Disability advocate’s wheelchair found ‘totally damaged’ after Air Canada flight last week CBC News
Posted: Sep 17, 2022

Canada’s federal minister of disability inclusion is promising to help reform air travel for people with disabilities after a Toronto advocate’s wheelchair was “totally damaged” while in the care ofAir Canada employees.

CBC Toronto told Maayan Ziv’s story last weeksoon after
she foundher $30,000wheelchair broken after landing in Israel for an international accessibility conference last Thursday.

The minister, Carla Qualtrough,responded to the story this week, callingthe incident anexample of a”long-standing problem” withairlines mistreating people with disabilities and their mobility devices.

Disability Minister Promises to Correct ‘Long-Standing Problem’ of Airlines Damaging Mobility Aids full article

Caroline CaseyContributor
Sep 5, 2022

Everyone is talking about travel, whether this is the frequent rail strikes in the UK, the many delays and flight cancellations due to the lack of staff or the travel chaos caused by issues at borders. This can be hugely frustrating and has a debilitating effect on all travelers.

Regardless of the post COVID build back, current politics and the consequential obstacles presented in travel, if you have a disability, travelling is regularly a difficult and humiliating experience. Consider the 1.3 billion people with a disability of some sort – 80% of which are invisible – who regularly struggle with travel and so often have their dignity and independence challenged. The National Travel Survey for 2020 found that disabled adults made on average 28% fewer trips than non-disabled adults.

Toxic Travel Chaos Impacts People With Disabilities full article

Federal regulations require wheelchair users to sit in seats and stow large mobility devices with luggage Ryan Patrick Jones, CBC News
Posted: Aug 02, 2022

When James Glasbergen boarded an Air Transat flight departing from Toronto to London on June 30, he was excited to begin his journey to see the Rolling Stones play live in Europe.

What the 46-year-old quadriplegic man from Kitchener, Ont., wasn’t looking forward to was getting out of his custom-fitted electric wheelchair and into an airplane seat, as required by federal law.

His concerns turned out to be warranted after airline staff helping to transfer Glasbergen to his seat dropped him in the aisle, setting off a more than three-minute struggle to lift the 200-plus-pound man from the floor and set him upright.

Passengers With Disabilities Say They Want to Remain in Wheelchairs on Flights full article

The Ottawa disability advocate says he was embarrassed and humiliated by his treatment by Air Canada staff who were unprepared to deal with a man in a wheelchair. Author of the article:Blair Crawford
Publishing date:Aug 04, 2022

Max Brault hoped the business class Air Canada flight he booked to Hawaii would be the trip of a lifetime for him and his wife, two weeks in an island paradise to see his stepson’s wedding.

But the Ottawa disability advocate says he was embarrassed and humiliated by his treatment by Air Canada staff who were unprepared to deal with a man in a wheelchair, even though Brault had checked and rechecked to be sure the airline knew about his special needs.

Disability Advocate ‘Humiliated’ by Treatment on Air Canada Flight to Hawaii full article

The Project Arrow National Annual Mobility Design Competition announced its first winner this month, and a team from Humber College has claimed the inaugural title and $10,000 prize. Published on 26 July 2022
AUTHOR Emma Jarratt

While the original Project Arrow vehicle heads into the final stages of assembly, its spirit is now serving as an inspiration to post-secondary students across Canada in an annual challenge to imagine the vehicle of the future, this time with accessibility in mind

The Automotive Parts Manufacturers’ Association (APMA) is once again calling on Canadian talent to envision the future of mobility.

Atlas Wins Project Arrow’s Annual Accessible Vehicle Design Competition full article

The MTA made the pledge following two class-action lawsuits. By Serena Tara
Published on 6/23/2022

New Yorkers will have to wait 33 years for almost every subway station to become accessible.

Yesterday, Governor Kathy Hochul announced that the MTA and accessible advocates have reached an agreement, and the MTA is vowing to make subways 95% accessible to people with disabilities. Right now, only 126 out of 472 stations are considered accessible (27%), and are equipped with elevators or ramps.

NYC Will Make Its Subway System 95% Accessible by 2055 full article

Published on 22 June 2022
AUTHOR Mehanaz Yakub

Industry leaders taking part in the Electric Autonomy Canada panel on increasing accessibility in public transportation challenge transit authorities to build on-demand systems that are connected, intelligent and proactive will serve all Canadians better

Cities across Canada and the world are changing the ways they approach transportation post-COVID. In order to make systems efficient, inclusive and environmentally friendly, thoughtful planning must be put towards ensuring that people with limited mobility or mobility challenges are central in the decisions being made.

Experts Reveal How On-Demand Transit Can Transform Accessibility for Commuters in Canada full article