Note: This article was originally published in our Winter 2019 edition of our On Call newsletter, and has not been updated.
Since we have shared the news with you that our Ministry funding is under review, we have had questions from members and from the public about what a loss of this funding could mean to the College, to midwives, and to members of the public. We’ve also been asked if we plan to continue requesting funding from the Ministry.
Most importantly, any change in funding from the Ministry of Health and Long-term Care will have no impact on the public. The College will continue to regulate midwifery in the public interest, and ensure that midwives in Ontario are qualified, skilled, and competent to practise. However, any loss in funding will impact the College and the membership. The College has made budget cuts and will continue to find further efficiencies to minimize an increase in membership fees. In addition, careful stewardship of our resources in recent years will allowed us to safely operate with a deficit for the remainder of the 2018-2019 fiscal year and beyond, if necessary.
While the timing of our funding review was not expected, the College had been proactive to plan for financial independence. The College submitted proposals to the Ministry in 2014 and 2016 suggesting how to wind down our financial dependence with an aim of being self-sufficient in the near future while minimizing membership fee increases. If we continue to receive funding from the Ministry, we will remain committed to achieving financial independence in the foreseeable future.
If you have any further questions, please review the Questions and Answers we have posted to our website here, and don’t hesitate to get in touch by email at cmo@cmo.on.ca. We will continue to share information as it becomes available.
Sincerely,
Kelly Dobbin RM
Registrar & CEO
College of Midwives of Ontario