Public toilets shouldn’t come at Calgary Transit stations unless a full assessment of security and required infrastructure upgrades is done, said the city’s transit director.

The question, while circulated for years in different forms, was raised once again during this week’s public submissions on the 2024 budget adjustments.

Gurbachan Brar with the Indo-Canadian Association of Immigrant Seniors once again stepped to the podium (as he did in 2022) to describe the challenges for many seniors who ride transit. He said seniors often deal with different health afflictions that could manifest in the “uncontrollable urge to urinate frequently.”

“Join me to request the city council for the provision of suitable washrooms at a few designated CTrain stations, main bus terminals and parks,” he said.

“Public washrooms need not be at every CTrain station as it shall be possible for seniors to travel one or two stations away.”

Ward 1 Coun. Sonya Sharp pointed out that Brar had also been a part of public submissions in 2022 during discussions on the 2023-2026 budget. She said that she hadn’t seen anything come forward over the past year to address the issue.

“It’s heartbreaking that we’re still listening to the same thing you mentioned last year,” said Coun. Sharp.

“I think over time we’re focusing our priorities on certain things and forgetting sometimes about our seniors and the needs that our seniors need.”

The Tuscany public washroom pilot project

Calgary Transit Director Sharon Fleming said that there is a washroom at the Tuscany station in northwest Calgary. It was a part of a public washroom pilot done in the past.

She said the installation of the washroom was $400,000 and it costs $10 to $15 per use (same as the numbers quoted in 2019).

“One thing that this has showcased for us though is that there was a number a number of strategic security and safety issues around that particular facility,” Fleming told councillors.  

“There have been times in last winter where we were actually requested to close the facility, so that so that we could limit the amount of social disorder at the location.”

Fleming said that if they want to look further at public washrooms at some stations, they’re going to have to spend time and money doing a full assessment of the infrastructure needed and what type of security is involved.

“We need to make sure that these facilities allow for access for those with disabilities, that they are well lit, that they are secure, that there’s the ability to monitor, and there are challenges there,” Fleming said.

“We’re already struggling with safety and security, as you know, so we need to find that balance.”

To that end, Fleming said she wouldn’t recommend proceeding further with washroom facilities at LRT stations without that work being done.

Operational Services GM Doug Morgan added that since Covid, Calgary Transit has been focused on recovering ridership and dealing with safety and security concerns.

“I would say it’s been on our radar,” Morgan said.

“It’s just with all the other priorities facing Sharon and the team at transit it’s probably fallen off. As we move forward and build ridership, I think this is one thing as far as customer amenities we would look at is how do we move forward with the next generation of transit, once we’ve tackled the public safety and sufficiency of service.”