Trudeau is providing free tampons in men’s bathrooms on Parliament Hill

Under the new policy, free pads and tampons must be placed in all washrooms in all federal workplaces.

"The regulations specify that menstrual products must be in all toilet rooms, regardless of their marked genders," Employment and Social Development Canada wrote in its guide to the new policy. "This means that every female-identified, male-identified and all gender toilet rooms will need to have menstrual products."

The agency argued that "unrestricted access to menstrual products better protects menstruating employees and makes sure that they feel safe to use the toilet room that best reflects their gender."

According to the CBC, the change was spurred by a petition launched in 2020 by Here for Her founder Racher Ettinger that sought to treat menstrual products as necessities. It was presented in the House of Commons, and eventually helped lead to an amendment to the Labour Code being adopted in May 2023.

"Back in the day, when only women menstruated we had to pay for our own products," former Senator Linda Frum lamented in a post on X. "But now that men menstruate too, these products, as of this week, are mandated to be free in all Men’s washrooms in all federal workplaces including Parliament Hill —where this photo was taken today."

"Menstrual products are a basic need," another government-issued guide states, noting that the new policy is "meant to support barrier-free access to these procducts, which helps reduce the stigma often associated with menstruation and to create healthier and more inclusive workplaces for employees who menstruate."

The change went into effect on Dec. 15, however, it is expected to take some time before dispensers and waste collectors are installed in every washroom.