Free menstrual products mandated for many Manitoba businesses
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Many Manitoba employers will soon be required to provide workers with free menstrual products.
Starting in August, provincially regulated workplaces will have to provide the products, such as pads and tampons, in washrooms or another accessible location, the provincial government announced Monday.
The federal government implemented the requirement for workplaces it regulates in 2023.
Manitoba is the first province to make the move, which will make for healthier and more inclusive workplaces, the government said in a news release.
The Manitoba Federation of Labour said the change will help make life more affordable for people struggling to pay their bills.
The government estimated the cost for businesses at $10 to $25 per worker, along with a one-time expense of setting up dispensers and other equipment, estimated at up to $300.
“No one should have to worry about access to basic menstrual products while they are doing their job,” Labour Minister Malaya Marcelino said in a statement.
“Periods are a normal part of life and workplaces should reflect that reality by making sure workers have what they need.”
Around 94 per cent of Manitoba employees are covered under provincial workplace safety and health requirements, a government spokesperson wrote in a statement.
The spokesperson pointed to Statistics Canada data showing 43,792 businesses in Manitoba fall under the regulations.
The news has brought mixed reactions.
Entrepreneur Ernie Cholakis, of Broadway Florists, wondered about the logistics: “You have different people’s preferences — do you have to buy ‘X’ of these, ‘X’ of this?”
Michele Kane, a worker at the flower shop, added she’s been buying her own products for decades. She questioned the cost for larger businesses.
Kelli Krul, whose family owns tea shop Cornelia Bean, said employees have generally shared menstrual products with others when needed.
“It’s not a standard thing that we’ve done, but if it has to be something moving forward, then so be it,” Krul said. “It’s a benefit for employees.”
Mandating businesses to provide menstrual products adds to the list of things companies must worry about, said Canadian Federation of Independent Business provincial director Brianna Solberg.
— with files from Gabrielle Piché