses by the consulting company but confirmed Global News reporting. Story continues below advertisement 'Applications to the program grew to more than 10 times the originally anticipated levels,' William said. 'The program processes, procedures and staffing were adapted to face this unexpected increase in volume.' 'VISP is a program that adapts to changing circumstances and continuously improves to meet its objectives,' William added. 2:48 Whistleblowers allege 'high school' workplace inside federal program 'OXARO and PHAC have been collaborating closely to evaluate how the program can remain agile to handle the workload on hand while respecting budget requirements,' the company said. Oxaro has also said that its monthly invoices to the government include documents and details, which in turn PHAC reviews and approves prior to all payments it gets. –with a file from Anna Mandin, Global News READ MORE OF OUR COVERAGE PART 1: Canada set up a $50M vaccine injury program. Those harmed say it's failing them Story continues below advertisement PART 2: 'Nothing was ready': Inside Canada's Vaccine Injury Support Program PART 3: VISP aimed to curb vaccine injury lawsuits. Now, people are suing in 3 provinces READ OTHER RELATED STORIES: Tory MPs, health group call for investigation and overhaul of vaccine support program Federal auditors target vaccine injury program amid surprise Oxaro office visit 'Breach of trust': Critics slam Ottawa's vaccine injury program 'failure' Is VISP an independent administrator? Here's what some documents say Vaccine injury programs elsewhere also face challenges, criticism Want to contact us about this investigation? Email: or You can also reach Andrew at (416) 550-4684.
Global News
18-07-2025
- Health
- Global News
Tory MPs, health group call for investigation and overhaul of vaccine support program
Four Conservative MPs are calling for a Commons committee investigation into the Vaccine Injury Support Program (VISP), and a pivotal non-profit health foundation says the effort needs an urgent overhaul. Led by Dan Mazier, the Conservative health critic and deputy chairman of the Commons Health Committee, the group requested in a letter that Liberal MP and committee chairperson Hedy Fry convene for an emergency hearing. Fry did not respond to their request. 'This is more than mismanagement,' their letter read. 'It appears to be a blatant misuse of tax dollars. The Liberals handed out tens of millions of dollars to high priced consultants while the very Canadians this program was intended to help have been neglected.' The other Conservatives who signed the letter included Kitchener-area MP Dr. Matt Strauss, South Okanagan MP Helena Konanz, and Red Deer MP Burton Bailey. Story continues below advertisement A political aide to Hedy Fry said she was unavailable for an interview. 'Dr. Fry is spending time with her family currently where there are connectivity issues and unreliable reception. I've been having a hard time reaching her. As such, it seems she is not available to discuss,' Fry's political staffer replied in an email. The criticisms emerged this week in the wake of a five-month Global News investigation into the Liberal government's 2020 announcement it would create VISP and the Public Health Agency of Canada's decision to outsource its administration to the Ottawa consulting firm, Oxaro Inc., in 2021. Oxaro did not respond to requests for comment Thursday. The five-month Global News investigation that prompted the outcry revealed that: Oxaro has received $50.6 million in taxpayer money. $33.7 million has been spent on administrative costs, while injured Canadians received $16.9 million. Updated Health Canada figures released Thursday show the company has now received $54.1 million and spent $36.3 million on administration costs, with $18.1 million paid to injured Canadians PHAC and Oxaro underestimated the number of injury claims VISP would get, initially predicting 40 per year and then up to 400 valid claims annually. More than 3,317 applications have been filed — of those, more than 1,738 people await decisions on their claims Some injured applicants say they face a revolving door of unreachable VISP case managers and require online fundraising campaigns to survive. Others said their applications were unfairly rejected by doctors they've never spoken to or met. 2:48 Whistleblowers allege 'high school' workplace inside federal program In previous emails sent to Global News, Oxaro has said that the program processes, procedures and staffing (of VISP) were adapted to face the challenge of receiving substantially more applications than originally planned. Story continues below advertisement 'Oxaro and PHAC have been collaborating closely to evaluate how the program can remain agile to handle the workload on hand while respecting budget constraints,' it added. Get weekly health news Receive the latest medical news and health information delivered to you every Sunday. Sign up for weekly health newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy Oxaro also said that its monthly invoices to the government include documents and details, which in turn PHAC reviews and approves prior to payment. In response to questions from Global News, Health Canada spokesperson Mark Johnson replied in an email that PHAC, 'continuously conducts analyses of the program to identify both shortfalls as well as opportunities to better support people in Canada who have experienced a serious and permanent injury following vaccination.' 3:02 Federal Vaccine Injury Support Program leaving some injured people waiting for years The Global News investigation also found that despite decades of calls for a vaccine injury support program, the federal government cobbled it together during the pandemic and underestimated the number of claims it would receive. Story continues below advertisement Darryl Bedford, president of the GBS-CIDP Foundation of Canada (GBS), is calling for an overhaul of the four-year old program, demanding it improve the speed of decision-making and support for the vaccine injured. 'We're very concerned. And we think that there really needs to be a close look or overhaul of this,' said Bedford, who runs the national registered charity that supports people with neurological disorders such as GBS. 'It doesn't feel like it's working to us.' View image in full screen Darryl Bedford, the President of the Guillain Barre Syndrome Foundation of Canada, discussed the VISP effort with Global News. Global News Bedford said liaison people and volunteers on the ground have told him that they don't feel VISP is 'consistent enough.' Several people who received COVID-19 vaccines developed serious adverse reactions that included GBS, which can cause paralysis, throwing their lives into crisis, according to a Health Canada database that reported adverse reaction events of special interest. Story continues below advertisement Global News uncovered allegations that Oxaro was unequipped to deliver fully on the program's mission, questions about why the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) chose this company over others, and internal documents that suggested poor planning from the start. Former Oxaro workers described a workplace that lacked the gravitas of a program meant to assist the seriously injured and chronically ill: office drinking, ping pong, slushies and Netflix streaming at desks. View image in full screen The VISP prepared this brochure to explain the process of applying and getting financial support to people injured by COVID-19 vaccines. Global News Bedford said those vaccine-injured people need help and rapid support. 'When you experience a sudden tragedy that rips your life apart, you need support within days or weeks. To have to wait months or years for a decision on financial help from the VISP is completely unacceptable,' he said. 'It doesn't feel like it's (VISP is) responsive enough,' he added. 'It doesn't feel like the primary goal is support.' Story continues below advertisement 'It feels like the majority of the money is going to the (program) administration, and it doesn't feel like there's an organized process for getting the information, making a decision and getting the money out the door,' Bedford added. 4:04 'Chaos' inside Federal Vaccine Injury Support Program Bedford revealed that members of the GBS Foundation were surprised and concerned when the Liberal government decided to outsource the program to Raymond Chabot Grant Thornton Consulting Inc., now named Oxaro Inc. 'We were concerned internally when Oxaro or the subsidiary of Grant Thornton was named because there are public and private entities that have experience processing claims. And these are organizations that Canadians would know and have established processes for managing cases and making decisions on cases,' Bedford added. 'It was a surprise to us because, you know, there are household names that you could think of that process health benefit claims.' Story continues below advertisement Global News reported that one of the unsuccessful bidders was Green Shield Canada, a national health-claims benefit manager with more than 60 years in the business. In its proposal to the government, Oxaro (at the time called RCGT Consulting Inc.), noted that its prior claims experience involved processing health insurance claims between 2012 and 2015 for a small regional insurer that became insolvent and entered a liquidation. It also runs a much smaller program for the government that hands out grants to the families of dead first reponders. PHAC said that a six-person committee that reviewed proposals from four companies 'unanimously' picked RCGT Consulting, over Green Shield and three companies. PHAC says it is reviewing Oxaro's five-year arrangement to administer VISP, which is up for renewal next year. A compliance audit was also launched last month after Global News started asking questions about Oxaro's management of claims. Want to contact us? Email or
Global News
17-07-2025
- Health
- Global News
VISP aimed to curb vaccine injury lawsuits. Now, people are suing in 3 provinces
Carrie Sakamoto left her family's beloved dogs outside in the freezing cold. She started fires in her kitchen, and she fell down the stairs of her Alberta home — several times. These incidents all occurred since 2021, when Sakamoto was injured and rushed to hospital after a rare adverse reaction from a COVID-19 vaccine. Sakamoto was hospitalized for 17 days. For a time, she could not walk, talk, chew or focus. The federal government announced a program in 2020 to help people like Sakamoto, pledging timely and fair support to the unfortunate like her who were seriously hurt after immunizations. The program was supposed to spare the injured and fragile the cost and stress associated with litigation. In Sakamoto's case, the program, called the Vaccine Injury Support Program, or VISP, did neither. Instead of providing Sakamoto, of Lethbridge, Alta., with timely and fair financial support, she says that VISP and the outside consultants who were selected to administer it for the federal government — Oxaro Inc. — have only exacerbated her physical and psychological suffering. 'Extremely frustrating. Dehumanizing. Incredibly dismissive. Even abusive,' is how Sakamoto describes her experiences and dealings with Canada's VISP. Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "Extremely frustrating. Dehumanizing. Incredibly dismissive. Even abusive," is how Sakamoto describes her experiences and dealings with Canada's VISP. Sakamoto made those comments in a sworn statement she filed in a class action lawsuit launched in the Alberta Court of King's Bench in 2024. She is a lead plaintiff against the federal and provincial governments in this Alberta court case. View image in full screen Excerpts from Carrie Sakamoto's 2024 sworn affidavit, which was filed in an Alberta class action lawsuit. She harshly criticized Ottawa's Vaccine Injury Support Program. 1 Both Oxaro and the Public Health Agency of Canada, which hired Oxaro to run VISP in 2021, declined to comment on Sakamoto's case, allegations or criticisms of the federal program. Advertisement In response to a 15-page list of questions from Global News about its VISP administration, Oxaro Inc. sent a series of written statements. 'The VISP is a new and demand-based program with an unknown and fluctuating number of applications and appeals submitted by claimants,' the company said. View image in full screen Ottawa consulting firm Oxaro Inc. was hired in 2021 to administer the federal government's Vaccine Injury Support Program. 1 'The program processes, procedures and staffing were adapted to face the challenges linked to receiving substantially more applications than originally planned,' Oxaro added. 'Oxaro and PHAC have been collaborating closely to evaluate how the program can remain agile to handle the workload on hand while respecting budget constraints.' 'We aim at providing a process that ensures that all cases are treated fairly and with the same care, respect, and due diligence,' the company added. 2:48 Whistleblowers allege 'high school' workplace inside federal program Read Oxaro's statement here. In an interview with Global News, Sakamoto said she does not think Oxaro should have been hired to administer VISP. 'I don't think they realized how many injured people were going to apply. And I think they're overwhelmed,' she added. Lawyers representing Sakamoto and a group of plaintiffs alleged that the two governments provided the public with false, misleading and/or incomplete information about the safety and efficacy of COVID-19 vaccines, preventing the public from making an informed decision regarding vaccination. The case and allegations against VISP highlight the depth of despair and frustration thousands of Canadians feel after being promised they would be taken care of if their immunizations triggered rare adverse reactions and they were injured. Injured applicants like Sakamoto say they also face a revolving door of unreachable VISP case managers and arbitrary and unfair decisions. The Alberta class action case remains before the courts. A hearing to determine if the class will be certified has been scheduled for mid-2026. Both the federal and provincial governments have tried unsuccessfully to have the case dismissed. The Attorney General of Canada called the lawsuit 'frivolous, irrelevant, and improper.' 4:04 'Chaos' inside Federal Vaccine Injury Support Program A Global News investigation into VISP published earlier this month revealed that Oxaro Inc. has received $50.6 million in taxpayer money, including $33.7 million spent on administrative costs, while injured Canadians received only $16.9 million. (Payouts to the injured have since increased to $18.1 million in the latest reporting period, ending June 1, 2025. But Health Canada was unable to say yesterday how much more money Oxaro was paid above the $50.6 million tallied during the last reporting period.) Global also found that PHAC and Oxaro underestimated the number of injury claims VISP would get, initially predicting 40 per year and then up to 400 valid claims annually. More than 3,317 applications have now been filed to June 1 — of those, 1,738 people are still waiting for their claim to be decided. 3:02 Federal Vaccine Injury Support Program leaving some injured people waiting for years The government launched VISP as 'a no-fault system' in 2021, which was supposed to compensate injured and fragile Canadians without them having to pursue costly, stressful and time-consuming litigation against vaccine manufacturers and public health officials. Advertisement However, a Global News investigation has found that five Canadians have now launched lawsuits against governments and manufacturers for injuries they allege are the results of the vaccinations, amid allegations that VISP has failed to support them. They include Sakamoto and several of the injured and ill people featured in Part 1 of this investigation, including Ross Wightman of British Columbia and Ontario residents Kayla Pollock and Dan Hartman, whose 17-year-old son died suddenly in his room in the middle of the night after his vaccination. Read more about their stories here. View image in full screen British Columbia attorney Umar Sheikh. 1 Victoria lawyer Umar Sheikh represents several vaccine-injured people and others across Canada who claim they were injured by COVID-19 vaccines. Sheikh argues that pushing people to file lawsuits for damages is contrary to the rationale of VISP, which intended to keep sick and vulnerable people out of courtrooms. 'These cases will cost between $20,000 and $40,000 in fees and costs. You're dealing with clients who are injured, who have no money, and they're not working,' added Sheikh, who represents Pollock. View image in full screen Carrie Sakamoto as she appeared in a selfie in 2019, prior to her vaccine injury in 2021. 1 Carrie Sakamoto shares Pollock's plight. Once a healthy and vibrant mother, she, her husband, and their three boys lived on a dreamy seed farm in the foothills near Lethbridge, Alta. Now, she says her life is one in which the physical, psychological and emotional toll has been immense. Everything in Sakamoto's life and family situation changed after her second COVID-19 shot during the pandemic. Within a few hours of her vaccination on June 18, 2021, Sakamoto developed flu-like symptoms that worsened daily. Her health rapidly deteriorated. Her husband was sick, too. While her husband, Shawn, got better, Sakamoto never recovered and ended up in hospital. She suffered from Bell's palsy, with severe head pain that still requires medication. A Health Canada adverse reaction injury database shows Sakamoto is not alone: 216 people like her reportedly suffered Bell's palsy-like facial paralysis after vaccinations in the pandemic.
Global News
06-07-2025
- Health
- Global News
‘Breach of trust': Critics slam Ottawa's vaccine injury program ‘failure'
A federal government program designed during the pandemic to compensate people who have been seriously and permanently injured by vaccines is 'failing' and a 'breach of trust,' say opposition parties. A five-month-long Global News investigation of the Vaccine Injury Support Program (VISP), involving more than 30 interviews with current and former Oxaro employees, injured claimants and their attorneys, uncovered allegations that the company was unequipped to deliver fully on the program's mission, questions about why the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) chose this company over others, and internal documents that suggest poor planning from the start. The federal government has launched a compliance audit to determine if an Ottawa consulting company is mismanaging the Vaccine Injury Support Program (VISP), and Public Health Agency of Canada officials made a surprise visit to the firm's offices in mid-June, Global News reported on July 3. 'Reading the Global News reporting, folks are not receiving adequate compensation and the descriptions of the sort of playground environment at this very serious program are shocking, disappointing to hear,' said Conservative MP Matt Strauss. Story continues below advertisement Strauss sits on the House of Commons health committee and worked as a critical care specialist prior to being elected as a member of Parliament. He added, 'I think the most startling fact is of the 3,000 or so claims that were made, they haven't even gotten through half of them … it's shocking, it's not right. It's a breach of trust.' 4:04 'Chaos' inside Federal Vaccine Injury Support Program There have been 11,702 reports of serious adverse events following a COVID-19 vaccination, according to Health Canada. That's equal to 0.011 per cent of the 105,015,456 doses administered as of December 2023. Get weekly health news Receive the latest medical news and health information delivered to you every Sunday. Sign up for weekly health newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy 'The government stepped in and gave Canadians an assurance that any injuries or death, as a matter of fact, that were caused by the vaccines would be fully compensated by a program that was accessible. I would say that the program that the Liberal government did finally implement is failing Canadians utterly,' said interim NDP Leader Don Davies. Story continues below advertisement Kerry Bowman, bioethicist at the University of Toronto, voiced similar concerns. 'I'm horrified,' said Bowman. 'I'm horrified that it seems that it's been handled just so very badly.' Then-prime minister Justin Trudeau announced the Vaccine Injury Support Program (VISP) in December 2020. The effort, which began six months later, aimed to support people who have been seriously and permanently injured by any Health Canada-authorized vaccine administered in the country on or after Dec. 8, 2020. Approved claimants could receive lump sum injury or death payouts, ongoing income replacement, and reimbursement of medical expenses. But instead of the government operating VISP, as is done with similar programs in the United States, the United Kingdom, France, and Germany, Canada elected to outsource the work. In March 2021, the government hired Raymond Chabot Grant Thornton Consulting Inc. — now called Oxaro Inc. — to administer the program. The challenges began soon after it launched. 2:48 Whistleblowers allege 'high school' workplace inside federal program A Global News investigation has uncovered complaints that the program has failed to deliver on its promise of 'fair and timely' access to financial support for the injured. Story continues below advertisement This five-month probe is based on more than 30 interviews with injured and ill people, former VISP workers, and attorneys who allege the effort is being mismanaged, leaving claimants feeling angry, abandoned, uncared for, and even abused. Oxaro said in an emailed response to Global News that this is a new program and it has adapted its operations to meet higher-than-expected volumes. In response to a 15-page list of questions, the company said, 'The VISP is a new and demand-based program with an unknown and fluctuating number of applications and appeals submitted by claimants.' 'The program processes, procedures and staffing were adapted to face the challenges linked to receiving substantially more applications than originally planned,' Oxaro added. 'Oxaro and PHAC have been collaborating closely to evaluate how the program can remain agile to handle the workload on hand while respecting budget constraints.' The complexity of the claims filed can also affect processing timelines, Oxaro said. 'Timelines for a determination of eligibility and support will depend on the nature and complexity of the claim. All claims will be individually assessed by medical experts. The process will include a review of all required and relevant medical documentation, as well as current medical evidence, to determine if there is a probable link between the injury and the vaccine.' Story continues below advertisement PHAC, meanwhile, has said it is reviewing Oxaro's five-year arrangement to administer VISP, which is up for renewal next year. Bowman said the situation would only make vaccine hesitancy worse. 'The public will see, not only are some people pushing back on vaccines, but even if something goes wrong, you're not going to get support I would argue that it's going to feed into growing trends of vaccine hesitancy. That's very problematic for all of us,' he said. Both Strauss and Davies drew comparisons to the ArriveCan app program, which has faced scrutiny over the costs and contracting for the pandemic-era app. 'I think we need a lot of transparency and accountability around both the ArriveCan app and now this VISP program to figure out what the heck went on so that Canadians can have trust in public health programs again,' Strauss said. Davies also cited the ArriveCan app as an example of what he described as a larger problem. 'I think this is part of a much broader problem that we've seen with the Liberal government over the last decade, really, which is an explosion in the use of outside consultants,' he said. 'I'd like to see the ministry take over this program. They're at least accountable directly to the minister and to taxpayers. If the outside consultants can't do it properly, it should be done by public servants who are in the ministry of health.'
