Save Your Skin Foundation (SYSF) has announced the expansion of its national public sunscreen dispenser program, reaching over 100 locations across Canada with the installation of 20 new dispensers in 2026. The program, launched in 2022, provides free sunscreen in parks, beaches, recreational facilities, festivals, and underserved communities to reduce skin cancer risk and promote sun-safe behaviours.
Milestone Achievement in Sun Safety
“Reaching 100 dispenser locations is an exciting milestone for our organization,” said Kathy Barnard, Founder and President of Save Your Skin Foundation. “Skin cancer is one of the most common cancers in Canada, yet it is also one of the most preventable. By making sunscreen readily available in the places where people live, work, play, and gather, we’re helping remove barriers to sun protection and encouraging healthier habits.”
Experts predict 11,300 people in Canada will be diagnosed with melanoma skin cancer this year, compared to 10,800 last year, and 1,250 will die from it. Despite 90% of skin cancers being caused by UV exposure, rates continue to rise as Canadians spend more time in the sun.
New Dispenser Locations in 2026
The 20 new dispensers have been installed in communities across British Columbia, Quebec, New Brunswick, and Alberta. Locations include parks, recreation facilities, visitor centres, Indigenous communities, festivals, and healthcare organizations. Notable new sites include the Nakusp Visitor Centre in BC, White Rock (mobile/roaming unit), City of Enderby (mobile/roaming unit), Rossland Museum, Similkameen Visitor Centre, Little Mountain Neighbourhood House in Vancouver, BC Cancer (mobile/roaming unit), Events Edmonton/Taste of Edmonton Festival, Wolastoqey/Wotstak First Nation in New Brunswick, and multiple municipal locations across Quebec.
The complete list of dispenser locations is available at saveyourskin.ca/sunscreen-dispensers.
Sun Safety Recommendations
To reduce skin cancer risk, SYSF recommends limiting direct sun exposure between 11am and 4pm, seeking shade, wearing protective clothing (long sleeves, hats, sunglasses), applying broad-spectrum SPF 50 sunscreen 20 minutes before sun exposure and reapplying every two hours or after swimming/sweating, and checking for changes in moles or new moles, consulting a doctor if suspicious.
About Save Your Skin Foundation
Save Your Skin Foundation is a patient-led not-for-profit organization dedicated to fighting melanoma, non-melanoma skin cancers, and ocular melanoma through education, advocacy, and awareness across Canada. It provides support for patients and caregivers from prevention and diagnosis to survivorship.
