Making our voices heard at Queen’s Park
In May 2026, WeRPN returned to Queen’s Park for our annual Advocacy Day, bringing the lived experiences and priorities of our members directly to Ontario’s decision-makers. Advocacy days provide a key platform to bridge the gap between daily nursing practice and government policy, providing details for decision-makers about the invaluable role of RPNs in the broader healthcare system.
By engaging with MPPs across all political parties, WeRPN maintains a non-partisan approach to maximize visibility and establish champions of our issues, building the support necessary to drive meaningful, long-term change. With approximately 40 WeRPN members, board and staff delegates in attendance, the day was a resounding success in advocating for Ontario’s 65,000 RPNs.
Dianne Martin speaking at Queen’s Park
Throughout the day, our delegation engaged in 14 targeted meetings with Ministers, Parliamentary Assistants, Opposition Health Critics and members’ own local MPPs. We brought forward recommendations focused on four key pillars:
- Education & growth, including continued funding for BEGIN and NEI
- Safe staffing levels
- Fair compensation
- Workplace violence reduction & mental health support
Our presence was felt across the Legislature, featuring five MPP introductions in the House and active engagement on social media from six politicians.
Our lunchtime reception brought together approximately 100 attendees, including eight Cabinet Ministers and a photo opportunity with Premier Ford and Health Minister Jones. Remarks were delivered by four MPPs, including the Minister of Long-Term Care, NDP Health Critic France Gélinas, Liberal Health Critic Adil Shamji and Green MPP Aislinn Clancy, highlighting the indispensable role RPNs play across our province’s hospitals, long-term care, retirement homes, and community health settings.
We look forward to our next Queen’s Park Day – stay tuned for details on how you can get involved.
New CEO Priorities: RPNs in the age of digital health
Bringing her background as an RPN and over a decade of leadership in the healthcare and digital health spaces, WeRPN CEO Lori Singh is ready to dive into advocacy at the helm of the organization.
“As we look ahead to the fall, 2027 and beyond, my priority is to support our membership and keep pushing the RPN role forward, using a data-informed approach and real-world insights,” says Singh.
“I want to build collaborative partnerships with government that reflect the full scope of what modern nurses do every day, across all sectors. I’m also incredibly passionate about digital health and technology, and how we might use these tools to give RPNs back the time and space to focus on what they do best: delivering exceptional patient care.”
Recognizing that nurses navigate complex personal lives alongside their demanding roles, Lori also emphasizes the need to continue to address mental health – including that of women specifically, who make up much of the RPN workforce – and stable employment structures.
This fall, Lori will be embarking on a province-wide listening tour with membership, to ensure our advocacy remains grounded in the experiences of our members. This tour is a direct opportunity for members to share their current advocacy priorities, which will inform our pre-budget submission in the new year. Stay tuned for dates in your area.
As ever, WeRPN is proud to champion the distinct value, expertise, and leadership of Ontario’s RPNs in a changing healthcare landscape and continue to evolve the support we provide to our province’s nurses.
