In June 2024, Ontario’s Progressive Conservative government voted down Bill 192, a private member’s initiative supported by the New Democrats and Liberals that would have established a cap on the number of patients under the care of each nurse per shift.  

But nurses haven’t backed down. Armed with evidence showing how this policy improves the quality of care and the work environment, health-care professionals across the province rallied, organized and fought for a patient-to-nurse ratio at an institutional level. This long, exhausting fight has entered arbitration with the Ontario Hospital Association. 

The fight also continues in the provincial legislature. Bill 19 – essentially a reintroduction of Bill 192 after the election earlier this year – offers the Doug Ford government a renewed chance to show it values nurses and is committed to improving the health of Ontarians. It deserves a serious review in committee, along with opportunities for both professionals and the public to be heard. 

The bill would set a maximum number of patients a nurse can care for during one shift, depending on the clinical setting and the complexity of care required. 

For example, patients in intensive care units require more attention, so nurses must spend more time performing procedures, administering medications and assisting with activities that are often one-to-one. 

On the other hand, patients in rehabilitation facilities may be fully ambulatory and require far less monitoring. They are often able to manage their daily activities independently, meaning nurses are........

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