Vancouver businesses call for city to provide public toilets for homeless people during pandemic

Peopleworking in Vancouver coffee shopsare calling on the city to step up and provide public washrooms for the homeless, saying COVID-19 has forced the young people who often work in them to be front-line workersas the pandemic stretches on.

Julian Bentley, 32, has worked at JJ Bean for 10 years and now managesthe location at East 14thAvenue and Main Street in Vancouver.

He said he's dealt with verbal abuse, assault, and just this week, a burning log thrown at hisstorefront.

But the worst came when a person took their own life in the coffee shop's bathroom.

"I think it's something that's just escalating... and I have compassion that there are just less resources for those that are unfortunate enough," said Bentley.

"For my staff I think it's unfair for someone who's18 years old and paid $14 an hour, andthen they have to come to work and handle dirty needles andface mental abuse. It's not good for their mental health."

The issue isn't new for Vancouver in a city with a growing homelessness crisis,fast-food restaurants and coffee shops have long served as makeshift drop-in centres for people trying to stay warm and dry. In 2018 there was public outcry after a 74-year-old man named Ted died in a Tim Hortons location on Broadway, and wasn't noticed for several hours.

Since then, the pandemic and an increasingly toxic street drug supply have only worsened the issue.

City 'grateful' for businesses providing bathroom access

In a statement, the City of Vancouver acknowledged COVID-19has complicated access to public bathrooms and said it was grateful to all businesses who have kept themopen.

"The closure of public facilities during COVID-19 has led to many people not having safe access to washrooms. This can lead to an increased risk of overdose and violence, as well as a loss of dignity as many people are forced to use alleys and other public and private spaces as washrooms, increasing sanitation concerns," the statement read in part.

"We are committed to expanding washroom access and are currently finalizing details of new initiatives that will provide immediate action on this issue."

The city says it's working on increasing access to essential resources like washrooms, but for now is focusing on hotspotslike the Downtown Eastside and StrathconaPark.

Mayor Kennedy Stewart, speaking to CBC's On The Coast, asked businesses for patience, saying more support iscoming.

But John Neate, the owner of JJ Bean, which has 21 locations, said he's concerned for his staff and feels caught between the police and the city. He said the city should at minimum create a hotline for staff to call when a situationescalates.

"When we phone the police for such issues, those are considered non-emergency. I have asked a number oftimes forpublic washrooms, but I never know who to ask. There seems to be misdirection. It's a city thing, it's a provincial thing," he said.

"But nobody wants to put in a public washroom that the city would need to maintain."

Const. Steve Addison with the Vancouver Police Department said he understands the frustrations of business owners like Neate, and that police respond and open a file when behaviour is considered criminal.

"They're justifiably frustrated by it. I should say that homelessness isn't a crime in the city and the vast majority of people who are homeless in the city, we don't hear from," he said.

"Some of them are criminal issuesbut we're also dealing with issues that are beyond the scope of the police department, we're dealing with issues of homelessness, mental health povertyand drug addiction."

Bill MacEwan,lead psychiatrist with Vancouver's Downtown Community Court mental health team, said he understands the frustration as well, but said some of that is due to "very little support from thehealth, or civic, or police resources that are available" when people see someone in need.

He said when officials respond to a situation where someone is struggling with myriad socio-economic andhealth issues, it is better to use the opportunity to talk about what supports they need, rather than entangle them in the justice system over petty crimes.

"Everything seems to be falling through the cracks here," said MacEwan on CBC's The Early Editionon Thursday.