About fifty protesters took part in a mobilization for universal accessibility in Montreal on Sunday. A gathering to remind people that many businesses remain inaccessible to them, often because of a simple step up the stairs.
Its organizer, François Bernier, lives in Le Plateau-Mont-Royal. He is sorry to see that in his neighborhood, several establishments are inaccessible for people with reduced mobility. On social networks, he mobilized his entourage and implemented the “grande roulade/marche”, as he calls it. The event took place under police surveillance, at the corner of Mont-Royal and Papineau avenues, and spread to the streets of the borough.
Mr. Bernier’s goal is therefore to create a “community”, a “movement” to put pressure on the State to guarantee universal accessibility in Quebec. Under this principle, all people, regardless of their abilities, must have access to the same facilities, to opportunities, and this, in an autonomous manner.
It takes more laws to force retailers to adapt their facilities. Things are improving over the years, but too slowly.
François Bernier, organizer of the mobilization
In his daily life, François Bernier assures us that he lives a good life. He relies on a social circle to help him, in addition to having a caregiver.
“I am lucky, because I know several people with reduced mobility who do not have this luxury. Who stay at home to avoid going out, because it is just too complicated. Many of us are stuck at home, not integrated into society. This is not normal in 2024.”
Maude Massicotte, the general director of DéfPhys sans limite, witnesses this social isolation every day. Her organization offers activities and support to individuals with disabilities. What she sees is that more and more businesses are accessible to people with reduced mobility, but that inside, no services are adapted to their needs.
“It’s all well and good having accessible buildings, but if the employees aren’t there to welcome us properly, we won’t go back,” sums up the person who took part in the mobilization.
The City of Montreal “can do better” to improve the accessibility of businesses, agrees Plateau-Mont-Royal borough councillor Laurence Parent.
PHOTO PHILIPPE BOIVIN, LA PRESSE ARCHIVES
Laurence Parent, borough councillor for Plateau-Mont-Royal
In 2023, the borough assessed 1,132 businesses in its territory. Of these, only 29% had a step-free entrance. Only 14% were considered “accessible,” or required the addition of an automatic door opener to become so.
A pilot project has been launched among merchants of the Société de développement commercial du secteur Laurier Ouest. Some entrepreneurs are receiving personalized support to help them achieve accessibility standards.
“In our dealings with local businesses, one of the things that struck us was that several businesses are inaccessible because of a single step,” reports Mme Parent.
The problem is that some merchants cannot modify their entrance without slightly violating the Quebec Building Code. The City of Montreal is reportedly holding talks with the Quebec government to have exceptions granted to certain merchants.
“It’s a scandal that the building code has not been amended,” denounced Québec solidaire MNA Haroun Bouazzi. “It wouldn’t cost the state anything. For example, we could require that all ground floors become accessible.”
Montreal is also putting pressure on Quebec to get more funding for public transit. Only 27 of the city’s 68 stations have elevators. A program to increase the number of universally accessible stations has been shelved due to lack of funding.