Sh*t list: The best places to number two in Vancouver

Public washrooms are a hot commodity, especially in a city like Vancouver, where they’re harder to come by.

In British Columbia, a lack of toilets was cited as one of the biggest barriers for people to enjoy trails, according to the Outdoor Recreation Council of BC. In 2021, public washrooms were one of the top requests transit users had for TransLink amenities.

Thankfully, in recent years, there has been a movement in the direction of more public spaces to do your business in. That movement includes TransLink, which has introduced and will be introducing more public washrooms at transit stations.

The City of Vancouver also has a list of public washrooms that are available for use.

These are just some options for the best places to poop in Vancouver, particularly in and around the downtown core. Some of them are even available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Nelson Park is one of the options which has facilities available 24 hours a day. The City of Vancouver website also lists a washroom located at Nelson and Howe streets, which is also open 24 hours. Emery Barnes Park also has a 24-hour washroom.

If you’d prefer to stay completely indoors, Amazon’s The Post building has facilities that are open till 10 p.m. in the lobby area on the main floor.

If you’re in or around Kitsilano, Kits Beach has several options for public washrooms, with winter hours for those facilities listed as open from dawn to dusk.

The Riley Park area also has washrooms available for the public, both at Hillcrest Centre and in the Riley Park fieldhouse area.

If you are on transit and need to make a pit stop, there are a few stations that would make a good choice, including Metrotown. Metrotown recently introduced a new public washroom right underneath the SkyTrain platform. And if that’s busy, the mall, during opening hours, is a decent choice, though it can get quite busy.

The SeaBus stations at both Waterfront and Londsdale Quay also have washrooms available for fare-paid passengers.

What washrooms do Vancouver residents like best?

Andrey_Popov/Shutterstock

Social media is a great resource when trying to figure out some less popular spots to get to when nature calls.

A Reddit thread from 2023 reveals some of those spots. Users commented with suggestions like going to hotels, casinos, 24-hour cafes (like Breka), and wearing adult diapers.

“I’m sure reception knows, but if you don’t look like trouble, nobody really cares. We all gotta go,” one Redditor said of the hotel experience.

“Steamworks by Waterfront. Pretend you just went out for a smoke or meeting people there and rip downstairs to the washrooms. Works every time,” someone else stated.

Another user suggested UBC Robson Square, which closes before 10 p.m.

If you’d prefer technology handle the situation for you, there’s an app called Flush, which shows you the closest available washrooms to your location.

Do you have any special poop spots? Share them in the comments for the greater good.

With files from Sarah Anderson