The NSNU affiliates with other nursing and labour organizations across the country, including the Canadian Federation of Nurses Unions and its member organizations, the Canadian Labour Congress, the Nova Scotia Federation of Labour, and others. We support their campaigns, and encourage NSNU member involvement where possible.

The CFNU and its provincial Member Organizations are passionate advocates for nurses and the public on issues that matter. Learn more about the CFNU's current priorities here, and take action for change. 

Safe Hours Save Lives

Safe Hours Saves Lives delivers a critical examination of escalating burnout among Canadian nurses due to excessive work hours, highlighting the increase in overtime and its impact on nurse well-being and patient safety. It calls for legislative reforms to mandate safe hours of work regulations, robust fatigue management strategies, and supportive work environments, similar to safety measures in other industries, to protect nurses and patients. The report provides a blueprint for creating a sustainable and safe future in nursing and emphasizes the need for immediate action to reverse the current trends.

Sustaining Nursing in Canada

This report proposes a set of concrete actionable solutions to help meaningfully solve the health care staffing crisis. The CFNU worked with the Canadian Health Workforce to present the magnitude of the nursing criris and the known solutions to address it. 

Authored by University of Ottawa researchers Dr. Houssem Eddine Ben Ahmed and Dr. Ivy Lynn Bourgeault, the report focuses on multi-layered solutions that improve health care working conditions and health workforce planning to better weather future crises. 

Complete the Recovery

Fix the nursing shortage. End the health care crisis.

The health care crisis isn't over and our Premiers need to finish the job - fix the nursing crisis and complete the recovery. Sign the Canadian Federation of Nurses Unions' petition to address unsustainable hours, understaffed shifts and hospitals overcapacity. Take Action. 

Canadians Want Pharmacare

Canadians want pharmacare, but we need the full dose. 

Canada is the only country in the world with a universal health care system that does not provide universal coverage for prescription medicines used outside of hospitals. The CFNU, and its member organizations are lobbying for a national public pharmacare program that is: Universal, Public, Comprehensive, Accessible and Portable. 

Mental Disorder Symptoms Among Nurses in Canada

A first-of-its-kind study on mental disorders among Canada’s nurses has been released today, revealing widespread and severe symptoms of PTSD, anxiety, depression, burnout and other conditions.

The study, Mental Disorder Symptoms Among Nurses in Canada, is based on pan-Canadian data from 7,358 regulated nurses (RNs, LPNs, RPNs, NPs), collected in 2019 by the Canadian Federation of Nurses Unions and researchers Nicholas Carleton, PhD, and Andrea Stelnicki, PhD, of the University of Regina.

NSFL Paid Sick Days Campaign

The Nova Scotia Federation of Labour has launched a letter writing campaign urging the government to ensure 10 paid sick days to all Nova Scotians, in accordance with a commitment made by the federal government.

Health and Hope 2025

The COVID-19 pandemic placed an enormous burden on Canada's healthcare infrastructure. Healthcare workers are overworked and exhausted, while patients are unable to receive the care they require in a timely manner. Before the pandemic, Canada's public healthcare system was already in a dire state, plagued by chronic underfunding and a growing trend toward privatization.

Despite the challenges, there is hope that universal Medicare may soon become a reality in Canada. As investment firms and multinational corporations seek to capitalize on public healthcare services, Canadians are increasingly advocating for a system that prioritizes the needs of patients over profit.

On March 22, 2022, the Liberals and the NDP announced an agreement that has the potential to expand our public health care system dramatically. Their policy priorities include expanding public health care in ways that will finally give access to life-saving medicine and dental care to Canadians who previously could not afford care. The goal of our Health and Hope 2025 campaign is to achieve the full delivery of health care commitments made in the 2022 Liberal-NDP Confidence and Supply Agreement before its conclusion in 2025, including: public dental care, universal pharmacare, frontline health care investments and safe long-term care.

Seniors' Care

Most Canadians will rely on seniors care at some point in their lives; including home care, long-term care, palliative care and pharmacare. Canada’s health care system isn’t prepared to meet the needs of the aging population. Access to seniors’ care varies greatly across the country. Wait times, eligibility criteria and out-of-pocket expenses are different in each of the provinces and territories.

With seniors' care often falling outside the scope of the Canada Health Act, Canada needs a National Seniors' Care Strategy to ensure that all seniors can access quality care, regardless of where they live. 

The Nova Scotia Nurses' Union is proud to support our fellow nurse unions across Canada in their campaigns, research and other advocacy initiatives.

On behalf of its members, NBNU campaigns for increased patient safety, fair and equitable working conditions in all healthcare settings and the continuance of publicly-funded, high-quality healthcare for all Canadians to name a few. Learn more about their advocacy efforts on their website.

The PEINU represents more than 1,400 Registered Nurses and Nurse Practitioners working in acute care, long term care, community care, mental health and addictions on P.E.I. Visit their website to read about what they've been working on.

The Registered Nurses’ Union Newfoundland & Labrador represents and advocates for its over 5,800 members in a number of ways. Some of these are direct advocacy efforts which are accomplished through the use of targeted campaigns and research and reports. Learn more about their advocacy efforts on their website.

As patient advocates, ONA members – RNs, nurse practitioners, registered practical nurses and health-care professionals – stand up and are committed to speaking out about many issues that directly affect their ability to deliver high quality patient/client/resident care. Their provincial campaigns aim to increase awareness and advocate for change.

 A source of strength and support for Manitoba nurses, their all-nurse membership and management structure ensures the union addresses pressures and challenges inherent in the nursing profession. Read their recent reports to learn what they've been working on.

Nurses are on the frontline of the most significant social challenges impacting Saskatchewan's communities. Watch their docuseries to learn more. 

Learn about how SUN is making a difference through their advocacy work in communities across their province. 

United Nurses of Alberta's 3 Rs campaign - Respect, Retain, Recruit - aims to shed light on the critical health care and nursing challenges within the province. More than simply raising awareness, this is a call for immediate, tangible solutions. 

BCNU campaigns have succeeded in winning more staffing, preserving services and convincing managers to listen and value nurses' solutions. Learn more about their ongoing advocacy efforts.