Free menstrual products to be available at more than 100 Mississauga public facilities
Published April 20, 2022 at 1:55 pm
Free menstrual products will soon be available in public washrooms at Mississauga community centres, libraries and arenas in addition to various other city-run facilities.
City of Mississauga officials say the plan, approved today (April 20) by City council, will initially see the products available at 100 or so Mississauga facilities by the fall.
“Community centres, libraries and arenas will be among the first to offer these free products,” officials said in a news release, adding it’s “a step that is helping remove barriers while providing access to basic essential products.”
Mayor Bonnie Crombie applauded the move.
“Nobody should experience period poverty. And as a City, we feel it’s important to ensure that community members have equal access to the services and basic essentials they need when visiting our facilities,” she said. “Today’s motion will help remove any cost barriers and stigma that may be attached to those who are unable to afford menstrual products. We’ve researched this, and according to studies, approximately one-third of Canadian women under the age of 25 struggle to afford menstrual products. In Mississauga and Peel, there is a noticeable gap to accessing these supplies and we are committed to changing this.”
A staff report notes that the products will be available in at least one universal and/or female washroom per City-operated, public-facing facility.
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Locations to offer the products initially include:
- recreation facilities including community centres, golf courses and arenas
- library standalone locations
- park washrooms in select locations
- culture facilities, including Meadowvale Theatre, Small Arms Inspection Building, Bradley Museum and Benares Historic House
- Paramount Fine Foods Centre
- City Hall, Living Arts Centre, Central Library and Celebration Square
- MiWay transit terminals at City Centre and Westwood Square
- Ontario Court of Justice
“Our aim is to ensure our community facilities and public spaces support the needs of our residents, and providing free access to menstrual products to reduce period poverty is an important step forward,” said Jodi Robillos, the City’s commissioner of community services. “As we begin implementation, we are committed to working with community partners like the Region of Peel, the school boards, food banks and others to ensure we are collaborating and aligned with our efforts for collective impact.
“The types of products that will be available, service levels for restocking and maintenance will vary as we have a variety of vendors servicing our facilities. Additionally, we will be looking carefully at sourcing environmentally-friendly sustainable products.”
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