Unmanaged menopause symptoms cost Canada’s economy $3.5B, experts tell MPs

Unmanaged menopause symptoms are not just impacting women, but costing the Canadian economy $3.5 billion and 540,000 lost workdays every year, according to the Menopause Foundation of Canada.

“Menopause is more than a health issue. It is a workforce issue, an economic issue and a public policy issue,” said the foundation’s co-founder and president Janet Ko. 

“But women lose, too — $3.3 billion in income through reduced hours, lesser roles or leaving work altogether.”

Ko and the foundation’s other co-founder and director Trish Barbato spoke to the House of Commons committee on the status of women on Wednesday advocating for measures to improve working conditions and health care for women and people experiencing menopause. 

“When the symptoms of menopause go unaddressed, they become a barrier to women reaching their full potential, and Canada pays the price,” Ko said.

The first and most important priority, according to Barbato, is to train providers and make menopause education mandatory in medical training.

“This is the greatest barrier today for women. They cannot get the help they need,” Barbato said. “Federally, we are asking for a national quality standard on menopause care.”

Another high priority is supporting workers, according to the foundation.

“Employers are far ahead of other areas in our agenda because they have realized that supporting women during this period is not only the right thing to do, but it supports their bottom line,” Barbato said.

According to Barbato, over 250 Canadian employers have signed on to the foundation’s campaign “Menopause Works Here” including Sunlife, BMO, PWC, Ikea, Metrolinx and Horizon Health.

“Five million working women in Canada are over 40 … they are skilled, they are capable, they are experienced and a high-value cohort that employers cannot afford to lose,” Barbato said.

“Yet more than half a million workdays are lost each year due to unmanaged symptoms.”

Calls for workplace action plans

Barbato also suggested a review of benefit programs and ensuring coverage of hormonal and non-hormonal benefits for menopause, using the Bank of Montreal as an example — which has added enhancements including pelvic floor therapy.

The foundation also recommends that Canada follow in the United Kingdom’s footsteps and make menopause inclusive workplace action plans mandatory for large employers. From early 2027, U.K. employers with over 250 employees will be required to publish a menopause action plan under the country’s 2025 Employment Rights Act.

“Women over 40 make up one-quarter of Canada’s population, and one-quarter of its workforce, the largest share in the nation’s history,” Ko said. “They are in their peak working years, but too many are reaching this stage without the information, care and support they need to thrive.”

Committee MPs recounted their own experiences with menopause and perimenopause after the founders’ testimonies.

“You’re entering menopause at the same time you’re really becoming at the top of your career, and that could be attributed to burnout in a lot of cases,” said Conservative MP Kelly DeRidder. “I’m actually starting to question myself: am I burnt out or am I going through menopause? I don’t know.” 

Conservative MP Anna Roberts said she had lost count of the number of years she’s gone through menopause.

Liberal MP Marie-Gabrielle Ménard referenced the research of Dr. Kevin Whittingstall, director of the Université de Sherbrooke’s medical imaging and radiation sciences department, which was presented to the committee at an earlier meeting in late October. 

Whittingstall told the committee menopause increases the risk of strokes, cognitive decline and dementia.

“Yet despite affecting virtually every woman, menopause has received only a fraction of the scientific attention devoted to other major health conditions,” Whittingstall said, citing how diabetes research in Canada has received roughly $300 million in the past 10 years, while menopause research has only received $20 million.

Whittingstall said he believes Canada has “all the expertise” to become a leader in the field.

“Certain countries have put a lot of effort into promoting brain research across menopause,” Whittingstall said. “The interest is there. It’s Canada’s turn to show we can do just as well, if not better.”

According to Barbato, the numbers tell a story that has been a “part of the taboo and stigma” that comes with talking about menopause.

“Women have just had to deal with this on their own, they felt very alone and they certainly were not bringing it up at work,” Barbato said. “That stigma and difficulty still exists today. 

“The burden is on the woman. In her income, in her ability to have a Canada pension later in life, her retirement income, there is so much weight of that cost.”