Public washrooms in downtown Winnipeg could have hours cut after use exceeded budget plans
CBC
Two programs that provide access to public washrooms to people downtown could be cut back.
A new report says the city will cut back on the hours of the public washroom that opened on Main Street last year.
Named Amoowigamig, the facility had been a dream of homelessness advocates for years. In addition to bathrooms, it had peer support staff on site during its operating hours, 10 hours a day, between 7:30 a.m. and 5:30 p.m., seven days a week.
Since opening June 3, the facility has been visited more than 20,000 times.
"By all accounts, delivery of washroom services with on-site peer supports has been a tremendous success at Amoowigamig," states a report authored by Tanis Knowles Yarnell, acting manager of community development, and presented to the community services committee.
Despite that success, the report says hours will be cut back to eight hours a day starting May 16.
The city had budgeted $200,000 annually for operations, but use has exceeded expectations. Consequently, the city report says the hours must be cut back.
People who live and work in the area told CBC News the city should find a way to keep the facility open longer.
"So many people need it. They should, so that the streets will not be messed up," said Assumpta Winston-Ubanwa.
Jamie Reimer hasn't used the facility himself, but said many of his friends have.
"A lot of people with addictions issues use it, but it's also needful … to have proper bathrooms."
"It's convenient. I mean, I've got a home and a place to live and even I've had to [use the washroom]," said David Dueck.
An online petition on Change.org launched by University of Manitoba religious studies professor Justin Jaron Lewis, calling for city to increase funding for the washroom, had garnered more than 600 signatures by Tuesday.
Community services committee chair John Orlikow says he would like to explore other less expensive models of operating the washroom, perhaps with scaled back support services, in order to keep it open longer.
P.E.I.'s Public Schools Branch is looking for 50 substitute bus drivers, and it'll be recruiting at three job fairs on Saturday, June 8. The job fairs are located at the Atlantic Superstore in Montague, Royalty Crossing in Charlottetown, and the bus parking lot of Three Oaks Senior High in Summerside. All three run from 9 a.m. until noon. Dave Gillis, the director of transportation and risk management for the Public Schools Branch, said the number of substitute drivers they're hiring isn't unusual. "We are always looking for more. Our drivers tend to have an older demographic," he said.