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By Canadian Press
$100 Incentive Program

Alberta to pay out $15 million to entice those hesitant to get the COVID-19 vaccine

Oct 13, 2021 | 8:44 AM

EDMONTON – Alberta is on track to spend more than $15 million to directly pay vaccine-hesitant residents to get the COVID-19 shot.

The province says more than 152,000 Albertans have signed up to receive the $100 preloaded debit card in return for getting the vaccine.

The promotion ends Thursday night.

Premier Jason Kenney introduced the debit card in early September to entice more vaccine-hesitant Albertans to sign on and boost the province’s lagging vaccination numbers.

The card, along with other measures such as a modified vaccine passport, have lifted Alberta’s numbers closer to national averages.

As of Oct 11 just over 85 per cent of eligible Albertans had received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, while 76 per cent are fully vaccinated.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 12, 2021.

The Canadian Press

by Canadian Press