The Toronto District School Board will soon be providing menstrual products free of charge at all its schools.

Trustees voted this week to have the TDSB secure access to menstrual products and educational materials at no cost to the Board.

Lack of access due to economic factors can be especially damaging during puberty, when school interactions are crucial to a girl’s development.

Free menstrual products will be provided in all elementary and secondary schools for the 2019-2020 school year with the rollout beginning this fall. Products will first be provided to students in Grades 7 through 12, followed by other grades.

Quick Facts

• Nearly one in seven Canadian girls have either left school early or missed school entirely because they did not have access to the feminine care products they needed to manage their periods.

“There are girls and women around the world, even here in Canada, who cannot afford menstrual products. We don’t want a single one of our students having to worry about that and that is why this is such an important step that the Board is taking.”

Robin Pilkey, Chair, TDSB