Cleanliness and 24-hour Public Toilets
Latest Update
As part of the Crises Response Pilot Project, the City has established a Community Livability Officer (CLO) Program that is able to take reports of biohazardous waste—including human waste—in the community. You can also phone, text or email them if you see a needle in the community.
You can also reach out to CLOs if:
- You have seen a tent or structure around a public space like a community centre.
- You see drug paraphernalia in the community, remnants of a possible encampment, and/or biohazardous/human waste.
- You see someone and/or their belongings impacting pedestrian traffic or spaces like fire exits.
- CLOs can also redirect a call you're unsure about to the appropriate resources as needed.
You can call, text or email a CLO:
For more details about the CLO program, please visit this page.
BIOHAZARDOUS WASTE REMOVAL
The City has contracted the services of a specialized waste removal company to perform targeted pick-ups across the Downtown. The Engineering department has also added resources to their team to provide additional services above and beyond the biohazardous pick-ups. These services remove drug and human waste from streets, sidewalks, and planters.
For businesses adjacent to public property, the crew may also be able to check alcoves and doorways. Property owners will need to sign a liability waiver to participate.
As of July 2024, there is now a 24-hour space that includes toilets, sinks, and showers. The space is open for everyone to use and is monitored by an attendant. It can be accessed through Front St., and is situated close to the nightly shelter at the former Army & Navy site.
Additional City-provided public washrooms are available during operating hours at many locations throughout the City, and 24-hours at the police station. Washrooms located in parks are managed a bit differently than washrooms in facilities as some washrooms in parks are seasonal.
What’s Planned
A permanent 24-hour public washroom is planned for Downtown. An in-depth analysis of the most appropriate location for the washroom is ongoing.
The City has also engaged the services of a Downtown Livability Strategy Project Manager whose responsibilities include developing a public toilet and biohazardous waste management work plan. The focus of the plan is to specifically address the issue of biohazardous waste on public property in a more coordinated and cost-effective way. Key objectives include:
- To ensure that everyone—including the unsheltered, seniors, families and people with disabilities—has access to clean, accessible and safe public toilets 24 hours a day, 7 days a week;
- To ensure that City streets and other civic property are free of human waste and that waste is cleaned up and disposed of in a safe and healthy manner; and
- To ensure that City staff have the Standard Operating Procedures and training needed to clean up and dispose of human waste appropriately.