Manitoba Government News Release–The Manitoba government has launched a new online resource to help women, girls and Manitobans who menstruate find locations offering free pads and tampons quickly and easily, Families Minister Nahanni Fontaine, minister responsible for women and gender equity, announced today.
“Access to free menstrual products removes a real barrier faced by women, girls and others who menstruate,” said Fontaine. “Our ongoing partnership with Shoppers Drug Mart, supported by this new online resource, makes it easier to access hygiene products and reduce the impact of period poverty for those who need it most.”
The minister noted the Manitoba government distributes free menstrual products to agencies, domestic violence shelters, resource centres and specialized programs as part of the Access for All Period program, a three-year partnership with Shoppers Drug Mart.
As part of the partnership, Shoppers Drug Mart donates 3.3 million menstrual products annually to Manitoba. The total value of this donation over three years is estimated to be more than $1.9 million, noted the minister.
“This partnership has already helped provide thousands of Manitobans with free access to period products, making sure people don’t have to go without to be able to access the hygiene products they need to go to school, work, or anywhere else,” said Perry Martin, vice president of government relations, Shoppers Drug Mart. “We are proud to be part of this initiative and appreciate our ongoing relationship with the Manitoba government to tackle period poverty in the province.”
The new web page lists the names and addresses of participating agencies, so people who menstruate can easily find places to pick up free menstrual products when they need them, the minister noted.
The Manitoba government also distributes free menstrual products to school divisions and funded independent schools. As of October 2024, Manitoba has distributed over 5.2 million menstrual products.
For more information on the Access for All Period program or to find a participating location near you, visit https://gov.mb.ca/wage/access-for-all.html.
– 30 –