FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 22, 2026
Budget 2026 Must Deliver Real Solutions for Healthcare, Says RNU
St. John’s, NL – With Budget 2026 set for April 29, the Registered Nurses’ Union Newfoundland and Labrador (RNU) says people across the province are looking for something simple: a healthcare system they can rely on.
Right now, that is not what many are experiencing.
Patients are waiting too long for care. Nurses are working short and stretched thin. In many communities, services feel unstable and uncertain, especially rural and remote ones on the Island and in Labrador, where people are starting to question what will be there when they need care.
“When people cannot count on healthcare close to home, it puts real pressure on communities,” said Yvette Coffey, President of RNU. “No one should feel like they have to leave their community just to access care. That is not a strong healthcare system.”
Government has said this budget will focus on better healthcare and a stronger future. People will be looking to see how that commitment shows up in real services they can count on.
“Nurses are experts in care. We are there every day, working with patients and seeing where the system is struggling,” said Coffey. “We are also bringing forward clear, practical solutions that can help fix it.”
RNU’s Budget 2026 submission outlines steps to stabilize the nursing workforce and improve access to care across Newfoundland and Labrador. The focus is on using existing healthcare dollars more effectively to build long term strength in the system.
That includes expanding Nurse Practitioner services, addressing compensation issues that affect recruitment and retention, supporting nursing students, and reducing reliance on costly private nursing agencies.
“We cannot keep spending public money on short term fixes while the system continues to struggle,” said Coffey. “We need to invest in our own workforce and build a system that is steady, reliable, and ready to meet people’s needs.”
A key recommendation is the creation of a Provincial Travel Team. This would be a publicly employed team of nurses who can be deployed where they are needed most, helping stabilize services in rural and remote communities and reduce pressure on existing staff.
“This is a practical solution that supports both patients and healthcare workers,” said Coffey. “It gives the system the ability to respond when services are under pressure, while keeping that capacity within the public system.”
RNU is also calling on government to follow through on commitments to support healthcare workers and students, including paid clinical placements and stronger pathways for new graduates.
“These are reasonable, responsible steps,” said Coffey. “They help stabilize the workforce, improve access to care, and make better use of public resources.”
RNU says the impact of the right decisions will be clear: more stable services, less overtime, and a healthcare system people can trust when they need it.
“Budget day is about choices,” said Coffey. “This is an opportunity to move from reacting to problems to putting real solutions in place. Nurses are ready to be part of that work.”
RNU stands ready to work with government to implement these solutions and strengthen the public healthcare system for people across the province.
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About the Registered Nurses’ Union Newfoundland & Labrador
The Registered Nurses’ Union Newfoundland & Labrador represents over 6,000 registered nurses, registered psychiatric nurses, and nurse practitioners across the province, advocating for quality health care, safe working conditions, and respect for the nursing profession.
For more information, please contact:
Jonathan Hamel
Director of Communications
Registered Nurses’ Union Newfoundland & Labrador
Tel: (709) 691-6890
Email: jhamel@rnunl.ca
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