REGINA — Menstrual products will continue to be distributed free to primary and secondary schools in Saskatchewan, thanks to a renewed three year agreement between the province and Shoppers Drug Mart.
At an announcement Friday at Michael A. Riffel Catholic High School in Regina, it was confirmed Shoppers Drug Mart and the government of Saskatchewan will be tending that program. According to a provincial news release, Shoppers is providing 12 million menstrual products and the province will be managing their distribution to schools across Saskatchewan.
This is an extension of the program that has been place since April 2023 and which runs to March 2026. This latest agreement now extends that program to March 2029.
Minister of Parks Culture and Sport and for Status of Women Alana Ross noted the importance of having these products available to women and girls.
“This (makes) a huge difference,” Ross said. “It gives girls more confidence…They don’t have to miss school, they don’t have to be worried I mean, a lot of of us grew up and we're women. We’ve lived through it. We know what it’s like. And I am so proud of this program because this is the most important program I feel that we have advanced to help support young girls in our communities.”
Riffel principal Amy Sanville explained how having these menstrual products available in schools will make a difference to students attending her high school. She said students will be able to go to a safe place such as to student services or the office, and “be able to ask for what you need, get what you need in the moment and not have a decision to make where you have to go home for the day and missing class time in the classroom impacts learning.”
She said “we want to reduce the stigma and provide easy access to what they need. We have different access points in the building so students do know where to access products and where they can get them in a safe way. But also try to be sensitive with that, but we also try to reduce the stigma. So if someone asks, we’ll have that conversation with them, where they don’t feel embarrassed about accessing those products."
David Markwell, Interim President of Shoppers Drug Mart, says they have supported this program since 2021 in four provinces including Ontario, Newfoundland and Labrador, and Manitoba.
“Bigger picture, Shoppers has been focused on women’s health issues for the last 11 years and this is clearly one that impacts all women and something we’re very proud to support and be a part of.”
