Vancouver park washrooms could soon offer free menstrual products

Feb 11 2020, 2:08 pm

Free menstrual products could soon be available at Vancouver community centres and parks.

This comes after the Vancouver Park Board approved a motion on Monday to establish a policy to make tampons and pads available at no cost at all of its facilities with washrooms.

According to the motion, the policy will be part of the park board’s Washroom Strategy, which “takes into consideration the basic biological needs of all washroom users to ensure comfort and equity of access to all parks and recreation facilities.”

The policy could include installing new dispensers into Park Board facility washrooms or retrofitting existing dispensers.

“Menstrual products are essential to the health of those who use them; research shows that lack of access to these products (due to situational, financial or other barriers) can negatively impact participation in activities and well-being,” reads the park board motion.

The push for free and accessible menstrual products in public spaces has been spearheaded by the United Way of the Lower Mainland Period Promise Campaign, which focuses on making products available to individuals living in poverty.

In 2019, the BC provincial government pledged $95,000 to the Period Promise and also announced that all public schools in the province would be required to provide free menstrual products to students.

DH Vancouver StaffDH Vancouver Staff

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