BACKGROUND:
Canada is experiencing a maternity care crisis (MCC), driven by a shortage of healthcare providers, the closure of labour and delivery units in rural and remote regions, and the centralization of services in predominantly southern areas of the country.

OBJECTIVES:
We conducted a historical review of the literature to define the origins of MCC in Canada, to identify when and how the MCC was first introduced in academic discourse. We traced its evolution over time and synthesized the range of solutions.

METHODS:
We employed a historical review framework. Five academic databases were systematically searched for literature published from 1995 to the present. Peer reviewed journal articles (n=20) were thematically and chronologically analyzed.

RESULTS:
The MCC was first acknowledged in 1996, but limited progress has been made to address its root causes. Declining family practitioners and obstetricians providing maternity care, the slow growth in midwifery, and the lack of systems to foster interprofessional care plans, has meant maternity services are shutting down across the nation. Although some collaborative care models have succeeded, differences of philosophy of care and remuneration issues inhibit change.

CONCLUSIONS:
Investing in maternity care is not only a moral imperative; it is a collective commitment to community health. Maternity care in Canada must be built upon a shared vision rooted in respectful, accessible, and community-centered care.

KEY MESSAGE:
Canada serves as a cautionary example of the consequences of failing to address a long-standing MCC and underscores the urgent need for sustained investment in midwifery. As international midwifery movements have demonstrated, investing in comprehensive, midwife-led models of care leads to improved outcomes for birthing people and families. Continuity of care - implementation 1