2023 Report of the Auditor General of Canada to the Yukon Legislative Assembly—COVID-19 Vaccines in YukonCOVID-19 vaccine rollout in Yukon was quick and effective but highlighted opportunities for improvement

Whitehorse, 20 June 2023—A report from the Office of the Auditor General of Canada presented today in the Yukon Legislative Assembly by Deputy Auditor General Andrew Hayes concluded that the Department of Health and Social Services, the Department of Community Services, and the Executive Council Office worked well together to vaccinate residents quickly and on a priority basis. However, the audit found that the departments had incomplete and outdated emergency plans, weaknesses in manual inventory tracking, and a lack of meaningful engagement with First Nations when planning the rollout of vaccines.

Within weeks of receiving the first shipment of vaccines, the departments worked together to vaccinate priority vulnerable groups in Whitehorse, such as seniors, while also setting up a mass vaccination clinic in the capital. In parallel, mobile teams travelled to remote communities, making vaccines accessible to everyone 18 years and older. This allowed Yukoners to be vaccinated in or near their home community.

Although the territorial government’s approach was effective at getting people vaccinated, the audit found weaknesses in the monitoring of and reporting on the vaccine rollout. For example, the Department of Health and Social Services did not have an efficient inventory management system to track the supply, inventory, and wastage of vaccines and relied instead on manual documentation. This led to errors and discrepancies and prevented the department from knowing exactly how many vaccines it had in its inventory at any given point.

The audit also found that the departments did not give Yukon First Nations the opportunity to meaningfully participate in the planning of the rollout, despite meeting with them regularly as the pandemic progressed. The audit recommends that the Government of Yukon work in partnership early, often, and meaningfully with First Nations.

“The Government of Yukon has recognized that there is a historical legacy of colonialism and discrimination in Canada and that many Indigenous people have experienced trauma, including discriminatory health-care policies and practices,” said Mr. Hayes. “Now, it needs to put actions behind its words and work in partnership early, often, and meaningfully with First Nations not just in emergencies but across the spectrum of the programs and services it provides.”

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The 2023 Report of the Auditor General of Canada to the Yukon Legislative Assembly—COVID‑19 Vaccines in Yukon is available on the Office of the Auditor General of Canada website.

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