Businesses clarify bathroom policy after disturbing incident at Langley Tim Hortons

Editor’s Note: A link in this article directs to a video that contains graphic and disturbing content. This material is not suitable for all readers.

VANCOUVER (NEWS 1130) – Apparently not everyone has the right to use the washroom at a restaurant or business.

Some people may be wondering that, following a video that circulated online earlier this week in which a woman was seen defecating on the floor of a Tim Hortons in Langley after being told she couldn’t use the facilities. She is seen throwing her feces at the employees behind the counter before she wipes with a napkin and smears it on some of the items on the counter near the cash register.

It’s the right thing to do for hospitality purposes, according Ian Tostenson with the BC Restaurant & Food Services Association.

“Just staying on top of it, making sure it’s clean because I think bathrooms are certainly a reflection of the cleanliness of your restaurant. They are an important part of our business model.”

He adds what constitutes a customer can also be complicated so a business should err on the side of caution. “It always come under the banner of hospitality and taking care of people.”

However, Charles Gauthier with the Downtown Vancouver Business Improvement Association admits, businesses do worry about people using washrooms for other things such as drug use.

“It’s a judgement call as to who they’re going to let in and not but typically they’re going to focus on allowing customers in.”
That’s why Gauthier supports more supervised consumption sites and public washrooms to take the weight off businesses. “It’s the city’s responsibility to provide those public toilets rather than the default being our… businesses to provide restrooms for everyone.”

NEWS 1130 reached out to WorkSafeBC which confirms it has not yet been called in to investigate this case but it’s being reviewed.