Ontario expands plan for free menstrual products in schools

Ontario announced Monday it plans to change attitudes about "period poverty" by making sure schools across the province will offer free menstrual products to their students.

Education Minister Todd Smith announced a new three-year agreement with Shoppers Drug Mart to expand the province’s Menstrual Equity Initiative and provide more than 23 million free menstrual products to students over the next three years.

The expansion is a continuation of an Ontario government program that began in 2021.

“We know that when students can’t access or afford menstrual products, it often results in them missing school, work or other activities – but we're changing that,” said Smith. 

In addition to free menstrual pads and tampons, Shoppers Drug Mart will provide 1,380 dispensers in the first year to facilitate the delivery of these critical health products in schools, said a government news release. Along with the 23 million free menstrual products – an increase of three million compared to the previous agreement – this represents an in-kind contribution of more than $8 million, the province said in a news release.

Free menstrual products will be available to all school boards and school authorities across Ontario, as well as the Consortium Centre Jules-Léger, which will distribute products to individual schools based on their local student needs, said the release.

Shoppers Drug Mart president Jeff Leger echoed the minister's comments about removing barriers. 

“For too long, inequitable access to menstrual products has held millions back from reaching their full potential – every absent day of school or sick day at work is a missed opportunity to learn, grow and thrive,” said Leger.