Weekly healthcare brief
November 5, 2026 · 3 minute read · Ontario, Alberta, national
The short version
- Respiratory virus season has officially started in Ontario. Flu and COVID shots are free, and you can get both at one appointment.
- Ontario nurses are pushing back on staffing cuts, and the numbers behind that push are large.
- Alberta tabled a bill that would change who is covered by the Protection for Persons in Care Act.
- Alberta is reporting more surgeries and faster nursing growth than the national average.
What this means on the floor
Respiratory season has started. Book your shot.
Southeast Public Health announced on November 3 that respiratory virus season has arrived in its region. Influenza, COVID-19 and RSV are all circulating.
The health unit is encouraging everyone six months and older to get their annual flu and COVID-19 vaccines. Both are free to Ontario residents, and both can safely be given at the same appointment.
Why it mattersOne appointment, two shots. An early one protects you and keeps you available through the busiest weeks of the year.
Nurses are pushing back on staffing cuts
On October 28 the Ontario Nurses' Association said it had received official notification of more than 1,900 registered nurse and health care professional position cuts since January 2025.
ONA calculates that as 3.1 million hours of lost care each year across the province. It is calling for mandatory nurse to patient ratios, and for an immediate moratorium on further cuts.
Why it mattersAssignment size is a fair thing to ask about before you accept a block. These numbers show how live the question is in Ontario hospitals right now.
Calgary is getting a training hub, eventually
Alberta has given Bow Valley College $5 million to develop a proposal for a Health Care Centre of Excellence.
This is proposal money rather than construction money. The college expects to welcome its first students to the centre in September 2031.
Why it mattersNothing changes for your training options this year. It is a signal about where Alberta expects health care training to grow, not an opening you can apply to.
What this means if you are staffing a facility
Bill 39 would change who the care act covers
On November 4 Alberta introduced Bill 39, the Health Statutes Amendment Act, 2026 (No. 2). If it passes, proposed amendments to the Protection for Persons in Care Act would:
- Clarify which publicly funded care and support providers the act covers
- Strengthen compliance and enforcement
- Improve the appeals framework
- Add stronger tools to make sure corrective actions get completed
The bill would also support transferring public health inspectors from Alberta Health Services to Primary Care Alberta, with existing union representation and collective agreements preserved. The changes would take effect on royal assent.
Why it mattersThis is proposed, not law. If it passes, both your coverage under the act and your inspection contact could change, so it is worth tracking now.
More surgeries, and faster nursing growth
On November 3 Alberta reported 606 surgical procedures per 10,000 residents in 2025 to 2026, against 584 nationally, and said surgical volumes are up 15 per cent since 2019, citing Canadian Institute for Health Information data.
The province also reported a net gain of 10.3 nurses per 10,000 residents in 2024, compared with 4.19 in British Columbia and 3.12 in Ontario.
Why it mattersRising surgical volume means steady demand for perioperative and recovery coverage.
Coming up: the Canadian Institute for Health Information publishes National Health Expenditure Trends on November 10.
Need to fill shifts at your facility?
We place nurses, care aides and allied health professionals across Canada, often at short notice.
Or email recruitment@correctstaffing.ca · www.correctstaffing.ca
Sources
- Southeast Public Health, reported by Lanark Leeds Today, November 3, 2026. Respiratory virus season arrives in Southeast Public Health region
- Ontario Nurses' Association, October 28, 2026. ONA calls for safe staffing ratios and immediate moratorium on nursing cuts
- Government of Alberta and Bow Valley College, reported by Academica, November 2, 2026. BVC receives $5M for Health Care Centre of Excellence
- Government of Alberta, November 4, 2026. Strengthening protections for Albertans in care
- Government of Alberta, reported by the Red Deer Advocate, November 4, 2026. Alberta sees increased surgeries and health care workforce growth
- Canadian Institute for Health Information. Upcoming releases
Correct Staffing publishes this brief every week as general information for the nurses, care aides and facilities we work with. It is not legal, medical or employment advice.