Council Elections for RN/NPs and RPNs in the Eastern, Northeastern and Northwestern districts are taking place on February 6, 2026.

What's Council?

Council is CNO’s board of directors, and it’s comprised of nurses and members of the public. Council makes important decisions that shape the regulation of nursing and promote public safety. Together, Council and CNO have one purpose: to protect the public by promoting safe nursing practice. 

Is Council for me?

If you’re passionate about safe client care, then serving on Council will be a personally and professionally rewarding experience. This is your opportunity to bring your perspective to a diverse group of nurses from all types of positions and settings and members of the public. It’s also a significant accountability.

Council elections now follow a competency-based approach. This means that CNO clearly outlines the skills and attributes required to effectively serve on Council, explains how these  skills and attributes can add value to Council, and guides candidates on how they can share this information with voters for consideration. By adopting this governance best practice, candidates demonstrate the competencies and attributes they would bring to Council if elected, helping voters make informed decisions about who is best suited to serve. Please review this document to reflect on the attributes and competencies needed on Council.

For more information, please watch our brief video series about Council and reflect on the questions to determine if it’s right for you.

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) is also a core value at CNO. We welcome eligible candidates of all backgrounds to run for Council. Council members that reflect the diverse lived experiences and perspectives of the people of Ontario can help to provide additional insights into how CNO can promote the public interest. During the election process, candidates can voluntarily disclose to voters aspects of their identity, diversity and lived experiences.

Together, the competency-based elections and DEI practices help Council better reflect the skills, perspectives, and experiences needed to govern effectively in the public interest. 

Time Commitment

Participating on Council requires you to devote time. If elected, in addition to serving on Council, you will be expected to serve on a statutory committee. You can expect to participate in meetings one to five days per month.

You will need to be able to review materials in an online portal (CNO will provide equipment and training) and to actively participate in remote meetings in a space that offers privacy and where you will not be interrupted.

Eligibility Requirements 

To be eligible to run as a candidate, you must:

  • work in the electoral district holding an election, or if you are not employed in nursing, reside in that district
  • be registered in the General or Extended Class
  • be in good standing

For the full list of eligibility requirements, please review Article 52 of By-Law No. 1: General.

In addition, please review Article 6 of By-Law No. 3: Council and Committee Code of Conduct to confirm you meet the requirements regarding prohibited positions.

Steps to run for council

Once you have confirmed you meet the eligibility requirements, please follow the steps below:

To complete your nomination, you will need two nominators who are:

  • registered in the same class and electoral district as you
  • registered with CNO
  • in good standing (no fees owing)

After submitting the nomination form, CNO will provide you with the Council and Committee Code of Conduct Compliance Form. By completing this form, you will: 


After completing the compliance form, eligible candidates will receive a link where you will: 

  • review the Council Attributes and Competencies Profile and complete a self-assessment form to reflect on your skills and attributes. The profile outlines all of the skills and attributes required on Council. Collectively, Council members will demonstrate the required skills. No single member is expected to bring all of these competencies to Council
  • be asked to respond to questions and voluntarily share aspects of your identity and lived experiences (optional). Candidate responses to the questions and information shared about your lived experiences will be shared with voters to help them make an informed choice.

Where are elections taking place this year?

Eastern

Composed of the united counties of Stormont, Dundas and Glengarry, Prescott and Russell, the County of Renfrew and the regional municipality of Ottawa-Carleton.

  • Two RNs/NPs will be elected
  • One RPN will be elected 

Northeastern

Composed of the territorial districts of Algoma, Cochrane, Manitoulin, Parry Sound, Nipissing, Sudbury and Timiskaming, and the district municipality of Muskoka.

  • One RN/NP will be elected
  • One RPN will be elected 

Northwestern 

Composed of the territorial districts of Rainy River, Thunder Bay and Kenora.

  • One RN/NP will be elected
  • One RPN will be elected 

How to find your electoral district

If you live and work in different districts, here’s how to find your electoral district.

 

What is the schedule?

Questions?

Send an email to elections@cnomail.org. Please include your name, registration number and electoral district.