Washroom questions, answered.
Everything people ask us about finding a public washroom in Canada — who can walk in, when they are open, how good the data is, and what happens to your location. Short answers, no fluff.
Finding a washroom
How do I find the nearest public washroom?
Open the homepage and press Find Washroom. Allow location access and the site sorts every covered location by straight-line distance, closest first, then hands off to your map app for walking directions. Would rather not share your location? Type a city, postal code or landmark into the manual search box instead — that works just as well.
Do I need an app, an account or a payment?
No. Find Washroom is a free website with no sign-up, no download and no paywall. It runs in any modern phone or desktop browser, which is the whole point when you are in a hurry.
What if nothing shows up near me?
Coverage is strongest in Canadian cities and tourist towns that publish open data. If the closest result is far away, try the manual search for a nearby city, or open that city's guide to see every location we hold. Remember that distances are straight-line: a washroom across a river or a highway can be a much longer walk than the number suggests.
Getting in
Can I use the washroom at Starbucks, McDonald's or Tim Hortons without buying anything?
Sometimes, but never assume it. These are customer washrooms and each location sets its own rule: some are open to anyone, some need a code printed on a receipt, and some are staff-only or locked for cleaning. That is why every chain location on this site is labelled a possibility rather than a guarantee. Buying the cheapest thing on the menu improves your odds a lot.
Are the washrooms wheelchair accessible?
Where the source data records accessibility, the listing shows it. Missing accessibility information means the source did not publish it — not that the washroom is inaccessible. If your trip depends on it, confirm with the city or the venue before you set out.
Are public washrooms open 24 hours?
Rarely. Park and beach washrooms are often seasonal and close over winter. Community centre and library washrooms follow building hours. Transit station and shopping centre washrooms close when the building does. Listings show hours wherever the source publishes them, but the sign on the door always wins.
The data
Where does the washroom data come from?
Two kinds of source. Public-source listings come from city open data and official municipal facility pages. Customer washrooms at chains and merchants come from OpenStreetMap contributors. Every city guide names the sources it used and the date each one was last checked, so you can go and verify any listing yourself.
How accurate and current is it?
Accurate enough to walk to, not accurate enough to bet on. Locations close for repairs, seasons change, and access policies change without notice. Some coordinates are approximate, which affects the sort order rather than the address. Treat every listing as a strong lead and trust the signs and staff once you arrive.
Which cities and provinces are covered?
The nearby search covers every province and territory in Canada. Detailed city guides — with neighbourhoods, named sources and full location lists — exist for close to 200 cities and travel destinations, and new ones keep being added.
Privacy and the details
Do you track or store my location?
No. When you allow location access your coordinates stay in your browser: the distance sorting is calculated on your own device, and the coordinates are never sent to us or stored anywhere. If you use the manual search instead, only the place name you typed is sent to the Government of Canada's public geolocation service to be looked up. The private washroom trail feature saves to your browser alone and never records the route you travelled.
How do I report a washroom that is wrong, closed or missing?
Leave a review on that location's card. It is the fastest way to warn the next person, and reviews are visible to everyone. For the underlying record, each city guide links its original source, so a permanent closure is best reported to the city or venue that publishes the data.
Washroom, bathroom, restroom, toilet — what is the difference?
In Canada, washroom is the everyday word for a public toilet. Americans usually say restroom or bathroom, and much of the rest of the English-speaking world says toilet or loo. They all mean the same room here, and this site searches for all of them.
Still need one?
The finder covers every province and territory. Start from your current location, or browse the city guides for sources, neighbourhoods and full location lists.