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OntarioIn Progress44th Parliament, 1st Session

Bill 131 explained in plain English

Menstrual Health Day Act, 2026

Ontario legislature bill summary, status, timeline, sponsor, votes, and official sources.

At a glance

Jurisdiction
Ontario Legislature
Legislature / Parliament
Legislative Assembly of Ontario
Session
44th Parliament, 1st Session
Bill number
Bill 131
Full title
Menstrual Health Day Act, 2026
Current status
In Progress
Latest event
Ordered for Second Reading
Last updated
May 28, 2026

Official Legislative Assembly of Ontario snapshot for 44th Parliament, 1st Session. Representative vote breakdowns appear when the Assembly publishes an Ayes and Nays page for the bill.

Chamber
Legislative Assembly of Ontario
Current Stage
Ordered for Second Reading
Latest Activity
May 28, 2026
Plain-language explanation
In plain English (our explanation)

Our plain-language take, written for civic education.

Source: By PoliticalData.ca

AI-assisted, reviewed before publishing
Short Version

Bill 131 proclaims May 28 of each year as Menstrual Health Day in Ontario.

What It Means

Bill 131 is a private member's bill that would establish May 28 of each year as "Menstrual Health Day" in Ontario. The bill does not create new programs, enforce requirements, or change existing laws. Instead, it is a symbolic proclamation intended to raise awareness about menstrual health inequity, the challenges people who menstruate face in accessing affordable menstrual products, and to help reduce stigma around menstruation. The bill's preamble notes that people who menstruate—particularly low-income people, homeless individuals, Indigenous people, and young people—often struggle to afford menstrual products, especially in Northern and Indigenous communities. The bill describes menstrual product access as a health and social equity issue. If passed, the bill would come into force on the day it receives Royal Assent.

What This Bill Does
  • Proclaims May 28 in each year as Menstrual Health Day in Ontario
  • Creates a symbolic acknowledgment intended to raise awareness of menstrual health inequity and challenges related to access to affordable menstrual products
  • Aims to help normalize menstruation as a natural bodily function and reduce stigma
  • Comes into force on the day it receives Royal Assent
Who Is Affected
  • All residents of Ontario (general awareness)
  • People who menstruate, particularly those with low income
  • Homeless individuals who menstruate
  • Indigenous people who menstruate
  • Young people who menstruate
  • Communities in Northern Ontario
  • Indigenous communities
Important Dates
  • May 28 of each year: Menstrual Health Day
  • The Act comes into force on the day it receives Royal Assent (date not yet determined, as bill is at First Reading stage)
Uncertainties Or Limits
  • The bill does not specify what activities, if any, will occur on Menstrual Health Day or how the day will be marked
  • The bill does not create any new funding, programs, or policy initiatives to address menstrual product affordability
  • The bill does not establish any enforcement mechanisms or obligations on government agencies or private entities
  • The bill's practical impact beyond symbolic recognition is unclear
Laws Or Regulations Affected
No existing laws directly amended or repealed
none

This bill does not change, amend, or repeal any existing Ontario laws or regulations. It is a standalone proclamation.

Generated using AI from official bill text. Not legal advice. It is written by PoliticalData.ca for civic education, automatically checked and spot-reviewed before publishing.

Official text

Process Snapshot

Step 1
First reading
May 28, 2026
Step 2
Second reading
Date not listed
Step 3
Committee review
Not reached yet
Step 4
Third reading
Not reached yet
Step 5
Royal assent
Not reached yet

Vote Summary

No published recorded division

This bill is still active. We only show vote counts after the legislature publishes a recorded division.

Sponsor
Alexa Gilmour
New Democratic Party of Ontario | Parkdale—High Park
Jurisdiction
Ontario Legislature

No published representative vote breakdown

This bill is still moving through the process. When a recorded division is published, representative positions can be listed here.

Official sources

Status, sponsor, votes, and timeline on this page are drawn from these official legislative sources and public records. Each summary above is attributed to its own source.

How this data is sourced