The Halton Catholic school board intently overcame a shift Tuesday night that would have made it the first in Ontario to forbid public health functionaries from giving the HPV vaccine to Grade 8 girls.

The vaccine defends against illness from four separate strains of human papilloma virus, which combined cause 70% of all cervical cancer cases.

The program is planned for as many as 85,000 girls’ area wide this year.

It is projected that around 500 women are diagnosed with cervical cancer and over 100 die of it, each year in Ontario.

Even though the Halton panel sanctioned the inoculation, it still needs parents to sign a formal written statement before their daughters receive the injections.

Dalton McGuinty, Liberal Leader backs up the vaccination plan and stated it’s too early to think other alternatives.

"Well, I think we have to wait and see how many boards are actually going to say no before we pin it on one particular board. But as I say, my advice to the board is, ah, the single most important issue here is the health of our young women,” Mr. Dalton added.

The Huron-Superior Catholic board in northern Ontario has already delayed the plan until they can obtain additional information from the Health Ministry.

The Toronto Catholic school board will vote Wednesday night on the vaccination plan.

In a recent interview, Dr. Barbara Yaffe, Toronto's director communicable disease control, said, “Simply put this vaccine is about cancer prevention for young women. Last year there were 500 cases of cervical cancer and 140 deaths in Ontario. This vaccine can prevent serious illness.”

Dr. Vanita Dubay, an associate medical officer of health with Toronto Public Health, said the process of notifying parents is underway.

Dubay said, “We've sent home, and we're sending home, consent forms through all of the schools. Some schools will receive them sooner than others. They're going home with the kids to their parents. They can sign if it they agree to have the vaccine, if they don't want to have the vaccine, and even if they've already been vaccinated, so we can update their immunization record.”

Pupils who decide not to have the vaccination will not be suspended if they choose not to take part.