Read on Twitter
Food service premises- @starbucks - have been taking advantage of business first Covid19 initiatives across Toronto by also taking advantage of patrons & people in need across the city. They’ve been contravening bylaws, codes & public health orders choosing to close washrooms
1/
1/
People across this city are being refused access to washrooms on numerous occasions. The lack of public washroom facilities was an issue prior to this pandemic but has been exacerbated further since businesses have begun arbitrarily creating barriers by closing their washroom. 2/
In this incident @starbucks location at Finch Ave West decided to use their washrooms as a storage area for chairs and not granting patrons access to the washroom, including a 3 year old and her caregiver and another customer. The Manager stated that as the neighbourhood is in 3/
(a low-income racialized ‘hood) the “high risk red zone” that for their partners safety they’ve decided to keep the washrooms closed, sending patrons & others to the “closest” washroom (Harvey’s) another chain with no-seating in the same plaza but with washroom access 4/
This @starbucks location has made the corporate decision from my understanding to discriminate & shirk bylaws, code and public health orders that require food premises to adhere to numerous pre-Covid and current Covid19 guidelines none of which I’ve seen require or permit 5/
food service premises to close their washroom facilities when in service, and to pass the burden of their decision to close washrooms to other businesses who are adhering to their occupancy and washroom access requirements. 6/
The City, urbanists and public health officials through ActiveTO and outdoor open streets initiatives have encouraged people to be outdoors - incl during winter- yet are closing public washrooms & not enforcing bylaws requiring businesses to adhere to washroom access requirements
The lack of accessible washrooms is a public health issue (for transit, trades & delivery ppl, disabled ppl and many others). Further, this city can’t rely on a Mayor that subsidizes businesses & then begs them to keep washrooms accessible rather than pushing to enforce bylaws 8/
I spoke with this location on three different occasions, my concerns included the washroom and the deactivation of their accessible door button on numerous occasions. Establishments have been encouraging people to wash their hands but how can they if they have no washroom access?
Further, this specific location had been previously called out by the community (again a highly racialized, elder and community with many people with disabilities) for purposely discriminating and not hiring people from the community in the past. So there seems to be a pattern.
This is undoubtedly a public health hazard as people have had to go on (TTC) subways as washrooms along transit routes have been closed. While others have had accidents on sidewalks, or have had to relieve themselves in alleys or behind garbage areas ‘cos they have no where to go
This has also been happening in Vancouver. https://twitter.com/sqwabb/status/1288858072975212547
