CNA News Room

CNA Conference 2026 closes with a clear message: nursing solutions can strengthen health care

   
https://www.cna-aiic.ca/fr/blogs/ic-contenu/2026/09/23/conference-2026-de-laiic-se-termine-sur-un-message

National gathering brings nurses together to share solutions, strengthen connections, and recognize nursing leadership

September 23, 2026 (Winnipeg, Manitoba) — Nurses from across Canada and beyond gathered in Winnipeg this week to share solutions to some of the biggest challenges facing health care and strengthen nursing’s voice in shaping its future.

CNA Conference 2026, the Canadian Nurses Association’s first national conference in eight years, brought together nurses from different roles, designations, specialties, sectors and career stages around the theme The Power of Nurses to Transform Health — Our Expertise, Our Impacts.

“Canada’s more than half a million regulated nurses are the country’s largest health professional workforce,” said Dr. Tracie Risling, president of CNA. “They practise throughout the full continuum of care and in communities across the country. That expertise brings a distinct and critically needed perspective to the table when decisions are made about improving access, strengthening care, and building healthier systems.”

More than 750 nurses, nursing students, health leaders, researchers, educators, policy-makers, and partners attended the conference at the RBC Convention Centre in Winnipeg. The conference featured keynote presentations, concurrent sessions, poster presentations, networking, and opportunities for nurses from different specialties, jurisdictions, and practice settings to learn from one another.

Over three days, sessions explored ethical practice, nurse-led innovation and technology, specialty nursing knowledge, well-being and retention, reconciliation and Indigenous health, health equity, artificial intelligence, public policy, and the role of nurses in building healthier systems.

Recognizing nursing leadership

The CNA awards were presented at the conference, celebrating nurses whose leadership, expertise and contributions are making a difference in nursing and health care.

“The power of nursing reaches every part of our health system,” said CNA CEO Dr. Valerie Grdisa. “Nurses are leading change in practice, research, education, technology and policy. That leadership needs to be reflected in the decisions shaping health care across Canada.”

CNA also thanks the sponsors and exhibitors whose support and participation helped make the conference possible and contributed to the conversations, learning and connections throughout the event.

CNA will continue creating opportunities for nurses to connect, share expertise and strengthen nursing’s voice in health policy and system change.

-30-

About the Canadian Nurses Association
CNA is the national and global voice of the nursing profession in Canada. Our mission is to advance nursing excellence and publicly funded, not-for-profit health systems to improve the health and well-being of all people in Canada. CNA is the only national association that speaks for all nurses in all sectors and practice settings across the 13 provinces and territories. We advocate on behalf of more than half a million regulated nurses across all categories (licensed or registered practical nurses, nurse practitioners, registered nurses, and registered psychiatric nurses), nursing students, and retired nurses.

Media contact:
Kerri-Anne Finn
Media and communications coordinator
Canadian Nurses Association
Cell: 613-282-7859
Email: kfinn@cna-aiic.ca

#news-release