OTTAWA — Federal public health officials say a freezer door was left open at the national emergency stockpile in December 2024, causing the loss of $20 million worth of medication.

Officials from the Public Health Agency of Canada were called before the House of Commons health committee this week to answer questions about what happened.

Part of the briefing was held behind closed doors because of national security concerns linked to the stockpile, which is maintained to prepare for disease outbreaks and other emergencies.

During the meeting, MPs said they learned a freezer door was pushed open very slightly after a box inside it shifted and expanded in the cold.

Public health officials responding to questions also said they learned a “foreign national” was interested in accessing the emergency stockpile warehouse after this incident but was not able to do so.

The federal auditor general is now investigating the incident, the officials said.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 12, 2026.

Sarah Ritchie, The Canadian Press