https://www.cna-aiic.ca/fr/blogs/ic-contenu/2026/10/14/laiic-appelle-les-ministres-de-la-sante-a-concretiser-leurs-engagements-pour-ameliorer-lacces-aux-soins
Canada’s nurses call for action on nursing expertise, labour mobility, and safe, accountable health technology
October 14, 2026 (Winnipeg, Manitoba) — As federal, provincial and territorial (FPT) health ministers gather to meet in Winnipeg, the Canadian Nurses Association (CNA) is calling on governments to turn existing commitments into action that improves access to care and strengthens health systems.
With demand rising and Canadians facing growing challenges accessing timely care, health ministers have an opportunity to get more from Canada’s health-care investments by unlocking the full potential of the nursing workforce across the continuum of care. By modernizing FPT health policies, harmonizing nursing regulation, and improving workforce planning, provinces and territories can enable Canada’s half a million nurses to use their full knowledge and skills within their legislated scope of practice, work more easily where they are needed, and help shape how new technologies are introduced into health systems.
“Nursing is one of the most practical solutions health ministers have to improve access to care and strengthen health systems,” said Dr. Valerie Grdisa, CEO of CNA. “By removing barriers and making better use of the nursing workforce already in place, governments can reduce wait times and get greater value from their health-care investments.”
CNA is calling on health ministers to act in three areas:
- Use nursing expertise fully. Enable nurses to work to their full legislated scope of practice, expand nurse-led and team-based models of care, strengthen retention and safe practice environments, and improve workforce planning and nursing data.
- Turn labour mobility commitments into results. Reduce unnecessary differences in licensing and registration, speed up registration between jurisdictions, improve pathways for internationally educated nurses, and measure whether reforms are actually helping nurses work where they are needed.
- Make health technology work for patients. Put common safeguards and clear accountability in place for AI and connected care, strengthen privacy and cybersecurity protections, and ensure nurses play a leading role in how new technologies are designed, introduced, monitored and evaluated.
At the Council of the Federation meeting in July, CNA brought these priorities directly to premiers, health ministers, and government officials. Premiers subsequently committed to advancing labour mobility and expanding mutual recognition to services, including the health workforce.
“The commitment has been made. The focus now has to be implementation,” said Dr. Grdisa.
CNA is also urging governments to take a coordinated, responsible approach to the rapid adoption of artificial intelligence and other digital health technologies. Recent security breaches underscore the need for strong governance, privacy and cybersecurity protections, clinical validation, and human oversight before technologies are scaled across health systems.
“Nurses see first-hand how technology affects patients, providers and care delivery,” said Dr. Tracie Risling, president of CNA. “AI has tremendous potential, but innovation has to come with accountability. Nurses need to be involved in how these tools are designed, implemented and evaluated so they improve care without compromising safety, privacy or trust.”
CNA’s recommendations also call for stronger workforce planning, including better access to nursing data for governments, health-system planners and researchers, and targeted solutions that reflect the needs of rural, remote and Indigenous communities.
“Canada has the expertise and the solutions. The opportunity now is to put them to work,” said Dr. Risling.
-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 lead
Canadian Nurses Association
Cell: 613-282-7859 | Email: kfinn@cna-aiic.ca
#news-release