This white paper gathers research and data that outline the consequences of not treating nursing as the safety-critical workforce that it is. The paper includes detailed recommendations for provincial and territorial governments to improve health care working conditions and address the nursing shortage across Canada by respecting nursing as a safety-critical workforce. Recommendations include mandating safe nurse-patient ratios, supporting and funding programs to retain experience nurses, legislating safe working hours for nurses, and discontinuing the use of private nursing agencies.
This white paper was presented to Canada’s premiers at a meeting with the CFNU during the Council of the Federation in 2025.
