On July 20, arbitrator William Kaplan ruled that Ontario’s hospital nurses will receive a wage increase of approximately 11 per cent, on average, over the next two years. RNAO issued a media release in response to the news, highlighting that increased compensation is the first recommendation in our Nursing Career Pathways report. In a radio interview on CityNews 570, The Mike Farwell Show (July 24), RNAO President Dr. Claudette Holloway said “This is a significant step in the right direction to show value for nurses. This is a great start to help nurses stay in Ontario and we want to continue to see steps to build nurses’ careers here in Ontario.” Noting this agreement only covers hospital nurses, and that there is so much more that needs to be done, Holloway congratulated the Ontario Nurses’ Association (ONA) on its robust role representing nurses in the arbitration process, and committed that RNAO will continue urging government to strengthen retention programs. Speaking about other steps to address the challenges in health care, Holloway discussed the need to further increase seats in nursing education, offer more bridging programs for RPNs to become RNs, fund NP-led clinics, and hasten the utilization of NPs in long-term care. Holloway also spoke on Zoomer Radio about the announcement and its effect on nurses. “Nurses, like everyone else, have to make a living and support their families. But it’s about more than just the money for nurses,” she said. This “acknowledgement that there is a nursing crisis” will certainly attract nurses back and show them that they are valued after so many years of governments refusing to compensate them fairly, Holloway added. (Zoomer Radio, July 24)