Parks Canada signs demonstrate right, and wrong, way to use toilets

Toilet etiquette for tourists Watch: Parks Canada is taking action at some outhouses after some visitors caused an awkward mess. Kevin Fleming reports.

New signs being installed in Parks Canada washrooms near Yoho National Park may make some visitors snicker, but they carry an important message.

That there’s a right, and a wrong, way to use the toilet.

Officials say the effort is aimed at protecting infrastructure, along with keeping visitors and staff safe.

At the Lake O’Hara parking lot, minutes away from Lake Louise, the men’s and women’s washrooms now have signs showing how to properly use the vaulted toilets.

Officials say cleaning staff were finding broken toilet seats and, quite a mess.

Parks Canada staff says people were squatting on the toilets, rather than sitting on them.

They’re hopeful the new signs will better explain the process in public washrooms.

Tom Hansen is visiting from Vernon, B.C. and doesn’t think more signage is needed.

“There’s different cultures that have holes in the ground for toilets so they have to squat, right, these are actual toilets that are meant to be sat on but they’re quite filthy so no one wants to sit on them I guess,” he said.

Another tourist visiting from Switzerland told CTV News these types of signs are used in a lot of places in Europe.

She said the signs are even at universities to help foreign students who might be away from home for the first time deal with a different toilet system.

Parks Canada says it comes down to safety and cleanliness.

The signage is isolated to the Lake O’Hara parking lot washrooms said visitor experience manager Jed Cochrane.

“Our staff at Lake O’Hara noticed that some of our international visitors weren’t used to how to use a typical western style vault toilet and so that sign was put up to help visitors (know) how those toilets are used,” he said.

Parks Canada says by educating travellers it wants everyone to have a fantastic experience on their visit.