This fall, LaSalle College Montréal is thrilled to provide free feminine hygiene products in all its women's washrooms, as well as in gender-neutral ones. Distributors for tampons and sanitary pads have been installed to provide easy, discrete, and free access.
LaSalle College is pleased to be one of the first educational institutions in Québec to announce this kind of initiative. Menstrual hygiene expenses can represent up to 5% of a woman's budget and the College considers that it is essential to make a difference in favour of gender equality.
“In 2022, this initiative is more than necessary! In Québec, we are among the first educational institutions to offer these products free of charge to anyone in need, and we hope to inspire others to do the same! Being a father of two little girls, I am very proud to be able to take concrete action to improve the conditions of women,” says Émile Trottier-Dufour, Leisure Technician at the College and instigator of the project.
This initiative, led by the College's Student Affairs Service and supported by the General Association of Students (AGEL), is a concrete and up-to-date way to contribute to the physical and mental comfort of students and, at the same time, reduce the stress associated with menstruation.
On average, a woman will have 494 cycles and use 12,000 menstrual products in her lifetime. These products are a necessity and must be easily accessible to all. As the cost of living continues to rise, these essentials could qualify as luxury items for many of its users.
Our students should not have to compromise to obtain these products that are necessary for their well-being. The team behind this project foresees an expenditure of approximately $5,000 per year for the College but affirms that the resulting benefits for its community will be far greater.
