A report on offering free menstrual products that council gave direction for earlier this term is coming to Council on Monday. I wanted to highlight some of the report for you in advance of the meeting because I am excited to discuss this with fellow councillors. I hope council supports the recommendation to look at offering menstrual products as a pilot project. I never want anyone to be in an uncomfortable situation and many other boards and municipalities are taking the lead on this- its time for us to jump on board too!
“That Council approve the installation of menstrual dispensers and disposal
containers at the Essex Centre Sports Complex and Harrow and Colchester South
Complex for one year beginning in August 2021 as a pilot project to provide free
access to menstrual products in Town of Essex recreation facilities.”
In order to administer and manage the project, Administration determined that the Town
should focus its efforts in locations where the facilities are continuously serviced by staff and
in facilities that service the most amount of people on a year round basis. Based on this
criteria, it was determined that the project can be first implemented at the Essex Centre Sports
Complex (4 washroom locations) and the Harrow and Colchester South Complex (2
washroom locations) for a one year trial.
Administration is recommending to have these 2 locations ready to implement the program
in August 2021 when both complexes are expected to reopen to regular users.
Administration will monitor the usage throughout the one-year pilot to determine the need
and report back to Council the possibility of expanding the program to include all Town
recreation facilities in the future.
The estimated costs to implement the pilot project from August 1, 2021 to September 30,
2022 is $4,854 for these 2 facilities based on the number of dispensers required at the two
facilities and the anticipated restocking of product for each dispenser approximately every 3
months. Each dispensing unit holds 22 tampons and 15 pads.
