Colorectal cancer screening is free in every province and territory, and for most people it starts with a simple test done at home. The test is called a fecal immunochemical test, or FIT. It checks a small stool sample for traces of blood that you cannot see. Two provinces, Ontario and Prince Edward Island, now start screening at age 45. Everywhere else, the starting age is still 50.
How you get the kit depends on where you live. Some provinces mail it to you automatically. In others you have to ask. Here is how it works, province by province, based on the official programs’ own pages.
The Canadian Partnership Against Cancer says all provinces and territories recommend screening for people with no symptoms and an average risk of colorectal cancer. Most programs screen adults aged 50 to 74 every one to two years. People with a family history of the disease may be advised to start earlier, so that is a conversation for your doctor or nurse practitioner.
Province-by-province guide
| Province or territory | Ages | How to get your FIT kit |
|---|---|---|
| British Columbia | 50 to 74, every 2 years | Ask your health care provider for an order form, then pick up the free kit at a participating lab and drop the sample back within 7 days. BC Cancer colon screening |
| Alberta | 50 to 74, every 1 to 2 years | Get a lab form from your doctor, or order a free kit online at Screening for Life or by phone at 1-866-727-3926. Screening for Life |
| Saskatchewan | 50 to 74, every 2 years | ColonCheck mails letters and kits to eligible residents with a Saskatchewan health card. You can also call 1-855-292-2202. ColonCheck |
| Manitoba | 50 to 74, every 2 years | ColonCheck mails a kit when you turn 50. Your provider can request one, or you can request one yourself online or at 1-855-952-4325. No referral needed. CancerCare Manitoba |
| Ontario | 45 to 74 (since July 1, 2026), every 2 years | Ask your family doctor or nurse practitioner. No provider? Visit Health811 online or call 811. Free with OHIP. Ontario.ca |
| Quebec | 50 to 74, every 2 years | Book an appointment through Clic Santé or by phone, with or without a family doctor. Quebec.ca |
| New Brunswick | 50 to 74, every 2 years | Eligible residents with a health card get an invitation by mail. Fill out the questionnaire, or complete it by phone at 1-844-777-3443. Return postage is prepaid. Government of N.B. |
| Nova Scotia | 50 to 74, every 2 years | The Colon Cancer Prevention Program mails kits to residents registered with MSI, shortly after their birthday. Questions: 1-866-599-2267. Nova Scotia Health |
| Prince Edward Island | 45 to 74 (lowered in 2026), every 2 years | Request a kit through your primary care provider or the screening program at 902-368-5901. Health PEI |
| Newfoundland and Labrador | 50 to 74, every 2 years | Call the program at 1-855-614-0144, email [email protected], or use the self-referral in the MyHealthNL app. Eastern Health |
| Yukon | 50 to 74, every 2 years | Ask your primary care provider, or contact the program at 867-667-5497 (toll-free 1-844-347-9856). Screening and follow-up care are free for eligible Yukoners. Yukon.ca |
| Northwest Territories | 50 to 74, every 1 to 2 years | Book with your primary care provider, or wait for a mailed kit if you have an NWT health care card. You can also call 866-313-7989, option 6. NTHSSA |
| Nunavut | 50 to 74 (guideline-based) | The official sources reviewed for this article did not list a kit request process for Nunavut. Ask your community health centre. |
What happens when you do the test
The FIT is done in your own bathroom. There is no special diet and you do not need to stop your medications. You collect a small sample using the supplies in the kit, then return it by mail or at a lab, depending on your province. Most programs ask that it be returned quickly, so read the instructions when the kit arrives.
A normal result usually means you will be invited to repeat the test in one to two years. If blood is found, that does not mean you have cancer. It means you will likely be referred for a colonoscopy so a specialist can look for the cause. In New Brunswick, for example, a program nurse arranges that follow-up.
Who should not wait for a kit
FIT screening is meant for people with no symptoms. Public health agencies say anyone with symptoms such as blood in the stool, a lasting change in bowel habits or unexplained weight loss should see a health care provider rather than rely on a home screening test. The same goes for people with a close relative who had colorectal cancer, who may need a different schedule.
Why the age is changing
The Canadian Partnership Against Cancer notes that several jurisdictions are considering lowering the starting age to 45, because of rising rates of colorectal cancer in younger people. Ontario made the change on July 1, 2026, and Prince Edward Island moved earlier this year. Other provinces have not announced the same step, so check your province’s page above for updates.
If you are close to 50, or 45 in Ontario or P.E.I., and have never done a FIT, the quickest next step is to use the contact listed for your province.
This article is based on official guidance from the Canadian Partnership Against Cancer and the provincial and territorial screening programs listed above, and is provided for general public information. It’s not a substitute for medical advice, if you have questions about how this applies to you, talk to your doctor or pharmacist.
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Sources: Canadian Partnership Against Cancer, Colorectal screening in Canada, 2026; Ontario.ca; Health PEI; BC Cancer; Screening for Life (Alberta); Saskatchewan Cancer Agency; CancerCare Manitoba; Quebec.ca; Government of New Brunswick; Nova Scotia Health; Eastern Health (N.L.); Yukon.ca; NTHSSA.
