40 or Older? You Can Book Your Own Mammogram in Ontario
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Women in Ontario can access breast cancer screening starting at age 40 without first getting a referral from a family doctor or nurse practitioner. Eligible people between the ages of 40 and 74 can book a screening mammogram directly through the Ontario Breast Screening Program (OBSP), with eligible screening covered by OHIP.
Ontario expanded the program to people ages 40 to 49 on October 8, 2024, lowering the age for self-referral from 50 to 40. Screening is available at more than 240 OBSP locations across the province, and a physician or nurse practitioner referral is not required.
What Should Women Ages 40 to 49 Know?
Women in their 40s can decide to book a mammogram themselves. Ontario Health encourages people in this age group to discuss the potential benefits and harms of breast cancer screening with a doctor, nurse practitioner or trained Health811 navigator before deciding whether screening is right for them.
The decision can depend on personal risk factors, family and medical history, as well as an individual's preferences. Mammograms can detect breast cancers when they are still small and before they can be felt, but screening can also lead to additional testing for findings that ultimately prove not to be cancer.
What About Women Ages 50 to 74?
For most eligible people between 50 and 74, the Ontario Breast Screening Program recommends a screening mammogram every two years. They can also book directly without a referral from a doctor or nurse practitioner.
The OBSP is Ontario's organized breast cancer screening program and provides publicly funded screening for eligible women, Two-Spirit people, trans people and nonbinary people ages 40 to 74.
Who May Need a Different Screening Path?
People considered at high risk of breast cancer may follow a different screening schedule. Ontario's High Risk OBSP is available to eligible people ages 30 to 69 who meet specific criteria related to genetics, family or personal medical history, or certain previous treatments. High-risk screening requires assessment through a health-care provider.
Anyone experiencing breast symptoms should also speak with a health-care provider rather than relying on routine screening alone.
How Do You Book?
Women can contact their nearest Ontario Breast Screening Program location directly or call the program at 1-800-668-9304.
Ontario Health also provides an online breast screening location and wait-time tool showing nearby OBSP centres, hours of operation, accessibility information and mammogram appointment wait times.
A mammogram is an X-ray of the breast that can detect small changes and cancers that may be too small to see or feel. Finding breast cancer earlier can mean it is smaller, less likely to have spread and more likely to be successfully treated.
