## Canada loses Measles-Free Status: A Result of Deliberate Policy Choices
After more than a year of sustained community transmission of the measles virus, the WHO/Pan American Health Organization had to officially recognize that Canada is no longer among the countries that have eliminated this perhaps deadly disease.
This worrying growth is the predictable result of years of government undermining of public health, compounded by the catastrophic rollback of COVID-19 mitigation measures early in the pandemic.
More than 5,000 cases of measles were confirmed in 2025, up from 147 in 2024, with infections reported in nine provinces and the Northwest Territories. two deaths have been recorded, both in infants exposed to the virus in utero.A country once lauded for its public health achievements now faces the widespread spread of a disease considered eliminated for a quarter of a century.
Canada first eliminated measles in 1998.This reflected the success of routine measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccination introduced in the 1970s and enhanced by a two-dose schedule in the 1990s. Measles, among the most contagious viruses known, requires 95% vaccination coverage to maintain herd immunity. A report released in 2022 by the Canadian Immunization Research Network found that national rates were about five percentage points below that level. The erosion of public health capacity and support from the canadian ruling class for the anti-vaccine far right have further reduced vaccination coverage over the past three years.Although increased international travel and waning immunity contribute to the importation of cases, the root cause of the current crisis is the systematic dismantling of public health infrastructure and the growing influence of vaccine hesitancy, fueled by right-wing anti-science propaganda.Federal data shows that 83% of infections involve unvaccinated people, while the vaccination status of 12% is unknown.These figures reflect the collapse of routine immunization, reduced access to primary care and the disintegration of community health units. The entire Pan American region had eliminated measles by 2016,becoming the first WHO-designated region to do so,before an outbreak in sanctions-devastated Venezuela spread to Brazil,leading to the revocation of that status two years later.New efforts to stem the spread of measles have resulted in the Americas being declared measles-free again in 2024, just before an outbreak broke out in New Brunswick, on Canada’s east coast, last year. With ongoing outbreaks in the United States and Mexico, the region is unlikely to return to measles-elimination status in the near future.The failure to stop the spread of the virus is yet another damning indictment of the state of public health under capitalism. As an infectious disease expert told Guardian“no country with the resources of Canada – or even other countries in North America – should lose its measles elimination status.”
The catastrophe currently gripping Canada is the result of deliberate political choices by successive federal governments. The Conservative government of Stephen Harper, the Liberal governments of justin Trudeau and now former central banker Mark Carney have favored austerity, privatization and the redirection of public resources from social needs to corporate subsidies and militarism.
Under Harper, federal public health capacity was dismantled by sustained budget cuts. Surveillance programs have been weakened, laboratory capacities reduced and federal-provincial transfers limited by a funding formula linked to GDP growth. These measures have left provincial and territorial health systems chronically underfunded in the face of a growing and aging population,and unable to maintain robust vaccination and awareness programs.The subsequent Trudeau Liberal government continued on this path.health transfers to provinces have stagnated in real terms and have been accompanied by the promotion of market-oriented reforms, presented as innovations. During the pandemic, the federal government has withdrawn from much of health coordination.Testing, quarantine and border controls have been reduced and routine vaccination programs have been left hanging, under-resourced. This created conditions in which childhood vaccination faltered and surveillance and prevention infrastructure deteriorated.The Carney government’s 2025 budget intensifies these attacks. It combines deep cuts in public services with the biggest increase in military spending in several decades.
Canada Loses Measles Elimination Status Amidst Public Health System Strain and rising Anti-Vaccine Sentiment
Canada has lost its measles elimination status, a concerning development linked to declining vaccination rates, a strained public health system, and the growing influence of anti-science movements. The situation mirrors trends observed in the United States and internationally, raising alarms about the future of public health preparedness.
A key factor contributing to the resurgence of measles is the increasing difficulty in accessing primary care. Worsening wait times are driven by doctors leaving the public system in pursuit of higher incomes in the private sector. Experts have long identified a lack of family doctors as a significant contributor to low measles vaccination rates. https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/diseases/measles.html
The decline in vaccination rates is further fueled by a rise in anti-vaccine sentiment and political currents eroding public trust in health recommendations. In the United States,hundreds of bills restricting vaccination requirements and public health authority have been introduced in state legislatures in recent years,with some passing into law. https://www.ncsl.org/research/health/vaccine-legislation-tracking.aspx Similar trends are emerging in Canada.
This erosion of confidence is compounded by understaffing and under-resourcing within Canada’s public health services, leading to a collapse in the routine immunization system. this vulnerability is particularly concerning given the ongoing evolution of threats like COVID-19 and other viral diseases.
The situation is further complicated by political connections. Alberta Premier Danielle Smith has reportedly formed ties with far-right figures in the United States. https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/danielle-smith-us-republicans-1.6988999 The administration of US President Joe Biden has faced criticism for cuts to public health spending under Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra, though Robert F. Kennedy jr. served as a vocal opponent of vaccination during his presidential campaign. https://www.hhs.gov/about/leadership/xavier-becerra/index.html Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s allies have openly expressed anti-vaccine views,with the president of the Make America Health Again (MAHA) Institute advocating for “bolder opposition to vaccines” at an event hosted by Kennedy’s Children’s Health Defense organization.
Earlier in 2025, kennedy attempted to intervene in the culling of a flock of avian flu-infected ostriches in british Columbia, but authorities ultimately proceeded with the cull after a month of legal challenges and protests.https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/avian-flu-ostrich-cull-kennedy-1.7078699
The loss of measles elimination status serves as a stark warning. Critics argue that current policies prioritize rearmament and war spending over social needs, exacerbating the public health emergency.They contend that the current system,driven by capitalist priorities,is failing to protect the health and lives of citizens.
Advocates are calling for a fundamental restructuring of the healthcare system, including significant investment in a fully funded public health system and the restoration of mass vaccination programs. They emphasize the need for grassroots organization of workers, independent of established political parties and union structures, to advocate for a society that prioritizes human needs over private profit.
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