Toronto, ON — The Nurse Practitioners’ Association of Ontario (NPAO) welcomes the Ontario government’s 2025 Budget commitment to expand nursing education, including a significant investment in nurse practitioner (NP) training and flexible learning pathways.
The government’s $56.8 million investment over the next three years to support more than 2,200 new nursing education spaces, including spaces for nurse practitioners, represents a critical step toward addressing Ontario’s ongoing health human resource challenges.
“This expansion is a strong signal that the government recognizes the vital role nurse practitioners play in delivering high-quality, accessible care across the province,” said Dr. Michelle Acorn, CEO of NPAO. “By increasing NP education capacity, Ontario is taking action to ensure patients—especially those in rural, remote, and underserved communities—can access the care they need.”
Dr. Acorn added that while investments in NP education are essential, they must be matched with policies that enable the attachment of NPs and facilitate the full scope of their practice. “To fully realize the benefits of these new education seats, we must also address ongoing challenges related to compensation and the lack of modernized, flexible funding models for NP- led and NP-integrated care,” added Dr. Acorn. “Today’s investment is a great start—now we need the structures in place to ensure NPs are ready to help fill critical gaps across the health system” NPAO looks forward to working with the provincial government, education partners, and allied health organizations to ensure this expansion translates into real-world improvements in care for Ontarians. NPAO remains committed to positive, constructive collaboration that supports NPs in providing the timely, high-quality care that Ontario’s patients deserve.
