Background | Menstrual Equity Report

The Ontario Human Rights Commission³ released a letter to the Minister of Colleges and Universities to support the provision of free menstrual hygiene products in universities and colleges. Specifically, the letter cites a 2018 Canadian gender study survey on Period Stigma by Plan International Canada, which found that of Canadian women under the age of 25:

• 33% say they have struggled to afford menstrual products
• 86% have found themselves unprepared when their period started
• 70% say they have missed school or work or have withdrawn from fully participating in social activities because of their period

More recent data from a 2023 survey⁴ conducted by Leger further underscores the urgency of addressing period poverty. The survey found that one in four Canadian women who menstruate had to choose between purchasing menstrual products and other essentials such as food or rent within the past year. Over half of respondents reported that the menstrual health education they received was either insufficient or not inclusive of diverse experiences. A striking 82% agreed that menstrual products should be freely available in public washrooms. More than half of respondents found menstrual products to be expensive or very expensive, with that number rising to 88% among women aged 18 to 24, a key demographic for post-secondary institutions.
 

[3] https://www.ohrc.on.ca/en/news-center/ohrc-letter-minister-colleges-and-universities-support-access-menstrual-hygiene 
[4] https://plca-p-001.sitecorecontenthub.cloud/api/public/content/be4eb4c962c14eb5b87f3f7d210004d4?v=7042f8f7&utm_source=newswire&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=menstrual_health&utm_content=pdf_report

In 2021, the provincial government⁵ announced a three-year partnership with Shoppers Drug Mart to provide menstrual products across elementary and secondary schools, recognizing the impact of inequitable access to menstrual products on students.

Universities across Ontario, and the country, have also recognized the significant impact of having menstrual products available free of cost. Western University⁶ has invested $800,000 over a two-year period to expand access to free menstrual products for students, after a successful pilot project. McMaster University⁷ launched their Period Equity Pilot Project, which aims to provide free menstrual products to students, staff, and faculty through bins and dispensers in select washrooms. The University of Toronto⁸ provides free menstrual products on their St. George campus, and so does the University of Alberta⁹, Georgian College¹⁰, Centennial College¹¹, and other similarly sized institutions on their campuses.

The provision of menstrual products and initiatives to promote menstrual equity are a vital part of ensuring campus community members have the necessary tools they need to be well as they study, work, and participate fully in campus life. There is increasing acceptance that menstrual products are comparable to toilet paper, and as such, students should not have to make financial, or participation decisions based on access to menstrual products.

 

[5] https://news.ontario.ca/en/release/1000941/ontario-launches-free-menstrual-products-in-schools
[6] https://globalnews.ca/news/8827338/western-university-free-menstrual-products/
[7] https://okanagan.mcmaster.ca/initiatives/mcmaster-period-equity-project/
[8] https://www.utoronto.ca/news/u-t-launches-project-provide-free-menstrual-hygiene-products-st-george-campus
[9] https://thegatewayonline.ca/2022/01/students-union-menstrual-product-dispensers-help-fight-period-poverty/
[10] https://www.ctvnews.ca/barrie/article/georgian-college-is-now-offering-free-menstrual-products-at-all-campuses/
[11] https://www.thestar.com/news/gta/centennial-college-to-offer-free-menstrual-products-in-restrooms/article_56e70ddf-fc43-52f0-8d81-d6e6e8e6765c.html