Application process

You must submit an application to the Ministry of Health if your pharmacy or organization would like to store, handle and administer publicly funded influenza vaccines during the upcoming season.

NEW for 2026–2027: The User Agreement for Pharmacies now includes the UIIP, COVID-19 vaccine program and the new Pharmacy Adult Vaccine Bundle. Pharmacies wishing to store, handle and administer publicly funded vaccines can apply using this User Agreement. See more information about the User Agreement and Program Participation.

Apply for the 2026–2027 influenza immunization program, COVID-19 vaccine program and the Adult Vaccine Bundle (as applicable to your organization).

The application deadline is June 30, 2026 at 11:59 p.m. EDT.

Before you apply:

Step 1: Complete and submit an application form

Select the appropriate application form for your organization, either the:

Once you have filled out the form, click the ‘Submit’ button. This will automatically send the form to the ministry.

We will not accept applications sent by email.

You must submit a separate application form for each office location.

If an office location has multiple vaccine refrigerators that will be storing publicly funded vaccine, you can use a single application form.

Step 2: Receive 2 confirmation emails

After you submit the application form you will receive the following 2 confirmation emails:

  1. Immediately: an automated email confirming that your application was submitted - this email will include a tracking number and a copy of your application.
  2. Within 2 business days: an email from immunization@ontario.ca confirming the processing status of your application, which includes 1 of the following messages:
    • Your application form has been processed and the information provided has been forwarded to your local public health unit for a cold chain inspection on the vaccine refrigerator(s) that will be storing publicly funded influenza vaccines.
    • Your application form has not been processed. Your organization must comply with the resubmission deadline stipulated by the ministry.

If you do not receive a response from the ministry within 2 business, you must resubmit your application form. Please ensure the email address(es) you provide are accurate.

Step 3: Cold chain inspection

Your local public health unit will contact you to:

  • arrange an inspection of the vaccine refrigerator(s) that will store publicly funded influenza vaccine
  • assess your organization’s adherence to the provincial Vaccine Storage and Handling Guidelines

You may experience a delay in hearing from your local public health unit due to the high volume of inspections that occur during this time.

Before your local public health unit contacts you for your inspection, you should review the following materials and ensure you meet the requirements:

Public health units will likely have one opportunity to conduct the required vaccine refrigerator inspection for your organization. It is very important that you prepare as much as possible to be ready for your inspection the first time.

Step 4: Approval to participate

We will notify all approved vaccine providers in September 2026.

Note: For pharmacies wishing to participate in Summer 2026 for the Pharmacy Adult Vaccine Bundle, you must have had an approved fridge inspection for fiscal year 2025–2026.

Proof of insurance

Organizations administering influenza vaccine must maintain a policy of comprehensive general liability insurance.

You are not required to submit proof of insurance. However, the ministry may request a copy of the certificate of insurance at any time.

Exemptions for organizations

The following groups do not need to apply to participate in the UIIP:

  • health care providers and/or organizations (except for pharmacies) that already receive publicly funded vaccine(s) from their local public health unit other than publicly funded influenza vaccine
  • health care providers who bill OHIP
  • Community Health Centres
  • long-term care homes
  • retirement homes that will be partnering with an external organization, such as a community pharmacy, to offer publicly funded vaccine to staff and/or residents
  • public hospitals
  • Home and Community Care Support Services / Ontario Health atHome (Government of Ontario Crown agency)
  • Family Health Teams
  • federal or provincial correctional service and youth justice facilities

Any of these groups may contact their local public health unit for more information about how to obtain publicly funded influenza vaccine.

Retirement homes

Retirement homes that plan to have their staff order, store, and administer publicly funded influenza vaccine to staff and/or residents of their retirement home, and who do not order any other publicly funded vaccines from their local public health unit, should submit an application by June 30, 2026.

Retirement homes that plan to have their staff order, store, and administer other publicly funded vaccines (including COVID-19 vaccine) do not need to submit a Prequalification Form and should connect with their local public health unit directly to order influenza vaccine.

Retirement homes that plan to partner with external organizations, such as community pharmacies, do not need to submit an application. The external organization would be responsible for administering publicly funded influenza vaccine from their own supply.

Emergency medical services (EMS) groups

EMS groups can apply only if they meet all of the following conditions:

Pharmacy information for influenza, COVID-19 and Adult Vaccine Bundle

Pharmacies must have at least one registered injection-trained pharmacist who has registered their training with the Ontario College of Pharmacists (OCP) throughout their participation in the publicly funded vaccine programs for pharmacies.

The ministry may request registration information for the injection-trained pharmacist at any time to verify with the OCP that the pharmacist is certified to administer vaccines.

User Agreement and program participation

When a pharmacy submits the User Agreement, it is applying to participate in all 3 provincial vaccine programs:

  • Universal Influenza Immunization Program (UIIP) (for individuals 2 years of age and older who live, work, or go to school in Ontario)
  • COVID-19 vaccine program (for individuals 6 months of age and older who live, work, or go to school in Ontario)     
    Important: Participation in the COVID-19 vaccine program also requires a valid Panorama Guided Workflow (PGW) Interface System and Services Agreement (“PGW Agreement”) and onboarding to PGW. Submitting the User Agreement alone does not provide eligibility to receive COVID-19 vaccines.
  • Pharmacy Adult Vaccine Bundle (per eligibility for individuals 18 years of age and older with an Ontario Health Card)     
    A valid User Agreement confirms that the pharmacy is eligible to receive publicly funded vaccines under each of these programs.

Even if you are currently providing publicly funded vaccines to the public, you are required to renew your User Agreement for 2026–2027 to remain eligible for the programs.

Having a valid User Agreement in place, including re-applying should pharmacy ownership change, ensures that your pharmacy is meeting provincial vaccine storage and handling requirements, including cold-chain maintenance and temperature logging procedures.

Notify the ministry of any information changes due to pharmacy relocation, change in ownership or pharmacy closures and withdrawals.

Vaccine ordering is optional

Eligibility to receive vaccines does not mean that a pharmacy is required to order vaccines for every program.

  • Pharmacies may choose which vaccines to order
  • Pharmacies are not required to order all vaccines or participate in all programs
  • Orders should be based on the needs of the community served

Newly accredited pharmacies

Participation in the publicly funded vaccine programs for pharmacies depends on when the pharmacy receives their OCP accreditation number.

For the purposes of the User Agreement, newly accredited pharmacies do not include pharmacies that have received a new OCP accreditation number because of relocation or change of ownership.

Application process and timelines

The application process and timelines are different depending on when the pharmacy receives their OCP accreditation number.

On or before June 30, 2026

If the pharmacy receives their OCP accreditation number on or before June 30, 2026, the application process and timelines for the pharmacy are:

  • submit a User Agreement by June 30, 2026
  • those that have received their OCP Accreditation Number but not their ODB Account should input ON00000000 in the ODB Account Number field
  • resubmit an updated User Agreement once an ODB Account Number has been assigned
Between July 1, 2026 and August 31, 2026

If the pharmacy receives their OCP accreditation number between July 1, 2026 and August 31, 2026:

  • there will be a separate application process for these pharmacies
  • the ministry will be emailing a Newly Accredited Pharmacy User Agreement to these pharmacies directly
On or after September 1, 2026

If the pharmacy received their OCP accreditation number on or after September 1, 2026, they cannot apply to participate in the 2026–2027 UIIP, COVID-19 Vaccine Program, nor Pharmacy Adult Vaccine Bundle. Pharmacies wishing to participate must wait until the next application window to enroll.

Pharmacy ownership changes

The person that should apply to participate depends on the date when the ownership will change.

On or before June 30, 2026

If the change of ownership happens on or before June 30, 2026, the new owner must apply.

On or after July 1, 2026

If the change of ownership happens on or after July 1, 2026, 2 or 3 agreements must be submitted:

  • the previous owner should submit a User Agreement by June 30, 2026
  • the new owner should submit an updated User Agreement once the changeover takes place
  • the new owner should also submit an updated PGW Agreement, if the pharmacy wishes to administer COVID-19 vaccine

If the previous owner did not submit a User Agreement by June 30, 2026, the pharmacy will not be able to participate in the 2026–2027 UIIP, COVID-19 Vaccine Program, nor Pharmacy Adult Vaccine Bundle. Pharmacies wishing to participate must wait until the next application window to enroll.

Staff nurse administration in pharmacies

Registered nurses (RNs) who are authorized to administer vaccine independently may provide immunization services as staff in pharmacies. Independent vaccine administration requires prescribing authority and is not an entry-level RN competency. RNs must successfully complete prescribing education approved by the College of Nurses of Ontario (CNO) Council to prescribe medication, including vaccines.

RNs who are not authorized to administer vaccine independently and registered practical nurses (RPNs) may administer immunizations under a valid delegation from a regulated health professional who is authorized to perform the controlled act of administering the vaccine and to delegate that act to others.

Travelling outside the pharmacy to administer publicly funded vaccine(s)

A pharmacist may administer publicly funded vaccines to recipients that are located within the same geographic boundaries of the pharmacy’s local public health unit.

Pharmacists may not administer publicly funded vaccines to hospital in-patients.

Residents of long-term care homes

Pharmacists may administer publicly funded vaccines on-site to residents of long-term care homes, at the discretion of the long-term care home. Pharmacists must store, transport and administer their own supply of publicly funded vaccines.

Individuals who are residents of long-term care homes and receiving a vaccine in the long-term care home must have a prescription for the vaccine. Pharmacies should work with long-term care home licensees to determine how to obtain a prescription and ensure prescription requirements are met.

Pharmacists cannot:

  • administer doses ordered by the long-term care home
  • store their vaccine at the long-term care home

We encourage pharmacies and long-term care homes to explore opportunities to partner for administration of publicly funded vaccines to residents of long-term care homes.

Information changes to the User Agreement

Pharmacies without a PGW Agreement: Your User Agreement must be kept up-to-date throughout your participation in the immunization program. Any changes (such as relocation, OCP accreditation #, contact information etc.) must be made by re-submitting your User Agreement to the ministry by clicking the ‘submit’ button on the last page of the agreement.

Pharmacies with a PGW Agreement: If your pharmacy is participating in the COVID-19 vaccine program, you are also required to ensure the information in your pharmacy’s  User Agreement and PGW Agreement are up-to-date and consistent. Updated User Agreement and PGW Agreement should be submitted to the ministry by clicking the ‘submit’ button on the last page of the agreement.

Notify the ministry at immunization@ontario.ca to withdraw from your User Agreement. Pharmacies that withdraw will no longer be eligible to participate in publicly funded vaccine programs for the 2026–2027 application period, including the UIIP, COVID-19 vaccine program and Pharmacy Adult Vaccine Bundle. Pharmacies that withdraw must wait until the next application period to re-enroll.

When emailing the ministry, you must include the following information:

  • pharmacy’s ON# (old and/or new as applicable)
  • pharmacy name
  • pharmacy address

PGW Onboarding and Reporting Requirements

The ministry will contact the designated manager specified in the User Agreement to provide PGW onboarding instructions for those who have not yet onboarded. Providers who will be administering COVID-19 vaccine during the 2026–2027 season will need to continue to follow provincial reporting requirements  as per the COVID-19 Vaccination Reporting Act, 2021.

Contact

Email immunization@ontario.ca for questions about your application.

We will respond to all questions and application submissions within 2 business days.

Contact your local public health unit for questions about the cold chain inspection process.