A new partnership between North York General and Mino Care expands culturally safe Black maternal and reproductive care across the GTA. Community-rooted services now meet hospital-based resources to better support Black women, birthing people, and families.
Access to maternal and reproductive care that respects culture, identity, and lived experience remains a major concern for many Black families in the Greater Toronto Area. Stories from our communities continue to highlight gaps in understanding, representation, and trust when seeking support through pregnancy, birth, and postpartum life. Against that backdrop, a new collaboration between a community-rooted provider and a major hospital signals an important shift.
North York General (NYG) and Mino Care have formed a new partnership to expand access to culturally safe Black maternal and reproductive care across the GTA. It is a concrete response to what many Black women, birthing people, and families have been saying for years: care needs to be informed by our realities, our histories, and our needs.
A clinic built around lived experience
As part of this partnership, Mino Care has opened an in-person clinic at North York General’s Outpatient and Community Services Centre (Champagne Site), 2 Champagne Drive in North York. The clinic runs two Saturdays each month from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m., offering weekend access that better fits the schedules of working parents and caregivers.
The space is staffed by Mino Care’s health care professionals and community workers, and it includes on-site childcare to support patients who come with their children. That detail alone speaks directly to the realities of many Black and racialized families in Toronto: care has to be accessible in practice, not only in theory.
North York General President and CEO Dr. Everton Gooden sees the partnership as a key part of the hospital’s commitment to health equity.
“This partnership is an important step in improving access to care that reflects the lived experiences and needs of Black women, families and other people giving birth,” says Dr. Gooden. “By working with community-based organizations like Mino Care, we are helping to close care gaps and advance health equity in North York and beyond, a key priority under our new strategic plan.”
What care looks like in this new model
The collaboration brings a range of services into one unified, culturally grounded environment. Patients who visit the Mino Care clinic at NYG can access support, including:
- Appointments with a midwife or nurse
- Fertility and reproductive health support
- Mental health counselling
- Pelvic floor therapy and support
- Doula care
- Lactation consulting and breastfeeding support
For Black women and birthing people, these services matter on multiple levels. They address the physical aspects of pregnancy, labour, and recovery, while also creating space for emotional, mental, and cultural needs that are often ignored in mainstream care settings.
Mino Care Founder and CEO Elsie Amoako emphasizes the importance of centring the whole person.
“Mino Care is honoured to partner with North York General in advancing an integrated, culturally safe model of perinatal and reproductive care,” she says. “This collaboration enables us to bring our comprehensive services into a unified space that centers the holistic well-being of patients and their families. Together, we aim to deepen equitable access to care, particularly for Black and racialized communities, while supporting health care professionals committed to delivering inclusive, trauma-informed, and community-focused practice.”
Why culturally safe care still feels out of reach
Across Canada, the full picture of Black maternal health is still not widely visible. There is limited public data and few large-scale studies focused specifically on Black maternal and newborn outcomes. That lack of visibility has consequences. When data and stories are missing, systems are slower to recognize patterns of harm or to invest in targeted solutions.
The research that does exist, along with community testimony, points to clear concerns:
- Black women and birthing people often report feeling unheard, dismissed, or stereotyped when accessing care before and after birth.
- They face a higher likelihood of experiencing depression and anxiety compared to non-racialized peers.
- Despite this, many underutilize mental health services because of stigma, cultural barriers, and negative experiences with care providers.
When you combine those realities with structural racism, economic stress, and immigration-related pressures, the stakes become even higher. That is exactly why culturally safe, trauma-informed care is essential, particularly for African, Caribbean, and Black communities in a city as diverse as Toronto.
Community expertise meets hospital infrastructure
Mino Care has been working since 2019 to address these gaps by centring African, Caribbean, Black (ACB) and racialized families in its model of care. The organization offers holistic, wraparound services, including:
- Doula support
- Pelvic floor therapy
- Mental health services
- Lactation consulting
- Childcare and practical supports
Through partnerships with hospitals, clinics, and midwifery practices, Mino Care has become an important resource for families navigating pregnancy, birth, and postpartum life across Canada.
By bringing Mino Care into North York General’s ecosystem, the new partnership blends community knowledge with hospital infrastructure. It allows Black patients to access care from providers who understand the cultural, social, and historical dimensions of their experience, while also remaining connected to the broader network of services a community hospital can provide.
What this means for Black families in the GTA
For Black and Afro-Caribbean families across the GTA, this partnership represents more than an institutional announcement. It is a sign that the health system is listening, learning, and acting in collaboration with communities who have long been advocating for change.
The clinic model:
- Reduces barriers related to time, transportation, and childcare
- Offers care from providers trained in trauma-informed, culturally safe practice
- Creates room for mental health and emotional well-being alongside physical care
- Brings Black and racialized families into a space where their experiences are validated and taken seriously
For many in our communities, that combination of respect, safety, and medical expertise is exactly what has been missing.
Looking ahead: Rooted in community, focused on equity
The partnership between North York General and Mino Care is a reminder that equitable care is built through relationships, trust, and shared vision. It shows what becomes possible when hospitals and community-based organizations work side by side instead of in isolation.
If this model thrives, it may inspire similar collaborations across the GTA and the rest of Canada. That could mean more clinic spaces where Black and racialized families feel seen, more data and research grounded in our realities, and more health professionals equipped to deliver truly inclusive care.
For now, this new clinic is a concrete place where Black women, birthing people, and families can show up and receive support tailored to their needs.
How to access the clinic
For more information or to book an appointment at the Mino Care clinic hosted at North York General’s Champagne Site:
Visit: minocare.ca
The clinic currently runs two Saturdays per month, 12 p.m. to 5 p.m., at:
North York General – Outpatient and Community Services Centre (Champagne Site)
2 Champagne Drive
North York, ON
This is one more step toward a future where Black maternal and reproductive health is supported with the care, respect, and cultural understanding it deserves.
