World Menopause Month in Canada: celebrating progress at work and in care

Key stats, employer leaders, clinician guidance, and the new non-hormonal option now approved in Canada.

0
60

Canada spotlight: World Menopause Month

Fast facts

  • The average age of menopause in Canada is 51 (typical range 45–55). An estimated 10 million women in Canada are 40+ (peri-, post-, or in menopause).
  • Menopause at work: $237M in annual lost productivity for employers, ~540,000 lost workdays, and $3.3B in lost income for women.

What’s new in Canada

  • First non-hormonal, NK3-receptor therapy approved: Health Canada approved VEOZAH (fezolinetant) in Dec 2024; now marketed in Canada (DIN 02553600; status date Mar 11, 2025).
  • Guidance you can trust:
    • SOGC (Society of Obstetricians and Gynecologists of Canada) affirms that menopausal hormone therapy (MHT/HRT) is the most effective option for moderate–severe vasomotor symptoms, usually favourable for healthy people <60 or <10 years since menopause.
    • Canadian Menopause Society pocket guide (updated 2023) aligns with international guidance on when and how to use MHT.

Employers leading the way (Menopause Works Here™)

Canadian organizations publicly supporting menopause-inclusive workplaces include RBC, University Health Network, Symcor, Worley, plus more than 80 employers such as Sun Life, PwC Canada, BMO, L’Oréal Canada, and Arthritis Society Canada.

Clinician voices (short quotes)

  • “Menopausal hormone therapy is the most effective option for managing moderate to severe vasomotor symptoms.” — SOGC Clinical Practice Guideline, 2021.
  • “Women over the age of 40 make up one quarter of our labour force.” — Menopause Foundation of Canada brief to Parliament, 2023.

Celebrate with Canadian actions

  • Host a lunch-and-learn with a menopause-informed clinician and share SOGC/CMS resources.
  • Join Menopause Works Here™ and roll out simple policy supports (flexibility, temperature control, uniforms, time-off pathways).
  • Update benefits to include evidence-based options (HRT when appropriate; non-hormonal treatments now including fezolinetant).

Canada resources (link list for your sidebar)

  • Menopause Foundation of Canada — The Silence and the Stigma (2022) & Menopause and Work in Canada (2023).
  • SOGC Menopause Guideline (2021).
  • Canadian Menopause Society — Pocket Guide (2023 update).
  • Health Canada drug listing — VEOZAH (fezolinetant).

RELATED ARTICLESMORE FROM AUTHOR