Ontario is planning to create two birthing centres in the province, giving women more choice on where they can deliver healthy babies.

Premier Dalton McGuinty was at Ryerson University's Centre for Studies in Community Health today to announce that the government is working closely with the Association of Ontario Midwives and the College of Ontario Midwives on a proposal that will deliver quality health care for good value.

The Premier was joined by Minister of Health and Long-Term Care, Deb Matthews, where they met with students in the Centre's Midwifery Education program, mothers and members of the midwifery community. He spoke about how birthing centres would give women more choice in where they have their babies, while helping free hospital beds to focus on high-risk births.

The proposal is part of Ontario's Action Plan for Health Care. That plan is committed to moving routine procedures out of hospitals and into the community, where evidence shows quality care and better results for patients can be achieved for good value.

Quick Facts

• Approximately 15,000 births were attended by midwives in Ontario in 2010.
• There are approximately 145,000 births in Ontario each year.
• A midwife is a registered health care professional who provides primary care to healthy women and their newborns.
• There are more than 580 registered midwives in Ontario.