Important screening for women in Ontario: how to book breast and cervical screening and where to find care

Ontario offers clear official pathways for breast and cervical cancer screening, including direct booking for eligible breast screening patients and Health811 support to help people find clinics that provide cervical screening if they do not have a family doctor, nurse practitioner, or midwife. This is especially important for women who have delayed screening or are still trying to access primary care.

According to Cancer Care Ontario, the Ontario Breast Screening Program offers breast screening for eligible people ages 40 to 74 who do not have symptoms, while separate referral-based pathways are available for high-risk patients ages 30 to 69. The province also says people ages 40 to 49 can discuss screening with a doctor, nurse practitioner, or Health811 navigator to make an informed decision, while most people ages 50 to 74 are advised to screen every two years.

For cervical screening, Ontario recommends that most eligible people be screened every five years from ages 25 to 69 if they have a cervix, have ever had sexual contact, and do not have concerning symptoms. Cancer Care Ontario also notes that the HPV-based cervical screening test has replaced the traditional Pap test because it is better at helping prevent cervical cancer.

On access and booking, women can book a mammogram directly through an Ontario Breast Screening Program site or by calling the provincial booking line at 1-800-668-9304. Screening locations and mammogram wait times are also available through Ontario Health’s official wait-times tool. Cervical screening can be arranged through a doctor, nurse practitioner, or midwife, and Health811 can be used at any time to help find a clinic that provides cervical screening through phone support, live chat, or the service finder.

Official sources also say some public health units and community health centres provide cervical screening, and mobile screening services are available in some regions, including North West and Hamilton Niagara Haldimand Brant, helping improve access where local options may be limited.

The most practical message for women in Ontario is not to treat screening as something that depends only on having a family doctor. If you are in the eligible age group, or your screening is overdue, you can start now through Health811 or the province’s breast screening program to find the right service.

Helpful resources

• Health811
  Call: 811
  TTY: 1-866-797-0007
  Live chat and service-finder tools are available through the official Health811 website.
• Ontario Breast Screening Program
  Booking line: 1-800-668-9304
  Patients can self-book, and screening locations plus wait times are available through Ontario Health’s official tools.
• Ontario cervical screening information
  Available through Cancer Care Ontario, including eligibility, timing, and where to get screened.
• Mobile screening in some regions
  North West: 1-807-684-7777
  Hamilton Niagara Haldimand Brant: 1-855-338-3131