Manitoba Employers To Be Required To Provide Free Menstrual Products

Starting September 1, 2026, new changes to Manitoba’s Workplace Safety and Health Regulation will come into force, requiring provincially regulated employers in Manitoba to provide free menstrual products – including tampons and menstrual pads – in workplace washrooms.

The changes come as a result of recommendations from the five-year review of The Workplace Safety and Health Act, completed by the Workplace Safety and Health Review Committee in January 2025. It makes Manitoba the first province to mandate free menstrual products in workplace washrooms for employees.

Under the existing Regulations, an employer is required to provide a sufficient number of toilets paer gender depending on the number of employees at the workplace, and ensure that each washroom is kept free from obstacles, kept clean, sanitary and in good working order, is supplied with toilet tissue and a waste container, can be locked and is adequately heated, illuminated and vented.

In addition, with the new changes to the Regulation, employers will be required to provide at each washroom:

• A covered disposal container near each toilet (regardless of gender)
• Menstrual products at no cost, including clean and hygienic tampons and menstrual products

For the purposes of this requirement, an “employer” includes a “prime contractor” at a construction site.

Obligation to provide menstrual products only in relation to workers

Employers will only be required to make the menstrual products available to their workers. As such, in workplaces where separate washrooms are available for workers and customers/visitors, employers are only required to ensure the supply of menstrual products in those washrooms reserved for workers.

Option to supply menstrual products at alternative locations

The new changes provide employers the option to supply the required menstrual products at other locations in the workplace if supplying them in washrooms is not reasonably practicable. In such cases, the alternative location must be accessible by workers at all times and offer a reasonable amount of privacy.

Similar mandate for federally regulated workplaces already exists

A similar mandate for menstrual products already exists in federally regulated workplaces, which also includes an option to supply such products in alternative locations. For purposes of the federal mandate, the federal government published guidance on choosing alternative locations in the workplace for the supply of menstrual products. That guidance may be helpful for Manitoba employers in exploring possible ways to comply with the upcoming changes in Manitoba.

Under the federal guidance, when choosing an alternative location, employers are encouraged to consult with their workplace health and safety committees to ensure that:

• Menstrual products always remain accessible
• The alternative location allows for discreet, easy access and worker privacy is maintained
• Menstrual products remain available during toilet room closures
• Instructions for the safe use of menstrual products are available for workers

Examples of alternative locations provided in the federal guidance include office supply cabinets, closets or other areas only accessible to workers. These alternative locations could be used in workplaces where washrooms cannot accommodate supplies due to limited space or where washrooms are also accessible to the public. For situations in which workers spend most of their time working outside, driving or visiting different sites, the guidance proposes the employer’s main depot, dispatch office or head office as possible alternative locations.

However, it should be noted that although the federal guidance pertains to a very similar mandate, they are not binding in Manitoba and should only be used as a guideline.

The content of this article is intended to provide a general guide to the subject matter. Specialist advice should be sought about your specific circumstances.