Automated Outdoor Public Toilets

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Thank you all for your support! Please help spread the word so we can reach 60 votes/thumbs up by the deadline in about 8 weeks.

Toronto already has around 2 of the similar outdoor pay toilets by harbourfront and the lake. It has not been working during covid. The old system was to use a coin, but with covid, no one is carrying change much so can’t use it even if it was opened as people don’t always carry change anymore. I support having more of these around the city or parks.

I fully support this – we need more public toilets to ensure public space is accessible for all!

From my POV, Joanna’s “Automated Outdoor Public Toilets” proposal is an excellent and long overdue ROI-SDoH/public health, practical and critically necessary 24/7 “basic” constituent/s’ rights, dignity, accessibility (especially PWD-wise) and safety “public utility” project of universal “common good, public interest, body politic” import. — Mary C. Kelly, a.k.a., @AstuteCitizen

Long overdue!

No more using any business’ toilets when you’re out and about! These days you cannot stay out for an extended length of time. Have to go home by the time you need to use the washroom! These are absolutely necessary!!

JT, thanks for the additional information that addressed my misgivings.
Jet spray nozzles, eh? Might be good for a quick shower on a muggy summer day.
I am totally in favour of this proposal.

Thank you for your support and for your question, Stanley! The automated toilets in Vancouver automatically open after 12 minutes and then, I believe, jet spray nozzles hose down the whole interior. It will not make for a comfortable long-term stay. This article here has more information:

https://www.insidevancouver.ca/2011/09/23/a-flushing-revolution-inside-of-vancouvers-automated-toilets/

Sorry, this was not in the proposal. I only shared this in emails to the Councillor’s office. Also last winter, I remembering seeing members of the Community Safety Team checking in the portable toilets to see if people were sheltering in them.

Hope this helps! Please spread the word. Public washrooms serve all ages.

As an old guy, I am fully in favour of more public washrooms, anywhere and everywhere. I just have to wonder about whether or not such public washrooms end up being permanent housing for street people, especially in the winter.

I hear you, Bill, but it’s worth trying again 14 years later for the sake of our streets. This time I will hold the City accountable.

Excellent idea, just needs better management from the City as Bill has eluded

You can’t trust the city of Toronto to follow through and actually fund and implement this. In 2007, Toronto signed an agreement with Astral Media to install and maintain 20 automated public toilets (APT) across the city over 20 years: all of them available 24/7, year-round. Maybe 3-4 APTs actually got installed. But 11 of the original 20 toilets have been “cashed out” to provide the funds for Bixi / Toronto bike-share program. So why trust them this time?
https://nowtoronto.com/culture/books-culture/rise-and-fall-of-public-toilets-in-toronto