B.C. construction industry wants mandatory flush toilets on job sites

Those in B.C.’s construction industry are calling on the province to mandate flush toilets at job sites.

The BC Building and Construction Trades Council (BCTC) is leading the call, wanting to see a more sanitary alternative to the traditional port-a-potties.

Executive director of the council, Brynn Rourke, says they’ve been advocating for the change since the pandemic began.

“Before the COVID-19 pandemic, most workers would avoid the port-a-potties and would actually go to gas stations or their local Tim Hortons,” she told CityNews.

“All of those public washrooms that workers were using instead of the port-a-potties were closed to them, and it really forced workers back onto the construction site where they had to use these filthy facilities.

“There are almost no hand washing stations. When there are hand washing stations, and they’re far from the toilets, they’re almost always out of water. They’re not maintained well, they’re not clean.”

Rourke says the council is advocating for regularly cleaned facilities with plumbed toilets and hand-washing stations for all work sites with 25 or more people.

“We know we have other industries like film, like tourism, like entertainment where portable toilet trailers are widely in use,” she said.

“It’s time for the construction industry to level up.”

As for the cost, Rourke says fully plumbed facilities would be less than a dollar per day more than the current port-a-potty situation. She adds that building the facilities won’t be an issue.

“These are construction workers, they’ll build the toilets, that’s what we do,” she said.

The issue is something that the B.C. government says it is aware of and is working to address.

“I have heard the concerns raised by the BC Building Trades Council and other labour organizations regarding the need to improve washroom facilities on job sites. My ministry is currently engaging with WorkSafeBC, construction industry employers, and unions, to better understand possible solutions,” B.C. Labour Minister Harry Bains stated in an email to CityNews.

“Appropriate washroom facilities are an important part of a healthy workplace. I look forward to working with employer groups and workers on solutions that work for everyone.”