Hundreds of people have already responded to a survey about New West’s proposed public toilet strategy — and there’s still time to share your thoughts.
The City of New Westminster is developing a citywide toilet strategy, which will include recommendations to address gaps in the availability, safety, maintenance, and dignity of toilet facilities throughout New Westminster.
“The city launched a survey on our Be Heard New West platform on Jan. 10, and we have received over 400 responses to date,” said John Stark, the city’s manager of social planning. “This number of responses speaks to the importance of the topic, and how it impacts our daily lives. The survey closes on Feb. 2, so there is still time to share your comments and suggestions.”
The Be Heard New West page said community input will help the city: understand current patterns of toilet use in New Westminster; identify neighbourhoods that may need additional facilities or supports to enhance access, such as attendant services, enhanced maintenance, or extended hours of availability; identify or build on strategies and partnerships to address gaps in toilet access; and establish guiding principles that will inform future efforts in providing toilets.
The survey will take approximately 15 minutes to complete.
It seeks input on people’s priorities, preferences, and values for toilet access in the city, as well as their current experiences using and accessing two different types of toilets — public toilets that are available to all members of the public and toilets in private settings such as business or restaurants.
According to the city, the strategy that is being developed will:
- provide an overview of the current availability of all public toilets in New Westminster, including their locations, hours of operation, seasonal availability, and accessibility.
- identify promising practices occurring in other cities related to the provision of public toilets.
- engage with community members and groups to understand their experiences accessing toilets in New Westminster.
- explore potential solutions to enhance access to toilets, including partnerships between the city and businesses and organizations.
“The strategy aims to identify the needs of all members of the community, while considering the distinct experiences of those that face barriers or challenges when accessing toilets, including seniors, persons with disabilities or health conditions, families with young children, and the unhoused,” Stark said.
“Access to toilets is a public health, human right and dignity issue, and it supports independence and mobility for many people, especially those facing barriers or challenges.”
Stark said staff will be bringing a report to council with recommendations about a citywide toilet strategy in late summer or early fall 2025. He said those recommendations will be based on the survey, an assessment of existing public toilets, extensive case study research, and a number of focus groups.
The City is developing a City-wide Toilet Strategy, and we need your input to help “flush out” the details! Share your experience and priorities for accessing toilets in New West. Take our survey by February 2: https://t.co/hRLF9YeQk1 https://t.co/s4vWwdD1fd pic.twitter.com/mWNRuVLjBw
— City of New Westminster (@New_Westminster) January 11, 2025
According to the city, the strategy will align with other previous and current New West initiatives that relate to the provision of public toilets, including the downtown livability strategy, the crises response pilot project, the age friendly community strategy, and the parks and recreation comprehensive plan.
The issue of public toilets made headlines in 2024 when council approved construction of a $650,000 freestanding toilet facility on Begbie Street near the front entrance of a downtown condo building. City council soon flushed that plan and opted to develop of a citywide public toilet strategy.
In related news, the City of New Westminster is taking part in the Crohn’s & Colitis GoHere app, which helps people find nearby, available washrooms. The free app is available for iPhone and Android users.
