The legal framework
Every province and territory runs a free school-based programme, now gender-neutral everywhere, with several having moved to a single dose. Screening is organised provincially and is shifting from cytology to HPV primary testing; British Columbia introduced self-screening kits sent to the home, a model other provinces are following.
HPV vaccination in Canada is delivered through provincial school programmes, free for girls and boys, with schedules and catch-up ages differing between provinces. Screening is also provincial, and several provinces have switched or are switching from cytology to primary HPV testing with longer intervals and self-collection options.
Key points
| School programme | Free in every province and territory, girls and boys |
|---|---|
| Doses | Several provinces have moved to a single dose for healthy children |
| Catch-up | Free up to an age set by each province |
| Screening | Provincial; moving from cytology to HPV primary testing |
| Self-screening | British Columbia offers home self-screening kits |
| Interval | Lengthens with HPV testing, typically to five years |
| Cost | Vaccination and screening are publicly funded |
In practice
- Check your province's catch-up age: free vaccination often extends well beyond school years.
- Ask whether self-screening kits are available where you live.
- The longer interval with HPV testing is safe: it reflects a more sensitive test.
- Vaccination does not replace screening.
Cost and coverage
Vaccination and screening are publicly funded.
Where to go
- Provincial public health immunisation programmes.
- Provincial cervical screening programmes.
- School health services and community health centres.
Worth knowing
Programmes differ province by province, including the catch-up age and whether self-screening is offered. Check your own province rather than relying on national information.
Frequently asked questions
Does the schedule differ by province?
Yes. Every province and territory funds HPV vaccination through school programmes for girls and boys, but the grade at which it is offered, the catch-up age and the eligibility for adults differ. Check your provincial immunisation schedule rather than a national one.
Why vaccinate boys as well as girls?
Because HPV causes cancers of the penis, anus and throat as well as the cervix, and genital warts in both sexes — and because high coverage in both sexes cuts transmission for everyone far faster than vaccinating girls alone. Programmes that include boys reach population-level protection years earlier, which is why almost every country that started with girls has since extended it.
Official sources and links
- Public Health Agency of Canada — STI guidance and surveillance
- CATIE — national HIV and hepatitis C knowledge exchange
- Canada.ca — official government portal
- Justice Laws Website — federal statutes and regulations