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Newly released Access to Information documents are shedding light on what was happening behind the scenes as Ottawa launched its Vaccine Injury Support Program (VISP) in the midst of the COVID-19 vaccine rollout.

Marketed in June 2021 as a compassionate response for Canadians experiencing “rare but serious” adverse events, internal Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) emails suggest the program’s rollout was anything but seamless.

In the days leading up to its launch, senior officials at PHAC appeared more focused on media lines, news releases and then Chief Public Health Officer Theresa Tam’s social media messaging. Documents show communications material being circulated for rapid approval, while the third-party administrator, Raymond Chabot Grant Thornton (RCGT), now operating as Oxaro, was described as “ready” to begin accepting claims.

Yet within months, funding pressures were already becoming clear.

Initial budget allocations quickly proved insufficient, with internal records acknowledging higher-than-anticipated demand. Through my exclusive investigation, it was revealed that it took Oxaro nearly three years to determine how to properly administer the five-year program, raising questions about the promise of timely support.

The financial breakdown lays it all bare.

VISP’s original $75-million budget had grown to $111.4 million as of 2024. In its first fiscal year, 2021–22, $9.38 million was earmarked for the program. Of that, a mere fraction, roughly $70,000, went directly to injured claimants, while more than $5 million was paid to Oxaro for administrative costs.

By late 2024, $65.2 million had been funnelled to the third-party administrator. Meanwhile, just $16.95 million, barely a third of that amount, reached the Canadians injured by the products relentlessly promoted as “safe and effective.”

For every dollar paid to victims, roughly three went to bureaucracy. Meanwhile, claims continued to accumulate.

By December 2024, more than 3,400 claims and appeals had been filed, with a fraction processed. As of December 2025, 3,557 claims have been submitted, with just 252 approved to date.

Internal correspondence shows media inquiries pressing PHAC about delays, missing acknowledgements and discrepancies in spending. One 2021 email from PHAC’s media relations director indicates that updated language was being confirmed with Oxaro and shared with the Privy Council Office — confirming reports of coordinated messaging at most senior levels of government.

The documents also reference Canada’s National Immunization Strategy and its alignment with the World Health Organization’s Immunization Agenda 2030, which prioritizes vaccine uptake and things like ‘equitable access.’ When questions arose about reported injuries, PHAC frequently pointed to Oxaro as an “independent third-party administrator,” citing privacy considerations in declining to provide further details.

Yet, transparency concerns abound.

VISP operates under a contribution agreement rather than a traditional service contract, which means it has fewer disclosure requirements. Four companies bid on the program, but PHAC redacted their financial proposals, once again citing third-party confidentiality.

Emails from February 2025 reveal a six-member review committee that includes representatives from PHAC, Health Canada, Veterans Affairs Canada, Canadian Blood Services and a provincial health department. One notable member is Health Canada’s Theressa Bagnall, responsible for implementing the Canadian Thalidomide Survivors Support Program.

Nearly two years ago, I asked if VISP would last decades as the Thalidomide compensation has. It seems likely that this is the trajectory VISP is on.

Looking ahead into 2026, another shift is coming.

Oxaro’s agreement is set to end in April, with PHAC slated to assume direct management of VISP. Internal discussions previously acknowledged this transition could create at least the “perception” of a conflict of interest, given PHAC’s role in promoting Canada’s vaccination strategy.

What began as a program framed around compassion and support now faces mounting questions over cost overruns, processing delays and limited transparency.

With PHAC preparing to take the reins, Canadians are left to wonder whether the agency that designed and championed the vaccination campaign can impartially and efficiently manage its aftermath.