At the College of Midwives of Ontario, we recognize the importance of data in enabling us to develop a responsive regulatory framework; to identify and analyze trends and areas of risk to inform our decision making; and to foster engagement and trust that we fulfill our public interest mandate effectively, efficiently, and fairly.
One way that we use data to assess trends is through our registration numbers. Our Registration Department monitors the numbers of entries and exits from the profession each year, and that data has an important story to tell us.
Midwifery in Ontario is at a tipping point. As of March 31, 2025, there were 1,092 registered midwives in Ontario, who oversaw approximately 26,000 births. Over the past few years, we’ve identified a notably high number of midwives leaving the profession in Ontario, primarily to practise in another Canadian jurisdiction. In that time, we have not seen adequate numbers of midwives entering practice in Ontario to meet the needs of midwifery clients. We are concerned that, without intervention, this trend will continue, and Ontarians will be without access to midwifery care.
The College of Midwives of Ontario understands that clients choose midwifery care for a reason — they value it, and we value it too. In our recent public opinion survey, we learned that an overwhelming 95% of clients reported satisfaction with the care they received from a registered Ontario midwife. Fifteen per cent of pregnant people who did not work with a midwife cited an inability to access midwifery care as a reason that they did not use a midwife for their birth – demonstrating the number of midwives currently registered is not meeting the needs of Ontarians.
The Regulated Health Professions Act, 1991, charges the College with the duty to work with the Minister of Health to ensure that the people of Ontario have access to adequate numbers of qualified, skilled, and competent midwives. This is a responsibility we take seriously, and we have implemented many changes within our regulatory scope.
We know we cannot solve this crisis without collaborating with our partners in the Ministry of Health. This past year, we met with several MPPs, and wrote letters to senior leaders within the Ministry of Health. We look forward to continuing these discussions with decision-makers and sharing our data in the interest of ensuring access to midwifery care.
