Since joining WeRPN in 2013, CEO Dianne Martin has been a dedicated advocate for Ontario’s Registered Practical Nurses, strengthening the organization’s voice and impact across the healthcare sector. At the 2025 Annual General Meeting, she announced her retirement effective May 31, 2026.
On August 6th, WeRPN CEO Dianne Martin was at Sheridan College’s Centre for Healthy Communities alongside members of government including Minister of Health Sylvia Jones and Minister of Long-Term Care Natalia Kusendova-Bashta for an announcement of $56.8 million in new funding to train an additional 2,200 nurses across the province, including Registered Practical Nurses (RPNs).
As Chief of Nursing and Professional Practice and Assistant Deputy Minister of the Ministry of Health, it is my profound honour to extend heartfelt gratitude to our Registered Practical Nurses (RPNs) who serve communities across Ontario with exceptional skill, compassion, and dedication.
The Ontario healthcare system continues to feel the impacts of the nursing shortage. Our annual survey highlights the experiences of over 1,000 RPNs. Read all the findings in our latest report “The State of Nursing in Ontario: A 2025 Review” urging the government and healthcare leadership to act now and implement our 5-step action plan.
Three exceptional nurses, celebrated for their unwavering dedication to improving peoples’ lives and advancing Ontario’s health-care system, will be honoured at the sixth annual Nursing Now Ontario Awards (NNOA). These prestigious awards recognize excellence in nursing across three categories: nurse practitioner (NP), registered nurse (RN), and registered practical nurse (RPN).
We are thrilled to celebrate the outstanding achievements of the 2024 WeRPN Education Trust Fund (ETF) Bursary recipients! The ETF was created to provide financial support to practical nursing students, helping to alleviate some of the challenges they face during their academic journey. Each $1,000 bursary recognizes the dedication and commitment of these outstanding practical nursing students to the profession. WeRPN is proud to play a role in empowering students as they work toward their dreams.
Nurses across Ontario touch the lives of countless individuals daily. Despite the challenges facing our healthcare system, they remain committed to delivering exceptional care. The Nursing Now Ontario Awards (NNOA) honour nursing excellence by recognizing a registered practical nurse (RPN), a registered nurse (RN) and a nurse practitioner (NP) who exemplify the highest standards of professionalism, clinical expertise and compassionate care.
Over the past decade, WeRPN has worked to amplify the value and impact of RPNs in the healthcare system and support enhanced understanding about the RPN role. Since 2021, the association has funded research grants to expand RPN-focused knowledge. This year, we proudly announce the recipients of the 2024-2025 Academic Research and Research Fellowship Grants. These initiatives further work to address the underrepresentation of evidence regarding RPNs' contributions in healthcare while paving the way for research excellence in the profession.
WeRPN is concerned about the recent Government decision to close the majority of supervised consumption sites across Ontario. As nurses, we recognize that the life-saving services provided at these sites play a critical role in protecting the health and well-being of individuals struggling with addiction within our communities.
We are excited to announce that WeRPN is part of a select group that has received federal funding for a groundbreaking collaborative research project funded through the Canadian Institute of Health Research (CIHR): Strengthening the Health Workforce for System Transformation.
