Ottawa to spend $1 million for two self-cleaning washrooms in Centretown in 2025

New self-cleaning washrooms coming to Centretown The city is spending $1 million to install two self-cleaning public washrooms in Centretown next year. CTV’s Peter Szperling reports.

Ottawa's Centretown neighbourhood is getting two new public, self-cleaning washrooms next year.

Somerset Coun. Ariel Troster says the 2025 draft budget includes $1 million for two new public washrooms in the downtown ward.

"It's a win for the community," Troster said on Facebook about the funding for stand-alone washrooms.

"I cannot tell you how excited I am for this. This is as a result of years of advocacy by groups, including the GottaGo! Campaign and now we are going to be able to build two modular, self-cleaning public bathrooms in Centretown."

"Once this budget is passed, we will be reaching out to the community to ask you where you think they should go."

The GottaGo! Campaign has a list of 22 public toilets available in downtown Ottawa, including at Ottawa City Hall, the ByWard Market, the Ottawa Public Library and the National Arts Centre.

"Using the washroom is a fundamental human need," Troster said. "It's completely inhumane that we do not have publicly accessible bathroom facilities, but we will in 2025."

The GottaGo! Campaign has been calling on the city to create a network of clean and accessible public toilets in Ottawa, pushing the city to take urgent action.

On Tuesday, the GottaGo! Campaign marked World Toilet Day by presenting postcards to councillors, "to highlight the critical importance of safe, clean and accessible public toilets as essential public health infrastructure."

"Everybody needs to use the washroom. Whether you are a parent with a kid or whether you just have to go," Troster said in an interview.

"Some people have digestive problems. Certainly it's difficult for seniors, for pregnant people, and this is something we really noticed during the pandemic when suddenly all the stores were closed and there was nowhere to go."

The City of Waterloo installed a similar self-cleaning bathroom in May. Officials say the project has been a success.

"Overall, the experience is good. We have received lots of positive feedback and accessibility wise as well. We try to include accessibility features as much as we can," said Swati Vekariya, facilities project manager with the City of Waterloo.

Ottawa residents shared mixed opinions about the idea on Tuesday.

"I think we need a lot more of that throughout the city," said resident Laura Blanchette.

"People need to use washrooms, not only tourists, but also people are who are unhoused."

Some residents raised issues with the high cost of the facilities.

"I think that’s a frivolous expenditure," said Dave Wynes.

In 2020, a list of potential infrastructure projects presented by City Staff suggested the cost of building stand-alone, self-cleaning public washrooms in the ByWard Market and on Sparks Street would cost $430,000 each.

In 2021, federal, provincial and municipal officials announced more than $1.6 million in funding for ByWard Market infrastructure, including a new self-cleaning public washroom.

With files from CTV News Ottawa's Peter Szperling