Free tampons and menstrual products required in men's restroom, Canadian Pm Justin Trudeau
All federally regulated Canadian employers, including federal public service workplaces, banks, airports, crown corporations and train yards have been officially required to provide free tampons and menstrual pads in every employee’s restroom, reported the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC). Free tampons and menstrual products
The policy was made mandatory following the announcement of a change to the Canada Labour code in May 2023, which published that all restrooms at the workplace must have covered disposable containers in toilets and free tampons and menstrual products.
Beginning Friday, all federally regulated employers including federal public service departments, crown corporations, banks, airports and train yards must provide free menstrual products in all employee washrooms.
The tampons and menstrual pads are intended for employees’ use and not for members of the public.
Who moved the motion?
Rachel Ettinger, MBA , is a health equity activist and a former Media personality. She is also the founder of “Here for Her”, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
In 2020, Rachel sent a petition to the House of Commons by her MP calling for the government’s attention to women-at-workplace menstrual products.
“We have to look at menstrual products as a necessity item, just like toilet paper,” Ettinger said. “You can’t provide a truly inclusive space for your employees without providing menstrual products.”
The inspiring young woman, Rachel, is also a champion in so many other organisations.
She started the move with her influence, and also had the support of other people among whom is Meghan White, the co-founder of Ottawa-based non-profit; Period Packs, and a board member to the National Gaucher Foundation of Canada.
“It makes a huge difference knowing that they’re consistently there and you don’t have to carry one with you everywhere, like at the bottom of your purse or the bottom of your school bag or in your pocket,” Meghan White said.
According to White, making available free tampons and menstrual pads at workplaces for employees will also create a more comfortable and equitable “work environment”.(2)
“It’s not appropriate to ask employees to leave on their lunch break, during time that’s supposed to be rest, to go and find menstrual products,” she said.
“When you get your period and there’s no way to manage it, it’s remarkably isolating,” White added. “You essentially have to … use toilet paper or some other inappropriate mechanism for managing your period.”
These should be made available in all restrooms.
The requirement is to ensure that disposable containers, menstrual products dispensers are provided in restrooms for both trans men.
“Not only women or those who identify as women menstruate,” said Ettinger. “Trans men, gender non-conforming and two-spirit folks menstruate as well, and everyone who menstruates deserves to menstruate with dignity.”
Meghan White advises that the products should not be limited to women’s restrooms because it’s difficult to ask people to “self-identify at the workplace” and without putting this into consideration will eventually force all menstruating people to use the women’s restroom.
“We can’t ask people to self-identify in the workplace,” she said.
“Why not accommodate everyone if you can? Why not set the highest standard as a federally regulated agency?”
Meghan’s backer, Krista Plewes, also contributed that she is not confident that federal regulated institutions such as airports and banks will quickly follow suit with the new policy.
“We have certainly spoken to a lot of customers who are not prepared because they didn’t know about it, so I do think that more communications needs to go out,” said Plewes.
Plewes said her company, which is the exclusive Canadian distributor of Aunt Flow dispensers, is ready to meet the surge in demand as more facility managers become aware of the new requirement, but that may not be the case across the board in the hygiene industry, according to CBC.
There are also concerns for theft, but she said that a recent survey conducted by her company shows the vast majority of respondents would only take as many pads or tampons as needed at that moment. Free tampons and menstrual products
“We don’t see people going in and stealing toilet paper, so why would they steal these products?” Plewes asked. “The more we can normalise free products, the better off life will be for menstruators everywhere.”
In touch with the challenges that may get in the way of the new federal code’s full implementation at workplaces, Ettinger stressed the need to remain positive, adding that this will be an “inclusivity issue”.Free tampons and menstrual products
While the launch may not go smoothly, it’s important not to lose sight of the bigger picture, said Here For Her’s Ettinger.Free tampons and menstrual products
“I’m really hoping that as an activist this will kind of be a domino effect for other public sector businesses, schools, and then of course for the private sector to jump on and realise that this is an inclusivity issue.”
CBC said, Federal Labour Minister Seamus O’Regan will take part in an announcement at 1 p.m. ET Friday to mark the changes at Toronto’s Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport.
