Ontario plans to make regulatory changes it says will allow nurse practitioners and registered nurses to provide more services and testing in more settings.

The province announced Thursday that starting July 1, 2025, nurse practitioners will be able to order and apply a defibrillator and pacemaker, order and perform electrocagulation (treatment of skin conditions and lesions) and certify a death in more than circumstances, so that registration can be done quickly.

The provincial government says this will improve access to care, particularly for Indigenous communities and rural, northern and remote regions.

“Ontario is proud to be home to world-class health professionals and our government continues to make innovative changes to enable them to work to the full extent of their expertise and training,” said Vice-President prime minister and Minister of Health Sylvia Jones said in a statement.

“Expanding the role of highly qualified nurse practitioners and registered nurses is another step our government is taking to provide more people with the right care, in the right place.

About a year ago, the The province has expanded the prescribing powers of registered nurses, allowing those with additional training to provide contraceptives, vaccines and travel medications to Ontarians.

Earlier this year, the Ontario Medical Association said there was 2.5 million Ontarians do not have a family doctor, and that number is expected to nearly double in just under two years.