Coming Together for Canada’s Health Workforce

When people ask me why I came to Health Workforce Canada, I tell them I love to take on sizable, meaningful challenges with a strong team behind me. I joined the team as CEO in December, and at every turn, I am inspired and impressed by the smarts, the hard work and the determination of each person working here.

My journey in health care as a nurse and leader has shown me the incredible strength and compassion of our workforce – not just nurses, physicians, and allied health professionals, but also the family members, friends, and neighbours who step up as carers and supports. Whether it’s day-to-day care in hospitals homes, and communities, or the extraordinary efforts during disasters like fires and floods, these individuals are an essential part of our system.

Across the country, nurses, physicians, allied health professionals, educators and policymakers carry stories of resilience, frustration, and hope. One thing I know: our health workforce is central to delivering care in Canada and it’s under immense strain. As someone who has spent my career working alongside these dedicated professionals, I feel a deep responsibility to support them and help build solutions that make their work – and their lives – sustainable.

Challenges We Face

Staff shortages, uneven workforce distribution, challenges in worker wellness, and broader system-level issues have all contributed to the difficulty with timely access to care. Health workers continue to report high levels of burnout.

We understand that health workforce challenges are deeply interconnected. They touch every part of the system – workforce shortages, education gaps, mental health strain, and systemic inequities. These inequities weigh heavily on Indigenous communities, rural regions, and other equity-deserving populations, including 2SLGBTQI+ individuals, racialized groups, and those facing language or cultural barriers. Behind each challenge are real people working under immense pressure. Tackling one issue alone won’t ease that burden. We need a holistic approach that listens, values, and supports every voice in our health system.

Solutions Are Within Reach

The good news? Change is underway. Canada is taking meaningful steps to strengthen the health workforce – making recruitment and retention a top priority so care is there when it matters most.

Since our inception two years ago, the Health Workforce Canada team has built new pan-Canadian tools with integrated data and curated information for those who plan for and support our health workers, to make sure we have people to care for us in the future.

We have brought people from across health and other sectors to face the big issues together and share solutions. At the Health Workforce Canada Connects 2025 symposium, health system leaders explored innovative strategies that can make a real difference:

• Team-Based Models of Care: Moving away from siloed practice toward collaborative, interdisciplinary teams that share the load and improve patient outcomes.

• Leveraging Technology: Digital and AI solutions aren’t about replacing people – they’re about reducing administrative burden and expanding access, especially in rural and remote communities.

• Credential Recognition: Competency-based assessments, harmonized regulatory processes, and cross-industry learning are all required to improve workforce integration and healthcare delivery.

• Education and Health Workforce Planning: Strengthening opportunities to reinforce the connections between the health workforce and education sector by creating sustainable governance structures, advancing data sharing and health workforce forecasting, and enhancing learning design can be elements of a future-focused health workforce strategy.

• Rural and Remote: Workforce planning strategies for rural and remote parts of Canada need continued focus to ensure the unique contexts of care delivery and population needs are well supported.

• Mental Health and Wellness Supports: From flexible scheduling to peer support networks, we must prioritize the well-being of those who care for us.

• First Nations, Inuit and Metis: Strengthening Indigenous health workforce planning and embedding cultural safety across the system is critical and must be distinctions-based and Indigenous-led.

This coming year, we have a real opportunity to continue to explore these issues and find actionable solutions through collaboration, investment, and courage.

A Personal Commitment

As I reflect on the work we need to do, I feel both urgency and optimism. Urgency because we need to act swiftly to support our workforce. Optimism because I’ve seen what happens when we come together – across provinces, professions, and perspectives – to share knowledge and build trust.

To all who contribute – healthcare providers, family supports, carers, and community members – thank you. Your resilience and commitment are what make our health system strong, every day and in every circumstance. When we recognize and support everyone who cares for others, we build a healthier, more compassionate Canada for all. Together, we can strengthen systems that enable your work, foster leadership that engages, and build communities that recognize your contributions.

To policymakers, educators, and innovators: thank you for the progress we’ve made together. Meaningful change happens incrementally, guided by data, evidence and collaboration. As we move into a new year, let’s keep working toward solutions that strengthen our health workforce, and the care people across the country rely on.

Because when we care for the people who care for us, we build a healthier Canada for all.