On Nov. 4, RNAO responded to the Ontario government’s economic statement with nurses’ needs and asks at the forefront. While it applauds the government for promising to allocate funding to hire 225 NPs in long-term care homes over the next three years, the association calls for real and sustained actions to protect Ontarians.

RNAO’s response welcomed the government’s plan to add and upskill RNs and RPNs to begin the task of building up Ontario’s nursing workforce. “It’s not nearly enough compared to the shortfall of 21,704 RNs in Ontario, but it is recognition that we must act to address the reality that the province has the lowest RN-to-population ratio in Canada,” says RNAO CEO Dr. Doris Grinspun.

Dr. Grinspun says that “the government’s plans to increase enrollment at nursing schools and add bridging programs to entice more PSWs and RPNs to become RNs are an essential part of a recruitment strategy. We need nurses to build their careers in Ontario rather than seeing them move to other Canadian jurisdictions and the United States, as is happening now,” laments RNAO’s CEO, reminding Premier Ford that nurses are also angered and being driven away by Bill 124 – legislation that limits wage increases to one per cent and which has the net effect of decreasing their income given increases in the cost of living. “This is why we will continue to insist that Premier Ford immediately repeal this bill.”  

RNAO’s response also mentions its Nursing Home Basic Care Guarantee and Enhancing Community Care for Ontarians 3.0 report and the government’s failure to mention the opioid overdose crisis in its statement. 

Read the official media release for RNAO’s full response.