Capital Ward councillor Shawn Menard wins Golden Plunger for expanding public washroom access

Capital Ward Coun. Shawn Menard received the Golden Plunger award on Sunday in recognition of his push to expand public washroom access across Ottawa. The award, handed out by the volunteer-run GottaGo! Campaign at the Lansdowne Farmers' Market on July 12, recognized Menard's successful motion last year to secure city-wide funding for extended hours at existing park washrooms or installation of portable toilets.

The campaign, founded in 2014, had awarded the plunger only once before in nine years. "We give it to someone who has shown leadership in the issue of public toilets," said Bessa Whitmore, co-founder of the GottaGo! Campaign.

Menard's work resulted in nearly doubling each ward's annual washroom budget from $2,400 to $4,500. This summer, Capital Ward now has six to eight porta-potties in major parks including Brantwood, Brewer, Glebe Memorial, Kaladar, Springhurst, Sylvia Holden, and Windsor. The ward is also extending bathroom hours at the brand-new Heron Park Community Building to open on Fridays.

Both Menard and campaign organizers acknowledge significant gaps remain. Many existing park washrooms stay locked because the city lacks staff to open and maintain them. Menard says hiring summer students at roughly $25 an hour—similar to pool staff wages—would allow those facilities to open and be cleaned weekly. "It's a cost-effective measure to increase quality of life for people," he said. "It's a low cost for having bathroom access for everybody."

Menard also pointed to broader gaps in washroom access across Ottawa's transit system, where many facilities remain closed due to staffing and resource constraints. "There's a critical mass of people who want this, and more and more politicians need to start listening to quality-of-life issues because it makes a difference," he said.