Thursday, May 07, 2026
Ontario Lowering Eligibility Age for Life-Saving Colon Cancer Screening
Everyone 45 years of age and older will be eligible to access publicly funded colorectal cancer screening as of July 1
The Ontario government is lowering the eligibility age to allow people to access publicly funded colorectal cancer screening to help more people receive life-saving screening services sooner. Starting July 1, the eligibility age will be lowered from 50 to 45 for all individuals and to 40 for those at increased risk. This historic expansion will give more than one million additional people the option to connect to life-saving screening services to detect and treat colorectal cancer sooner.
“Colorectal cancer is one of the most commonly diagnosed cancers in Canada, with rates rising among younger people,” said Sylvia Jones, Deputy Premier and Minister of Health. “That’s why we are taking this critical step to connect more than one million younger Ontarians to detection and treatment as early as possible, so that they can get the care they need, when and where they need it.”
Research has shown that lowering the screening age is critical to detecting colorectal cancer earlier, when it is at its most treatable. Under the current model, patients under 50 need to get a referral following an examination or the signs of symptoms, to access a screening. By lowering the age of eligibility, more than one million Ontarians will now be able to easily access life-saving screening by calling their health care provider or Health811, who will provide them directly with a test without the need of a referral. Ontarians under 40 who, following an examination, receive a referral from a doctor will also continue to access publicly funded screening through the Ontario Health Insurance Plan (OHIP).
Beginning July 1, eligible people across Ontario ages 45-49 will start to receive letters from the ColonCancerCheck program to help them connect to an initial colorectal cancer screening test. Eligible individuals without a primary care provider can also access the test by calling Health811 at 866-797-0007. In the case of abnormal test results, the patient’s doctor, nurse practitioner or Ontario Health will contact them to provide support and schedule a follow-up colonoscopy.
People at increased risk, meaning they have one first-degree relative (parent, sibling or child) with colorectal cancer diagnosed before age 60 or more than one relative diagnosed with colorectal cancer at any age, will be eligible for a publicly funded screening at age 40 or 10 years earlier than the youngest age a relative was diagnosed.
This expanded eligibility builds on the province’s previous actions to lower the age of self-referral to mammograms to 40, connecting an additional one million women to important screening services to detect and treat breast cancer sooner. Since coming into effect in Fall 2024, more than 280,000 women have been screened through self-referral.
As part of Your Health: A Plan for Connected and Convenient Care, the Ontario government continues to expand access to critical services and innovative treatments ensuring more people receive the right care, including faster access to life-saving cancer therapies, where and when they need it, closer to home.
Quick Facts:
- ColonCancerCheck currently performs over 780,000 FITs each year.
- Colorectal cancer is the fourth most common type of cancer diagnosed in Ontario. It is also the second most common cause of cancer death among Ontario men and the third most common cause of cancer death for women. When colon cancer is found early, 9 out of every 10 people with the disease can be cured.
- Ontario is fast-tracking access to eight new breakthrough cancer drugs, including one that treats colorectal cancer, through the Funding Accelerated for Specific Treatments program.
Quotes:
"The evidence is clear: colorectal cancer rates are rising globally and across Canada, and earlier screening saves lives. Lowering the screening age to 45 is an evidence-based decision that will help detect precancerous disease earlier and diagnose cancers when treatment is most effective. This is an important step forward for improving outcomes for patients and families, and we commend the Ontario government’s leadership in advancing prevention-focused care."
- Dr. Kevin Smith, President and CEO, University Health Network
"What we are seeing in practice is a real shift, with colorectal cancer increasingly affecting younger adults. That reality makes it clear that the future of cancer care is prevention and early detection, before disease becomes more advanced or harder to treat. Earlier screening gives us the chance to intervene sooner and fundamentally change the trajectory for patients."
- Dr. Sami Chadi, Site Lead, Gastrointestinal Surgical Oncology Program, Princess Margaret Cancer Centre
"In-Common Laboratories (ICL) commends the Ontario Government for lowering the colorectal cancer screening age from 50 to 45 as of July 1st. This change will enable more Ontarians to gain access to the fecal immunochemical screening test (FIT). As a Canadian, not-for-profit medical laboratory company, we are proud to work with the government to ensure that more Ontarians can benefit from cancer screening and timely, preventative care."
- Isaac Gould, Chief Executive Officer, In-Common Laboratories
"Ontario’s decision to lower the screening age to 45 for average-risk individuals reflects what the evidence has been telling us for years—colorectal cancer is increasingly affecting younger adults. We commend Ontario for taking this important step, joining Prince Edward Island in leading the way. Through our #ScreenAt45 campaign, we’re urging every province and territory to follow suit so Canadians everywhere can benefit from earlier detection."
- Barry Stein, President and CEO, Colorectal Cancer Canada
"As colorectal cancer increasingly affects younger Canadians, lowering the screening age will help find more cancers earlier, when treatment is more likely to be successful. We applaud Ontario’s decision to lower the screening age to 45, a move that will improve health outcomes and save lives. As Canada’s largest province, and the second to make this change, we hope this builds momentum and sets a strong example for other jurisdictions across the country to follow Ontario’s lead."
- Dr. Stuart Edmonds, Executive Vice President, Mission, Research and Advocacy, Canadian Cancer Society
Additional Resources:
Media Contacts:
Ema Popovic
Minister Jones’ Office
ema.popovic@ontario.ca
Media Relations
Communications Branch
media.moh@ontario.ca
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