Alberta, Ontario, and Quebec are hosting pop-up cervical cancer screening events this month, a sign that Canada is at a “critical crossroads” in its effort to eliminate the disease by 2040. Despite being “almost entirely preventable,” cervical cancer claimed nearly 430 lives in Canada in 2025, according to data from the Canadian Cancer Society.
Can Canada Really Wipe Out Cervical Cancer? A New Push for Prevention
Health leaders say doubling down on HPV vaccination and modern screening is key to meeting the aspiring 2040 goal.
- New modelling suggests cervical cancer elimination is still achievable in Canada.
- Increased HPV vaccine uptake and expanded HPV-based screening are crucial.
- Pop-up screening events are improving access, notably for those without regular healthcare.
- Self-screening options are being explored to enhance equity and reconciliation.
Q: What’s the biggest hurdle to eliminating cervical cancer in Canada?
A: Reaching populations facing the greatest barriers to vaccination and screening, and transitioning from traditional Pap tests to more effective HPV testing, are the primary challenges.
The Canadian Partnership Against Cancer says elimination remains within reach, but onyl if the country sustains efforts to increase human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine uptake and expands HPV-based cervical screening across all provinces and territories by 2035. The Partnership is using January’s Cervical Cancer Awareness Month to highlight priorities in the Action Plan for the Elimination of Cervical Cancer in Canada, 2020-2030, which focuses on improving vaccine uptake and shifting to HPV testing as the primary screening tool.
“The goal of eliminating cervical cancer is still within reach,” Partnership CEO Dr. Craig Earle said in a statement, emphasizing the need for a stronger focus on vulnerable populations. Earle added that expanding measures such as HPV self-screening will help improve access and support health equity and reconciliation, priorities outlined in the national action plan.
The Partnership developed the action plan in collaboration with health partners across the country, including individuals with lived experience, screening networks, and First Nations, Inuit and Métis organizations. The pop-up screening events, held in alberta, Ontario, and Quebec, are being organized through partnerships with groups including HPV Global Action, the Women’s Health Coalition, and the society of Gynecologic Oncology of Canada.
Dr. Karla Willows, a gynecologic oncology specialist at Dalhousie University, explained that access to screening is paramount because certain strains of HPV are the primary cause of cervical cancer.Health advocates emphasize that expanding screening options and improving follow-up care are vital for preventing the disease and detecting cancer at earlier, more treatable stages.
Expanding screening options and improving follow-up care remain key to preventing disease and detecting cancer earlier.
