News Release
May 9, 2022

Today, Mayor John Tory proclaimed May 9 to 15 National Nursing Week in Toronto. Throughout this week, the City of Toronto will join municipalities and organizations across Canada in recognizing the essential role nurses play in the health care system.

The proclamation supports the annual celebration of the nursing profession, coinciding with International Nurses Day (May 12), held on the birthday of Florence Nightingale, who many consider to be the founder of modern nursing. The week-long celebration acknowledges the pivotal role that nurses play in caring for our communities and celebrates individual and collective achievement in the field of nursing. The CN Tower and Toronto Sign will be illuminated in blue in observance of National Nursing Week.

The theme of this year’s National Nursing Week is “We Answer the Call” and the COVID-19 pandemic has underscored the many ways in which nurses do just that. At every stage of Toronto’s pandemic response, nurses have led with courage and compassion to provide care, administer life-saving vaccines and share vital health information with the communities they serve.

At a local level, Toronto Public Health (TPH) is marking the occasion with a theme of its own – “Nursing Making History Right Now” – to recognize and celebrate the efforts of TPH’s more than 800 registered nurses and approximately 500 registered practical nurses in responding to one of the largest public health emergencies in Toronto’s history.

The proclamation is available on the City’s Proclamations 2022 webpage.

Quotes:

“Nurses are the foundation of Canada’s health care system. Thank you to all the nurses who work tirelessly to look after the health and well-being of communities across the country, and of course right here in Toronto. As our city continues to recover after more than two years confronting the COVID-19 pandemic, we owe a debt of gratitude to Toronto’s nurses whose bravery, selflessness and resilience has helped keep us safe every step of the way.”
– Mayor John Tory

“National Nursing Week is a great opportunity to recognize the ongoing dedication of nurses towards keep our communities healthy. Thank you to all nurses across our city, and to my nursing colleagues at TPH and beyond, for the critical role you play in the health care system and for your continuous hard work, passion and commitment to improving and protecting our health.”
– Dr. Eileen de Villa, Toronto’s Medical Officer of Health

Toronto is home to more than 2.9 million people whose diversity and experiences make this great city Canada’s leading economic engine and one of the world’s most diverse and livable cities. As the fourth largest city in North America, Toronto is a global leader in technology, finance, film, music, culture and innovation, and consistently places at the top of international rankings due to investments championed by its government, residents and businesses. For more information visit the City’s website or follow us on Twitter, Instagram or Facebook.

Toronto Public Health Media Relations