First report based on the data collected in the survey is now available

How many nurses responded to the survey?

More than 31,000 members completed the Workforce Census, which represents over 15% of nurses in the General, Extended and Non-Practising classes. While we had a large sample of respondents, those 31,000 don’t fully reflect the population of nurses in Ontario. There are some differences between the composition of nurses who completed the census and the population of nurses in Ontario. 

However, the results provide meaningful insights into the lived experiences of respondents and represent the largest sample of demographic and identity data collected from nurses in the province. It also presents an opportunity for targeted outreach with under-represented groups to build trust and enhancement engagement before we conduct another census. 

Will there be other reports based on the survey data?

Yes, another report is currently under development that focuses on the experiences of nurses in the workplace and with CNO. It will be released during the first quarter of 2025.

What is CNO doing with this information?

Within CNO, data from the census will inform evidence-based, metrics- driven approaches for identifying strategic actions related to our DEI strategy Inclusion for All: Nothing About Us, Without Us. The data will be used to identify DEI challenges, establish baselines and measure progress, and focus on where we can deliver meaningful change. It provides clarity around areas of under-representation related to nurses’ identities and their practice which can be used to establish priorities, identify gaps and set goals.

Collecting data and understanding the makeup of nurses in a wide variety of ways allows CNO to improve inclusion through policy development, recruit CNO staff and Council members that reflect Ontario’s nurses and build relationships with external partners who are not currently at the table.

As a first step towards building stronger relationships with a diverse set of nurses, CNO will conduct focus groups to review data from the census and learn from nurses’ perspectives and experiences with CNO. Census data helps us to identify key communities for our first year of outreach and will allow us to create a list of priority system partners in nursing and build an external DEI engagement strategy. The process of broadly consulting with partners centres around building trust and creating opportunities to ensure we hear all perspectives. Those shared experiences and key learnings are foundational to creating and revising CNO policies, to advance both equity and inclusion.

Central to our work is a respect for what the data tells us. It is also important that the resulting conversations clarify and ensure we are addressing barriers to equity and acknowledging best practices. The guiding principle of these partnerships is mutually beneficial relationships that create opportunities to partner and jointly address key issues. Metrics are key not only to a successful DEI strategy but to CNO’s continued commitment to public protection.

Why collect this data?

At CNO, we know members of historically under-represented and equity deserving groups may experience racism, discrimination or harassment in both their personal and professional lives. As part of our work promoting safe practice, we have heard from equity-deserving groups about the barriers and biases that nurses in Ontario experience. To do our work effectively, we need to know more to help us succeed with an evidence-based approach.

The Workforce Census will provide an important snapshot of the demographic composition of Ontario’s nurses. Results will give us a baseline for identifying gaps and measuring progress for advancing policies that are more equitable and inclusive.

Developing the census

To create the census, we collaborated with valuable partners and developed the questions with community leaders as well as experts in diversity, equity and inclusion who specialize in collecting data in health systems.

We would like to thank the Black Nurses Task Force, Canadian Black Nurses Alliance, Pan-Canadian Association of Nurses of African Descent (Ontario Black Nurses Network and Canadian Black Nurses Network) and Indigenous Primary Health Care Councilfor their support.

This census will inform CNO’s diversity, equity and inclusion strategy. We will continue to share information about our work as it unfolds.

CNO's workforce census video

Brent Knowles, Director, Analytics & Planning at CNO shares why it's important to hear from nurses about their experiences working in health care.

Questions about The Workforce Census?