As government asks people for input on Budget 2026, the Registered Nurses’ Union Newfoundland and Labrador (RNU) is urging leaders to make a clear choice.
“Are we going to keep paying for crisis or are we finally going to build a stable public system?” asked Yvette Coffey, President of RNU. “We cannot keep pouring public money into short term fixes. We need to stop paying premium rates to private nursing agencies and start investing in our own nurses. That is how you protect patient care.”
RNU’s Budget 2026 submission outlines practical solutions that would keep nurses in their jobs, reduce overtime, end reliance on private nursing agencies over time, and improve access to care across the province.
At the center of the proposal is the implementation and funding of a publicly employed Provincial Travel Team. This would create a coordinated, province wide nursing travel system within Newfoundland and Labrador Health Services. It would use a clear and fair system that would pay more to service harder to reach communities. It would also include paid travel time, safe rest periods, and public tracking of vacancies, overtime, and agency spending.
The goal is simple. Replace expensive private agency contracts with a stable public workforce plan.
RNU is also calling for:
- Long term funding and expansion of Nurse Practitioner led primary care clinics.
- An update to how Nurse Practitioners are paid so it matches their level of responsibility.
- A same work, same pay review, including physician comparability where Nurse Practitioners deliver services equivalent in scope and responsibility.
- A province wide review to fix pay differences between nurses doing the same job.
- Completion of a modern staffing review so staffing levels match patient needs.
- Paid clinical placements for nursing students to strengthen recruitment and retention.
Nurse Practitioners are Registered Nurses with advanced education. They diagnose, prescribe medication, order tests, and manage their own patient caseload. RNU says they are key to improving access to primary care, especially in rural and underserved communities.
“If the government is serious about better healthcare, it must fully use the professionals already in the system,” Coffey said. “Nurse Practitioners can attach patients to care and reduce pressure on emergency departments. But they need stable funding and fair pay that reflects their responsibility.”
RNU stresses that its recommendations focus on spending existing healthcare dollars more wisely.
“Public dollars should build our public system,” said Coffey. “Every dollar sent to a private agency is a dollar that does not strengthen our own workforce. We need a clear plan to transition away from agency dependence.”
The union says success should be measured by declining agency contracts, lower mandatory overtime, better nurse retention, and faster access to primary care.
As government gathers feedback for Budget 2026, RNU is encouraging residents who support these reforms to speak with their local MHA.
“This budget can be a turning point,” Coffey said. “Nurses are offering real solutions. If people want a stronger public healthcare system, now is the time to say so.”
RNU has formally submitted its Budget 2026 priorities to government and stands ready to work collaboratively on implementation.
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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
ATTACHMENT: RNU 2026 Budget Submission