Report Shows 40 Percent of Canadian Nurses Leave the Profession Before Turning 35
According to a recent study, forty percent of nurses in Canada leave their jobs before the age of 35.
The Montreal Economic Institute (MEI) published a report on Sept. 24, revealing that for every 100 Canadian nurses who started in 2022, 40 nurses under 35 quit, marking a 25 percent increase since 2013.
The report forecasts a shortage of 117,600 nurses in Canada by 2030 based on current trends.
Related Stories
The CFNU suggests that granting more days off, flexible scheduling, and tax reductions could help retain nurses for longer periods.
Provincial Rankings
The severity of the nursing exodus varies by province, with eastern provinces experiencing the highest turnover rates.
In New Brunswick, 80 out of every 100 nurses leave the profession, a 51 percent increase since 2013. Nova Scotia and Newfoundland and Labrador also saw significant increases in nurses leaving.
Conversely, Prince Edward Island reported a 14 percent decrease in nurse turnover since 2013.
Alberta witnessed a 39 percent jump in nurses leaving, while Quebec, Saskatchewan, and Ontario faced varying rates of nurse departures.
British Columbia experienced the most substantial improvement, with a 32 percent decrease in nurse turnover since 2013.
Manitoba reported the lowest nurse turnover rate, showing an 11 percent increase from a decade ago.
