Ontario joins Prince Edward Island in lowering the routine colorectal cancer screening eligibility age from 50 to 45. Multiple reports say the change takes effect on July 1, when Ontarians age 45 and older become eligible for the province’s at-home fecal immunochemical test (FIT). FIT is designed to detect traces of blood in stool, which can be an early sign of colorectal cancer or related conditions.
The coverage frames Ontario as the second Canadian province to adopt the lower screening age, following P.E.I.’s earlier move. As a result of Ontario’s policy update, the provincial program expands access to routine screening for a wider age group beginning July 1. The reports emphasize that the test is provided as an at-home option and that eligibility starts at age 45 under the updated guidelines.
No additional procedural or eligibility details beyond the age change and the use of FIT are included in the provided excerpts.
