The early detection and treatment of men with prostate cancer is a complex and urgent challenge faced by most of the worlds' nations. In Canada, its significance is increasing in parallel to that of the United States. With increasing incidence, the implications for intervention in terms of quality of life and the utilization of health care resources must be continually reassessed. In this article, the epidemiology and the screening of prostate cancer as it pertains to Canadian men and the Canadian Health Care system are discussed.