Vancouver motion urges more public washrooms, shelter spaces to tackle health concerns and homelessness in high-traffic city areas.
A renewed urgency to address Vancouver’s growing sanitation crisis has emerged as Councillor Pete Fry tabled a motion demanding more public washrooms and shelter spaces. His proposal, set for debate on May 21, follows mounting concerns from business improvement associations and a surge in public health risks tied to open defecation in the city.
Public Sanitation Crisis in High-Traffic Zones
Fry’s motion highlights the acute lack of clean, accessible public toilets in transit hubs and busy city areas—especially downtown Vancouver. The absence of such facilities disproportionately affects vulnerable groups including the unhoused, elderly, and people with disabilities.
“Accessible drop-in spaces and public washrooms are essential for the dignity, health, and well-being of both unhoused individuals and housed individuals,” Fry emphasized.
Business Leaders Sound the Alarm
The motion references a recent CTV News report in which local leaders described the worsening state of public hygiene. Landon Hoyt of the Hastings Crossing Business Improvement Association noted that street defecation “has certainly gotten worse,” particularly over the past two years.
“There’s been no expansion of washrooms in high-traffic areas despite years of advocacy,” Hoyt added.
Walley Wargolet of the Gastown Business Improvement Society echoed these concerns, attributing the sanitation crisis to deeper issues: homelessness, drug addiction, and the closure of essential community services.
Rising Health Hazards and Public Costs
Fry’s motion also warns of health consequences, citing outbreaks of multidrug-resistant infections like shigellosis. Open defecation, he said, drives “engineering costs, water usage, and significant public health concerns.”
Repurposing Spaces for Shelter and Support
In response, the motion proposes identifying underused city buildings for conversion into shelter spaces. These shelters would include essential facilities such as washrooms, seating, charging stations, and onsite support services including mental health care and employment assistance—developed in collaboration with local organizations.
A Step Toward Urban Dignity
If passed, this initiative could mark a meaningful shift in how Vancouver addresses interconnected crises of housing, health, and public hygiene.
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