Help eliminate cervical cancer.
Why it matters
Canada has set the ambitious goal to eliminate cervical cancer by 2040. Yet new 2025 data shows that cervical cancer rates in Canada, once steadily declining, have now plateaued – a shift likely driven by factors like higher transmission of the human papillomavirus (HPV), lower vaccination and screening rates, and gaps in follow-up care.
Cervical cancer is one of the only cancers we can eliminate, and it’s almost entirely preventable through HPV vaccination and effective cervical cancer screening. In 2025, an estimated 1,650 Canadians will be diagnosed with cervical cancer, and 430 lives will be lost – each one from a disease that can be prevented.
Help us send a powerful message to government leaders
Send a letter to your elected official, demanding urgent action to eliminate cervical cancer.
What we know works — and where we are now
Nearly all cases of cervical cancer are due to HPV, making it a powerful target for prevention. HPV testing is a method of cancer screening that is more sensitive, easier to interpret and can be done less frequently than the Pap test. Through HPV testing, we can better detect high-risk types of HPV that lead to cervical cancer.
Cervical cancer screening is evolving across Canada, as provinces and territories take steps to implement HPV testing. Some have adopted the HPV test as their primary screening method while others remain in earlier stages of making this switch. These shifts are modernizing screening and reflect growing momentum – but progress is uneven across the country, and challenges persist. Lab capacity, workforce shortages and access to primary care continue to affect timelines.
Getting the HPV vaccine, especially at an early age, can help prevent cervical cancer. HPV vaccination uptake across Canada is suboptimal, with only Newfoundland and Labrador meeting the 90% vaccination rate for boys or girls target to accelerate cervical cancer elimination by 2040. HPV vaccination uptake varies significantly between and within jurisdictions, ranging from 16% to 93%.
What we are advocating for
Eliminating cervical cancer in Canada is within reach – but will require continued commitment and sustained efforts from all provinces and territories to keep prevention moving forward.
To take bold steps toward eliminating cervical cancer, the Canadian Cancer Society is calling on provincial and territorial governments to at minimum:
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