College of Nurses of Ontario
The College of Nurses of Ontario (CNO) is the governing body for registered nurses in Ontario.
The Office of the Fairness Commissioner (OFC) oversees the registration practices of the college to ensure that they are transparent, objective, impartial and fair for anyone who wants to practise as a nurse or practical nurse in this province.
In 2009, the CNO submitted its first-ever Fair Registrations Practices (FRP) Report, covering 2008, to the OFC. Since then, it has also submitted an FRP Report covering 2009 and its first audit of registration practices.
During 2009 - 2010, the OFC monitored developments related to the registration practices of the CNO:
Fair Access: In summer 2009, the CNO informed the OFC of new initiatives that would enhance fair access, such as:
- reorganizing certain aspects of the registration process to speed up communication with applicants
- harmonizing the CNO's language fluency requirements with other jurisdictions across Canada.
The CNO had a followup meeting with the OFC in October 2009 and is preparing a draft of changes to its registration regulations.
Applications to Practise Processed by the CNO in 2009
| Jan. 1 to Dec. 31 |
Jurisdiction Where Applicants Received Their Training |
Total |
| Ontario |
Other Canadian Provinces |
USA |
Other International |
Unknown |
| New applications received | 9,163 | 691 | 255 | 3,303 | 0 | 13,412 |
| Applicants who became members | 8,851 | 505 | 157 | 739 | 1 | 10,253 |
Applications to Practise Processed by the CNO in 2008
| Jan. 1 to Dec. 31 |
Jurisdiction Where Applicants Received Their Training |
Total |
| Ontario |
Other Canadian Provinces |
USA |
Other International |
Unknown |
| New applications received | 9,301 | 706 | 251 | 2,896 | 0 | 13,154 |
| Applicants who became members | 8,455 | 551 | 128 | 674 | 0 | 9,808 |
The CNO uses the following outside organization/s to assess the qualifications of its applicants:
The College of Nurses of Ontario falls under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care.
The OFC does not assess credentials, handle complaints or intervene in particular cases. Our mandate is one of systemic change.
Please contact the CNO for further information about your ability to practise as a nurse or practical nurse in Ontario.
