Public consultations

CNO welcomes your feedback on proposed regulation changes under the Nursing Act, 1991 that will change the registration requirements of the Emergency Class. These changes align with new regulations under the Regulated Health Professions Act, 1991 (RHPA).

Overview

In April 2022, the Ontario government approved Bill 106, the Pandemic and Emergency Preparedness Act, 2022. The Bill changed a number of pieces of legislation including theRHPA, which is the legislation that governs all regulated health professions in Ontario.

One of the changes to the RHPA requires all health regulators in the province to establish an Emergency Class of registration. Under the Nursing Act, 1991, CNO already has an Emergency Assignment Class. However, changes to regulation are still needed to comply with new government requirements. 

The regulations must specify the following requirements:

• The emergency circumstances that will cause the class to be open.
• That certificates of registration expire within one year after they are issued and are renewable for the same time period, with no limit on the number of times it can be renewed as long as the emergency circumstances persist.
• The circumstances in which a registrant of the emergency class may apply for another class of registration. These circumstances must exempt the applicant from at least some registration requirements that would ordinarily apply to the application.

How to give your feedback 

1. Review the redline version of the proposed changes to regulations under the Nursing Act, 1991 and the rationale chart explaining each proposed change.   
2. Complete this online survey to provide your feedback. The survey will take approximately five minutes to complete. This consultation closes on May 7, 2023. 

In May 2023, Council will review your feedback to determine if the proposed changes are in the public interest. If supported by Council, the regulations will be sent to government for consideration and approval, which is required for the regulation to take effect.

CNO welcomes your feedback on proposed changes to our by-laws that will change application and renewal fees.

Overview

To protect the public by promoting safe nursing practice, CNO’s operations are supported by annual membership renewal and application fees. This year, we are considering increasing fees to continue regulating nursing in the public interest, and to maintain public confidence and safety, while remaining financially sustainable.  

Fees support our regulatory work registering nurses, setting the standards for safe practice, ensuring nurses engage in Quality Assurance, and responding to concerns. These include initiatives such as modernizing applicant assessment, the Supervised Practice Experience Partnership and modernizing registration requirements. We are also transforming the Quality Assurance Program, and support an annual average of 60,000 phone calls and 36,000 emails from nurses like you.

Under the proposal the annual membership renewal fee would increase from $270 to $340 for 2024. It is the first proposed CNO fee increase in five years, and with it, Ontario nurses will still have the lowest annual membership fees of any regulated health care profession in Ontario. It is also an amount that is at the low end of what is paid by nurses in other Canadian jurisdictions.

How to give your feedback

1. Review the redline version to the proposed by-law amendments. You can also read our FAQs page and Standard article to learn more about the proposed fee change.
   
   
2. Complete this online survey to provide your feedback. It should take approximately five minutes to complete. The consultation closes on Tuesday, May 23.

In June 2023, a summary of the feedback will be tabled with Council when they consider approving the changes.