Adult Immunization: A Smart Investment for Health and the Economy

Vaccination can play a key role in protecting Canada’s ageing population, reducing health system pressures and strengthening the economy 

Canada is facing a significant productivity challenge—one that is increasingly shaping our economic future. The Prime Minister has warned that slow productivity growth is steadily eroding Canadians’ standard of living. Without meaningful improvement, Canada risks weaker economic growth and falling further behind global peers.

At the same time, our population is aging rapidly. Canadians aged 50 and older now make up nearly 40 per cent of the country’s population. By 2040, almost one-quarter of Canadians will be aged 65 or older, with many working and contributing into their senior years. Case in point, the retirement age in Canada now averages 65.3 years, which is four years older than just two decades ago. In addition, seniors volunteer more hours than any other age cohort, giving on average over 200 hours of their time each year.

Yet the ability for older populations to be engaged and contribute to shaping Canada’s productivity and economic resilience depends heavily on one factor: health.

Health and Economic Benefits of Adult Vaccination

“Sir Winston Churchill famously stated that healthy citizens are the greatest asset any country can have. And I believe that’s true,” said Dr. Michelle Horn, Country Medical Director, GSK. “When in good health, people can work longer into older adulthood, stay independent, and continue to be active in their communities. Even when preventive measures such as vaccination require upfront investment, gains are seen in reduced acute care, primary care, and long-term care needs along with increased longevity and quality of life.”

Conversely, the cost of illness is significant.

Let’s take shingles as an example, a common yet preventable viral infection that will impact 1 in 3 of us in our lifetime. A National Institute on Ageing report estimates that shingles has an annual health system impact of approximately $67–82 million. In addition, people who experience shingles reportedly lose an average of 57.5 productive hours and those with post-herpetic neuralgia (PHN) - the most common complication from shingles, lose an average of 159.1 hours from absenteeism and presenteeism in the first six months of experiencing the viral infection. Additional research published by Signal49 Research (formerly operating as The Conference Board of Canada) shows that vaccinating eighty per cent of Canadians aged 50 and older against shingles could return $1.69 for every dollar invested. This includes $1.5 billion in productivity gains, $379 million in additional tax revenue, and $4.2 billion in health improvements over the lifespan of those vaccinated. These returns are higher than those for public investments in cardiovascular research and workplace mental health programs.

"Keeping older Canadians healthy and consistently in the workforce or contributing through caregiving and volunteering efforts is key to improving the country’s productivity outcomes," commented Eddy Nason, Director of Health, Signal49 Research. “Our research has shown that making high-value prevention investments, such as shingles vaccination, could be a critical first step toward supporting healthy aging and boosting our nation's productivity.” 

Closing the Gaps: A Prevention-Focused Future

“Preventative health care, particularly adult immunization, is a game-changer in addressing the health challenges of an aging population. Yet despite clear benefits, adult immunization is often underutilized,” says Dr. Horn.

Canada spends only about 5-7 per cent of health budgets on preventive care, with vaccination representing a small component of that allocation. Too often, adult vaccination programs are underfunded and do not align with National Advisory Committee on Immunization (NACI) recommendations—creating real health consequences, avoidable economic impacts, and critical equity barriers. When public funding falls short, out-of-pocket costs become a noted barrier to vaccination uptake, putting protection out of reach for many Canadians.

“Prevention through immunization requires a strategic investment with benefits that go beyond healthcare and is an important tool that could help to close Canada’s productivity gap and strengthen our economy,” Nason emphasizes. 

By investing in immunization and fostering collaboration between governments, employers, and health stakeholders, the country can improve alignment to expert recommendations, address key access barriers, protect its aging population, and reduce downstream healthcare costs, while also strengthening workforce productivity and the economy.