Introduction

Many people in Canada face barriers to accessing menstrual products or educational materials because of financial limitations and/or harmful social norms and attitudes surrounding menstruation.

Lack of access to menstrual products is closely linked to poverty and disproportionately impacts youth, single mothers, Indigenous peoples, Black and other racialized communities, immigrants, people experiencing homelessness, people living with a disability, gender-diverse individuals, and those who live in remote areas.

Budget 2022 committed to establishing a national pilot for the Menstrual Equity Fund (MEF) to address the barriers related to affordability and stigma that some Canadians face when accessing menstrual products.

Throughout 2022–23, WAGE undertook extensive research and engagement activities to better understand the menstrual equity landscape in Canada.

This included:

• An online survey to over 200 not-for-profit organizations, led by WAGE
• Five group discussions and several bilateral discussions with community organizations (shelters, food banks, community centres, and friendship centres), attended by the Parliamentary Secretary
• Environmental scans on the menstrual equity landscape across Canada, including the existing programming and initiatives in place to address period poverty, led by the Community-Based Research Centre
• Research on the intersectional prevalence and impacts of period poverty in Canada, as well as national and international promising practices (collected through interviews with menstrual equity advocates working within the menstrual equity space), led by Douglas College
• Engagement with WAGE’s Indigenous Women’s Circle, other federal departments, and the provinces and territories
• Public opinion research:
  • Phase 1: Omnibus survey on menstrual equity with a random sample of 1,000 Canadians, led by the Privy Council Office
  • Phase 2: Public opinion research to better understand how the Canadian public views menstruation, free access to period products, and period poverty, led by Environics Canada

Respondent Profile

WAGE-led survey

Most organizations responding to the WAGE-led survey self-identified as shelters, housing assistance organizations, and youth centres. A small percentage self-identified as immigrant and newcomer organizations, food banks, Indigenous organizations, 2SLGBTQI+ organizations, and organizations that focus on menstrual equity.

Note: Organizations were able to select multiple categories.

Intersectional lens

Input gathered through the engagement process represented a diverse and intersectional cross-section of Canadians, including youth, Indigenous peoples, Black and other racialized communities, immigrants, people experiencing homelessness, people living with a disability, gender-diverse individuals, and those who live in remote areas.