2022 CNPS Fee Requirement Q&A

The CNPS is a not-for-profit organization that seeks to collect just enough fees to reasonably cover the expenses of providing services.  Your fee is determined after consultation with financial experts who conduct a review of the assistance that we provide in the past, in reference to changes in your practice environment, to determine what we may need in the future.

The applicable CNPS fee can vary according to your professional designation.  It can also vary depending on whether you practice in a province where all or less than all practising nurses of the same professional designation are CNPS beneficiaries.  Finally, it can vary depending on whether you access the CNPS as part of a member organization or designated beneficiary group or on an individual basis.

If you practice in a province where PLP is mandatory, but CNPS protection is optional and accessed on an individual basis:

If you practice in a province where CNPS protection is a practice requirement and accessed on an individual basis:

If you practice in a province or territory where CNPS protection is a practice requirement and accessed through a member organization or affiliated organization:

* Plus applicable taxes.

If you access CNPS services through a provincial or territorial College or Association, at the time of registration or renewal of your nursing license:

Most CNPS beneficiaries, particularly those in the group rate, will see a $20 fee adjustment from 2021. The CNPS strives to keep fees as low as reasonably possible to deliver services. This adjustment is largely a function of the pandemic.  Any circumstance where there has been loss of life can be expected to lead to legal review, whether this takes the form of claims for financial compensation, public inquiries or other legal proceedings. We are also mindful that you have had to work differently during the pandemic, by reason of public health measures or new policies and procedures that have been put in place to mitigate the impact of the pandemic. We will revisit this fee adjustment annually to ensure that it continues to be adequate and necessary.

If you access CNPS services individually in Manitoba or British Columbia:

Despite the adjustment referred to above, you will see an overall decrease in your CNPS fee. Why? Given the overall number of beneficiaries in Manitoba and British Columbia who opted to access CNPS services as individual beneficiaries, the CNPS has conducted a re-assessment and has now implemented a new category of individual beneficiaries for whom CNPS PLP is required by law or their College bylaws.  The fee for this group was adjusted based on an actuarial review. For more information, see our general FAQ.

Fee adjustments will be in effect for the 2022 licensure year.  If your license renewal period opens before the beginning of the year, it will apply at the time of renewal of your nursing license.

In addition to the legal or regulatory requirement for professional liability protection (PLP) that exists in most jurisdictions, there are several reasons why nurses who work as employees may require access to CNPS services: 

• In some cases, liability protection provided by an employer may not be sufficient to cover a claim. There is no minimum legal requirement for PLP. The amount of PLP held by employers may vary from one to the other. 
• Employer PLP is generally limited to nursing activities conducted within the scope of your employment. Nurses still require professional liability protection should they volunteer as a nurse, choose to work in independent practice or for an employer who does not provide an adequate level of PLP. 
• Employer PLP typically does not extend to certain claims that nurses may face, such as allegations of breach of privacy, abuse, sexual impropriety, or defamation. 
• An employer who closes its doors may not maintain a policy of insurance in force for its employees, and claims can arise several years after nursing services have been rendered. 

• Nurses may wish to obtain advice on a personal basis, where only their individual interests matter. CNPS legal advisors provide personal, individual advice based on your personal circumstances. 
• Employer liability protection generally extends to civil proceedings (lawsuits) arising from professional practice. There are many other circumstances in which a nurse may need legal representation or legal support, which fall within the scope of CNPS assistance: police inquiries, criminal prosecutions, human rights complaints, failure to comply with legislative requirements under child protection, persons in care, motor vehicle or privacy legislation, requests to act as a witness, coroner’s inquest and public inquiries, participation in medical assistance in dying. 

Most regulators require that nurses pay the CNPS fee along with their licensure fees to ensure that all their registrants have professional liability protection, as is legally required.

Nurses paying for CNPS membership in multiple jurisdictions may be eligible for a refund. If eligible, the refund will be automatically paid to the registrant by the CNPS. We endeavor to complete these refunds in the following year. (Refunds for the 2021-2022 registration period may be expected in early 2023).