Local businesses and residents are calling on the City of Greater Sudbury to address the lack of accessible public washrooms downtown after concerns involving human waste were raised earlier this week.
The downtown business improvement association said the lack of public washrooms can discourage people from the area.
"This issue affects everyone, from business people who may need to use the washroom during their workday, to families with young children, to vulnerable populations who may not have access to private washrooms," the BIA said in a news release Friday.
Jeff MacIntyre, owner of Marketing Hounds, said in the release lack of public washrooms is a common issue everywhere.
"Progressive cities are meeting the challenge head-on with housing and bathroom facilities and have been seeing success. Sudbury has been slower to respond to this and I'm really hopeful that our new council has the energy to take on these challenges," MacIntyre said.
The BIA said the issue disproportionately impacts those experiencing homelessness, "as people may resort to using inappropriate places to relieve themselves" – which can be a health risk -- but it is important to find solutions with compassion.
"Most cities have gotten to a point where they realize public bathrooms are a public need. And it’s something that a city needs to provide," said Macintyre, speaking with CTV News Friday.
"They do it because it’s a necessity of human life. It’s something you need to have in any community. When you have an area where a lot of people gather, you need access to bathrooms."
"I think we, as a society, often get swept up in Band-Aid solutions when frustrated with recurring issues. Though I don't disagree that when things are unclean they need to be addressed, the real solutions are public 24-hour accessible washrooms, better access to mental health and addictions services, and affordable and accessible housing solutions," Erin Danyliw, the owner of Copy Copy downtown, is quoted as saying in the news release.
"Unfortunately, only one of those issues is easily addressed by the municipal government, which ties our hands on a complete solution. Until we can address all of those things, we're going to continue to face the same frustrating issues."
Kendra MacIsaac is the vice president of wellness and health at YMCA downtown and co-chair of the BIA.
"We understand that this is a complex issue, but it's one that needs to be addressed for the health and well-being of our community," MacIsaac said.
"The Downtown Sudbury BIA is committed to working with the City of Greater Sudbury and our members to find a solution to support the lack of accessible washrooms in the downtown core and ensure that these services are provided."
The business group is asking the city to install public washrooms downtown.
Kyle Marcus, the managing director of Downtown Sudbury, said they are really hoping the city steps up to create a space for the washrooms to exist.
"The community is calling on the city to take action to prioritize and provide safe and accessible washrooms for everyone in the downtown area. It is crucial that the city works with businesses, community organizations, and affected individuals to find a solution that is equitable and meets the needs of all community members. The lack of public washrooms is a pressing issue that cannot be ignored any longer," it said.
The city did not immediately respond to our request for comment, however Greater Sudbury mayor Paul Lefebvre did release this statement:
“We are aware of today’s news release from the Downtown Sudbury BIA, outlining concerns about the lack of accessible public washrooms in the downtown area. We are reviewing this issue and look forward to working with the BIA and other community stakeholders in exploring solutions.”
With files from CTV News videojournalists Alana Everson and Amanda Hicks in Sudbury
