Ontario has lowered the starting age for breast cancer screening to 40, expanding access to cancer screening services through the Ontario Breast Screening Program (OBSP). Starting October 8, 2024, eligible people in Ontario ages 40 to 49 can self-refer to any Ontario Breast Screening Program location.
The program offers publicly funded breast cancer screening for women, Two-Spirit people, trans people, and nonbinary people ages 40 to 74. Regular mammograms, which are X-ray images of the breast, play an important role in finding breast cancer early.
Screening can find breast cancers when they are small, less likely to have spread and more likely to be treated successfully. Partly thanks to screening and early detection, breast cancer has one of the highest survival rates among all cancer types, despite being one of the most common cancers in Ontario.
Deciding About Breast Cancer Screening
The Ontario Breast Screening Program encourages individuals ages 40 to 49 to talk to a doctor, nurse practitioner or trained Health811 navigator to make an informed decision about breast cancer screening. The balance of potential benefits and potential harms of breast cancer screening can vary from person to person, and a conversation with a health care professional or a Health811 navigator can help them decide if screening is right for them.
How to Get Breast Cancer Screening
People in Ontario ages 40 to 74 do not need a referral from a doctor or nurse practitioner to get screened through the program. They can make screening mammogram appointments at any of the more than 240 Ontario Breast Screening Program locations across Ontario. To find contact information, mammogram wait times and hours of operation for the nearest location, visit Ontario Health – Wait Times, or call 1-800-668-9304.