Menstrual Equity Fund

Menstrual equity refers to equal and comprehensive access to menstrual products, as well as access to education regarding sexual and reproductive health and rights. Period poverty is a lack of access to menstrual products, education, hygiene facilities, waste management, or a combination of these.

Many people 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 disabilities, gender diverse individuals, and those who live in remote areas.

A 2023 public opinion research survey conducted by Environics Research on behalf of Women and Gender Equality Canada (WAGE) found that: 

• One in six (17%) Canadians who menstruate have personally experienced period poverty; this rises to one in four (25%) if their household earns less than $40,000 a year.
• One in five (20%) who menstruate say they may not afford period products at some point in the next 12 months, and 7% say this is very likely. Six in ten of the first group agree that inflation has increased the likelihood of not affording period products.
• One in four Canadians agree periods are dirty and unclean, and about one in five agree menstruation should not be publicly discussed (22%) and menstrual products should be kept out of sight (22%).

Addressing barriers related to affordability and stigma

In 2023, the Government of Canada launched a national Menstrual Equity Fund (MEF) pilot project to address barriers to accessing menstrual products and reduce stigma through education and awareness activities. Since its implementation, the Government of Canada has allocated over $29.8 million to the MEF.

Phase 1: Research and engagement

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

• An online survey of 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)
• 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: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

What we heard from MEF engagement activities (2022–23)

Phase 2: Design of the pilot – A national approach

Information gathered through engagement activities informed the design of the MEF pilot, which centered on selecting one established national non-profit organization to:

• Test approaches to distribute free menstrual products to community organizations serving diverse low-income populations in various locations across Canada
• Partner with a small number of grassroots organizations across Canada that are already advancing menstrual equity to scale up education and awareness activities to inform Canadians about period poverty and reduce stigma around menstruation

Phase 3: Targeted call for proposals

WAGE launched a targeted call for proposals to solicit applications from five national not-for-profit organizations. National candidates that were invited to apply demonstrated qualities that would support a successful MEF pilot, including:

• A broad reach and distribution network
• The capacity and expertise to deliver an innovative pan-Canadian project in both official languages
• The demonstrated capacity to manage the procurement and distribution of products in diverse locations
• Existing partnerships with diverse community organizations and the private sector

Food Banks Canada, one of the country’s largest organizations to fight food insecurity, was selected to run the MEF pilot. Visit Food Banks Canada for implementation details.

Phase 4: The MEF in action

The MEF pilot began on September 1, 2023. Since then:

• Almost 400 pilot site and over 2,000 distribution locations participated, with representation in all provinces and territories across Canada.
• Disposable and reusable products were offered, providing access to a variety of menstrual products.
• Six menstrual equity organizations across the country scaled-up nearly 300 education and awareness resources.
• Disposable and reusable menstrual products were distributed to additional sites in Northern Communities.
• Additional disposable products were distributed to pilot sites demonstrating the greatest need based on data collected during the early stages of implementation.
• Additional funds for menstrual education and awareness were provided to organizations to expand the scope of their work.

The MEF builds on ongoing work at the federal and international levels to advance menstrual equity, including:

• An initiative led by Indigenous Services Canada to provide funding for free menstrual products in First Nations schools on reserves and in federal schools across Canada, and funding to Indigenous partners and the territorial and provincial governments for Northern schools.
• An Employment and Social Development Canada–led project to ensure the provision of free menstrual products in federally regulated workplaces.
• Health Canada has funded eleven projects through the Sexual and Reproductive Health Fund to improve access to education regarding sexual and reproductive health and rights. This includes projects distributing information and education resources on menarche, menopause and endometriosis to underserved populations and their health care providers as well as resources focusing on sexuality education including a culturally safer approach to discussing menstruation.
• Global Affairs Canada is advancing the health and rights of women and girls through the 10-Year Commitment to Global Health and Rights, increasing its global health investments to $1.4 billion in annual spending, of which $700 million is dedicated to comprehensive sexual and reproductive health and rights, including menstrual health and hygiene.

In November 2023, the Standing Committee on the Status of Women released a report entitled Let’s Talk About it, Period: Achieving Menstrual Equity in Canada.

Read the government response tabled March 1, 2024, addressing issues such as access to products, sanitation and hygiene facilities, and clean water.