Canada’s nurses call on federal government in CFNU’s pre-budget submission to invest in public health care  

Silas: Canada’s next budget is an opportunity to invest in nurses, strengthen public health care and remove barriers to care 

September 15, 2026 (Ottawa, ON) – Canada’s nurses unions are urging the federal government to strengthen and protect public health care in its upcoming budget. The Canadian Federation of Nurses Unions’ (CFNU) pre-budget submission calls on the federal government to maintain the Canada Health Transfer’s (CHT) guaranteed 5% annual growth beyond March 2028 and to work toward restoring the previous 6% rate. 

It also calls for greater accountability for investments in nursing retention and sustained federal funding for mental health and home care, Northern health infrastructure and the protection of public health care. 

“Our country’s greatest wealth is the health of its people. Investing in health care is an investment in Canada’s economy and our communities. The next budget is an opportunity for the federal government to invest in nurses, strengthen public health care and remove barriers to care from coast to coast to coast,” said CFNU president Linda Silas. “Ottawa has an important role to play in ensuring provinces and territories have the resources to retain nurses, strengthen services and deliver high-quality care in every community, from our largest cities to our smallest communities.” 

In its pre-budget submission, the CFNU outlined key recommendations to strengthen Canada’s public health care system: 

• Maintain the CHT’s guaranteed 5% annual growth rate beyond March 2028, move toward restoring the previous 6% rate, and establish accountability mechanisms for implementation of the Chief Nursing Officer’s Nursing Retention Toolkit, including minimum nurse-patient ratios. 

• Renew the bilateral agreements on mental health and addictions and on home and community care, expiring this fiscal year, and the Aging with Dignity bilateral agreements, expiring in March 2028. 

• Invest in Northern health care infrastructure, staffing supports and accommodations for health workers to deliver lasting improvements in public health care for Northern communities and expanded military personnel. 

• Protect public health care by reviewing Alberta’s Bill 11 and related provincial legislation for compliance with the Canada Health Act; taking all necessary actions to prevent extra-billing, user charges, queue-jumping and preferential access based on ability to pay; and ensuring that federal health funding is not used for private-pay care or for-profit nursing agencies. 

“Canada’s public health care system is foundational to our economy and our wellbeing. When we invest in nurses and public health care, we benefit from a healthier workforce, stronger communities and a stronger economy,” Silas said. “The federal government cannot afford to stand by while staffing shortages and barriers to care grow. Sustained funding, accountability and a commitment to keeping health care public will ensure that people, not profits, remain at the centre of our health care system.” 

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The CFNU is Canada’s largest nurses’ organization, representing 250,000 frontline unionized nurses and nursing students in every sector of health care – from home care and LTC to community and acute care – and advocating on key priorities to strengthen public health care across the country.

For more information, please contact Adella Khan, media@nursesunions.ca, 613‑807‑2942.