Cervical cancer screening in Canada, 2026
Follow-up after an abnormal Pap test
Result letters are sent to participants and/or primary care providers after an abnormal screening result. Five jurisdictions send follow-up notifications to both participants and primary care providers. Two jurisdictions follow-up with primary care providers only, while three jurisdictions follow-up with participants only.
Follow-up for abnormal Pap test results
| P/T | Result letter to PCP from lab | Result letter to participant | Reminder letter to PCP | Reminder letter to participant |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| YT | – | – | – | – |
| NT | ✓ PCP receives results electronically in EMR from lab |
|||
| NU | ✓ | |||
| BC | ✓ | ✓ Abnormal results only |
✓ Facilitated referral to local colposcopy clinic. First reminder sent to colposcopy clinic, second reminder to PCP |
|
| AB | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ High-grades where no follow-up has occurred |
✓ High-grades where no follow-up has occurred |
| SK | ✓ (electronic) | ✓ | ✓ Reminder letter sent to physicians when repeat Pap test is due or if colposcopy referral is dueOutstanding reminder letter sent (after initial reminder letter) to healthcare providers if follow-up Pap test or colposcopy result is not received. This letter will continue to be sent every six months until follow-up has been received |
✓ Reminder letter sent to client when repeat Pap test is due or if colposcopy is dueOutstanding reminder letter sent (after initial reminder letter) to client if the follow-up Pap test or colposcopy is not received. This letter will continue to be sent every six months until follow-up has been received |
| MB | ✓ | ✓ For all high-grade Pap test results; sent if necessary for low-grade Pap where follow-up has not occurred |
✓ | ✓ |
| ON | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ Patients who require following up are flagged in the Screening Activity Report for providers practicing in patient enrollment models |
✓ |
| QC* | ||||
| NB | ✓ | ✓ When follow-up testing is overdue, based on NB CPGs |
✓ Sent 6–12 months after PCP follow-up correspondence is sent, if no follow up is completed |
|
| NS | ✓ | ✓ Reminder letters mailed to PCP when it appears that a patient with a significant abnormality has not been appropriately managed |
||
| PE* | ✓ For provincial Pap results |
✓ For participants of cervical screening clinics |
✓ For provincial Pap results |
✓ For provincial Pap results, sent to patient after 12 months if no follow-up was completed |
| NL | ✓ | ✓ |
Data are current as of October 2023, except for Ontario which is current as of February 2026. Data for Nunavut and Yukon presented here is from data collected for the 2021-2022 E-Scan. For the most up-to-date information, please reference each jurisdiction’s program website.
*Footnotes:
QC: The Pap test report is accessible in the Québec Health Record and the HPV report is faxed to the physician or SNP.
PE: PCPs receive results and reminders for follow-up from the lab if follow-up was not initiated after 3, 6, 9, 12, and 21 months. Participants of cervical cancer screening at provincial cervical screening clinics receive result letter.
YT: No information was provided at the time data were collected.