The Town of Midland has raised a flag at town hall and formally proclaimed the week of Oct. 1 to 7, 2026, as National Breastfeeding Week.

Mayor Bill Gordon signed the proclamation, and the flag raising took place Oct. 2, according to the town's community calendar. Midland is one of many municipalities across Canada marking the annual awareness week, which runs each year from Oct. 1 to Oct. 7.

What the proclamation says

In the proclamation, the town points to guidance that exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months of an infant's life, followed by continued breastfeeding for two years and beyond, delivers lasting nutritional and health benefits for a child's growth, development and lifelong well-being.

The proclamation cites the World Health Organization's Global Strategy on Infant and Young Child Feeding, which calls on governments around the world to build environments that help mothers, families and other caregivers make informed choices about how infants and young children are fed.

It also notes that breastfeeding is considered a human right, and that the Ontario Human Rights Code protects a woman's right to breastfeed in a public area without discrimination.

The 2026 global campaign focus is titled "Breastfeeding for a Sustainable Start in Life: Strengthen What Works." According to the proclamation, the theme shifts the conversation toward accountability by tracking local progress, putting data-driven policies in place to protect infant nutrition, securing family food systems and working to reduce systemic poverty.

The proclamation describes breastmilk as a low-cost, locally available source of equity that provides vital economic returns to families and nations. It says protecting and promoting the practice requires a co-ordinated "Warm Chain of Support" spanning health systems, workplaces and communities.

Why it matters locally

National Breastfeeding Week is described in the proclamation as an initiative to raise awareness of the benefits of breastfeeding, to strengthen support for it among individuals, families and communities, and to advance strategies that promote breastfeeding practices.

Residents who want to see the flag or learn more about the town's recognition of the week can find the flag-raising event listed on Midland's municipal calendar, alongside the full text of the mayor's proclamation in a Town of Midland notice.

The week has now concluded, but the town's proclamation stands as its formal recognition of the annual campaign for 2026.