RNAO celebrates 100 years of action and impact at Annual General Meeting

TORONTO, May 27, 2025 /CNW/ - Nurses, other health professionals and political leaders will come together on May 29-30 to mark an historic occasion for the Registered Nurses' Association of Ontario (RNAO) as it celebrates its 100th anniversary at this year's Annual General Meeting (AGM).

"Our theme – RNAO: 100 years of action and impact – reflects the focus of this AGM and the essence of who we are and what we stand for," says NP Lhamo Dolkar, RNAO president. "It captures our identity as a professional association dedicated to championing evidence-based practices and policies, speaking out for the advancement of the nursing profession and that of individual registered nurses (RN), nurse practitioners (NP), and nursing students. Our goal is to influence positive change for our profession, for the health system, and for the health of the communities in which we live and work," Dolkar adds.

RNAO marks this milestone with the launch of a vibrant 100 Years of RNAO web page.

For more than 700 nurses joining in person in Toronto, the AGM will have a dedicated room with fun activities showcasing the association's rich history, leadership and influence over the decades and showcase archived photos and artifacts. The two-day event will also feature greetings from political leaders, nursing trailblazers and honour graduating Best Practice Spotlight Organizations^® (BPSO^®).

"In 2025, RNAO proudly marks a century of leadership, advocacy, and progress," says RNAO CEO Dr. Doris Grinspun. "From our early efforts for self-regulation in the 1930s, to our stand against hospital cuts in the 1990s and our forceful advocacy for full-time employment, expanded scopes of practice for RNs and NPs, evidence-based care, and strengthening universal health care since the 2000s to date, RNAO has always led with purpose and impact. In the 2020s, amid a global pandemic, RNAO continued to lead – advocating for nurses' safety and workloads, equity and reconciliation efforts, and speaking out for those most marginalized," she adds.

"Our advocacy spans across every sphere of nursing, health, society and environment," emphasizes Dolkar. "RNAO works collaboratively with governments to drive evidence-informed policy and achieve positive results – from attaching Ontarians to a primary care provider, such as a family doctor or NP, to securing RN prescribing authority, and championing evidence-based care."

"Nursing is about keeping people healthy and caring for them when they are ill," says Grinspun. "To achieve this, nurses must be engaged in the political process and RNAO makes sure this is the case. Working with all political parties we celebrate policy achievements and call out policy failures," Grinspun adds. This year we have applauded RN and NP scopes expansion and the increase in educational seats. And we decried the dereliction of duty regarding the climate emergency.

"And we have consistently urged governments and health organizations to confront systemic inequities and better support nurses and patients from equity-deserving communities. We shall not desist in our pressure to achieve equity, diversity and inclusion in our society. We shall not stop denouncing the widespread poverty, homelessness and food insecurity in such an affluent society as Ontario and Canada," Grinspun emphasizes.

With the collective voice of more than 54,500 RNs, NPs, and nursing students – and with the support of 1,500 BPSOs – RNAO drives healthy public policy and champions evidence-based care through wide-reaching programs and resources.

This year alone, RNAO and its members have much to be proud of:

• Our May 2025 report Enhancing Community Care for Ontarians (ECCO) 4.0, a blueprint for an equitable, community-based health system anchored in primary care.
• Our federal and provincial election platforms and our value-based electoral ad campaign, which urged action on nursing, health care, determinants of health, and economic inequality.
• Moving further ahead with scope expansion for NPs and RNs, including NPs as clinical directors in long-term care, and RNs certifying death when it is expected.
• Continuing our trailblazing work on RN prescribing, and ensuring it is embedded in the Bachelor of Science in Nursing curriculum.
• Announcement of the long-awaited pharmacare bill, Bill C-64, to improve the accessibility and affordability of prescription drugs, and now advocating for Ontario to join the federal program.
• Relentless advocacy to stop the closure to Ontario's supervised consumption services sites and bring forceful action on the mental health and substance use crisis.
• Our continued call to governments to tackle the climate emergency impacting millions of Ontarians.
• Continued robust expansion of the BPG program in Ontario's hospitals, nursing homes and Ontario Health Teams.
• Ongoing international expansion, including welcoming 15 new BPSOs under the umbrella of Nigeria's Federal Ministry of Health, as well as two universities in Portugal.

During the two-day event, nine Ontario-based BPSOs and one international organization will be formally designated, marking the completion of the first three years in their agreement. "We are thrilled to recognize these organizations for their transformative work implementing RNAO's best practice guidelines to improve health outcomes and positively impact patients, staff and communities," says Grinspun, the program's founder and visionary. Launched in 2003, the BPSO program now drives change in 16 countries becoming a global social movement rooted in person-centred care, science and evidence – and the gold standard for evidence-based practice worldwide.

"On behalf of RNAO's board of directors and staff, we are privileged to lead this robust professional association at such an important moment in its history. RNAO speaks out for nursing and speaks out for health – with conviction and results," say Dolkar and Grinspun.

"Throughout my long nursing journey, I have witnessed the power of speaking out – and RNAO instills that same courage and purpose in every member," adds Dr. Claudette Holloway, RNAO's outgoing past-president. "What makes RNAO's work so meaningful is its clarity of purpose and unwavering values. At every step, RNAO centres equity, diversity, inclusion and evidence, for nurses and the people they serve" Holloway says proudly.  

"You do not want to miss this momentous AGM. Nurses and other health professionals will have the opportunity to connect, reflect on our shared accomplishments, and look ahead to the important work that lies before us," says Dolkar.

Highlights of the event include:

Thursday, May 29, 12 p.m. – 9:30 p.m. ET

• Student Leadership Luncheon hosted by RNAO's Nursing Students of Ontario interest group
  • Remarks from Dr. Karima Velji, chief of nursing and professional practice, and assistant deputy minister of health
• Opening ceremonies featuring remarks from provincial elected officials and international nursing colleagues
  • Deputy Premier and Minister of Health, Sylvia Jones
  • Minister of Education and Acting Minister of Long-Term Care, Paul Calandra
  • Leader of the Official Opposition, Ontario New Democratic Party, Marit Stiles
  • Leader of the Ontario Liberal Party, Bonnie Crombie
  • Deputy Leader of the Ontario Green Party, Aislinn Clancy
  • Dr. Pam Cipriano, President of the International Council of Nurses (letter)
  • Sandra Garmon Bibb, President of Sigma International (video greetings)
• Ceremony to celebrate the 10 newly designated BPSOs

Friday, May 30, 8:30 a.m. – 6:15 p.m. ET

• Report from RNAO CEO Dr. Doris Grinspun
• Announcement of "One member, one vote" results, including the nomination for president-elect
• Consultation session of the 2025 proposed resolutions to guide the work of RNAO
• Introduction of RNAO's 2025-2027 board of directors
• Remarks from President NP Lhamo Dolkar
• President's reception

Members of the media are welcome to attend in person (Toronto's Hilton hotel, 145 Richmond St. W.) or watch the livestream on RNAO's AGM web page.

The Registered Nurses' Association of Ontario (RNAO) is the professional association representing registered nurses, nurse practitioners and nursing students in Ontario. Since 1925, RNAO has advocated for healthy public policy, promoted excellence in nursing practice, increased nurses' contribution to shaping the health system, and influenced decisions that affect nurses and the public we serve. For more information about RNAO, visit RNAO.ca or follow us on X (formerly Twitter), Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn.

SOURCE Registered Nurses' Association of Ontario