Colorectal cancer screening in Canada: 2021/2022

About this section

This section describes how provinces and territories correspond with individuals after colorectal screening, and how individuals are notified of their results and invited for follow-up with a diagnostic colonoscopy.

Diagnostic follow-up for colorectal screening

Most jurisdictions mail screening results to participants, while primary care providers receive results via fax or an online system. Five provinces and one territory send a recall reminder to participants every two years, with some programs sending a testing kit alongside the recall reminder.

patient with their healthcare provider reviewing their diagnostic image

Receiving results for normal colorectal screening test results

P/T PCP responsible for contacting participants to provide results  Results mailed to participant  PCP receives FIT results via fax/ online system  Other ways to receive normal results 
YN
NT  ✓ (opportunistic) Negative FIT results through the organized screening program receive a letter and phone call from the program directly
NU 
BC 
AB 
SK 
MB 
ON  ✓*
QC  ✓ (opportunistic) ✓ (program)^
NB  PCP receives FIT results via mail
NS 
PE 
NL 

ON: *Lab sends the FIT result to the PCP
QC: ^Once program established


Recall for screening after normal results

P/T  Recall reminder and kit mailed together every 2 years  Recall reminder mailed out every 2 years or when participant is due  Requisition mailed out when participants are due  Patient questionnaire mailed   No formal recall (participant or PCP must initiate screening) 
YT 
NT 
NU 
BC 
AB 
SK 
MB 
ON 
QC  ✓ (program)* ✓ (opportunistic)
NB 
NS 
PE 
NL 

QC: *Once program established.