Deal between province, Shoppers removes barriers to menstrual products

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 16/09/2022 (1252 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The Manitoba government and Shopper’s Drug Mart have struck a deal to distribute free menstrual products to schools, resource centres and women’s shelters across the province — including Brandon schools and the YWCA.

The Progressive Conservative government announced the deal with the pharmacy and retail chain at a news conference on Thursday. Shoppers will supply 3.3 million tampons and pads each year for three years through a partnership with Proctor and Gamble, the makers of menstrual products.

A specific timeline and the number of products per region wasn’t provided Thursday, but the YWCA in Brandon will be among the recipients. Executive director Heather Symbalisty said this will help the menstruating people the organization serves because it will be one less thing their clients have to worry about.

It may seem like a small gesture, she said, but a person’s menstrual cycle can be debilitating, and sometimes degrading, if they don’t have access to hygiene products.

“This is, of course, wonderful news for us because, for our clients, often they come to our shelter without much, or they are unable to afford to buy [products] because of their situation,” Symbalisty said. “This is one of the things we ask the community for when we ask for donations, because we don’t want them to worry about that or finding money to get them.”

The YWCA plans on distributing the products to partner agencies and organizations if they need it, she added.

This is more than just an affordability issue — she said it’s a health issue, as well. If a person is unable to access menstrual products, they may feel isolated during those days and their hygiene could be put at risk.

“This cycle is a monthly reminder that we have something additional to deal with that has costs tied to it,” Symbalisty said. “A lot of the women we serve say they can’t afford these products. For mothers, it may come down to being able to afford food for their kids, or these products. They will likely provide for their kids and deal with the other problem another way.”

Providing the items to women’s shelters and resource centres will ensure more people in need are covered, Families Minister Michelle Squires said at the news conference.

“We know when women come into women’s shelters, oftentimes they’re arriving with nothing more than the clothes on their back, and so it’s very important to have [shelters] as partners,” Squires said.

Many Manitoba schools already offer menstrual products for free, but the new arrangement will guarantee open access across the province, Squires added.

“Whether you’re in Thompson, or The Pas, or Winnipeg or Brandon, if you’re going to school, the expectation should be that you’d be able to access this product.”

There are no solid details on how these products will be distributed in Westman, said Brandon School Division Supt. Mathew Gustafson. However, he did welcome the news, calling it a targeted approach to addressing inequities for students.

“Schools see value in anything that helps remove barriers for our students,” he said. “This is just another area where our schools can support families, especially those in lower economic status.”

The division will be working with its individual schools when it comes time to distribute the items, as they understand the needs of their student population, Gustafson said.

Squires said the province has been speaking with Shoppers for a while, but credited students and advocates for accelerating those talks.

Jeff Leger, president of Shoppers Drug Mart, said the business will also donate 900 dispensers with the products to make distribution easier.

“This announcement is part of a long-term commitment by Shoppers to raise awareness to this issue and create action in Canada to address access,” he said.

Shoppers made a similar deal with the Ontario government last year, although the Manitoba supply is higher per capita.

The price tag of this initiative was not immediately available.

» kmckinley@brandonsun.com

» Twitter: @karenleighmcki1