City of Saskatoon considers installing portable public washrooms in core neighbourhoods

Saskatoon city council is set to debate increasing public access to bathrooms and drinking water in two core neigbourhoods this summer.

Among the options are renting portable washrooms and renting or buying washroom trailers like ones used by construction sites. There's also the question ofwhether or not the new locations are staffed 24 hours a day all summer long.

Frontline workers say access to bathrooms and drinking water is dwindling for people that need it most. More people are finding themselves homeless and with fewer places to find help.

There are currently no city-owned washroom facilities in Riversdale or Pleasant Hill neighbourhoods. While people can access washrooms at non-city facilities during the day, the city says nothing is open to the public between 6 p.m. and 8 a.m.

Toby Esterby is the director of Saskatoon Community Clinic's west side location. He told councillors on the Governance and Priorities committee that the time for debate is over because vulnerable people deserve better.

"All that we're talking about in this most basic decision is the opportunity for folks living in Saskatoon to go to the bathroom with some dignity," Esterby said.

"If we can't figure out how to create some human dignity around something so basic as a washroom, how foolish are we to think that we can accomplish anything grander?"

A decision could be made at the May 29 council meeting when the matter is scheduled for debate. If approved, washroom facilities would be open June 1 to Sept. 30.

The administration report pointed to reduced hours at the public library and Prairie Harm Reduction as examples of pressure on the city to find alternative ways to increase washroom access.

The city surveyed a long list of community organizations and agencies in the neighbourhoods and found none have the resources to increase access to public washrooms.

Costs associated with options range from $44,000 to rent portables to $717,000 to buy washroom trailers and pay for 24-hour staffing.

One option for city councillors is to approve a one-stop facility with bathrooms, showers, laundry, and staff to connect people with mental health and addiction support. This is based on Edmonton's "navigation and support" model, the city report states.

Randy Pshebylo of the Riversdale Business Improvement District said the organization's members are opposed to moving portable washrooms into the neigbourhood. He told the committee the city should use existing facilities to increase access to public washrooms.

"The facilities are already there and I would hope that you would take that into consideration as many of our business owners come to see these people daily," Pshebylo told the committee.

Safety at these facilities is a concern, especially if they are open 24 hours a day. The city report states incidents at public washrooms across the city increased 32 per cent last year, up to 1,803 from 731 in 2022. These include vandalism, garbage left behind, alcohol and drug use, and calls for medical help.