Portable toilets could be provided for use by the city’s homeless population until a permanent public washroom solution is in place, an alderman says.

Ald. Joe Ceci said although a report looking at an ultimate solution to providing public washrooms in the downtown core isn’t due until early in the new year, he said interim solutions are already being explored.

“Interim is definitely something they’re thinking about as well, porta-potties or something in that vein that could happen a lot quicker than that ultimate solution,” Ceci said.

“I'd like to see some potential interim ways to facilitate toilet facilities that don’t require land and don’t require permits.”

A new public behaviour bylaw passed last month by council, outlawing public urination or defecation among other offences, was seen by some social agencies as unfairly targeting the homeless, who don’t have access to public facilities.

Ceci said an update report on the provision of downtown toilets is expected next week and he hopes it will include possible short-term solutions that could be implemented as soon as possible.

Even a few strategically placed portable toilets could make the difference while the city looks at a long-term solution that could take months of planning, Ceci said.

“Right now there’s a real absence of anything and you can’t walk blocks and blocks and blocks when you’ve got to go,” he said.

“It’s just human decency to have (toilets) available as soon as possible.”

A report on permanent solutions to public toilets in the downtown core is slated to come to a city committee in January or February.