Moving toward a single classification of Nurse Practitioners (NPs)
CNO, the Canadian Council of Registered Nurse Regulators (CCRNR) and other system partners are collaborating toward the common goal of advancing labour mobility, creating a more agile NP workforce and minimizing regulatory barriers.
All Canadian jurisdictions (except for Quebec) are involved in creating this national framework and currently the focus of CCRNR’s NP Regulation Framework Implementation Plan Project is on implementing this new framework. The multi-year project depends on factors such as unique jurisdictional implementation plans, regulation changes, curriculum changes and education program approval.
Since our last communication on about this project in July 2024, we’ve made great progress.
Project updates:
- Feedback from the 60-day consultation for the proposed draft NP regulation amendments will be brought to Council for consideration in the near future.
- Sept. 26 to Nov. 24, 2024: CNO launched a public consultation on the proposed NP regulation amendments, seeking feedback from registrants and system partners.
- Sept. 25, 2024: CNO's Council approved proposed NP regulation amendments for 60-day consultation.
- Sept. 5, 2024: CNO held a virtual Town Hall where we discussed ongoing plans for moving toward a single classification of NPs in Ontario, in keeping with the National Nurse Practitioner Regulation Framework Implementation Plan Project. You can watch the recording of the Town Hall here. We’ve also updated these webpages, A single classification of Nurse Practitioners (NPs) and A single classification of Nurse Practitioners (NPs): FAQS to highlight project milestones and address questions from the Sept. 5, 2024, Town Hall.
- Sept. 1, 2024: Ontario universities ramped down NP entry-level specialty education programs and began using the revised national NP entry-level competencies (ELCs)—which were endorsed by Council in December 2022—in nurse practitioner education programs to educate NPs across patient populations and practice settings.
Physician Assistants to be regulated
Physician Assistants (PAs) will become regulated health professionals soon and will be required to register with the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario (CPSO). As of Monday, Jan. 6, 2025, PAs can begin registering with CPSO. They must do so by Tuesday, April 1, 2025 to continue using the title “Physician Assistant.”
There is no direct impact on nurses or how you work with PAs, and the PA scope of practice does not change.
Registering with the CPSO will introduce certain accountabilities for PAs, such as Quality Assurance. Regulation by CPSO will help ensure safe and quality health care for patients. Physician Assistants will need to meet clearly defined registration requirements and standards, which include having the necessary “knowledge, skill, and judgment” to practice and to use the protected title “Physician Assistant.”
To learn more details, you can read FAQs on our website.
Annual Membership Renewal (AMR) is open
You can renew your nursing registration by:
- filling out the AMR form, which includes questions about your employment, areas of practice and education
- paying an annual fee
CNO is committed to transformational, system-wide work that supports Ontario’s exceptional nursing workforce. Your renewal and registration fees sustain the regulation of the nursing profession and fund essential initiatives that ultimately enhance the quality and safety of nursing care in Ontario. This includes:
- supporting the safe implementation of changes to nursing scope, including the creation of several new practice standards. When the government announces a change to nursing scope of practice, we determine what’s needed to ensure patient safety. To see our educational and informational resources, including new and updated practice standards, webinars, presentations, FAQs and more, visit our Standards and Learnings page
- modernizing our registration process and creating innovative new programs to ensure timely and equitable registration of new nurses. We’re seeing the results of this work: over the last 12 months we registered a total of 14,654 new nurses to support Ontario’s health care system
- Collecting and sharing province-wide data on nursing registration, applications and employment to support informed decision-making within the health care system. This data helps our system partners address labour imbalances and contributes to a sustainable, patient-focused system
- administering a Quality Assurance program to ensure nurses maintain competence throughout their careers
- setting and maintaining the requirements for registration as a nurse
- evaluating the levels of risk associated with a nurse's behaviour and taking the appropriate steps to protect the public
These are just a few examples of how your renewal and registration fees contribute to nursing regulation. We are grateful for the important role you play in the health care system, and your ongoing support in upholding the standards of the profession.
The 2025 renewal fee for nurses in the General and Extended classes is $400.02, including HST. The renewal fee for nurses in the Non-Practising class is $74.58 including HST.
Renew by 11:59 p.m. (midnight) on Tuesday, Dec. 31, 2024 to avoid late fees.
For help renewing your registration, visit our AMR FAQs page or contact the Renewal Contact Centre.