Canada continues to face a persistent nursing shortage, driven in part by retention challenges, heavy workloads and rising cost-of-living pressures. That is why the Canadian Federation of Nurses Unions (CFNU) is working to establish a new income tax incentive to improve nursing retention.
In the most recent federal budget, the government introduced a refundable tax credit for personal support workers, recognizing the importance of supporting frontline health care workers through a targeted federal tax measure. Providing a comparable federal tax credit for nurses would help recognize their contribution, support retention and recruitment, and strengthen access to public health care services across Canada.
MP Gord Johns has agreed to sponsor an e-petition in the House of Commons to pursue a federal tax credit for all designations of nurses in Canada. This is the momentum we need to secure the break nurses deserve.
Join the CFNU’s parliamentary petition for the House of Commons to amend the Income Tax Act to create a refundable federal tax credit for nurses.
The Local newsletter was sent via MailChimp with updated member contact information from the Provincial UNA Office. It was sent only to personal email addresses.
Please update your contact information in UNA’s DMS systemif you have not received our newsletter.
Health Care and Alberta’s Future: What’s at Stake?
Canada’s health care system is built on a network of shared funding agreements, national standards, workforce mobility arrangements, and coordinated regulatory systems that have evolved over decades. This month’s A&E spotlight explores how discussions about Alberta’s constitutional future raise important questions about the long-term stability of these systems, particularly regarding federal health transfers, the Canada Health Act, workforce recruitment, and access to medications and medical supplies.
Alberta’s health system is already facing significant pressures, including population growth, an aging population, rising mental health and community care needs, workforce shortages, and the growing impact of social determinants of health such as housing affordability and food insecurity. In this context, maintaining strong national partnerships and stable public funding is presented as an important factor in protecting universal access to publicly funded health care and ensuring Albertans continue to receive care based on need rather than ability to pay.
The Local newsletter was sent via MailChimp with updated member contact information from the Provincial UNA Office. It was sent to personal email addresses only. Please update your contact information in UNA’s DMS systemif you have not received our newsletter.
Bill 13, the Regulated Professions Neutrality Act, often referred to as the “Peterson law,” limits professional regulators’ ability to discipline members for what they say or do outside of work.
Supporters say it protects freedom of expression and prevents regulatory overreach. But critics—including experts like Jared Wesley—warn it could weaken public protections and make it harder to address harmful or discriminatory conduct.
The legislation also removes requirements for training in areas like cultural competency, anti-racism, and unconscious bias unless directly tied to job performance. For healthcare professionals, this raises serious concerns about patient safety, equity, and quality of care—especially for marginalized communities.
As this law comes into force, the question remains: how do we balance freedom of expression with the responsibility professionals have to uphold trust, safety, and equitable care?
The Local newsletter was sent via MailChimp with updated member contact information from the Provincial UNA Office. It was sent to personal email addresses only. Please update your contact information in UNA’s DMS systemif you have not received our newsletter.
United Nurses of Alberta, Local 196 
You must be logged in to post a comment.