Government of Ontario announced the end of the use of Birth Alerts which was a recommendation from the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls. This new approach will improve pre- and post-natal services by promoting collaboration between children’s aid societies, hospitals, service providers, Indigenous partners and community-based service providers. It has been reported the practice of birth alerts disproportionately affects racialized and marginalized mothers and families. Expectant mothers can be deterred from seeking prenatal care or parenting supports while pregnant due to fears of having a birth alert issued.

Birth alerts have never been required under provincial legislation and have been used inconsistently by children’s aid societies across the province. Going forward, the government is directing children’s aid societies to end the practice of using birth alerts by October 15, 2020. This means working with families, community partners and service providers to create a pre- and post-natal plan that supports the parents of newborns, to ensure more families stay together.