I can't overstate how excellent this news is. Provided the budget is passed, we really view it as a win-win-win situation. My statistics are accurate, that over three million Canadians—from my in-laws who live in Peterborough to over 600 indigenous communities across Canada—are provided care primarily by nurse practitioners. This will not mean more benefits, but faster access to benefits that patients have long been entitled to. This will mean significant improvements in quality of care and quality of life for many, many Canadians.
In addition, nurse practitioners and physicians alike will greatly appreciate this enhancement to the efficiency with which they can deliver care.