On July 29, the Ontario government announced they signed a three-year deal with Shoppers Drug Mart to make menstrual products free in schools. It is an extension of the Menstrual Equity Initiative, which launched in 2021.
During the first year of the deal, Shoppers Drug Mart will provide 1,380 dispensers to assist in the delivery process.
There will also be an increase of free menstrual products, from 23 million in 2021 to 26 million this year. The products will be available to all school boards and school authorities across Ontario, including the Centre Jules-Léger in Ottawa
As many applaud the government for this act, I would like to call attention to the fact that this is the same government which infamously disposed of OHIP+ on March 31, 2023, a service that provided access to prescription contraception – another expensive form of personal care many who have periods take to manage their cycles.
While an increase of 3 million free menstrual products will support a greater number of Canadian students who do not currently have access to menstrual products, it does not solve the issues posed by the rising costs of personal care items.
With the average income of Ontarians ages 15 and up sitting at $58,700 in 2022 according to Statistics Canada, the monthly costs associated with menstrual products are not affordable for many who rely on them to operate and do not have access to a school or workplace that provides them for free.
In a 2023 public opinion research survey completed by Environics Research on behalf of Women and Gender Equality Canada, it was reported that one in six Canadians who menstruate have experienced period poverty or the inability of an individual to afford and access menstrual products, education and services. This changes to one in four Canadians when including households that earn less than $40,000 a year.
Periods do not stop outside of the workplace or classroom, and those who have a cycle are still tasked with purchasing menstrual products or prescription medications to manage it.
As someone who suffers from painful cramps, I personally spend money each month on over-the-counter medications such as Advil and Tylenol so I can continue to function in the workplace.
The cost of these medications on top of the price I pay for menstruation products becomes more unsustainable as inflation continues to soar. Worse still is the continued shame felt by those who undergo menstruation.
A 2020 study completed by Always and Plan Canada found that 61 per cent of women ages 18 to 70 try to hide that they’re on their period from those around them. The same study reports that people feel more comfort- able speaking openly about sex and politics than they do about periods.
While the inclusion of free period products at schools helps to elevate some experiencing period poverty, it does not address the ongoing issue of guilt from having a period across Canada – especially among those still in school.
In the same study from Always and Plan Canada, it was found that a staggering 58 per cent of girls ages 13 to 21 felt shame or embarrassment about their own period. Of these, 50 per cent have lied about being on their period.
Will the continued shame around menstruation, despite the initiative’s aims, impact the use of the free period products on offer? There is no easy answer to this question, and it remains to be seen if an increase in free menstrual products in schools has an impact on these issues.
