Despite being touted a success, public washroom in Winnipeg reducing hours

A permanent public washroom in Winnipeg that was touted as a significant success will be reducing its hours later this spring.

Amoowigamig, located at 715 Main Street, is a permanent washroom space in Downtown Winnipeg that launched last year, with services run by the Ma Mawi Wi Chi Itata Centre. A report to the community services committee details the first year of operation of the facility.

“The report notes that there were approximately 20,000 (users) in the first six months. So that's just a great story in and of itself, people are accessing washroom services, obviously also fresh water,” said Greg Macpherson, administrative coordinator for safety and well-being in the city’s community service department. “More than that, though, I think just the fact that Ma Mawi Wi Chi Itata Centre has been there to provide peer support on-site has had a tremendous impact.”

Amoowigamig is the Ojibwe word for “public washroom.”

According to the report, Ma Mawi Wi Chi Ita’s presence has been beneficial to the wider community. Community workers have handed out feminine products, clean needles and pipes to people in need, Narcan was used six times to prevent overdoses, and there has been only one instance of vandalism in the area. People have also used the area to dispose of used needles in sharp receptacles.

“Amoowigamig has quickly become a destination and a community hub for the residents and visitors of this neighbourhood, the majority of whom are Indigenous, and many unsheltered,” the report reads. “The level of social, economic and health struggle, and personal trauma among this population is significant, and it is difficult to overstate the value of Amoowigamig as a source of support, referrals, and cultural connection.”

However, despite the success, the staffed support services will be reducing hours at the site in May. Staff were previously on site for 10 hours a day, seven days a week. Starting May 16, staff will be on-site eight hours a day, a deal the report says was agreed to by Ma Mawi Wi Chi Ita.

The current city funding is in place until the end of December 2023.

The report will be discussed on Feb. 28 during a committee meeting and will be brought to the Executive Policy Committee on March 13. Macpherson said he is hoping city council will continue supporting the program.

“This is the kind of service and infrastructure that's really necessary for people to have a sense of dignity and well-being and even just personal safety,” Macpherson said. “We all need to use the washroom and this is a high-density area. A lot of people who call this neighbourhood home, they need more stabilizing forces in their lives. And so this has been very impactful, I think, for that population as well.”