MPP Gilmour introduces Menstrual Health Day Act

QUEEN’S PARK — Ontario NDP Shadow Minister for Women’s Social and Economic Opportunity Alexa Gilmour (Parkdale—High Park) has introduced Bill 131, Menstrual Health Day Act, 2026, calling on the Ford government to end period poverty in Ontario.

The bill would declare May 28 as Menstrual Health Day in Ontario. MPP Gilmour also put forth a motion to mandate menstrual products in all workplace bathrooms.

“One in six menstruating Canadians cannot afford period products,” said Gilmour. “In the midst of an affordability crisis, the price of menstrual products has gone up by almost 20 per cent. In rural Indigenous communities, the cost can be as much as double the national average.

“The consequences affect people’s employment, their health, and their lives. It results in them using products in unsafe or unsanitary ways, because they’re left with no other option.

“You wouldn’t have a bathroom without soap or toilet paper. Menstrual products are just as essential. By supporting this bill, the Ford government can ensure that all Ontarians who menstruate have access to the hygiene products they need, keeping them healthy and safe.”