Some Downtown Eastside public bathrooms to continue operating, for now

The City of Vancouver says it has identified municipal funding to keep running some public bathrooms in the Downtown Eastside on a temporary basis.

The bathrooms were initially facing closure because the provincial and federal funding to operate them, through a washroom attendant, had run out.

“In the coming weeks, the one-time government grant funding allocated to several temporary washroom programs in the DTES, initiated during the COVID-19 pandemic and the E Hastings encampment, will be fully spent. Originally supported by federal and provincial grants, ongoing funding from senior government sources was not secured to sustain these programs,” the city explained.

However, the city says staff have found “internal budgetary savings” that will keep the washroom attendant programs at Oppenheimer Park Field House and Pigeon Park APT running “for the near future.”

In addition to the city cash, officials say the Overdose Prevention Society (OPS) was able to secure a community partner to help keep the program running at 144 E. Hastings, with additional one-time funding also possible from the province.

Previously, the city told CityNews that the Hastings Street bathroom costs $34,000 per month to operate and the Pigeon Park toilet costs $27,000 per month.

But not all of the washrooms are being saved. The city says it wasn’t able to find the required money for other sites, including washroom operations at the Astoria Hotel washroom trailer and its related services.

“The overdose prevention services funded through Vancouver Coastal Health and delivered through RainCity will continue. Staff will work with operators and RainCity on a potential transfer of washroom trailer services and costs if they are able to secure external funding,” the city said.

Advocate says facilities need permanent funding

Vancouver harm reduction and recovery advocate Guy Felicella says it’s good news that at least some bathrooms will continue to operate.

However, he says the facilities should never have been on the chopping block because they provide a necessary service to the community. He’s asking people to understand what a dehumanizing experience it can be to not have access to a bathroom.

“Just put yourself in their shoes — if you didn’t have a bathroom to go use, where would you go? You’re either going to go in your pants or you’re going to go in the street. Have some more empathy towards people,” he said.

As the funding is only temporary, he’s calling on the city to make the facilities permanent, adding the community will continue to advocate for itself and the services it needs.

“I think if we’re going to have the same conversation in a year, then you haven’t learned that it was a mistake to, you know, look at shutting them down or not coming up with this funding. So don’t make the same mistake twice, because you will have a community of people that support the Downtown Eastside and the Downtown Eastside itself that will, again, call out the city for not providing services. So what they need to do is actually look at the funding to allocate for those bathrooms and to continue funding,” Felicella said.

In addition to the public bathrooms, the city says it has also been able to find operational funding to continue Project Hope in the Downtown Eastside until the end of 2024.

The program aims to improve cleanliness in the area, “while providing income generation for people facing barriers to traditional employment.”

Initially, Project Hope — which is run by Mission Possible — was only funded until June 2024 through a provincial grant.

The City of Vancouver says it continues to work to try and find more long-term funding.