{"id":600952,"date":"2026-04-13T10:11:13","date_gmt":"2026-04-13T10:11:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/600952\/"},"modified":"2026-04-13T10:11:13","modified_gmt":"2026-04-13T10:11:13","slug":"oc-transpo-looking-at-safely-reopening-lrt-washrooms-but-still-no-timeline","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/600952\/","title":{"rendered":"OC Transpo looking at safely reopening LRT washrooms, but still no timeline"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Text<\/p>\n

Listen to this article<\/p>\n

Estimated 3 minutes<\/p>\n

The audio version of this article is generated by AI-based technology. Mispronunciations can occur. We are working with our partners to continually review and improve the results.<\/p>\n

OC Transpo is considering how to safely reopen public washrooms at LRT stations after the vast majority were closed nearly two months ago.<\/p>\n

All LRT station washrooms, with the exception of one at Limebank station on Line 2, have been shut down since Feb. 20 when someone found used needles at Bayview station that hadn’t been properly disposed of.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt wasn\u2019t just discarded on the floor,\u201d OC Transpo chief safety officer Sabrina Pasian told last week\u2019s transit committee. \u201cIt was left in a place that could absolutely injure a customer.\u201d<\/p>\n

Despite concerns over vandalism and public drug use, the washrooms in LRT stations can\u2019t be closed forever. Under the Ontario Building Code, they must be available at end-of-line stations like Blair, Tunney\u2019s Pasture and Bayview.<\/p>\n

In a statement, OC Transpo says it\u2019s now exploring both short- and long-term solutions for reopening. Those include increased washroom monitoring, public messaging and the installation of secure needle disposal boxes.<\/p>\n

Nyasha Harper Michon, a Toronto-based architect and activist, told CBC that any long-term fix should also analyze the wide range of people who rely on public washrooms.<\/p>\n

\u201cA washroom is a space that should actually cater to everyone, especially our most vulnerable,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

That includes people experiencing homelessness, those with disabilities, caregivers, and people who use drugs, Michon said.<\/p>\n

Designing washrooms with those people in mind might improve safety for everyone, she said.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt can be having dry counters for medical procedures \u2026 having the boxes so that they can put the needles in safely,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

If OC Transpo is looking to create a safer washroom environment, Michon said it’s key to consult with people who’ve had experienced addictions or homelessness.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s important to put the resources into thinking about this properly with the right people,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

OC Transpo is considering a number of fixes that will allow them to reopen public washrooms at LRT stations across the city. (Gilles Taillon\/CBC)Special constables could keep close watch<\/p>\n

One of the options transit staff are considering is enhanced monitoring by special constables, but the details remain unclear.<\/p>\n

Sarah Kennedy, president of the Ontario Special Constable Association, said keeping an eye on LRT washrooms can be difficult.<\/p>\n

\u201cUltimately, policing and controlling the inside of washrooms is always going to be a public safety challenge,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

One way to keep close watch, Kennedy said, is by using security cameras.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou can monitor how long somebody’s in a public bathroom. And if it’s taking a super long time, the special constable can go and knock on the door.\u201d<\/p>\n

While those cameras would never be installed inside the washrooms, harm reduction measures like needle disposal boxes “need to be in there,” Kennedy said.<\/p>\n

OC Transpo has not decided on a fix and has not provided a reopening timeline. For now, most O-Train riders remain without washroom access.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Listen to this article Estimated 3 minutes The audio version of this article is generated by AI-based technology.…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":600953,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[194295],"tags":[49,48,20739],"class_list":["post-600952","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-ottawa","tag-ca","tag-canada","tag-ottawa"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/600952","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=600952"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/600952\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/600953"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=600952"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=600952"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=600952"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}