Read our digital newsletter for information on our survey for midwives, practice advice, Board acclamations, database updates, Board highlights from our March meeting, and more!
Survey for Midwives
The College of Midwives of Ontario has commissioned the research firm Strategic Counsel to conduct a survey of midwives on our behalf. This survey follows a public opinion survey we conducted in 2024.
Through the survey, we aim to better understand midwives’ relationship and interactions with the College in order to identify areas for improvement. Your input will be critical in helping to set the College’s strategic direction for the years to come.
We are asking all midwives to please take a few minutes to complete the survey and share your views.
Practice Advice: Communication
Effective communication is crucial for midwives in building rapport, supporting clients, and ensuring safe, ethical, and evidence-based care. Key aspects of effective communication include engaging in active listening, using clear and concise language, providing compassionate empathy, and adapting communication styles to meet the needs of your clients and colleagues. Midwives should also prioritize building trust through communication by ensuring patients understand their choices and procedures.
The College regularly receives complaints from clients about midwives’ communication. Often, it’s not the words themselves that lead to the concern, but how those words or actions were experienced by the client or their loved ones. Effective communication lies at the core of expectations for safe and ethical care, and the Professional Standards for Midwives sets out the expectation that midwives must act with integrity and professionalism and provide person-centred care at all times.
The College has prepared a detailed look at effective communication tips for midwives.
2024 College Performance Measurement Framework (CPMF) Report Published
To demonstrate how well colleges are doing their job and to help improve ongoing accountability, transparency, and oversight, all colleges are required to report on their work in the CPMF Reporting Tool. The College is proud to report on our ongoing successes from the 2024 year and published the report on our website earlier this year.
Neonatal Resuscitation Program, CPR, and Emergency Skills Requirements
All practising midwives renewing their registration with the College are expected to have completed full training in neonatal resuscitation (NRP), cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), and emergency skills (ES). NRP certification must be completed every 12 months. CPR and ES certification must be completed every two years.
NRP, CPR, and ES must be current on October 1, 2025, to meet the College’s registration renewal requirements and to allow you to complete the renewal process. During the renewal period, you must confirm that these courses are up-to-date in order to submit your renewal form. We encourage you to review your documents now and make any necessary arrangements to ensure you will have current NRP, CPR, and ES on October 1, 2025. Courses can fill up, so you are encouraged to book in advance.
Acclamations to the College’s Board
The practice of midwifery in Ontario is self-regulating, which means midwives are involved in determining the rules that govern the profession. We welcome active participation from all midwives.
During the first Call for Election Nominations earlier this year, the College received two eligible nominations for three Professional Director positions on the Board. Abir Hoblos and Isabelle Milot were acclaimed. The College then launched a by-election to seek nominations for the third position and acclaimed Jyothy Nair as the third Director in April.
We are pleased to share more information about the three successful candidates who were acclaimed to the Board and will be serving three-year terms commencing in June 2025.
Board Highlights
At their March meeting, the College’s Board approved a balanced budget with a freeze on registrant fees, discussed midwifery registration numbers, considered plans for governance modernization, and more.
Registrar-CEO Quarterly Report
College Registrar and CEO Kelly Dobbin prepares a report in advance of each Board Meeting. The purpose of the Registrar Report is to assure the Board that the College operates effectively and achieves its strategic goals, and that the Registrar performs per the expected duties outlined in the Board’s Governance Policies.
Completing your New Registrant Year
All midwives in their first year of practice after receiving their initial certificate of registration in the general class are working under new registrant conditions.
If you’re a new registrant who has practised in an established practice for a period of one year and attended a minimum of 30 births as a primary midwife as well as 30 births as a second midwife, you must declare that you have completed the new registrant conditions and submit the New Registrant’s Clinical Experience Reporting Form to the College.
Coming Soon: Database Updates
The College maintains a database which allows midwives to easily update their professional and personal information, renew their registration, pay relevant fees, report on their engagement in quality assurance and reporting, and access certificates of registration and wallet cards. The database also provides the public with up-to-date information about midwives, midwifery practices, and privileging locations through the College’s Midwife Directory.
The College is committed to serving registrants efficiently and to continuously improving our systems and processes. To that end, an updated database will enhance efficiency, strengthen security, and offer a more user-friendly experience for both registrants and the public, representing a necessary investment to protect data and maintain high-quality service.
We’ll share more details about the transition in the weeks ahead.
College Submission to New Provincial “As of Right” Proposal
The College submitted a response to the government’s new “Reducing Barriers to Registration and Practise for Regulated Health Professionals Registered in Other Jurisdictions” proposal. One aspect of this proposal would allow out-of-province regulated health professionals, including midwives, to work as soon as they arrive in Ontario, while they are awaiting the registration process with an Ontario health regulatory college.
We were grateful for the opportunity to share our feedback, identified several areas that could be strengthened, and provided solutions that we believe protect the public while supporting labour mobility.
The College also requested further opportunities to collaborate with the Minister of Health to address the lack of growth in midwifery over the last number of years and continue our mandate of ensuring Ontarians who choose midwifery care are able to access safe, ethical care, provided by skilled practitioners.
Reminder: Midwives Can Access 2024 Tax Receipts Online
Official College tax receipts for 2024 are available for download from the Registrant Portal. To access your receipt, please log in to the Registrant Portal and click on the “Official Tax Receipts” tab.
Official tax receipts reflect all net registration fees paid to the College of Midwives of Ontario in 2024. Other invoices and receipts are also available for viewing, paying, and printing in the Registrant Portal.
Follow the College on Social Media
The College of Midwives of Ontario has a new social media account on Bluesky which you can follow here.