In 2020, the pandemic brought to light a reality long ignored in Montreal: menstrual poverty. To respond to this, initiatives such as the free distribution of disposable sanitary pads in public buildings emerged. The City also implemented grants for the purchase of sustainable menstrual products, such as washable pads and reusable underwear, in 17 boroughs. However, this program remains largely unknown, and the funds allocated are rarely used in their entirety. In a context where the cost of menstrual products is constantly increasing, this initiative could be a solution. So why doesn't it reach those who need it the most? La Converse went to meet the parties concerned. Report.

Friday, January 10. On Saint-Laurent Boulevard, the offices of the Collective Bienvenue organization are nestled on the 8th floor of a large building bringing together various businesses. Finding your way is not easy, but the people who came to collect mattresses guide us to the door of this community centre dedicated to emergency aid for asylum seekers.

We met Selma, a worker from the organization, at the entrance. “We are supposed to be closed for visitors today, but some people don't know it. When they have urgent needs, I can't see myself telling them to come back next week,” she explains with a wry smile.

The space occupied by the organism, which is immaculately organized, almost resembles a warehouse: sections separated by large shelves are devoted to furniture, mattresses, armchairs, kitchen items and winter clothing. Among the impressive pieces of furniture, we discovered dozens of boxes full of feminine hygiene products: tampons, thin and thick pads, and even reusable cups. “It's true that women don't expect to find menstrual products here. But when they find out, they are surprised and relieved,” says Selma, pulling a box. “We always put a dozen napkins in our kits for newcomers,” she continues. "If someone needs more, we give a whole package. It's not a problem for us, because we know it's expensive... it's very, very expensive,” she insists. “Some people tell me, 'Oh, I needed it, I had to buy it, but I couldn't.' Still others: 'It's expensive here, thank you. I used fabric instead.'”

Every day, at least four packs of pads are distributed to various beneficiaries: housewives, newcomers or international students who no longer have a cent in their accounts. “They are distributed to all those who may need them, honestly. For us, it's like having toilet paper at home. You shouldn't have to think about it.” And for these women, who are often in precarious situations, this simple gesture can make a difference.

Newcomers shocked by the price of disposable sanitary pads

Cyrianne, 25, is one of the 200 volunteers at the centre. The young woman arrived alone from Guinea in January 2024. Embarrassed by the sight of the microphone, she smiled shyly and spoke briefly about her experience. “When I received my first sanitary pad kit, I was so happy and relieved!” she confides, before continuing: “In Guinea, a pack of 12 pads costs barely one dollar, but here, the price was preventing me from buying them.”

Even today, Cyrianne and the other volunteers are allowed to take what they need from menstrual supplies. “The ones we have here are of good quality; they smell good,” she adds with a wicked smile. "I know that if I couldn't restock here, I would use toilet paper instead." A volunteer since April 2024 for the community organization, Cyrianne in turn takes care of providing sanitary pads to all those who may need them when they come to the organization. Unfortunately, many people are still unaware of the existence of initiatives like this one.

This is the case of Amina, 32, who arrived in Quebec as a skilled worker in July 2024. Faced with menstrual poverty for the first time when she arrived on Turtle Island, she contacted La Converse. so that we can highlight this topic. To avoid any stigma, she preferred to talk to us over the phone.

Arriving in Quebec full of hope, she started training with Services Québec and quickly connected with other recently immigrant women. A hot topic quickly emerged from their discussions: the cost of menstrual products.

“We all agreed that it was too expensive. In Tunisia, a pack of sanitary pads costs about 4 dinars, or the equivalent of $2. Here, a pack costs between $8 and $15, and the quality is not even better,” she begins.

This observation, shared by many newcomers, transforms an essential need into an inaccessible luxury. “Some women I have met have told me that they avoid changing sanitary pads too often, even if it causes them irritation. It's a difficult situation to live with,” she adds.

Before coming to Canada, Amina used a menstrual cup for ecological reasons. “Here, it has become an economic choice,” she says. And adopting these new habits is not without constraints. “In my country, toilets are equipped with bidets. It is convenient for emptying and cleaning the cup. Here, in public restrooms, there is no privacy, which complicates things a lot,” she explains.

To reduce the expenses associated with buying sanitary pads, Amina keeps her menstrual cup all day, for 12 hours — the recommended maximum — rather than changing it every 6 to 8 hours, as she did before. “I need to prioritize my spending. I came with all my savings, but they're not worth much here,” she resignedly says.

Menstrual precariousness exacerbated by rising prices

Since July 2015, menstrual products have no longer been taxed in Canada, a victory achieved thanks to the mobilization of the feminist collective Canadian Menstruators and its petition No Tax on Tampons. Although this measure represents a step forward, it is still insufficient to meet the needs of women in precarious situations, says Amina: “It is true that they are tax-free, but the prices of menstrual products are only increasing, so financially we do not feel this tax exemption.”

Statistics Canada data indeed reveals a 3 per cent increase in the price of menstrual products from June 2023 to June 2024. This increase is in addition to an overall increase of over 10 per cent in the price of personal care products over the past two years. And already in 2019, the Canadian Public Health Association estimated that a woman spent about $6,000 on disposable menstrual products during her lifetime.

Faced with this increase, organizations such as Monthly Dignity, supplier of menstrual products from Welcome Collective, are working to offer concrete solutions and to raise public awareness of the urgent need to act against menstrual poverty.

Serious risks of infections

“Menstrual poverty can affect anyone and at different times in life,” says Estelle Beauclair, educational program coordinator at Dignité Mensuelle. The young woman evokes the silence surrounding the phenomenon: “We often associate this precariousness with people living in great poverty, but it also affects single mothers who put the needs of their children before their own, newcomers who struggle to make ends meet, or even low-income students.”

Some people such as those with disabilities, queer people or even female students are even more vulnerable because of their social or economic situation, she explains.

Looking back on her university years, Estelle tells us: “I bought a few menstrual products, then I used toilet paper. At the time, it didn't seem that big of a deal. I preferred to be able to have a roof over my head.” Looking back, she now recognizes that this situation, trivialized at the time, was related to menstrual poverty.

“And the consequences of this precariousness go well beyond discomfort,” she insists. "It's not uncommon to hear people say they wear the same sanitary pad for 24 hours, layer panty liners — they're less expensive — or use newspaper or even socks,” she laments.

One in five menstruating people in Quebec has already used alternative means (toilet paper, fabric, etc.) as menstrual products because of the price of these products. Source: Portrait of the experience of menstruation in Quebec, RQASF

These practices increase the risk of serious infections, including toxic shock syndrome, which can lead to serious complications, such as amputations or even death, warns OXFAM France. 

According to Estelle, menstrual poverty is not only due to financial difficulties. It is also amplified by limited access to safe facilities and adapted products.

Some women are more exposed to this reality. “A homeless woman suffering from endometriosis may need specific, thicker and durable products. However, these items are often not accessible to her,” illustrates Estelle. The lack of regular access to secure bathrooms also exposes them to increased health risks. Their precariousness also keeps them away from medical care, a situation compounded by the lack of an address, the lack of a family doctor and the prejudices they face, she continues.

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The growing role of municipal services

In 2024, 55 organizations received menstrual hygiene products provided by Dignité Mensuelle, reports Estelle. “Most of the time, they are regular donations. We try to make a delivery every six to eight weeks,” she says.

To achieve this, the team leases two vehicles and distributes the circuits in different sectors of the city. “At our last delivery, in mid-December, we served eight or nine organizations” she adds with pride.

However, in the face of increasing pressure, the organization sometimes has to redirect requests that it cannot meet to municipal services. “The needs are immense. We sometimes talk about 5,000 tampons per month... We can't meet all requests”, confides the young woman, obviously disappointed.

In 2021, the City of Montreal implemented a pilot project for the free distribution of disposable menstrual products in several municipal buildings. These items were initially available at City Hall, the Botanical Garden, the Ahuntsic Library and the Jean-Claude-Malépart Community Centre. This initiative was welcomed and expanded to other locations over time. However, it is not flawless.

“We are often told that they are out of stock. The products are sometimes unavailable, or people have to ask for them explicitly,” laments Estelle. In addition, the choice of products remains limited. “Sometimes only tampons are available, which is neither inclusive nor completely safe for everyone. That said, the initiative is good, but adjustments are needed.”

Unequal subsidies for lasting protections

Since 2020, the City of Montreal has of a grant program for the purchase of sustainable menstrual products, managed by the eco-districts of each district. People who have purchased washable pads, menstrual cups or reusable period panties can request a partial refund, depending on the conditions of the district where the request is submitted.

However, a survey conducted in 2023 by the Quebec Women's Health Action Network (RQASF) highlighted some important shortcomings: almost half of the respondents were unaware of the existence of subsidies for the purchase of sustainable menstrual products in their neighborhood.

Élise Brunot, director of the RQASF, is particularly familiar with this subject, which she has already worked on.

“We can see that there are boroughs where subsidies are disbursed extremely quickly, while others struggle to dispose of them,” she points out. This situation is due in particular to budgetary differences between districts and differences in the allocation of funds.

The budgetary disparities are indeed striking. Mercier—Hochelaga-Maisonneuve, which had a budget of $57,500, used only 35 per cent of the allocated funds, and Saint-Léonard, with a modest envelope of $2,500, posted a utilization rate of just 16 per cent. Conversely, boroughs such as Ahuntsic-Cartierville, Ville-Marie and Plateau-Mont-Royal distributed all their grants.

According to Élise, these differences are partly explained by the approaches adopted: “Some boroughs integrate these subsidies into other programs, such as the one devoted to washable diapers. Depending on the approach, it makes a big difference. An envelope dedicated solely to sustainable menstrual products would have more impact.”

Awareness varies from neighbourhood to neighbourhood

To these disparities, Élise adds the lack of awareness in certain sectors. “It's obvious that, in the Plateau, it hits its target more easily than in boroughs like Montréal-Nord or Hochelaga,” she begins. The public is different: they don't necessarily have the same access to this kind of subject or awareness of the usefulness of sustainable menstrual products.”

Despite her organization's efforts to raise awareness, Élise recognizes that it is still difficult to reach all the people concerned, especially those who need it the most. “I'm going to draw a cartoon that seems quite realistic to me, but when you don't have a lot of money, when you're a single parent, you don't necessarily want to mess around with panties, towels that you have to let soak, that you have to wash. We're going with the simplest, the most effective: disposable — even if it's more expensive in the long run.”

Administrative procedures that fall under the “obstacle course”

Another major obstacle: communication. According to Élise, not all boroughs promote these programs clearly. “We are fed up with asking for reimbursement, so in fact, we are giving up. Some procedures are a real obstacle course. Sometimes, you have to go to the town hall with a bill; other times, everything is done online, and you have to scan your bill if it is not a digital bill. So it necessarily excludes all people who don't have the tools or the skills they need.”

She adds: “The websites in some boroughs are not user-friendly, they are old. For my part, I submitted a request but received no response, or even an acknowledgement of receipt. However, I got a refund after three months.”

A “very high” initial expense before being reimbursed

“Sustainable menstrual products cost a fortune,” says the woman who recently renewed her stock of menstrual panties. I spent just over $250, but I only got a $50 refund, which is also not great. In the long run, it's obvious that it's cheaper than buying disposable pads. But at the moment, it is a very high initial expense. You have to be $200 out.”

Three out of 10 people would like to use sustainable products, but feel that these items are too expensive. Source: Portrait of the experience of menstruation in Quebec, RQASF

As for alternatives, such as menstrual cups, Élise sees it as a less expensive solution, but not without constraints: “You have to be able to go to a toilet where you have a sink at your disposal. In the cabin, not outside.”

In addition, the reimbursement rate also varies from district to district: some cover up to 75% of the fees, others 50%, and still others offer smaller amounts, with a maximum of $50 in reimbursement.

Centralized grant applications to the City?

For Élise, it is obvious that the grant program would gain in popularity and accessibility if it were managed by the City rather than by the ecoquartiers. “There would be fewer disparities in terms of repayments,” she began. There would be stronger communication, there would be an alignment in how to proceed, forms, etc. It could also be done in a hybrid way — online, but also in person, at a meeting point to make things easier.

Contacted on this subject, the City of Montreal had not answered our questions by the time of writing.

Despite everything, Élise remains optimistic: “It is progressing slowly, but surely. I am hopeful that over time, it will become more widespread and fluid. In 2020, when we started these campaigns, no one was talking about them. In 2025, we must recognize that we have come an impressive way.”

A question of awareness and equity

For Élise, the challenges related to cost, accessibility and even subsidies reveal a larger problem: that of raising awareness for all. “Education is at the heart of all this,” she insists. "If, from an early age, we made young people aware of menstruation, their management and the alternatives available, we would reduce many inequalities.”

She is calling for a proactive approach that would include the distribution of menstrual products in schools and expanded access to information. “It starts with eliminating taboos and integrating this education into institutions.”

*Amina's real name has been changed at her request.