https://www.cna-aiic.ca/fr/blogs/ic-contenu/2025/01/10/aiic-salue-la-modernisation-de-la-loi-canadienne
January 10, 2025 — The Canadian Nurses Association (CNA) welcomes today’s release of the federal government’s interpretation letter on the Canada Health Act. This important development reflects a commitment to ensuring Canada’s publicly funded health-care system remains accessible, comprehensive and sustainable for all Canadians.
The modernization of the Canada Health Act highlights the need to fully optimize the contributions of nurse practitioners (NPs) within Canada’s health-care system. For over half a century, evidence has demonstrated that NPs deliver high-quality, cost-effective care across the continuum of health services, achieving better or equal outcomes for patients, teams and health systems. Recognizing NP services as insured health services across all care settings — not just hospitals — is a vital step toward addressing the health workforce crisis and improving access to care for Canadians.
However, it is essential to find viable solutions to fund NP positions across the country, as this remains a significant challenge.
“This interpretation letter reflects the urgent need to evolve our health-care policies to meet the needs of Canadians,” said Dr. Kimberly LeBlanc, CNA president. “By recognizing the critical role of nurse practitioners, we are strengthening the foundation of Canada’s health-care system and advancing access to care in all communities.”
CNA has long advocated for changes that enable all types of regulated nurses to work to their full scope of practice, addressing inequities and improving access to high-quality care. NPs, for example, have proven to be key in bridging gaps in primary care, especially in underserved and rural areas. To build on this success and address ongoing barriers, CNA urges the federal government to consider funding a new Canadian Nurse Practitioner Initiative (CNPI). Modelled on the highly successful 2004 CNPI, this initiative would bring together policy-makers, employers, regulators, educators, and nursing associations to develop collaborative solutions for optimizing the contributions of all types of nurses in health-care delivery. Such a national effort is critical to tackling Canada’s persistent health workforce challenges and ensuring equitable, team-based care for all Canadians.
“As our population continues to grow and age and live longer, it is essential to make bold decisions that enable health-care providers to deliver the care Canadians need,” said Dr. Valerie Grdisa, CNA CEO. “Investing in initiatives like a renewed CNPI will help ensure that our health workforce is optimized to deliver equitable and accessible care across the country.”
CNA looks forward to working with all levels of government and health-care partners to ensure the successful implementation of these reforms and to support a health-care system that meets the needs of all Canadians.
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About the Canadian Nurses Association
CNA is the national and global professional voice of Canadian nursing. Our mission is to advance the nursing profession to improve health outcomes in Canada’s publicly funded, not-for-profit health system. CNA is the only national association that speaks for all nurses in all sectors and practice settings across all 13 provinces and territories. We represent unionized and non-unionized nurses, retired nurses, nursing students, and all categories of nurses (licensed and registered practical nurses, nurse practitioners, registered nurses, and registered psychiatric nurses).
For more information, please contact:
Amber Morley
Media and Communications Coordinator
Cell: 613-282-7859
Email: amorley@cna-aiic.ca
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