The Association of Ontario Midwives and the government of Ontario come to an agreement.

A new one-year funding agreement with the Ontario Government was successfully ratified by members of the Association of Ontario Midwives (AOM) on March 31, 2023.

The new agreement includes a $16 million investment to raise wages and broaden access to midwifery services. The Ontario government and AOM are collaborating to ensure that families in Ontario can anticipate:

• More choice in patient-centred midwifery care, especially closer to home
• Easier and faster access to midwifery services — whether it’s birthing from the comfort of home, at a hospital or at a birth centre in Ottawa, Toronto or Six Nations.
• Culturally safe care for Indigenous families without having to travel long distances.

Sylvia Jones, Deputy Premier and Minister of Health, stated, “The important work of midwives has an immense impact on the lives of parents and their newborns.” We are satisfied by this step towards a more grounded organization with an arrangement that benefits the two maternity specialists and developing families.”

Over $16 million in compensation and improved midwifery services are included in this agreement, including:

• A one per cent compensation increase for all midwives in Ontario as of April 1, 2023
• Increased operational funding to support rising costs of rent, overhead and supplies
• Increased funding for better clinical equipment and birth kits
• Funding to offset travel costs, especially for midwives who travel across communities 24 hours a day, 7 days a week
• Funding to integrate and upgrade IT systems to provide more efficient digital health and data safety.

Additionally, Indigenous-led midwifery care in First Nations, urban, and rural communities will be supported by this agreement. Traditional healing programs and ceremonies, as well as important prenatal, intrapartum, and postpartum care that is culturally safe are provided by indigenous midwives.

Our public health care system relies heavily on Ontario’s midwives. In order to support midwifery in Ontario and ensure that midwives can continue to provide high-quality care to families and newborns throughout the province, the government will continue to collaborate with the AOM.