The community of Port Edward, located south of Prince Rupert in northwest British Columbia, is offering free low-flush toilets to its residents on a first-come, first-served basis. These toilets have been stored in the district office basement for the past 20 years, remaining from a water conservation initiative in 2003. Tyson Schofield, the district’s chief administrative officer, mentioned that the toilets were taking up significant space in the basement and decided to distribute them to residents for their intended use.
Schofield, who joined the Port Edward community in June, identified 35 unused toilets in the office basement and initiated the program to give them away at no cost. The district announced the giveaway on August 27 through social media using a creative message featuring Oprah Winfrey. By the following day, 18 toilets had already been claimed by residents.
One resident, Teresa Andrews, expressed her appreciation for the initiative, stating that it allowed her to upgrade her toilets without incurring any expenses. Schofield explained that the original purchase of the toilets in 2003 was part of a water usage reduction effort during the reconstruction of the water treatment plant. While acknowledging the age of the toilets, Schofield highlighted the importance of water conservation and mentioned that two toilets installed in the district office had been functioning well.
Although the quality of the toilets cannot be guaranteed due to their age, Schofield emphasized the importance of water conservation and the benefits of using low-flush toilets.