Ontario funds Indigenous midwifery in Akwesasne, helping babies and traditions thrive
A significant investment from the Ontario government is helping strengthen Indigenous midwifery in the Akwesasne area. The province recently announced it’s putting up to $250,000 into the Onkwehón:we Midwives Collective (OMC), aiming to ensure Indigenous families in Stormont-Dundas-South Glengarry have better access to culturally-rooted pregnancy and newborn care.
“Access to high quality maternal and infant care plays a critical role in giving children a strong start to life,” said Nolan Quinn, MPP for the riding. “Through this investment, our government is protecting families and traditional practices in Akwesasne by ensuring mothers and babies have strong, culturally-sensitive midwifery care right in our community.”
The new funds are part of a broader $1 million commitment by Ontario to bolster Indigenous Midwifery Programs across the province. OMC will see its support rise from $50,000 this year to $200,000 for 2025-2026. That means not only more midwifery services, but the continuation of care that respects and revitalizes traditions that have existed long before provincial health systems ever arrived.
Founded in 2017 by Indigenous midwife Jasmine Benedict, the Onkwehón:we Midwives Collective was created to breathe life back into traditional birth practices in Akwesasne. Over the years, with help from Ontario’s Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care, the collective has grown into a vital health hub offering everything from prenatal visits to labour support, newborn care up to six weeks, and postpartum guidance—all with a deep cultural grounding.
“We are deeply grateful to the Ministry of Health for funding an additional midwife position in Akwesasne,” said Anastasia George, Executive Director of OMC. “This investment supports culturally safe care and strengthens Indigenous midwifery, which is vital to the health and wellbeing of our community and future generations.”
For the Mohawk Council of Akwesasne, this funding means more than expanded health services—it’s about caring for future generations in a way that honours their heritage. “Akwesasne is grateful that additional funding is being provided to help support the Onkwehon:we Midwives Collective,” said Grand Chief Leonard Lazore. “Caring for our babies and those yet to come starts long before they are born and this investment supports care that is guided by our traditions. Supporting our midwives means supporting our mothers, our children and our future.”
Deputy Premier and Minister of Health Sylvia Jones framed the investment as part of Ontario’s push to improve access to care right in people’s own communities. “Our government is making historic investments to ensure people of all ages can conveniently access the care they need, where and when they need it,” she said. “By supporting Onkwehon:we Midwives Collective to expand their services, we are ensuring that more Indigenous people and families can connect to community-based and culturally-specific maternal care that better supports their physical, spiritual, emotional and mental well-being.”
Beyond helping individual families, this funding also safeguards Indigenous knowledge and practices that have sustained communities for centuries. It’s an approach that looks forward by looking back—honouring traditional teachings while ensuring the next generations of mothers and babies can thrive, supported by midwives who understand their culture at every step.
