Overnight access to public washrooms an issue for the unsheltered in northern cities

Northeastern municipalities are under pressure to provide freer and extended access to bathrooms to unsheltered peope as the toxic drug crisis continues and summer once again brings more people outside to sleep.

As an activist in Sudbury, Holland Marshall has pointed out the need is especially urgent at night when public facilities are closed.

The retiree has gone so far as to file a human rights complaint against the city to provide bathroom access at night.

The city said it has responded appropriately and is taking the issue of homelessness seriously.

Meantime, public defecation can be a problem for downtown businesses.

Liana Bacon is the owner of Books and Beans and co-owner of Knox Hall in Sudbury.

"There have been times, especially when passing between businesses, that you sort of come across an area that's been utilized for that purpose," she said.  "So I wouldn't say it's overly frequent, but we've certainly had it occur on our properties that we have downtown."

Bacon said it's up to the business owner to clean up the human waste if it's on their premises, and finds it disheartening.

She would like to see more education and awareness about available public options, including the newly reopened city washrooms in the Centre for Life, just yards from the back of her concert venue, Knox Hall.

The city closed them during the pandemic due to water damage but recently reopened them after repairs were completed.

The city cleans them two to three times while they're accessible from 8 am to 4 pm.

During the day, Bacon said, she will let people use the bathroom at her café, but added the problem is beyond the control of businesses during overnight hours.

She does see it as a human rights issue that other levels of government have a role in resolving.

"We have folks that don't have access just to be able to brush their teeth, wash their face, clean up, go to the bathroom where they have privacy," 

In the wake of complaints about lack of overnight bathroom access, the City of North Bay has tried installing a couple of port-a-johns, similar to those found at construction sites, in a couple of downtown spots.

Communications officer Gord Young said they're available outside the hours of permanent public washrooms, which are generally open 9 am until 8 pm.

He calls them a qualified success.

North Bay offers overnight port-a-johns downtown

"We still encounter issues from time to time, but they've gone a long way to mitigate some of the concerns we were hearing a couple of years ago before they were implemented," Young said.

He said issues include damage and vandalism, and while he doesn't know how much it costs to maintain them, he noted it's probably a nominal amount.

In Sault Ste Marie, the director of community services said public bathrooms at the transit terminal are open as late as midnight.

Brent Lamming said there are other options during the day and evening at the Roberta Bondar Pavilion and downtown plaza and Memorial Gardens, but said that overnight, people are directed to the community resources hub that also offers shelter.

He couldn't say whether the issue was greater in Sault Ste. Marie than anywhere else.

"There have been some challenges probably similar to any other northern municipality or any southern, any municipality in general," said Lamming, adding the city works in partnership with other services that offer mental health and addiction supports to address issues surrounding homelessness.