On Friday February 13, WeRPN sent a letter to the Ontario government congratulating them on the recent $30 million investment to expand the province’s primary care workforce, part of the broader $2.1 billion Primary Care Action Plan. In the letter, we emphasized the important role Registered Practical Nurses (RPNs) can and should play as the province works toward connecting two million more Ontarians to primary care by 2029.
There are nearly 2,800 RPNs currently work in core primary care settings, including physician offices, Nurse Practitioner-Led Clinics, and Family Health Teams, with thousands more contributing through community and public health roles. As essential members of team-based primary care, RPNs are already helping to strengthen access and continuity of care across Ontario.
RPNs enhance the system every day — leading preventative health initiatives, supporting patients with chronic disease management, and delivering specialized services such as wound care, diabetes management, and maternal and child health support. Ensuring RPNs are fully utilized to their scope of practice represents a practical, cost-effective strategy to expand access to care while maintaining high standards of quality and safety.