Screening Programs Correspondence Privacy Notice
The privacy notice provides information on Ontario Health's screening programs and how personal health information is protected. This letter may be mailed together with the invitation to screen or ahead of the screening test result letter.
Screening Programs and Your Privacy
Why you are getting this letter
You are getting this letter because you have been invited to do a screening test or you are waiting for a screening test result. The purpose of this letter is to let you know how your personal health information is used by Ontario Health to support our screening programs for cancer and other chronic diseases, and the measures we take to ensure your privacy is protected.
Why we collect personal health information
Ontario Health, a crown agency of the Government of Ontario, manages screening programs in Ontario. Ontario Health collects personal health information under s. 39(1)(c) of the Personal Health Information Protection Act, 2004 (PHIPA) and in accordance with s.13(1) paragraphs 1, 6.1 and 9 of Ontario Regulation 329/04. The screening programs use the information to help improve prevention and early detection of cancer and other chronic diseases, including colon cancer, breast cancer, cervical cancer and abdominal aortic aneurysm. For example, to send letters inviting people to get screened. Ontario Health acts according to PHIPA while collecting and using personal health information.
How we collect and store personal health information
Under PHIPA, which is Ontario’s health privacy law, Ontario Health collects secured personal health information from health care facilities, labs, the Ministry of Health and health professionals, such as doctors and nurse practitioners. Ontario Health stores personal health information in a safe and secure database. This database can only be seen by our authorized employees who are required to follow our privacy policies.
How we use personal health information
- We send letters inviting people to get a screening test
- In selected screening programs, we also give people their screening test results
- We remind people when it is time to get another screening test
- We make improvements to the screening programs
How to stop getting letters from Ontario Health
At any time, you can ask us to stop sending you letters about getting tested. To stop getting these letters, fill out the Participant Information Form at ontariohealth.ca/pif or call 1-866-662-9233 to get a form. Print the form and fax or mail it back.
To learn more about the screening programs’ privacy rules at Ontario Health, call 1-866-662-9233, visit ontariohealth.ca/screening-privacy-FAQs or email screeninginfo@ontariohealth.ca.
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Last Updated: February 06, 2026