Ontario Health Experts Advocate for Measles Immunization Action Plan
In response to Ontario experiencing its largest measles outbreak in nearly three decades, a committee of health experts is urgently calling for the implementation of a comprehensive immunization action plan. This development comes as Canada lost its measles elimination status in late 2025, marking a significant public health setback for the nation.
The Call for Action
Ontario's Immunization Advisory Committee, comprised of infectious disease specialists, public health experts, and other professionals, has released a detailed report proposing this critical initiative. The proposed action plan aims to address multiple challenges facing the province's vaccination efforts.
The committee's recommendations focus on three primary objectives:
- Increasing vaccination uptake across Ontario communities
- Addressing and countering vaccine misinformation effectively
- Improving knowledge about where immunization gaps exist within the population
System Modernization Needs
The expert committee has joined growing calls for Ontario to modernize its immunization information systems. This recommendation builds upon previous advocacy efforts, including the group's 2024 strong urging for the Ministry of Health to develop and implement a comprehensive provincial immunization registry.
In 2025, Ontario's Chief Medical Officer of Health echoed this call for modernizing the province's vaccine registry, a position supported by numerous health experts across the field. The proposed registry would ensure easy access to immunization records for all Ontarians and include efforts to collect immigration records from temporary residents, including international students and migrant workers.
Measles Outbreak Context
The committee's report, titled An Immunization Action Plan for Ontario: Lessons from the Provincial Measles Outbreak, highlights how the recent measles outbreak exposed significant challenges and weaknesses within Ontario's public health infrastructure.
The committee noted in their document: "Outbreaks of measles and other vaccine-preventable diseases are increasing globally due in part to the slow recovery of immunization programs and rising vaccine hesitancy following the COVID-19 pandemic. Ontario, along with the rest of Canada, should continue to expect travel-associated measles cases and introduction of measles into susceptible populations."
National Implications
Canada's loss of measles elimination status represents a substantial public health reversal, occurring for the first time since 1998. This status change followed a measles outbreak that grew to more than 5,000 cases nationwide, with nearly half of those cases occurring in Ontario.
The proposed immunization action plan is viewed as essential not only for improving Ontario's ability to prepare for and respond to future outbreaks of vaccine-preventable diseases but also for supporting national efforts to regain Canada's measles elimination status. Public health officials across the country have committed to restoring this important public health achievement.
The committee emphasizes that implementing their recommendations represents a crucial step toward rebuilding Canada's immunization infrastructure and protecting vulnerable populations from preventable diseases.
