Legislation

CNNN is established by and operates in accordance with the Nursing Profession Act (NWT, 2023) and the Nursing Professions Act (Nunavut, 2023).

Current Legislation

• The Nursing Profession Act NWT 2023
• The Nursing Professions Act NU 2023
• Nursing Profession Act S.N.W.T. 2003, c15
• Nunavut Nursing Act S.N.W.T 1998,c.38, s.4

Legislative History

CNNN’s regulatory framework has evolved alongside the nursing profession in the North.

The original NWT Nursing Profession Act came into force January 1, 2004, coinciding with an amendment to the Nunavut Nursing Profession Act. Together these Acts established a unified regulatory body for both territories and prompted the organization’s first name change — from the Northwest Territories Registered Nurses Association (NWTRNA) to the Registered Nurses Association of the Northwest Territories and Nunavut (RNANT/NU).

In 2023, both Acts were revised and replaced. The new legislation expanded the regulatory framework to include all four nursing designations — Licensed Practical Nurses, Registered Nurses, Nurse Practitioners, and Registered Psychiatric Nurses — and introduced provisions for nurse prescribing for RNs and RPNs. The organization became the College of Nurses of the Northwest Territories and Nunavut (CNNN).

Effective April 1, 2026, CNNN transitioned to a single-mandate regulator focused exclusively on public protection.