YELLOWKNIFE (September 25, 2025) – September marks the launch of a human papilloma virus (HPV) self-sampling mail-out pilot project delivered by the Northwest Territories Health and Social Services Authority (NTHSSA) and the Canadian Partnership Against Cancer.

The project, which is part of Canada’s cancer prevention measures and goal to eliminate cervical cancer by 2024, has launched as a pilot in the Beaufort Delta region, with self-sampling kits being sent to eligible residents in the hamlets of Sachs Harbour and Tsiigehtchic. It is anticipated that the program will roll out to all communities in the region by the end of March 2026. Eligible individuals include women, non-binary, Two-Spirit, transgender, or intersex individuals aged 25-69 years old with a cervix.

This initiative allows eligible individuals to perform a quick and easy HPV self-sampling test in the comfort of their own home, or at their local health centre. In communities where the mail-out pilot has not yet been implemented, the new self-sampling test can be completed at local health centres and primary care clinics. Most cervical cancers are caused by HPV, so it is important to screen for the virus early.

As this pilot project continues to roll out across the Beaufort Delta, HPV self-sampling kits containing an invitation letter, an Evalyn Brush for self-sample collection, an instructional pamphlet, and a laboratory requisition form will be mailed directly to identified eligible individuals. Information will also be distributed via eligibility posters and community radio.

This initiative is grounded in prevention, aiming to increase access to cervical screening and reduce barriers for those in remote communities. It was developed in collaboration with local Indigenous organizations, ensuring culturally-respectful engagement and community leadership as we collectively work towards eliminating cervical cancer, the fourth-most common cancer for women and individuals with a cervix worldwide.

The pilot project, which will visit other Northwest Territories regions after the Beaufort Delta, will be complete in March 2027. For more information about HPV, cervical cancer, or screening information, visit NTHSSA – Cervical Cancer Screening.

For media requests, please contact:

NTHSSA Communications
nthssacomms@gov.nt.ca