County of Brant Public Library (CBPL) recently announced its working towards reducing period poverty in the County of Brant.
As of July 2025, each of the library’s five branches (Burford, Glen Morris, Paris, Scotland-Oakland, and St. George) now carry free menstrual products in all public washrooms.
Kelly Bernstein, the Library’s CEO, said that the decision to start the new initiative came about organically.
“Our frontline staff noticed that, once in a while, people were coming to the desk quietly asking for pads or tampons because they were surprised by their period,” she said. “Because we didn’t have any formal programs, our staff would often find themselves reaching into their own supplies, and so we realized that there was a need here and that there was a pretty easy way to fill it.”
According to a 2023 study led by the Federal Government, one in six people who menstruate have personally experienced period poverty, meaning that they are unable to access menstrual products due to financial constraints. The number rises to one in four if their household earns less than $40,000 a year.
Library representatives said that a lack of access to menstrual products is a public health issue that can lead to serious health consequences including infections or toxic shock syndrome.
“Access to menstrual products is a basic need, not a privilege,” says Marilyn Sewell, Vice Chair of the Library Board. “CBPL believes that even a small initiative like this can have a lasting impact when it comes to removing barriers and supporting community well-being.”
In order to help community members who may not be regular library users find free menstrual products, Period Pin will soon have all of the CBPL branches listed on its website.
For those who are interested in helping the library sustain and expand the project for the future, CBPL welcomes monetary donations and donors will receive a charitable receipt for their contributions,
Overall, Bernstein said that she’s excited to have the new initiative in place and that this is just one more step the library is taking to help with equity in the community.
“It might seem like a small thing to some people, but if you’re that person who was caught by surprise and definitely needs a pad or a tampon, then it will feel huge to you,” she said. “Anytime we can make that kind of difference in someone’s life, whether it’s with a book or any of our services, we’re just thrilled to do that.”
Kimberly De Jong’s reporting is funded by the Canadian government through its Local Journalism Initiative.The funding allows her to report rural and agricultural stories from Blandford-Blenheim and Brant County. Reach her at kimberly.dejong@brantbeacon.ca.
