HPV immunization policies

HPV vaccine delivery across Canada

Key takeaways

  • To help reduce the burden of HPV-related cancers, Canada has set a target of achieving 90% HPV immunization coverage of adolescents by 17 years of age.
  • HPV immunizations are offered through publicly funded school-based and catch-up programs in all provinces and territories in Canada.
  • Eligibility for the HPV vaccine outside of school-based programs varies greatly across Canada. Manitoba,1 Prince Edward Island,2 and Newfoundland and Labrador3 offer the most coverage by making publicly funded HPV vaccines available to anyone who was previously eligible for it but did not receive it (“once-eligible-always-eligible”).
  • As of 2024, one dose of the HPV vaccine is recommended for all individuals 9 to 20 years of age, unless immunocompromised.4 Quebec is the first province to offer one-dose HPV immunization in their 2024-25 publicly funded program.5
  • Nationally, HPV immunization coverage among 14-year-olds in 2021 was approximately 84% for at least one dose of the HPV vaccine.6,7 Coverage for 2 doses of the HPV vaccine among 14-year-olds among select provinces and territories in 2023 was approximately 67%.7 HPV immunization coverage continues to lag behind coverage for other vaccines administered to adolescents.6
  • HPV immunization coverage varies greatly by province and territory and varies regionally within each province and territory across the country. Although there has been progress to HPV vaccine uptake across Canada, provinces and territories continue to recover from disruptions to immunization programs due to the COVID-19 pandemic.7

HPV vaccination rates by province/territory (years vary)

Hover over each province and territory for HPV vaccination rates and additional context or view the data in table form.

*Each province and territory has provided its own content and measures this indicator differently. Because of these differences, data cannot be compared across provinces/territories. Quebec data was gathered from the February 2024 Flash Vigie report.
**All provinces and territories (except Quebec) administer GARDASIL®9 on a two- or three-dose schedule according to the National Advisory Committee on Immunization recommended immunization schedule for HPV vaccines. People under the age of 15 are given two doses.
Data table and footnotes

HPV immunization in Canada

90%
HPV immunization coverage is the target for 17-year-olds

Publicly funded HPV vaccination programs

Publicly funded, school-based HPV immunization programs in all provinces and territories are the primary method for vaccine delivery. These programs provide an efficient and equitable mechanism to reach young people, when the vaccine is most effective. Programs were implemented in 2007 for girls, and by 2017 had been extended to boys.

School-based HPV immunization programs are administered in grades 4 to 7.

Many provinces and territories offer catch-up HPV immunization programs, as well as extended eligibility for the publicly funded HPV vaccine to certain groups. Manitoba, Prince Edward Island, and Newfoundland and Labrador offer the most coverage by making publicly funded HPV vaccines available to anyone who was previously eligible for it but did not receive it (“once-eligible-always-eligible”). In addition, PEI offers the HPV vaccine free of charge to individuals of any age who self-identify as high-risk.

HPV immunization schedules

The National Advisory Committee on Immunization (NACI) recommends HPV immunization for all individuals 9 to 26 years of age. In 2024, NACI released updated HPV vaccine guidance, including reduced doses, based on age and immunocompetence.

NACI recommendations on HPV immunization schedules

Groups NACI guidelines on HPV Immunization schedules
9-20 years 1-dose HPV vaccine schedule with GARDASIL ® 9 (9vHPV*)
21-26 years 2-dose HPV vaccine schedule with GARDASIL ® 9 (9vHPV)
27 years and older 2-dose HPV vaccine schedule with GARDASIL ® 9 (9vHPV)
9 years and older who are immunocompromised or living with HIV 3-dose HPV vaccine schedule with GARDASIL ® 9 (9vHPV)

*9vHPV: 9-valent human papillomavirus vaccine; provides protection against infection caused by HPV types 6, 11, 16, 18, 31, 33, 45, 52, and 58

Related content

  1. Province of Manitoba. Manitoba’s Immunization Program: Vaccines Offered Free-of-Charge (Eligibility Criteria for Publicly-Funded Vaccines) 2024. Available from: https://www.gov.mb.ca/health/publichealth/cdc/vaccineeligibility.html#:~:text=Healthy%20females%20born%20on%20or,age%2C%202%20doses%20are%20recommended.
  2. Government of Prince Edward Island. Human Papillomavirus (HPV) Vaccine (Gardasil® 9) 2023. Available from: https://www.princeedwardisland.ca/en/information/health-and-wellness/human-papillomavirus-hpv-vaccine-gardasilr-9.
  3. Government of Newfoundland and Labrador. Routine Immunization Schedules 2019. Available from: https://www.gov.nl.ca/hcs/files/publichealth-cdc-s2-routine-imztn-schedules.pdf.
  4. Government of Canada. Human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccines: Canadian Immunization Guide 2024. Available from: https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/publications/healthy-living/canadian-immunization-guide-part-4-active-vaccines/page-9-human-papillomavirus-vaccine.html.
  5. Gouvernement du Québec. Human papillomavirus (HPV) immunization program 2025. Available from: https://www.quebec.ca/en/health/advice-and-prevention/vaccination/human-papillomavirus-hpv-vaccination-program.
  6. Government of Canada. Highlights from the 2021 childhood National Immunization Coverage Survey (cNICS) 2024. Available from: https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/immunization-vaccines/vaccination-coverage/2021-highlights-childhood-national-immunization-coverage-survey.html.
  7. Government of Canada. Updated recommendations on human papillomavirus vaccines 2024. Available from: https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/publications/vaccines-immunization/national-advisory-committee-immunization-updated-recommendations-hpv-vaccines.html.
  8. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. HPV vaccination is safe and effective 2021. Available from: https://www.cdc.gov/hpv/parents/vaccinesafety.html.
  9. Goyette A, Yen GP, Racovitan V, Bhangu P, Kothari S, Franco EL. Evolution of Public Health Human Papillomavirus Immunization Programs in Canada. Curr Oncol. 2021;28(1):991-1007. Epub 2021/02/23. doi: 10.3390/curroncol28010097. PubMed PMID: 33617515; PubMed Central PMCID: PMCPMC7985769.
  10. de Sanjose S, Serrano B, Tous S, Alejo M, Lloveras B, Quiros B, et al. Burden of Human Papillomavirus (HPV)-Related Cancers Attributable to HPVs 6/11/16/18/31/33/45/52 and 58. JNCI Cancer Spectr. 2018;2(4):pky045. Epub 2019/07/31. doi: 10.1093/jncics/pky045. PubMed PMID: 31360870; PubMed Central PMCID: PMCPMC6649711.
  11. Donken R, van Niekerk D, Hamm J, Spinelli JJ, Smith L, Sadarangani M, et al. Declining rates of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia in British Columbia, Canada: An ecological analysis on the effects of the school-based human papillomavirus vaccination program. Int J Cancer. 2021;149(1):191-9. Epub 2021/02/16. doi: 10.1002/ijc.33513. PubMed PMID: 33586169.
  12. Racey CS, Albert A, Donken R, Smith L, Spinelli JJ, Pedersen H, et al. Cervical Intraepithelial Neoplasia Rates in British Columbia Women: A Population-Level Data Linkage Evaluation of the School-Based HPV Immunization Program. J Infect Dis. 2020;221(1):81-90. Epub 2019/09/11. doi: 10.1093/infdis/jiz422. PubMed PMID: 31504649; PubMed Central PMCID: PMCPMC6910877.
  13. Palmer TJ, Kavanagh K, Cuschieri K, Cameron R, Graham C, Wilson A, et al. Invasive cervical cancer incidence following bivalent human papillomavirus vaccination: a population-based observational study of age at immunization, dose, and deprivation. J Natl Cancer Inst. 2024;116(6):857-65. Epub 2024/01/22. doi: 10.1093/jnci/djad263. PubMed PMID: 38247547.
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