The City of North Vancouver is offering free menstrual products in City facilities and public spaces to remove barriers, promote gender equity and support those in need.
This two-year pilot is in partnership with United Way British Columbia as part of the Period Promise initiative, and in collaboration with North Vancouver City Library and MONOVA: Museum of North Vancouver. The program is aimed at ensuring people who have periods don’t experience barriers to participating in school, work and recreational activities.
The pilot also supports Council’s strategic priority of ‘a City for People’, creating a City that is welcoming, inclusive, safe, accessible, and support the health and well-being of all.
“No one in our community should ever be left out or feel excluded,” said Mayor Linda Buchanan. “Unfortunately equitable access to menstrual products remains a barrier for many. That’s why we are proud to partner with United Way and pilot the Period Promise initiative. By making free menstrual products accessible in civic facilities we are creating a more inclusive City for all people.”
“We thank the City of North Vancouver for making this Period Promise,” said Michael McKnight, President and CEO, United Way British Columbia. “Joining United Way’s Period Promise campaign is one way for a City like North Vancouver to help build healthier, more caring and inclusive communities. This is how we strengthen vital connections and alleviate period poverty.”
Free Menstrual Products in Civic Facilities
In total, 14 women’s, men’s, and universal washrooms at six locations across the City now have free menstrual product dispensers, including:
- City Hall
- MONOVA: Museum of North Vancouver
- North Vancouver City Library
- The Shipyard Commons
- Ray Perrault Park
- Waterfront Park
Visitors who use the dispensers will have an opportunity to provide feedback on the free menstrual product program through an online survey available through a QR code on each dispenser. Input collected will be used to inform the future of the initiative once the pilot is complete in two years.
About the Period Promise Campaign
Period Promise is a United Way initiative. The Period Promise Campaign has generated approximately 1.2 million donated menstrual products from 2017 to 2021. The campaign also inspired organizations to adopt a policy to provide menstrual products in their facilities, while de-stigmatizing menstruation and raising awareness of period poverty. For more information, go to periodpromise.ca.