For Midwifery Clients

Government representatives need to hear how important it is for you and your family to have access to midwifery care. We need to engage the political leaders of this province to ensure they are aware of the challenges midwives are facing and what they can do to help. And we need your help.

Your experience as a midwifery client matters, and your stories about birthing in this province with midwifery services can make a difference. Let’s work together to build awareness around midwifery needs in B.C.

We invite you to speak from your heart. You can also work with the talking points below, either by copying them into an email or using them as prompts for a phone conversation.

Talking Points

Public demand for midwives continues to grow, with midwives currently involved in almost a quarter of the province’s pregnancies. In B.C., we have reached an all-time high in parents seeking midwifery care during pregnancy, birth and postpartum. And that demand has only increased during COVID.

But midwives are the second lowest paid in the profession across the country. Registered midwives and family physicians provide the same primary maternity care, and yet they are excluded from provincial benefits such as health and disability, pension and parental leave. That’s on top of low pay and having to cover costs for medical supplies and office overhead out of our own pockets.

If the fundamental inequities remain unaddressed, one in three B.C. midwives say they will be forced to leave the profession or change careers.

It’s time to address the inequities in our healthcare system and ensure the long-term availability of midwifery services for all British Columbians.

As a midwifery client, I support the provincial government allocating funds to:

• ensure B.C. families continue to receive high-quality primary maternity care by investing in benefits and business supports for midwives;
• support equity in maternity care—equal pay and benefits for midwives—and ensure that midwifery is there for B.C. families;
• and support Indigenous midwives and improve access to birth and maternity services in Indigenous communities.

Who to Call/Email

Ask for a virtual meeting with your MLA. You can find your MLA here.

Please also write to public servants: this is an effective strategy for raising the profile of midwifery within the Ministry of Health. Government employees and officials are responsible for developing policy and implementing provincial direction, and they are required to respond to public inquiries. Some key contacts in the Ministry of Health include:

• Ted Patterson (Assistant Deputy Minister) Ted.Patterson@gov.bc.ca
• Mark Armitage (Assistant Deputy Minister) Mark.Armitage@gov.bc.ca
• Natasha Prodan-Bhalla (Chief Nurse and Professional Practice Officer, Nursing Policy Secretariat) Natasha.Prodan-Bhalla@gov.bc.ca
• Glenys Webster (Director, Women’s, Maternal and Early Childhood Health) Glenys.Webster@gov.bc.ca

Are you a midwife? Click here to see how you can help!