Cervical cancer starts in the cells of the cervix. The cervix is the part of the body that connects the uterus (womb) to the vagina (genital opening). Cervical cancer is almost always caused by the human papillomavirus (HPV). Having a family history of cervical cancer does not increase your risk.
Cervical cancer is largely preventable with the HPV vaccine, regular cervical screening, and timely follow-up of abnormal results.
To learn more about cervical cancer, visit the Canadian Cancer Society.
(From Cervical Screening | Cancer Care Ontario)
Cancer screening is testing done on people who are at risk of getting cancer, but who have no symptoms and generally feel fine.
Cervical screening means checking for cervical cancer in order to catch any cancer related changes early and start prevention and treatment early. It is an important part of routine health care for anyone with a cervix (women, transmasculine and non-binary people) and helps to prevent cervical cancer.
The cervical screening test (HPV test) feels like getting a Pap test. Your primary care provider or a nurse will insert a speculum into the vagina, you may feel a bit of pressure. After, they will use a small, soft brush to take cells from the cervix so that the lab can test the cells for types of HPV and cell changes.
Cervical screening is covered by OHIP, so there is no cost.
What is human papillomavirus (HPV)?
Human papillomavirus (HPV) is a virus that is passed from one person to another. It can be transmitted to the genitals through sexual contact. Sexual contact can include any time another person has contact with your genitals (private parts).
The Ontario Cervical Screening Program (OCSP) is a province-wide screening program run by Ontario Health (Cancer Care Ontario). The program’s goal is to lower people’s chance of getting or dying from cervical cancer by increasing the number of eligible people with a cervix (including women, Two-Spirit people, transmasculine people and nonbinary people) who get screened regularly and who have timely and appropriate follow-up of abnormal results.
Getting regular cervical screening is important because it checks for types of human papillomavirus (HPV) that can sometimes cause cervical cancer. The cervical screening test also checks for cell changes in the cervix caused by these types of HPV, which could become cancer over time (called pre-cancers). Finding pre-cancers and treating them can help you avoid getting cervical cancer.
The Ontario Cervical Screening Program recommends that most people who are eligible for cervical screening get a cervical screening test every 5 years.
Click here to learn more about when to get screened.
People should get screened if they:
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 according to the Ontario Cervical Screening Program’s recommendations
People who are eligible should still get screened if they:
have had the HPV vaccine
feel healthy
have been through menopause
have not had any family members with cervical cancer
have had sexual contact with only 1 person
have had the same sexual partner for a long time
have not had sexual contact in a long time
have only had protected sexual contact
are in a same-sex relationship
are pregnant
have had a subtotal hysterectomy and kept their cervix
Some people may need to get screened every 3 years if they have a weakened immune system. For example, if they are living with HIV/AIDS or have had an organ transplant.
Most people can stop cervical screening from age 65 to 69. Your primary care provider can help you decide if you need to be screened after age 69.
To find out more about cervical screening, visit the Cervical Screening page.
The cervical cancer screening program runs out of the TW FHT clinic.
Please book your cervical cancer screening with your primary care provider:
If your primary care provider is not available to do your cervical cancer screening, you can also book your cervical screening test through:
If your test results are abnormal, we will contact you to plan for next steps.
HPV stands for Human Papillomavirus and is a virus transmitted between humans. Some types of the human papillomavirus (HPV) cause cervical cancer. HPV infections of the genitals can cause cell changes in the cervix that may turn into cancer before you feel any symptoms.
Getting the HPV vaccine helps protect against cervical cancer and genital warts caused by HPV. Getting the vaccine before becoming sexually active provides the greatest protection. The vaccine may also protect against future HPV infections if you are already sexually active, as the vaccine protects against 9 different types of HPV.
Ontario students in Grade 7 can get the vaccine for free through a school-based HPV vaccination program. Students have until the end of grade 12 to complete their HPV immunization series, should they have missed any doses of the HPV vaccine in grade 7.
The HPV vaccine is available outside of the school program for a cost. Some private health plans cover the cost of the vaccine.
Talk to your doctor or nurse practitioner to see if the HPV vaccine is right for you.
What you should know about cervical screening
Human papillomavirus (HPV) - Public Health Agency of Canada HPV Vaccine
Edited June 26, 2026