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A new GreenShield survey conducted by Ipsos has found that 33 per cent of Canadian women “wait more than two years for effective menopause care.”

The survey states that this is due to “a complex series of barriers ranging from confusion over symptoms and dismissed concerns to not knowing where to turn for help.”

“Women generally understand what perimenopause and menopause are, yet this awareness coexists with a substantial and disruptive symptom burden, and relief can take months or years to find.”

According to the Menopause Foundation of Canada’s 2022 research report, 46 per cent of Canadian women “feel unprepared for this stage of life and, in a world where no topic is off limits, more than half (54%) believe menopause is still a taboo subject.”

The Ipsos survey found that although 40 per cent of surveyed women consult a general practitioner, 39 per cent say they, “didn’t know where to go,” to receive supports and care.

6:14
Women’s Health: Perimenopause, menopause and mental health

Twenty-nine per cent of surveyed women believe symptoms “are normal and not treatable,” while 26 per cent “not recognizing symptoms as being part of a hormonal transition,” although this number lowers in Quebec at 23 per cent.

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Nineteen per cent of women also reported “uncertainty about where to seek help,” while 21 per cent reported having their symptoms dismissed.

This resulted in many women “shoulder[ing] the burden themselves,” with 55 per cent “research[ing] symptoms online, and 18 per cent repeatedly book appointments.”

Even when identifying symptoms, only 25 per cent of surveyed women received “effective treatment within the first three months.”

The survey states that the most common symptoms, fatigue (74 per cent), hot flashes (68 per cent), mood swings (65 per cent), weight gain (58 per cent), and brain fog (53 per cent), “demonstrate the extent to which menopause affects day to day functioning.”

As a result, many women state that “their symptoms directly affect their work performance.”

Surveyed women also stated that these symptoms result in reduced productivity (16 per cent), needing time off (eight per cent), needing to take a short-term leave (six per cent), or considering leaving their job due to their symptoms (six per cent).

Sixty-four per cent of women say symptoms affect them at least some of the time and is lower among Quebec residents at 61 per cent.

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Tools to navigate menopause

Fifty-five per cent of surveyed women say their employer provides “no support,” with just 13 per cent reporting “meaningful supports from their employer,” while seven per cent say “supports exist but fall short.” Twenty-four per cent are unsure.

On Feb. 26, 2026, Quebec Liberal MNA Jennifer Maccarone briefly halted a parliamentary commission to say she was experiencing symptoms of menopause, telling colleagues in French that she was having a hot flash and noting that menopause can happen even during legislative work.

“It’s like somebody turning the furnace on to 120 degrees and it’s distracting,” Maccarone later told Global News in an interview, describing the sensation.

“We should talk about this openly.”

&copy 2026 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.

B.C. health officials say there is a shortage of estrogen patches in the province, but say there are other options available.

“I write a lot of prescriptions for menopausal hormone therapy, and there is definitely a shortage of estrogen patches that women are using,” naturopathic doctor Allana Polo told Global News.

“So we’ve just had to pivot, and we’ve found some alternatives that women can use while we’re waiting, which work just as well, so there’s other options for sure.”

Polo said patients like the patches as they are applied to the body and changed twice a week, whereas the alternatives are a daily application option.

Recently, B.C. announced that as of March 1, menopausal hormone therapy (MHT) will be covered 100 per cent in the province for any resident enrolled in MSP.

But Polo said they started seeing a shortage before free coverage started.

“Now what we’re seeing over the last few months definitely is a lot of women and an uptick of taking hormones,” she said.

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“We now know that there’s options available for women. They don’t have to suffer anymore. And as women talk about it and it becomes more mainstream, more and more women are wanting to use estrogen and other hormones.”

Polo said there is still a delay for some of the specific milligrams of the brand-name Estradot patch, as it is very popular, but more are becoming available.

“I think the biggest concern, and it’s a valid one, is as support grows for taking hormone replacement therapy or menopause hormone replacement, more and more women are going to want it,” she added.

“So I think that concern is when will the shortage actually be over and will there be enough available to fit the demand, because the demand is so high.”

4:07
Menopause meds to be covered by PharmaCare starting March 1

Founder of Menopause Chicks, Shirley Weir, told Global News that this is not the first time they have seen a manufacturer’s shortage of estrogen patches and, as awareness grows about menopause and treatments, she said it is bound to happen.

“But the other thing I think everyone needs to understand about the patch is that it’s one mode of delivery for menopause hormone therapy,” she said.

“So every pharmaceutical manufacturer will be able to make pills or make liquids or gels, but not every manufacturing facility can create the patch, which is a slow-release form of transdermal estrogen. ”

Weir said individuals navigating perimenopause to postmenopause should know that menopause hormone therapy is the first-line recommendation for individuals.

“The most common reasons it’s prescribed is for the treatment of vasomotor symptoms, the prevention of bone loss and then vaginal hormone therapy for everything to do with our genitourinary health and it has other benefits too for certain individuals that can be very supportive of sleep and mood, for example,” she said.

&copy 2026 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.

A Quebec Liberal member of the national assembly (MNA) is receiving widespread praise after candidly acknowledging a hot flash during official proceedings at the provincial legislature this week.

Jennifer Maccarone briefly halted a parliamentary commission to say she was experiencing symptoms of menopause, telling colleagues in French that she was having a hot flash and noting that menopause can happen even during legislative work.

“It’s like somebody turning the furnace on to 120 degrees and it’s distracting,” Maccarone later told Global News in an interview, describing the sensation. “We should talk about this openly.”

The video clip was shared on social media, where it quickly gained traction, drawing roughly one million views and thousands of comments applauding her for not shying away from the moment.

“You know there’s brain fog, there’s a whole bunch of things that accompany menopause,” she said. “We thought we’d share the moment — it’s human — but I was not expecting the one million views.”

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Among those praising Maccarone was Eva Hartling, founder of The Brand is Female, who said the exchange helps normalize an experience many women face.

“I love that moment because it normalizes an experience that a lot of women go through,” Hartling said, adding that openness makes the topic more relatable and removes stigma.

Brigitte Viel, Quebec chair of the Menopause Foundation of Canada, said too many women still feel pressure to conceal menopause symptoms in the workplace.

“The fact that someone in a very public position has decided to tackle it head on –say what was happening, call it out, explain it — allows other women to be seen and to feel understood and to feel that it’s OK,” Viel said

The foundation recently launched a campaign called “Menopause Works Here,” encouraging employers to better support workers experiencing symptoms.

Maccarone said it was not the first time she has flagged a hot flash while on camera, but it was the first time the moment went viral. She said the reaction shows many people are living through similar experiences.

“I think it’s important that you address it,” she said. “You’ll realize that there’s a lot more solidarity and a lot of people living through exactly the same thing.”

She said she plans to keep speaking openly in an effort to help break the stigma surrounding menopause.

For the full story, watch the video above.