The College of Nurses of Ontario is the regulatory body for nursing in Ontario. It is not an academic institution or school.

In Ontario, self-regulation is a privilege granted to professions that have a proven ability to put the public interest first. It means the nursing profession governs itself, both collectively through the College and through the individual actions of its members.

The College’s role is to protect the public’s right to quality nursing services by providing leadership to the nursing profession. It does this by establishing requirements for becoming a Registered Nurse (RN), Registered Practical Nurse (RPN), or Nurse Practitioner (NP); establishing and enforcing the standards of practice; and managing quality assurance programs that help nurses maintain an acceptable level of competence throughout their careers.

Only those with a Certificate of Registration can practice as a nurse in Ontario or use the titles “nurse,” “Registered Nurse,” “Registered Practical Nurse” or “Nurse Practitioner” within the province. It is illegal for someone to be employed as a nurse or to use those titles in Ontario without a valid Certificate of Registration from the College.