The Prince Edward Island Nurses Union is pushing to ban travel nurses from moving between Maritime provinces. You will see this decision directly impact New Brunswick as many agency nurses travel from our province to work on the Island.

Union president Kim Sears says the current reliance on private agency nurses is unsustainable. These temporary workers often earn two or three times more than the nurses working directly for the public healthcare system.

The Cost of Private Agencies

According to a recent CBC report, Health PEI spent approximately 44 million dollars on agency staffing for the 2025 to 2026 fiscal year. Sears argues this money needs to stay in the local economy.

“That is not investing in our local economy. Those nurses that come in are not paying taxes on Prince Edward Island, they are not buying homes here, they are not buying cars here. We need to invest in local nursing,” Sears said.

She added that private companies quite frankly took advantage of the human resource crisis in healthcare.

Political Support for a Regional Ban

The push for a ban has political backing. PEI Health and Wellness Minister Cory Deagle supports the idea of a Maritime ban and sent a letter to Atlantic health officials to discuss reducing the region reliance on travel nurses.

Deagle notes the financial strain and the negative impact on workplace morale. He says it is demoralizing for frontline nurses to work next to someone making significantly more money for the exact same job.

A Local Solution

Sears proposes creating a local pool of nurses who travel within their own province on their days off. These nurses receive higher pay and have their travel and accommodation expenses covered. This approach costs less than hiring through private agencies and keeps healthcare dollars within the province.

While an immediate stop to using travel nurses is impossible due to current staffing shortages, officials agree a concrete long term plan is necessary to stabilize the healthcare system across the Maritimes.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why do hospitals use travel nurses?

Hospitals hire travel nurses through private agencies on a temporary basis to fill vacant shifts and maintain required staffing levels during shortages.

How much more do travel nurses make?

Travel nurses hired through private agencies often earn two to three times the salary of public healthcare nurses.

How does a Maritime ban help New Brunswick?

A regional ban prevents local nurses from leaving the public system to work for private agencies in neighboring provinces. This keeps healthcare workers and tax dollars within your home province.