Ontario not prioritizing accessibility, advocates say
The most recent review of the Ontario government's progress implementing the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act called the state of emergency procedures for persons with disabilities a 'crisis.' Nearly a year and a half later, the province still hasn't implemented new protocols and advocates say it's another example of the province failing to prioritize accessibility.
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Yahoo
28-05-2025
- Yahoo
Mimico residents vow to keep pressure on Metrolinx to make local GO station accessible
South Etobicoke residents are vowing to continue the pressure on Metrolinx to make the GO station in their area more accessible, despite reassurances from the provincial transit agency that improvements are coming. On Tuesday, residents gathered near the Mimico GO station to demand that Metrolinx begin work as soon as possible. A Metrolinx representative told residents at the demonstration that the Ontario government has awarded a contract to begin the design phase of planned accessibility upgrades at the station. There is no start date for construction. Rozhen Asrani, president of the Mimico Residents Association, said Tuesday that residents have been waiting for Metrolinx to break ground on accessibility updates to the station for about a decade. Previous projects to make the station more accessible were linked to larger developments of the area that included housing. Two projects collapsed, one in 2023 and one in 2012. "The community is very frustrated. Patience has run out. It's been a decade of a lack of accessibility and multiple failed promises by Metrolinx," Asrani said. There is no elevator at the station. "It's difficult to get to," said Asrani. "There are all kinds of issues for people who use strollers, have mobility constraints, bicycles they are trying to get up and down the stairs. There are lots of barriers." Asrani said residents were promised by Metrolinx that the station would be fully accessible by 2023 but that did not happen. Now, she said, there are no new project completion dates and no clear timelines. Asrani said that's unacceptable and is violation of the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA). The community is growing and residents deserve to have an accessible transit station, she added. "An announcement of a contract is great, but what we really need is shovels in the ground and actual timelines," Asrani said. Contract awarded to begin planning, Metrolinx says In a statement on Tuesday, Metrolinx noted that the Ontario Ministry of Transportation announced on May 14 that a contract was awarded for "design development and construction management services to support accessibility upgrades and other enhancements at Mimico GO." Metrolinx added: "The station improvement project will provide better connections and improved amenities to ensure a seamless and barrier-free experience for customers travelling across the GO network. When the development phase is complete, Metrolinx said the contractor will submit a proposed construction schedule and associated costs. If approved, a construction contract will be awarded, at which point project timelines will be more clearly defined, Metrolinx said. Metrolinx said it is "fully committed" to meeting its obligations under the AODA and the Integrated Accessibility Standards Regulation. 'People are feeling a bit disappointed,' MPP says Lee Fairclough, MPP for Etobicoke Lakeshore, said the community is concerned because accessibility upgrades have been delayed for years. A person who arrives at the station in a wheelchair would not be able to get down from the platform, she said. Someone using a walker or crutches would have to navigate steep stairs, she said. "People are feeling a bit disappointed," Fairclough said. "Glad that we're moving ahead... But as a community and as a representative, we're going to keep on making sure there is pressure to make it happen." Fairclough said Metrolinx is taking full responsibility for ensuring that the station will be accessible. "I think that gives some encouragement to the community that this is going to happen," she said. The residents association has gathered nearly 1,000 signatures on a petition to have Metrolinx start construction this year, and Fairclough says she plans to table the petition formally at Queen's Park on Wednesday. Improvements overdue, says councillor Coun. Amber Morley, who represents Etobicoke-Lakeshore, said collaboration is needed and the accessibility improvements are overdue. In the past three years, Morley said she has told Metrolinx repeatedly that the community is frustrated and pointed out that previous agreements with private developers have been ineffective. "We've all come to a space where we understand and appreciate those challenges but are very focused on moving forward and delivering for community," she said. In its statement, Metrolinx said the proposed improvements at the station include: A new east connection with elevator and stair access to the platform level, with customer access from both sides of the rail corridor. A new south entrance at Manchester Street and Blue Goose Street with elevator and stair connections to the platforms. Platform upgrades, including "tactile walking surface indicators" at the edge of the platform. Accessibility and customer experience upgrades to platforms and shelters.
CBC
01-05-2025
- CBC
Sudbury cyclist pushing for more secure bike parking downtown to increase accessibility, reduce theft
Andrew Way wouldn't be able to get around Greater Sudbury without his bicycle. Way has epilepsy and relies on biking as his main form of transportation because driving can be dangerous with his medical condition. While he says getting around the city isn't too difficult, finding a secure spot to park his bike when going into businesses can be challenging. "I'm hoping to see more accessible bike parking where theft is not an issue," said Way. "I want to be able to walk up to a bike rack, lock my bike and know it's safe there." Way says there are not many bike racks in downtown Sudbury to park a bicycle when needing to access a business, and no publicly-accessible locked bike cages. He adds that theft in downtown remains a concern and he doesn't feel comfortable leaving his expensive bike unattended or locked to a structure. "Downtown... it's the biggest, worst place for theft," said Way. When there is no spot available to leave his bike, Way explains he often has to take it with him into a business, which can be met with hostility. Way has been in contact with City of Greater Sudbury officials, asking them to install more bike racks or more locked bike cages so cyclists can park their bicycles securely. He says there are only two publicly available secured bike cages in Sudbury, located at Health Sciences North. The steel boxes are shielded from the weather and items in them are not visible from the outside, deterring theft. Way says city employees have access to a secured bike locker in the underground parking garage at Tom Davies Square. He was told by a city councillor that opening it to the public could be an option. "That'd be a good start from the city," said Way, adding he would park his bike there and walk to the downtown mall if he had to. "It's better than nothing." Way says he has reached out to the Downtown BIA and other businesses about installing bike racks, but hasn't been met with much co-operation. He says the New Sudbury Mall has told him it is installing year-round bike racks at all of its secured entrances with cameras available, which Way says is a step forward. He's hoping the Elm Place mall in downtown Sudbury can also install more bike infrastructure either outside entrances or in its parking garage. Ultimately, Way says bike parking is an accessibility issue and should be available for people who rely on it for transportation. "There is a clause in the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA) that a bike is a mobility aid if you need it," Way explained. "If you're someone like me who can't drive, can't walk, it's just as recognized as a wheelchair or a scooter or a little hand cart and comes with all these same accommodations." In a statement to CBC News, the City of Greater Sudbury said it is "committed to supporting active transportation, including the development of accessible and secure bike infrastructure. The statement said the city recognizes that "convenient bicycle parking plays a vital role in encouraging cycling as a safe, sustainable mode of transportation, and we continue to assess opportunities to improve cycling amenities across the community. We remain open to constructive feedback from all members of the public and are committed to working toward a more inclusive and accessible transportation network for everyone in Greater Sudbury."
CBC
16-04-2025
- CBC
What people with disabilities want to hear from party leaders in this election
Election Day is less than two weeks away, but Rowena Edwards is still unsure who she should vote for. "Honestly, I don't like any candidates," the 63-year-old told CBC News through an email interview. Edwards is one of more than eight million Canadians living with a disability. She says she spends around 20 hours a day in a hospital bed at home in Sherwood Park, Alta. — by herself and unable to work. She said she feels forgotten by Canada's federal party leaders. "Our leaders don't even think about us," she said. "I have no faith that things will change for us." She's not the only person who feels that way. Disability activist and retired lawyer David Lepofsky, who is blind, told CBC News people with disabilities are victims of a "vicious cycle that muzzles their voice." Lepofsky says Canada is "miles behind" other countries when it comes to disability support programs and accessibility. And while U.S. tariffs are understandably an important issue in this year's federal election, he says it's not the only one. "The next government that takes power after this election in Ottawa is gonna be mandated to govern for four years," he said. "Not just about tariff barriers, but about all barriers, including those which impede people with disabilities from equal opportunity in our society." "There's no good reason why our politicians shouldn't be answering what they would do to tear those barriers down," said Lepofsky, who is also chair of the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA) Alliance. More disability benefits Last week, Lepofsky hosted a debate to hear what the federal parties were promising in this election. Candidates from the Liberal, NDP and Green parties — but not the Conservatives — attended the debate. "We're looking for real concrete commitments from all the politicians and all the parties on key issues that matter to over eight million people with disabilities and everyone else in Canada who's gonna get a disability later in life," he said. I wish each candidate had to live our lives for one week, only then do I believe things would change -Rowena Edwards Part of that includes improving on the Canada Disability Benefit (CDB) Act, which came into effect in 2024. The act established the CDB, which gives working-age, low-income people with disabilities up to $200 a month if they qualify — a "paltry" amount, according to Lepofsky. "People with disabilities don't just have the cost of living that everybody else has," he said. "There are added costs associated with living with a disability, possibly getting supports or expensive technology or services." Even if you factor in provincial support plans, Lepofsky says people with disabilities are going to be left "languishing in poverty." "For example, a person with a disability in Ontario, if they're living in poverty, can qualify for the Ontario Disability Support Plan," he said. "It will give an individual a maximum of … under $1,400 a month. The poverty line is over $2,000 a month." "The paltry $200 a month maximum [of the new CDB] … is not going to lift the vast majority of impoverished people with disabilities," he said. This is a greater challenge for people with disabilities who can't work, such as Edwards. She says her disability income for 2024 was just over $22,000, which she mainly uses on rising grocery costs and hired labour. She said she often has to keep her meals between a dollar or two, and set her thermostat to just 14 C on winter days "because I can't afford the heating bills." "It's been years since I bought a steak, even though I dream about having one, but I can't justify spending the money," she said. That's why some advocates are calling for an increase in benefit payments, by "$1,000 to $2,000 a month, at least," said the Disability Justice Network of Ontario's Brad Evoy. "An extra thousand [dollars] a month would be life-changing," Edwards said. "Maybe I could have my heat at 16 next winter, what a luxury that would be." Furthermore, most disability benefits have an end date at age 65, including the CDB and Canada Pension Plan disability benefits. Some benefits may kick in at that stage, like the Old Age Security (OAS) pension. OAS eligibility isn't determined by employment history, but it is determined by how long a person has lived in Canada after the age of 18. Still, some people are concerned about losing CBD and provincial benefits when they turn 65. "Don't kick us off of disability when we reach 65," she said. "We are still disabled. This is extremely important and this part of the system has definitely failed us." Streamlining appliations Disability activists also want to see politicians streamline the benefit application process. Since she first started having disability difficulties in 2011, Edwards has moved from Alberta to British Columbia and then back to Alberta. She said it took her four to five years to get an official diagnosis due to the difficulty of the application process. And even when she got on B.C.'s provincial benefits, she had to start the whole process again when applying for federal benefits. "Once you are on provincial disability, you must apply for federal disability and start the whole process over, with it again being very difficult to get accepted," she said. "And what needs to change is there is no interprovincial acceptance. So when I moved back to Alberta in 2022, I had to apply for a third time on [the Assured Income for the Severely Handicapped program]." Lepofsky says he predicted this problem when the CDB was before the House of Commons in 2024. He said disability organizations asked that "anyone who qualifies for disability benefits should automatically qualify for the federal top-up to those benefits." "That's not what Parliament did. Instead, they restricted the Canada Disability Benefit to the very problematic qualifications and bureaucratic way to qualify for the narrow Canada Disability Tax Credit," he said. "So they've set up a legal barrier to people who are in poverty, who need the Canada Disability Benefit, and a process that costs money potentially to even apply for it. It's a catch-22." WATCH | During Ontario's election, disability advocates called for accessible polling stations: Accessibility at voting centres needs to be prioritized, disability advocates say 2 months ago Duration 2:12 Taking the pledge With just weeks to go until Election Day, Lepofsky is calling on all parties to make the Accessible Canada Pledge, which he says would tackle a significant number of barriers impacting Canadians with disabilities. "So far, the only party that's answered us and commendably made the Accessible Canada Pledge is the Green Party," he said. "It's time for the other four candidates for prime minister to step up to the plate and to show us that people with disabilities in Canada matter too." But Edwards says she has little faith in things changing for the better for people with disabilities post-election. "I wish each candidate had to live our lives for one week, only then do I believe things would change," she said.
