CBC News Posted: Jan 17, 2012 6:16 AM ET Last Updated: Jan 17, 2012 10:29 AM

An Ottawa doctor says residents got a wake-up call last week about being tested after a report found the city had the highest rate of colorectal cancer in the province.

Last week Ottawa Public Health reported Ottawa had the highest rate in the province of a number of deadly cancers, including colon cancer.

Dr. Robin Boushey said more money is needed to research why colon cancer rates are so high.

He did suggest the numbers could be the result of early screening but he worried not enough people are getting tested. Blood test kits made available

In 2008, the Ontario government began issuing a home fecal blood test kit for all patients over 50 to screen for colon cancer.

Last year 575,000 people — or just over 60 per cent of people eligible to receive the kits — sent it to the lab.

"One has to wonder what happened to the other 300,000," Boushey said. "Are they in some family physician’s office that haven’t been utilized or are they in a patient’s cupboard?"

Bill Daly, a 67-year-old Ottawa auto body shop owner, said at first he was embarrassed talking about his colonoscopy and surgery, but said that all changed after the results.

"I’m thankful to be alive today to have this screening done and I encourage other people out there to have the same thing," said Daly. "It’s a no brainer."

In 2007, 492 people were diagnosed with colorectal cancer in Ottawa. It was the fourth-most commonly diagnosed cancer in the city after breast, lung and prostate cancer.