Manitoba to require employers supply menstrual products by August

Manitoba will soon require employers to stock free menstrual products for their workers.

The provincial government, in a March 9 news release, said that workplace washrooms and other accessible locations must have menstrual products, such as pads and tampons, for employees by early August.

The supplies will be offered at no cost to workers. Manitoba’s NDP government is the first province to require employers to provide the products, which will boost workplace health, reduce stigma and improve gender equity, the release said.

“These changes are about dignity and fairness at work,” Labour and Immigration Minister Malaya Marcelino said in the statement.

“No one should have to worry about access to basic menstrual products while they are doing their job. Periods are a normal part of life and workplaces should reflect that reality by making sure workers have what they need.”

The province passed amendments to the Workplace Safety and Health Act, following recommendations made in a five-year review hat concluded in January 2025.

Annual costs could run from $10 to $25 per employee that needs the supplies, the release noted. A dispenser and disposal container can cost $20 to $300.

The Workplace Safety and Health branch will add the supplies to its workplace inspection criteria.