Voting is now open for the 2022 Canada’s Best Restroom contest.
The competition, run every year by Cintas Canada, highlights businesses that have invested in developing and maintaining exceptional washrooms. Last year’s winner was Edmonton’s Borden Park.
Nominees for this year’s contest were judged on five criteria: cleanliness, visual appeal, innovation, functionality and unique design elements.
The five finalists in the 2022 Canada’s Best Restroom Contest are:
- Majesty and Friends (Edmonton, Alberta): Majesty and Friends’ motto is “FUN, FUN, FUN,” so their washroom needed to offer the happiest vibes. The bright mural was inspired by the happiest treat on earth – ice cream. The flooring is Atra Flooring from Liverpool, and the sprinkles are made by Urban Walls. Their building at Manchester square is the biggest Instagrammable spot in Edmonton, with pink toilet paper and a cherry brush.
- Niton Junction Petro-Canada (Niton Junction, Alberta): The Niton Junction Petro-Canada washrooms are clean and well-stocked. Inside this charming facility you will find completely touchless sanitary sinks and crystal lights giving an elegant, yet relaxed feel. The washroom stalls are fully enclosed, and each is decorated with a different decorative floor-to-ceiling wall tile and modern light fixtures.
- Toronto Zoo – African Rainforest Washroom (Toronto, ON): The Toronto Zoo, a finalist last year, returns to the competition with new washrooms in the African Rainforest pavilion that offer guests the opportunity to imagine themselves under the leafy canopy of the African rainforest, home to the Western lowland gorilla. Door handles resemble a gorilla’s leafy diet and overhead lighting peeks through a canopy of acrylic foliage cut-outs to set the scene and illuminate the wood-finish stalls beneath. Each all-in-one handwashing unit is uniquely designed with conservation and technology in mind and features a hands-free faucet, soap dispenser, and hand dryer: just one of the accessibility features in this facility. Colourful landscape murals, a snake-inspired mosaic, and the unique floor design were inspired by the rainforests of Africa and are accentuated by fine details like high-gloss accents, representing the humidity of the region, and the iconic gorilla silhouette depicted in the privacy screens brings guests closer to nature.
- Versante Hotel (Richmond, B.C.): Situated in Richmond, the Versante is a luxury boutique hotel that features a showstopping washroom. Decked out in gold accented accessories, the unisex washroom includes private, fully enclosed stalls behind glossy black doors. The walls are lined with black, marble tile. Vibrant-coloured Chinese lanterns hang above ceramic pedestal sinks with gold faucets. The large oval washroom was designed to offer guests an Instagrammable moment.
- Rollick Co. (Black Diamond, Alberta): This washroom was created as the ‘”best room in the house” of this local skateboard, bike and fishing shop, with the intention of it being a conversation-starter and a great place for a selfie. Painted from top to bottom by a local graffiti and tattoo artist, Garrett Eagles, the full-colour graffiti pays homage to skate culture, connection to place and the offerings of the shop. A frog pulling a jump off the skate ramp, a fish with legs riding a bike, a Sasquatch on a stand-up paddle board, a UFO, a large earthworm (fishing bait) and an ice fishing hole painted on the ground complete the escape. A large gold antique mirror dominates one wall, and an XOXO wooden shelf is filled with extra toilet paper. This washroom is a fun surprise and delight for anyone who pops into the shop for a bike tune-up, advice on where to hike or fish, or an e-bike or standup paddle board rental.
“We’re proud to recognize these five finalists for investing in clean and memorable washrooms,” said Candice Raynsford, Marketing Manager, Cintas Canada. “The public can show their support for these businesses by voting in the contest.”
The public can vote multiple times for Canada’s Best Restroom 2022 now through July 8, 2022 at bestrestroom.com/Canada. The winner will receive $2,500 in facility services from Cintas to help maintain their award-winning washrooms.
