Accessible Montreal; One Curb Cut at a Time

by Maria Barile

If you are a woman who uses a wheelchair and you live on a one way street, you know the adapted bus stops in front of your house and the driver tilts you onto the sidewalk from the street. Now, imagine a slippery winter evening- say around 5 pm. The driver tries to tilt you up in your electric wheelchair and his foot nearly slips.

This happened to me in the winter 2001. Since then, I have tried to get the City of Montreal to create a curb cut in front of my house.

One of their many excuses was that a curb cut in the middle of the sidewalk could be dangerous to children who decide to cross the street there. What about the danger of not having the curb cut to the drivers, and us?

Another woman in our organization was told a curb cut would be dangerous for her. It turns out that the real reason was, "it cost too much money."

Their logic is that if they do it for one person, it would create a precedent. Also, they argue, if I moved from my present address, the expense to create a curb cut would be money wasted. (Never mind that it's my house which I have lived in for 30 years, and that I have no plans of moving).

Eventually, I was told that there is a policy that forbids this. Since the spring of 2001, I tried to obtain copies of this policy. Finally, after the Montreal Gazette printed two stories on my situation and after I had a rather unpleasant conversation with a second city worker, I was able to obtain a copy of this policy. The following excerpt explains it all:

Politique de service sur l'aménagement de rampes pour handicapées 7.04
Cadre particulier
5.2 aucun rampe pour personne handicapée ne doit être construit ailleursqu'aux intersection de rues,
(no ramp for people with disabilities should be constructed other than at the intersection of the streets)

In February, Luc Forget of Exaequo told me that the City of Montreal is prepared to make some changes and requested recommendations.

But my question is more fundamental than a recommendation. The above policy singles out people with disabilities. Is this bordering on discrimination?

Your viewpoint is greatly appreciated to aid us in our collective understanding and in determining our process for change.

Table of contents
The Pitfalls and Potholes of Inaccessible Montral | Survey : Physical Accessibility not the Only Challenge