Overview
- The federal government announced the funding Thursday, Sept. 10, 2026, committing $5 million to expand access to HIV self-testing and to hire peer-based support staff.
- Officials said the money is split roughly into $2 million for self-test kits and $3 million for peer networks, and that about 80,000 kits will be dispatched while distribution plans are finalized.
- Health authorities cited rising HIV figures as the reason for the move, noting roughly 2,300 new diagnoses in 2024, an estimated 70,900 people living with HIV at year-end 2024, and about 7,000 people unaware of their status.
- The initiative prioritizes communities with the highest burdens—Indigenous people, people who inject drugs, gay, bisexual, Two‑Spirit and trans men who have sex with men, Black and other racialized groups—and will use approved self-tests such as OraQuick and INSTI alongside peer-led outreach.
- Advocates welcomed the injection of resources but warned it is a short-term measure and called for sustained funding and strong local services to ensure tests lead to timely treatment, viral suppression and progress toward eliminating HIV as a public‑health threat by 2030.