Council received the results of the downtown public washroom survey conducted earlier this year.
The survey received 1,512 responses. A slight majority of respondents (51.59%) indicated that more publicly accessible washrooms are needed downtown, while 42.99% felt additional facilities are not necessary. The remaining 5.42% were unsure.
When asked about priorities for the design and operation of a downtown public washroom, respondents identified cleanliness and maintenance (80.09%) and safety (75.66%) as the most important factors. Other commonly selected considerations included staffing and monitoring (44.31%), year-round access (40.15%), and cost to the City (37.96%).
The report also outlined potential next steps. Council supported Option 2, directing administration to proceed with planning a preferred approach. This will include developing capital and operating cost estimates, as well as considerations such as installation, maintenance, monitoring, location, and lifecycle. The proposal will be brought back to Council for consideration as part of the 2027 capital budget cycle.
