Get Screened Today!

Ontario Breast Screening Program (OBSP)

  Average Risk High Risk
Screening Population As of October 8th, 2024: Women ages 40 to 74 with no acute breast symptoms and no personal history of breast cancer. Women ages 30 to 69 confirmed to be a high risk through the OBSP High-Risk Screening Program
Screening Recommendation Mammogram every two years.

Mammography is the preferred screening method for women at average risk of developing breast cancer.

 Mammogram and breast MRI every year.

For Referral Criteria, please see below.
How to Screen/Refer Breast cancer screening is free of charge for women in Ontario. Women can contact any of the OBSP locations below for an appointment.

A doctor referral is not required for eligible women in the average-risk program. We encourage eligible participants to book online or contact one of the OBSP sites within the region to book an appointment.

View a list of OBSP locations throughout Erie St. Clair (Chatham-Kent, Sarnia-Lambton, Windsor-Essex) HERE.

Book an appointment online HERE.

Physicians can refer patients using the OBSP Requisition for High-Risk Screening to be assessed by the Genetic Counsellor at Windsor Regional Hospital for eligibility.

Referrals can be faxed to 519-255-8688.

To contact the genetic counsellor secretary, call 519-254-5577 ext. 58620.

High-Risk Referral Criteria:

  • A known carrier of a gene mutation (e.g. BRCA 1, BRCA 2).
  • Assessed by a genetic clinic as having a ≥ 25% personal lifetime risk of breast cancer.
  • Received chest radiation (not chest x-ray) before age 30 and at least 8 years previously.
  • First-degree relative of a carrier of a gene mutation who has not previously had genetic counselling or genetic testing or has previously declined genetic testing.
  • Personal or family history of breast and/or ovarian cancer suggestive of a hereditary breast cancer syndrome.

Ontario Breast Screening Recommendations Summary Certain patients may be eligible for the High-Risk Screening Program. Please see the form in the chart above to assess eligibility and fax completed forms to the OBSP Program as required.

 

Ontario Cervical Screening Program (OCSP)

  Average Risk
Screening Population As of March 3rd, 2025, people are eligible for cervical screening if all of the following apply:
  • have an Ontario Health Insurance Plan (OHIP) number
  • are at least 25 years old
  • are a woman, Two-Spirit person, transmasculine person or nonbinary person with a cervix
  • have ever had sexual contact with another person
  • do not have symptoms, like different bleeding or discharge (clear or yellow fluid) from the vagina (genital opening)
  • are due for cervical screening, as per the Ontario Cervical Screening Program’s recommendations

You do not need cervical screening if you are under 25, even if you have had sexual contact.

Most people can stop cervical screening from age 65 to 69. Your doctor, nurse practitioner, or midwife can help you decide if you should still get screened after age 69.
Screening Recommendation It is recommended that you have a cervical screening test every:
  • 5 years, for most people with a history of normal cervical screening test results
  • 3 years, for people with a weakened immune system, for example, if you are living with HIV/AIDS or have had an organ transplant
  • 2 years, for people with a recent history of abnormal cervical screening test results or who have been discharged from colposcopy to a 2-year screening interval
How to Screen There is no cost for the cervical screening test for people who are eligible for screening through the Ontario Cervical Screening Program (OCSP). The test checks for:
  • types of HPV that can sometimes cause cervical cancer
  • cell changes in the cervix caused by these types of HPV

The test does not check for types of HPV that do not cause cancer.

The cervical screening test feels like getting a Pap test. Your doctor, nurse practitioner, or midwife will use a small, soft brush to take cells from the cervix so the lab can test the cells for types of HPV that cause cervical cancer and abnormal changes in the cells.

Abnormal test results: An abnormal cervical screening test result means you have a type of HPV that can sometimes cause cervical cancer. It does not necessarily mean you have cervical cancer, but it does mean you may need additional testing.

If you have an abnormal cervical screening test result, it’s important to connect with your doctor, nurse practitioner or midwife to discuss next steps. You may need to repeat a cervical screening test in 2 years or be sent for an exam called a cervical colposcopy.

Book an appointment with your doctor, nurse practitioner, or midwife.

Some public health units, sexual health clinics and community health centres also provide cervical screening tests. Call a location near you to see if they offer cervical screening tests.

To find Indigenous primary health care organizations, visit the Indigenous Primary Health Care Council and the Association of Family Health Teams of Ontario.

If you do not have a doctor or nurse practitioner, please see the Unattached Patient Resources section.

 

ColonCancerCheck (CCC)

ColonCancerCheck Screening Guidelines Summary
  • Patients at average risk for colorectal cancer (i.e., people ages 50-74 with no first-degree relatives diagnosed with colorectal cancer and no personal history of pre-cancerous colorectal polyps or inflammatory bowel disease) should be screened with the at-home Fecal Immunochemical Test (FIT).
    • Primary care providers can order a FIT kit for average-risk patients by completing OH-CCO FIT Requisition
    • All abnormal FIT results (FIT+) require a FIT+ colonoscopy within 56 days of the result. Complete the FIT+ Referral Form to order a colonoscopy for an abnormal FIT result.
    • People without a family doctor or nurse practitioner can get a FIT by visiting the Unattached Patient Resources section.
  • Patients at high risk for colorectal cancer (i.e., people with one or more first-degree relatives diagnosed with colorectal cancer) should be screened with a colonoscopy.
  • Patients experiencing symptoms of colorectal cancer should be referred for an urgent colonoscopy.

Unattached Patient Resources

For Individuals in the Erie St. Clair Region who may not currently be associated with a primary care provider (family doctor or nurse practitioner), please see the current community organizations willing to order or provide cancer screening tests:

 

Windsor-Essex, Chatham-Kent, Sarnia-Lambton:

RAAMP Clinic - 519-252-9861 ext. 5

For individuals who may currently be waitlisted to join a primary care practice, or do not currently have a primary care provider, but are interested in being screened for cancer, please complete the self-referral form for the RAAMP clinic HERE by clicking here: RAAMP Clinic and selecting the dropdown for Self Referral Form.

 

Thamesview Family Health Team
For individuals in Windsor-Essex, Chatham-Kent or Sarnia-Lambton who do not have a primary care provider and are seeking one, or are looking to participate in cancer screening, please call 226-484-0124 to be connected with the Thamesview FHT to learn more about their current office locations and how to become a patient.

 

Windsor-Essex

CMHA-Windsor Essex – 519-971-0116
For individuals in Windsor-Essex who do not have a primary care provider and are seeking one, please complete the self-referral form HERE to join the CMHA Windsor Essex primary care program, who can also support cancer screening. **Must be a resident of Windsor-Essex to become enrolled in the CMHA Primary Care Program.

SOAHAC Windsor – 519-916-1755

For individuals who meet specific eligibility requirements regarding indigenous status and ancestry, you may be eligible to become a patient through SOAHAC Windsor and receive access to cancer screening, along with other primary care through this organization. Please call the number above to be connected with SOAHAC and discuss eligibility requirements. **Please note, individuals, regardless of self-identification, must meet the SOAHAC-specific criteria to become rostered to the organization.

 

Additionally, you can use any of the three Health811 resources below to find a clinic that offers cancer screening tests: