The editorial team of this newspaper has not been able to fully address all the issues involved in truly accessible transport for everyone. One major issue is the limited consideration given to people with disabilities or those experiencing mental health challenges.
When it comes to transportation, there are numerous accessibility challenges, whether in the bus and metro networks, their equipment, or the communication of service information. You might have noticed examples like the absence of elevators or service ramps at metro stations, drivers struggling to deploy ramps for wheelchair users, or trains completely inaccessible to those with mobility issues. Without listing all the obstacles people face, the solution proposed by many organizations is universal accessibility. This approach calls for the design of bus and metro networks, their equipment, and information systems with equity and inclusivity, ensuring that everyone can use them independently and achieve the same outcomes.
In addition to the bus and metro networks, an alternative available to people with disabilities or mental health challenges is paratransit. "Paratransit is a door-to-door travel service offered to those with disabilities. To qualify, individuals must demonstrate mobility limitations, such as being unable to walk 400 meters or orient themselves in time and space. This service, overseen by the government, is provided by public transit organizations and municipalities."1
Unfortunately, paratransit faces several significant shortcomings. For example, the number of paratransit drivers has sharply declined in recent years, leading to longer wait times, decreased service quality, and even service disruptions.1 Much of this is attributed to the Act respecting the remunerated transport of persons by automobile, a 2019 law that deregulated the cab industry in response to ride-sharing services like Uber and Lyft. Additionally, if a disabled person successfully proves their limitations, they may still be required to travel alone unless their companions can also provide documentation proving their need for accompaniment. The new legislation further stipulates that decisions on accompaniment must be made on a case-by-case basis.2 As a result, a person with a cognitive disability does not automatically have the right to be accompanied on adapted transport.1
While it’s crucial for a city to find the necessary funds to provide free and extensive public transportation, it’s even more critical that these services are accessible to all. People with disabilities or mental health challenges are an integral part of our society. From a collective liberation perspective, we present the ten principles of disability justice,3 formulated by the organization Sins Invalid, which should guide the planning of public transportation:
- Intersectionality
- Leadership from Those Most Affected
- Anti-Capitalist Politics
- Commitment to Cross-Movement Organizing
- Recognizing wholeness
- Sustainability
- Commitment to Cross-Disability Solidarity
- Interdependence
- Collective Access
- Collective Liberation
Notes
1. https://www.lapresse.ca/actualites/2024-03-18/transport-adapte/les-usagers-sont-au-bout-du-rouleau.php
2. https://www.lapresse.ca/actualites/2024-01-20/transport-adapte-mal-adapte.php
3.https://www.globaldisabilityjustice.org/10-principes-de-la-justice-pour-les-personnes-handicapees/