SMH Celebrates 30 Years of Midwifery Program
May 05, 2026
Today, on International Day of the Midwife, Stevenson Memorial Hospital (SMH) is celebrating a 30-year partnership with the Alliston Midwives – Caring Hands Midwifery Services. Members of the original midwifery team, as well as clients and families, SMH midwifery staff, SMH leadership, hospital partners and local dignitaries gathered this week to celebrate the special milestone.
In 1994, the province passed legislation for midwifery services and a small, dedicated team of midwives created Caring Hands Midwifery Services in Alliston. Two years later, a partnership with the hospital and midwives began, with the first birth at SMH by a midwife on September 26, 1996.
The New Tecumseth community has long welcomed and supported midwifery services with approximately half of births at the hospital delivered by the midwifery team. The SMH midwifery team has now grown to eight midwives on staff. In 30 years of the program’s existence, close to 5,000 births have been delivered by the midwifery team at SMH.
“Our integrated midwifery-hospital partnership is unique and such a valued service for our community,” says Marnie Lightfoot, Vice President Clinical Services and Chief Nursing Executive, SMH. “This partnership brings together midwives, nurses and obstetricians and offers a collaborative model, working together to provide the best care experience for birthing parents and their families. Our obstetrics staff and professional staff are privileged to work alongside such a caring team, and I look forward to seeing this partnership continue to thrive,” she adds.
In 2024, an enhancement to the partnership was created with the MINT program: Midwifery Integration in New Tecumseth. The MINT program is a post-partum program providing supports for families upon the birth of their infant, including breastfeeding support, newborn care and mental health services. The program is located in the hospital’s Obstetrics Clinic.
“We are proud to partner with Stevenson Memorial Hospital, working alongside such a professional and supportive team,” says Holly Ryans, Lead Midwife at SMH. “Providing this service is important to our growing community, and it’s a privilege to do so with a team that shares our philosophy of safe, high quality labour and delivery services close to home,” she adds.
For more information about SMH’s Midwifery program or the MINT program– Midwifery Integration in New Tecumseth, please visit stevensonhospital.ca/midwife-clinic or themintprogram.ca