Toronto public space advocates say unhoused individuals and people with disabilities face greater barriers when entering public washrooms— that is, if there happens to be one close enough by.
At last count, there are 182 stand-alone facilities open in parks, but only 54 of them are available year-round. Right now, the city of Toronto is working to change that. The Parks, Forestry and Recreation department has devised a strategy to clean up and upgrade all current amenities with no man left behind.
But Ronald Dempsey, a trans resident living in South Parkdale, isn’t satisfied with the city’s response. He’s pushing for more single-stall and gender neutral washrooms and for hours to be extended to 24 hours, seven days a week.
City Councillor Gord Perks sits down with CJTM News to tell us why the city may be lagging behind— and how they’re making up for lost time.
