New nurse practitioner report highlights pressure points to retention and recruitment

Silas: Retaining NPs is critical to keeping the momentum of this growing workforce

April 15, 2026 (Ottawa, ON) – Although the nurse practitioner workforce has doubled over the last decade, a new report from the Canadian Federation of Nurses Unions (CFNU) reveals a growing strain in the profession.

In a study of more than 1,300 nurse practitioners from all provinces and territories, 37% of NPs expressed an intention to leave their position, with most pointing to inadequate compensation as the leading cause.

“When more than one in three NPs say they’re considering walking away from their position, we know that more must be done to support and retain this critical workforce. The 42 recommendations create a strong roadmap for governments, employers, nursing leaders, researchers and unions to help NPs thrive,” said Linda Silas, CFNU president.

Silas emphasized that 41% of nurse practitioners reported dissatisfaction with reward distribution – a combination of salary, paid time off and employer benefits. This figure is in line with findings from a 2018 report published by the CFNU, wherein 44% of NPs reported dissatisfaction with their overall compensation.

“Nearly 10 years has passed since we learned how dissatisfied nurse practitioners are with their compensation. Now provinces and territories are looking to nurse practitioners as a solution to the pressing need for primary health care, and retention has become more critical than ever,” Silas said. “Retaining NPs is the key to keeping the momentum of this growing workforce and expanding primary care access in Canada.”

The report Pressure Points: Strengthening and Retaining Canada’s Nurse Practitioner Workforce was led by Dr. Erin Ziegler, a nurse practitioner and associate professor with the Daphne Cockwell School of Nursing at Toronto Metropolitan University, as part of a broader research team.

Key recommendations from the report include:

1. Create positive work environments by strengthening organizational support, reducing burnout, ensuring reasonable workloads and increasing NP participation in decision-making, professional development and research.
2. Modernize remuneration and funding models to ensure equitable, transparent and competitive compensation that reflects NP scope, workload and contributions across diverse practice settings.
3. Implement comprehensive health human resource planning, including workforce forecasting, transition-to-practice programs, mentorship for novice NPs and strategies to retain experienced practitioners.

“Investing in nurse practitioners through supportive work environments, fair compensation and strategic workforce planning is essential to sustaining Canada’s health care system. Addressing these issues will strengthen NP retention, enhance access to care, and ensure a resilient workforce capable of meeting the current and future needs of patients in Canada,” said Dr. Ziegler.

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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.