DTES Toilet Monitoring

There has been a call for more public toilets in the DTES. Homelessness, drug addiction and mental illness places even more pressure on the limited resources that are available, and results in laneways being used as alternatives to public toilets.

Staff teamed with community partners in an effort to reduce the amount of faeces in the area by encouraging the use of public toilets and by addressing the need for safe, clean washrooms available in the evening. Efforts were also made to ensure that the public toilets at Oppenheimer Park are safe and open to the public on Sundays and Mondays when staff are not at the park, to monitor the two Automated Public Toilets in the neighbourhood into the evening, and to inform patrons at bars and other establishments about the extended hours of five washroom locations in the DTES. VANDU volunteers convinced people likely to use alleys as toilets to use publicly-provided toilets instead.

The project will assist in building a healthier and cleaner street environment by encouraging longer toilet operating hours and encouraging and promoting better maintenance of washrooms in SROs and shelters.