Two portable toilets meant to help homeless people were taken away because they didn't have permits, according to the City of Regina.
The toilets were set up in Regina's Heritage neighborhood by Rally Against Homelessness in response to concerns about human waste behind buildings, something the group says has become more prevalent with the number of people living on Regina streets.
Alysia Johnson, an advocate for the group, was surprised when the city promptly hauled the toilets away without a phone call or any warning.
"It was an undignified response that was made in haste with no regard for public health and I think enough is enough. This community has been asking for a very long time that these very real concerns get addressed," she said.
A statement from the City of Regina received by CTV News on Tuesday said permission is required to put temporary structures on city property, which will either be granted or denied throughout the permitting process.
"On Saturday, two portable washrooms were placed in Pepsi Park without a permit,” the statement said.
The city said that the unused portable washrooms were removed around 5:30 p.m. on Saturday after several conversations with the rental company confirmed there was no permit.
“In addition, none of the weekend employees of the rental company knew who rented the units or how to contact them,” read the statement.
The city said the permit process is designed to ensure a safe and coordinated approach to temporary structures on city owned space.
In a Facebook post Monday evening, Rally Around Homelessness claimed they had a “friendly verbal understanding with the city going back to 2021.”
“Why the change? Why the callousness?” the post asked.
There are portable toilets on streets downtown for bus drivers. Some feel a similar facility could be established for the unhoused.
“In Vancouver they have outdoor toilets where they get five minutes to go in there and after you leave, it sanitizes it. It’s just a shower of water. So that’s a good idea. Every city should have them,” one Regina resident told CTV News.
The portable toilets were set up in the same park where Camp Hope was located a year and a half ago.
