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48% of Canada’s territory is encompassed in what we call Northern Canada, inhabited by 53% of Indigenous populations: Inuit, First Nations, and Métis. It includes Nunavut, the Yukon, and the Northwest Territories. 

Divided into two parts, this massive zone is named the Far North when it comes to the Arctic, which is populated by Inuit communities. Near North, on the other hand, consists of the sub-Arctic part of the country. Population density ranges up north from 0.02 per square kilometre to 0.08 compared to 4.2 for the entire Canadian territory; numbers that can be explained by extreme climate and geographic remoteness.

According to the study entitled Enhancing access to care in northern rural communities via telehealth in the International Journal of Circumpolar Health, northern communities also suffer from health disparities and inferior medical access, for which the costs double compared to the rest of Canada.

The population of Northern Canada is relatively small compared to the rest of the country, and it is home to a diverse mix of Indigenous communities, including the Inuit, First Nations, and Métis peoples. These communities have rich cultural traditions and have historically relied on hunting, fishing, and gathering for their subsistence.

Given its unique geographical and environmental characteristics, Northern Canada faces distinct challenges and opportunities. Issues such as remote access to services, infrastructure development, preservation of Indigenous cultures, environmental conservation, and climate change adaptation are among the key considerations in the region.

Given these factors, you can easily imagine what impact a limited access to healthcare means to Indigenous communities, and therefore the importance of nurses in the region.

When sending nurses to these parts of Canada, particularly in Northern Ontario and Alberta, professionals are trained to take on an expanded role and learn to face new responsibilities that await in Northern Canada.

If you’re wondering what it takes to work in healthcare in remote areas as a registered nurse, you’ll need to consider educational requirements, skills and competencies as well as licensure and certification.

First, you’ll need to be a registered nurse and submit proof from an approved provincial nursing college. As well, you will be required to have accomplished at least 3 years of critical care nursing within the last 5 years and demonstrate a fair amount of professional curiosity. In order to communicate well with your colleagues and patients, proficiency in English and/or French (Quebec) is necessary, in addition to a valid driver’s license. These certifications are some of the mandatory required before work can be started:

• Health Care Provider (HCP) Level CPR
• Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support (ACLS)
• International Trauma Life Support (ITLS)
• Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS)