Cervical cancer screening in Canada, 2026
Information Technology (IT) systems to support cervical cancer screening
Eleven jurisdictions have provincial IT systems for cervical cancer screening. Of those, seven have integrated the IT system with other screening programs. Most jurisdictions that have a provincial IT system use it to support operationalizing the cervical cancer screening program and as a data repository.
IT systems
| P/T | Program has a provincial IT system for cervical cancer screening | IT system is integrated with other screening programs (e.g., colon, breast, lung) | IT system is integrated with other health data systems (e.g., Hospital EHR, RIS, Population Registry) related to cervical cancer screening | IT system is used for operationalizing the cervical cancer screening program (e.g., to send reminders, recall, follow-up, etc.). | IT system is used as a data repository (e.g. storage and reporting) | Where is the IT system hosted (e.g., cloud-based, on local server)? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| YT | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| NT | ✓* | |||||
| NU | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| BC | ✓ | ✓ | Some | ✓ | ✓ | Local server |
| AB | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | Local server | |
| SK | ✓ | ✓* | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | On a Citrix server; data in an Oracle database |
| MB | ✓ | Cervical cancer screening database registry is integrated with analyzing labs for registration of screening test results, and screening history look-up by cytologists/pathologists. Database registry is updated monthly with Manitoba demographic, cancer data, and hysterectomies performed. | ✓ | ✓ | Local server | |
| ON* | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | Cloud-based |
| QC | ✓* | |||||
| NB | ✓ | ✓* | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | Local server |
| NS | ✓ | ✓ | IT system receives full population registry information weekly | ✓ | ✓ | Local server |
| PE | ✓ | Yes (colon, lung planning for summer 2023) | Yes, client registry | ✓ | No, provincial clinical information system is considered main data repository | Local server |
| NL | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | Cloud-based |
Data are current as of October 2023, except for Ontario which is current as of March 2024 and Manitoba 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:
NT: Database currently being created for territorial screening programs.
SK: The Saskatchewan Cancer Agency (SCA) is developing an integrated software across all screening programs (cervical, breast, and colon). The implementation date of CanCheck software is not yet determined.
ON: The Ontario Cervical Screening Program (OCSP) has access to various administrative data bases which provide data on people who are eligible for cervical screening, cervical screening test results, and limited data related to colposcopy. Data is organized through a provincial IT system which is used to inform the OCSP’s correspondence program and other program features such as monitoring, reporting and evaluation.
QC: The province is working to implement an information system for all screenings, including cervical screening.
NB: Currently integrated with the colon screening program; planned future integration with the lung screening program.
YT, NU: No information was provided at the time data were collected.