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Shkagamik-Kwe Health Centre in Sudbury gets funding for two Indigenous midwives

Province spending up to $2 million on developing an Aboriginal midwifery program
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The province is providing funding for health centres that serve Aboriginal populations to hire Indigenous midwives to provide "culturally appropriate" maternity care. 

Sudbury MPP Glenn Thibeault is making an announcement in Sudbury this morning aimed at boosting maternity care for First Nations people across the province.

The announcement is being held at Shkagamik-Kwe Health Centre on Applegrove Street, where two registered midwives will soon be opening practices to provide "culturally appropriate" child and maternity care for up to 40 Indigenous women and their children in the community over the next three years. 

Not only is Sudbury receiving the health-care boost, but so are several Aboriginal health centres and midwives in other parts of the province.

  • K’Tigaaning Midwives, Powassan
  • Kenhte:ke Midwives, Tyendinaga Mohawk Territory
  • Onkwehon:we Midwives, Akwesasne
  • Dilico Family Health Team, Fort William First Nation
  • Southwest Ontario Aboriginal Health Access Centre, London.

The announcement states that Aboriginal midwifery programs will be working in existing health care teams with family doctors, nurse practitioners, social workers and traditional healers, developing strong links with primary care health services in the communities they serve. 

Ontario is also offering development grants to organizations across the province to explore how Aboriginal midwifery services could be established in their communities. 

Ontario said it is investing up to $2 million to develop the Aboriginal Midwifery program, which was built through consultation with Indigenous, midwifery and primary health care organizations. The province says there are about 30 Ontario midwives who self-identify as Indigenous. 


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