Community Commitment Program for Nurses (CCPN)

Financial incentives are available for Registered Nurses (RNs), Registered Practical Nurses (RPNs) and Nurse Practitioners (NPs) to work in the hospitals, long-term care (LTC) homes, home and community care (HCC) agencies, Primary Care and Mental Health and Addiction agencies in greatest need across Ontario. The Community Commitment Program for Nurses (CCPN) provides $25,000 in grant funding to eligible nurses in exchange for a two-year commitment to an eligible employer.

In addition, participating hospitals, LTC homes and HCC, Primary Care and Mental Health and Addiction agencies who employ eligible nurses through the CCPN will receive an education grant to fund professional development and training opportunities for nurses on their staff to pursue opportunities to enhance their clinical skills.

NEW: Northern Top-Up and Relocation Grants

The CCPN is now offering two new Northern incentives for nurses who make a two-year commitment to an eligible employer in Northern Ontario. These are:

  • A Northern Top-Up Grant of $10,000, paid in $5,000 instalments after four (4) and eight (8) months of employment with an eligible employer; and
  • A Northern Relocation Grant of $10,000, paid in $5,000 instalments upon confirmation that an eligible nurse has started employment and after four (4) months of employment with an eligible employer.

Both incentives are offered in addition to the core $25,000 CCPN incentive. Please see specific eligibility criteria for the Northern Top-Up Grant and Northern Relocation Grant below.

Eligibility Criteria

To be eligible for the CCPN, an employer must:

  • Be a hospital, long-term care home, home and community care agency, primary care, or mental health and addiction agency that provides publicly funded nursing services;
  • Submit an application and be approved to participate in the program;
  • Confirm that the positions they are seeking to fill through the CCPN have been posted internally to existing staff and that no suitable candidates were found through that process;
  • Confirm that funding will not replace any existing employee incentives currently offered by the organization; and
  • Offer a full-time position or full-time hours to an eligible nurse to provide publicly-funded health care services.

To be eligible for the CCPN, a nurse must:

  • Not have been employed as a nurse in Ontario in the six months prior to being hired;
  • Hold a Certificate of Registration in good standing from the College of Nurses of Ontario;
  • Begin employment between April 1, 2024 and March 31, 2025 (confirmation of extension beyond March 31, 2025 will be communicated as early as possible);
  • Commit to two-years of employment at a full-time work schedule offered by the employer;
  • Not simultaneously receive funds from the Ministry of Health for the Tuition Support Program for Nurses; and
  • Not be hired through the Nursing Graduate Guarantee program.

To be eligible for the Northern Top-Up Grant, a nurse must:

  • Meet the core CCPN eligibility requirements; and
  • Make a two-year commitment to an eligible employer located in Northern Ontario (i.e. within the North East or North West Ontario Health regions).

To be eligible for the Northern Relocation Grant, a nurse must:

  • Move a minimum distance of 100 kilometres from their primary residence for the purpose of pursuing employment with an eligible CCPN employer; and
  • Move from outside Northern Ontario to any Northern community (i.e. within the North East or North West Ontario Health regions); or
  • Move within Northern Ontario to a smaller Northern community (defined as any community within the North East or North West Ontario Health regions excluding Thunder Bay, Sudbury, Timmins, Sault Ste Marie and North Bay).

How do I participate?

Nurses

If you are an eligible nurse who is interested in applying for the Community Commitment Program for Nurses (CCPN) and you have not found an eligible position, please complete this Expression of Interest Form and we can link you with opportunities.

Employers

1. Employer Application

  • Eligible employers must submit the Application for the Community Commitment Program for Nurses (CCPN).
  • Each application will be assessed considering several factors, including health system priorities, geography and local and regional health workforce capacity.
  • Submission of a completed application by an employer does not guarantee employer approval or the receipt of any potential funding through the CCPN.

2. Employer Receives Application Approval

  • Employers will be notified via email of the maximum number of nurses eligible for CCPN funding.
  • Ontario Health will provide you with a Nurse Recruitment form which you will complete when you have identified an eligible Nurse.
  • Employers will post vacant positions on www.HFOJobs.ca identifying them as eligible for the CCPN.
  • Approved employers are also encouraged to post opportunities via their usual methods.

3. Nurse Recruitment

  • Approved employer recruits using their standard recruitment process.
  • Employer informs Ontario Health of successful recruitment via submission of the Nurse Recruitment Form.

4. Creation of Agreement between Approved Employer and Ontario Health

  • Ontario Health will initiate the creation of an agreement with the approved employer.
  • If the funding request meets all eligibility criteria, the agreement will be signed and executed by Ontario Health.
  • A return of service agreement will be provided and must be signed by both the employer and the eligible nurse.

Contingent on confirmation of continued employment, grant funding of up to $25,000 per eligible nurse will be disbursed to employers to be paid to each nurse in six instalments:

  • $3,000 upon completion of 4 months of employment;
  • $3,000 upon completion of 8 months of employment;
  • $3,000 upon completion of 12 months of employment;
  • $4,000 upon completion of 16 months of employment;
  • $4,000 upon completion of 20 months of employment; and
  • $8,000 at the conclusion of 24 months of employment.

Nurses eligible for a Northern Top-Up Grant will receive $10,000 over and above the core CCPN incentive, paid in $5,000 instalments after four (4) and eight (8) months of employment.

Nurses eligible for a Northern Relocation Grant will receive an additional $10,000, over and above the core CCPN incentive and Northern Top-Up Grant, paid in $5,000 instalments upon starting their two-year employment commitment and after four (4) months of employment.

Education grant funds of $1,500 will be provided to the employer for each eligible nurse actively employed through the Community Commitment Program for Nurses to support professional development and training opportunities for nurses on their staff. Allowable expense categories to support clinical skills enhancement include:

  • Tuition and Registration Fees
  • Mentorship Programs
  • Internships
  • Support for Internationally Educated Nurses
  • Professional Development Facilitation (Back-Fill)

Contact

If you have any questions about this program, please send an email to info-hfo@ontariohealth.ca.

 
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