On Dec. 11, 2020, government passed a law allowing Ontario’s colleges of applied arts and technology (CAATs) to offer standalone baccalaureate programs in nursing. Before this change, students obtained baccalaureate degrees in nursing from universities (although many colleges offered students access to this education by collaborating with universities).
CNO's mandate is to protect the public, so whenever the Ministry of Health determines that a regulation change is needed, CNO identifies if it requires changes to regulatory mechanisms. In this case, CNO’s role was to ensure graduates of CAAT baccalaureate programs would be prepared to enter the profession and practice nursing safely, competently, and ethically. Council decided that ...