Accessible Transportation Discussion Paper for Regulatory Modernization

Table of Contents

Background

On May 26, 2016 the Agency formally launched an initiative to review and modernize the full suite of regulations it is responsible for administering.  Many of these regulations date back 20 or 25 years and need updating to reflect changes in user expectations, business models, and best practices in the regulatory field. 

The Regulatory Modernization Initiative will be anchored in three goals:

  • Ensuring that industry’s obligations are clear, predictable, and relevant to a range of existing and emerging business practices.
  • Ensuring that the demands associated with compliance are only as high as necessary to achieve the regulations’ purposes.
  • Facilitating the efficient and effective identification and correction of instances of non-compliance.

Current legislative and regulatory context

The Canada Transportation Act (the CTA) gives the Agency the responsibility for ensuring that persons with disabilities obtain access to Canada's federal transportation network by eliminating unnecessary or unjustified barriers. One way the Agency achieves this goal is by developing and administering accessibility standards that apply to the transportation network under federal jurisdiction.

Under subsection 170(1) of the CTA, the Agency may make regulations to eliminate undue obstacles in the transportation network under federal jurisdiction. For example, the Agency may regulate:

  • the design, construction or modification of means of transportation and related facilities and premises and their equipment;
  • signage;
  • the training of personnel interacting with persons with disabilities;
  • the tariffs, rates, fares, charges and terms and conditions of carriage of persons with disabilities; and,
  • the communication of information for persons with disabilities.

To date, the Agency has implemented two sets of regulations:

and six codes of practice:

The Agency has also completed consultations on a new code of practice regarding accessibility for aircraft with less than 30 passenger seats. 

Scope of modernized accessibility standards

As part of its Regulatory Modernization Initiative, the Agency is considering creating a single comprehensive set of accessibility regulations. 

The regulations would apply to all modes of transportation under the Agency's jurisdiction i.e.: travel by air, and extra-provincial rail, ferry and bus services and to terminals located in Canada. The regulations could also apply to entities whose operations are integral to the federal transportation network.

More specifically, the Agency's preliminary thinking is that the regulations should apply to:

  • Canadian air carriers' domestic operations using aircraft with 30 or more passenger seats. Additionally, the Agency is contemplating including international air services using aircraft of this size operated by Canadian air carriers and possibly by foreign air carriers as well (see section on international air services below).
  • Rail carriers that operate extra-provincial passenger services, with the exception of smaller operations including commuter and tourist rail.
  • Ferry operators that operate extra-provincial passenger services using vessels of more than 1,000 gross tonnes.
  • Intercity bus operators that operate extra-provincial passenger services.
  • Terminals that:
    • are part of the National Airports System (NAS)Note 1.
    •  serve rail carriers operating an extra-provincial service, with the exception of those that serve only commuter and tourist rail carriers;
    •  serve ferry operators operating an extra-provincial ferry service using vessels of more than 1,000 gross tonnes; and,
    • that serve intercity bus operators operating an extra-provincial passenger service.
  • Entities whose operations are integral to the federal transportation network (e.g.: Canadian Air Transport Security Authority and Canada Border Services Agency).

Approach to modernizing the accessibility standards

The new regulations would draw on the existing regulations, i.e. Part VII of the ATR and the PTR, and the recent proposed amendments to these regulations that were developed following extensive consultations with the Agency's Accessibility Advisory Committee (AAC). The key proposed amendments for each set of regulations are noted below.

Part VII of the ATR:

  • Providing sufficient space for service animals.
  • Ensuring that persons with disabilities are provided with the seating that best meets their needs.
  • Recognizing that some aircraft are unable to carry mobility aids that do not fit through the door of the cargo hold. Requiring air carriers to offer an alternative flight on an aircraft that can carry a person's mobility aid that is too large to be carried on the originally intended flight or to advise of other transportation arrangements for the aid.
  • Providing an orientation of the aircraft for persons who are blind or partially sighted.
  • Ensuring that small aids and assistive devices remain with the passenger if their use is needed during a flight.

PTR:

  • An update to the scope of the regulations to exclude:
    • air carriers that transport less than 10,000 revenue passengers annually;
    • air terminals that are not part of the NAS;
    • rail carriers in respect of commuter rail services provided by the carrier and tourist rail carriers; and,
    • extra-provincial ferry operators that exclusively use vessels of less than 1,000 gross tonnes.
  • Prescribing a three-year time frame for refresher training.

Although the Agency does not anticipate the need for many changes to Part VII and the PTR beyond what is already contemplated by the above-noted proposed amendments given the previous extensive consultations with the AAC, the Agency welcomes further comment on these regulations.

The Agency's approach could also include converting portions of the Agency's codes of practice into regulations.
Since the mid-1990s, the Agency has relied on codes as the principal means of addressing accessibility issues on a systemic basis.  In contrast to the regulations administered by the Agency, the codes are voluntary and not legally binding on transportation service providers. Rather, they contain minimum accessibility standards which carriers and terminal operators are expected to meet and encouraged to exceed.

A lot has changed since the mid-1990s.  Travel, especially by air, has become more and more global, interconnectivity between modes of travel has increased, and the demand for travel, including by persons with disabilities, has increased in all sectors.  It is essential that Canada's accessible transportation standards reflect these new realities and meet the growing demand for a consistent and reliable level of accessibility within the federal transportation network. Although the Agency monitors the implementation of the codes and actively promotes compliance with them through education and outreach, there is no certainty that the standards will be met and there is no legal mechanism to address non-compliance.

Against the backdrop of the Government's commitment to introduce federal accessibility legislation, additional regulations designed to ensure the accessibility of the federal transportation network would seem appropriate.

In light of the above, the Agency is considering converting the technical provisions in the codes (e.g.: provisions incorporated from the Canadian Standards Association's B651 standard, Accessible Design for the Built Environment) into regulations while keeping the more objectives-based provisions in the codes of practice. This approach recognizes that prescriptive regulatory provisions make requirements very clear for regulated entities and ensures these requirements can be enforced.

Many of the codes of practice have recently been updated following consultation with the AAC which would facilitate the creation of new regulatory provisions. As with the proposed amendments to Part VII and the PTR, the Agency welcomes further comment on the provisions in the codes.

Issues common to all modes of transportation

The new accessibility regulations could be structured in a way that recognizes that, regardless of the mode of transportation, carriers and terminals are expected to provide many of the same services to persons with disabilities throughout a passenger's journey – from check-in to arrival at destination. At the same time, the regulations could contain provisions to reflect the services that are mode-specific, which are expected to be relatively few. Some of these mode-specific services could include: assistance moving in and out of a wheelchair tie-down on board a rail car; assistance moving from a car deck to upper passenger decks on board a ferry; and assistance accessing a relieving area for a passenger's guide dog.

Underpinning all of these services would be the need to communicate with persons with disabilities in an accessible manner and to ensure that carrier and terminal personnel are properly trained to provide disability-related assistance.         

Services

There are a number of services set out in the Air Transportation Regulations, Part VII and the codes of practice that are common to all the modes. As these services are set out in existing Agency standards, it is expected that they are already being provided. Furthermore, the Supreme Court of Canada in Council of Canadians with Disabilities v. VIA Rail Canada Inc., [2007] 1 S.C.R. 650, 2007 SCC 15, has stated that the Agency's Rail Code functions as a self-imposed regulation, establishing minimum standards which rail carriers agreed to meet given the code is developed in consultation with industry, a statement which can be applied to all codes which the Agency has developed in consultation with stakeholders.

Examples of these common services include: describing accessibility services to a passenger with a disability and providing confirmation of the services requested by the passenger, including requested services in their reservation record; assisting with check-in, boarding and de-boarding; and accepting service animals for carriage.

Communication

The Code of Practice: Removing Communication Barriers for Travellers with Disabilities (Communication Code), first published in 2004 and recently updated following consultations with the AAC, sets out accessibility standards developed to improve the communication of transportation-related information for persons with disabilities in respect of the various modes of travel. The standards apply to both terminal operators and carriers.
As indicated above, the technical aspects of the Communication Code could be included in the proposed regulations. For example, transportation service providers could be expected to ensure that their websites are accessible per the World Wide Web Consortium's (W3C) Web Content Accessibility Guidelines, and that their automated self-service kiosks and signage meet the applicable CSA accessibility standards.

For a list of potential technical provisions for communication, see Appendix A.

Training

The PTR came into effect in 1995. The PTR require that transportation service providers, including both carriers and terminal operators, train their staff and contracted personnel, within a certain period of time, on how to assist persons with disabilities.

The PTR require transportation service providers to ensure that employees and contractors who provide transportation-related services and who may be required to interact with the public or to make decisions in respect of the carriage of persons with disabilities receive a level of training appropriate to the requirements of their function (for example, persons who make policies or procedures with respect to persons with disabilities need to receive such training).

The PTR also require that employees and contractors who provide physical assistance to persons with disabilities receive training appropriate to their jobs (for example, assisting with mobility aids through doors and level changes; transferring a person between their mobility aid and a seat; guiding a person who is blind, etc.).
Another area of required training is with respect to the handling of mobility aids.

Although the Agency held extensive consultations with the AAC on proposed updates to the PTR in 2013, the initiative was still in the regulatory process when there was a change in government. As such, the Agency is considering including the proposed updates in the new, comprehensive regulations.

International air services

Part VII of the ATR currently only applies to domestic flights using aircraft with 30 or more seats. Given that air transportation is global, the Agency is considering extending the requirements reflected in Part VII to international services operated by Canadian carriers and possibly by foreign carriers as well. Similarly, the Agency is considering extending the scope of any new regulations relating to communication, training, technical standards for aircraft (see below), and systemic issues (see below), to include international air services.  

The Agency notes that foreign carriers operating flights in and out of the United States, including Canadian carriers, are required to comply with Part 382 of the U.S. rule, Nondiscrimination on the Basis of Disability in Air Travel.  The Agency further notes that many of the services in that rule are the same as those required by Part VII of the ATR, although in some instances Part 382 contains additional requirements.

If the Agency's regulations were to be applied to foreign carriers, the Agency could consider an approach similar to that of the United States, whereby a carrier may apply for a waiver if it believes that a provision of its own national law precludes it from complying with a provision of the U.S rule.

Technical standards

As noted above, the codes of practice contain provisions which are very technical in nature, including some that prescribe the size of spaces and the precise nature of features and facilities designed to accommodate persons with disabilities. Details regarding these provisions are reflected below, by mode.

Air

Technical standards for air carriers are set out in the Agency's Code of Practice: Aircraft Accessibility for Persons with Disabilities for Fixed-Wing Aircraft with 30 or More Passenger Seats (the Air Code).

The technical aspects of the Air Code could be included in the proposed regulations. For example, air carriers could be expected to have seats with liftable armrests so that passengers can be transferred to their seat, tactile row markers could be expected in order that passengers who are blind or partially sighted are able to find their seat, and washrooms could be expected to have accessible features, such as handles that can be operated with minimal force.

For a comprehensive list of the technical provisions in the Air Code, see Appendix B.

Rail

Although in some respects passenger rail travel has fewer constraints than air travel, in a large country like Canada it has its own unique accessibility challenges. For example, passenger rail serves large cities such as Montreal and Toronto, but also serves less populated areas of the country and, as such, passengers may have access to level boarding in an urban centre, but disembark at an unstaffed station where access to a level platform and assistance is unavailable.  This may be particularly difficult for a passenger with a mobility disability, given that to date few Canadian rail cars are equipped with boarding devices.

As with the marine mode, rail equipment generally has a long life-span and, as such, it is of the utmost importance that it is as accessible as possible when put into service.

The Agency's Code of Practice: Passenger Rail Car Accessibility and Terms and Conditions of Carriage by Rail of Persons with Disabilities (the Rail Code) includes standards concerning the accessibility of equipment used in rail transportation. Specifically, it provides technical specifications for various rail car types (coach, sleeper, lounge, and food/bar service cars) for such things as signage, wheelchair tie-downs, and tactile row markers. The new regulation could incorporate many of these technical standards and potentially include additional requirements such as more than one tie-down per train so that passengers using wheelchairs can travel together and integrated boarding lifts to address situations where a level boarding platform and assistance from train personnel is lacking.

For a comprehensive list of the technical provisions in the Rail Code, see Appendix C.

Marine

While marine transportation has its own accessibility challenges, they are quite different from those concerning air and even rail transportation. For example, while there tends to be ample open space onboard ferries and therefore relatively few barriers to access, they are generally in service for many decades and retrofitting them requires that they be taken out of service for lengthy periods of time. This means that if they are not accessible from the outset, it may be decades before barriers requiring structural changes can be fixed. For example, a common challenge is getting from the vehicle decks to the passenger decks. There needs to be an accessible, safe path, to an elevator that is large enough to carry large mobility aids and attendants if necessary. There also needs to be adequate space in front of the elevator to manoeuver the mobility aid. Retrofitting an inaccessible elevator after the vessel has entered service can be extremely difficult to accomplish from a structural and a cost perspective such that proper planning and consultation are key.

Towards the goal of ensuring the accessibility of extra-provincial ferry travel, the Agency has developed the Code of Practice: Ferry Accessibility for Persons with Disabilities (Ferry Code). The Ferry Code sets out minimum standards that ferry operators are expected to meet and encouraged to exceed. 

The Ferry Code covers vessel accessibility, maintenance, communication, services and training. As with the other modes, the Agency is considering including prescriptive provisions within new regulations while the more objective-based provisions could remain in the Ferry Code and complement any new regulations.

For a comprehensive list of the technical provisions in the Ferry Code, see Appendix D.

Buses

The Agency has exercised its jurisdiction over extra-provincial bus operators as part of its tribunal function to address complaints. The Agency is considering including extra-provincial bus operations in comprehensive accessibility regulation.

Consistent with the other modes, regulations in respect of prescriptive provisions could be developed and objectives-based, non-prescriptive provisions could be included in a code of practice like the Intercity Bus Code of Practice.  

For a list of potential technical provisions for buses, see Appendix E.

Terminals

The Agency's Code of Practice: Passenger Terminal Accessibility (Terminal Code) sets out accessibility standards for air terminals within the NAS and rail and ferry terminals with 10,000 or more passengers embarking and 10,000 or more passengers disembarking in each of the two preceding calendar years (except rail terminals limited to commuter or tourist services, which are excluded).

The Agency is considering incorporating the prescriptive standards in the Terminal Code into the proposed regulations. For example, regulations could include the requirement to provide accessible boarding bridges, platforms, or gangways that meet applicable CSA B-651 standards; relieving areas for service animals; and accessible washrooms.

For a comprehensive list of the technical provisions in the Terminal Code, see Appendix F.

In terms of compliance with the proposed technical standards for each of the modes of transportation, the Agency is considering a requirement for carriers and terminals to obtain the Agency's approval for planned acquisitions of new equipment and major retrofits as well as for the construction of terminals and major renovations which would reasonably be expected to impact access by persons with disabilities. 

Systemic issues

In addition to addressing systemic accessibility issues through the existing regulations and codes of practice, a number of issues have been addressed through the Agency's complaint adjudication process. As a tribunal, the Agency can resolve complaints by rendering binding decisions like a court does. Similar to court decisions, the Agency's decisions are only binding on the carriers or terminals named in the complaints. Although other carriers and terminals may choose to implement the same or similar measures ordered in an Agency decision, there is no requirement to do so without a decision that binds them. This results in two significant issues: for persons with disabilities, an inconsistent level of accessibility as accommodation policies can vary amongst service providers; and, for service providers subject to Agency decisions, an uneven playing field given their competitors are not required to implement the corrective measures ordered by the Agency. The Agency sees the Regulatory Modernization Initiative as an ideal opportunity to address these issues.

The Agency is considering addressing the following systemic issues as part of its initiative.

One person, one fare

In 2008, the Agency issued a decision arising from complaints against Air Canada, Air Canada Jazz and WestJet regarding their policies to charge on a per seat basis. The Agency found that these policies created undue obstacles for persons with disabilities who require additional seating to accommodate their disabilities to travel on domestic flights operated by the carriers. Decision No. 6-AT-A-2008 required the carriers to amend their policies and procedures to incorporate a one-person-one-fare regime for these persons with disabilities.

The Agency is considering how best to address this systemic issue in respect of each of the modes of federal transportation.

Recognizing the broad range in sizes of operations, differences in markets served, and the related competitive pressures and financial realities that can exist (especially with respect to passenger air travel), the Agency is interested in hearing from stakeholders about options for addressing the issue. These could include a policy whereby qualifying passengers with disabilities are never charged for extra seats required to accommodate their disability or a policy whereby qualifying passengers with disabilities are refunded fares paid for additional seating when it is determined that there were empty seats on their particular trip.

Allergies

The Agency has issued a number of decisions relating to the accommodation of persons disabled by allergies. These decisions have examined allergies to peanuts and nuts, other food allergies, cats, perfume, and environmental sensitivities. 

Most recently, the Agency conducted an inquiry in response to a request from the former Minister of Transport to examine allergies to peanuts, nuts and sesame seeds onboard aircraft with 30 or more seats on domestic and international flights operated by Canadian air carriers, and on international flights to and from Canada operated by foreign air carriers.

The Inquiry Officer found that the following mitigation measures would be the most effective:

  • a buffer zone, consisting of the row in which the allergic passenger sits or the pod-seat, as applicable;
  • an announcement to other passengers within the buffer zone that they must refrain from eating peanuts, nuts or sesame seeds or foods containing these;
  • not serving meals or snacks containing peanuts, nuts or sesame seeds in the buffer zone (recognizing that any food may contain trace amounts of the allergens);
  • advising passengers with allergies to peanuts, nuts and sesame seeds who provide advance notification of their allergies that they are expected to take the same precautions they take during their daily living, including carrying their allergy medication on their person; wiping down their seat area to remove any allergens; bringing their own food;
  • abatement, by allowing passengers to wipe down their seating areas;
  • having policies on air carrier websites in order to inform passengers on how to make arrangements for accommodation and what their responsibilities are; and,
  • training flight crews on signs and symptoms of an allergic reaction.

It is worth noting that in Decision No. 134-AT-A-2013, the Agency found that although ideally a buffer zone would be established to address all allergies, it is impracticable for carriers to provide a buffer zone to address all the various food allergies that passengers may have on any given flight. In that decision, the Agency found that the appropriate accommodation for persons with allergies to foods other than peanuts and nuts is the reseating of such persons upon request and when possible having regard to safety considerations, in combination with precautions that persons with severe allergies would be expected to take in their daily lives.  

The Agency has also addressed allergies to cat dander in response to complaints against Air Canada and WestJet (Decision No. 227-AT-A-2012). In that decision, the Agency found that the accommodation for persons disabled by allergies to cat dander could be either a buffer zone or a ban on cats on a passenger's flight when the aircraft does not have high efficiency particulate air filters or provide 100% fresh air.

In terms of looking into imposing regulatory requirements on transportation service providers to accommodate passengers with allergies, the Agency would consider the type of exposure – i.e.: ingestional, inhalational, and topical – and explore the feasibility of accommodation measures to address various allergens. The Agency would also consider the type of accommodation that might be appropriate by mode of transportation.  For example, it would appear that providing accommodation for allergies may be less challenging in rail travel as reseating passengers away from the source of an allergen may be achieved by moving them to a separate car. Similarly, on ferries, passengers are not confined to specific areas and can more easily distance themselves from allergens. Providing accommodation on buses may pose some of the same challenges as providing it onboard aircraft although, unlike air travel, passengers travelling on buses would generally be able to obtain relatively quick access to medical care in the case of a serious allergic reaction. Regardless of the mode of transportation, however, any accommodation measures that might be required by regulation would be premised on the expectation that persons disabled by allergies will take the same precautions they do in their daily living, such as carrying their medication on their person, wiping down seating areas, etc.

Service animals

The Agency is considering expanding the requirements for the acceptance of service animals.

More and more Canadians with disabilities who use animals to provide them with disability-related assistance are travelling and a growing number are using different types of animals to provide them with the assistance they need. These animals are performing a much wider variety of functions than ever before, such as providing physical support and assistance with balance and stability to persons with mobility disabilities; recognizing changes that happen before a person experiences a seizure; acting as a buffer against people crowding too closely to a person with post-traumatic stress disorder; and providing emotional support to individuals with mental health disabilities.

The existing provisions in Part VII of the ATR only require air carriers to accept service animals that have been certified, in writing, as having been trained by a professional service animal institution and that are properly harnessed. The codes of practice for transportation by rail and ferry reflect the expectation that carriers will accept service animals for carriage under the same circumstances. Neither the ATR nor the codes prevent carriers from accepting service animals that do not meet these criteria.

The Agency is interested in exploring the development of a regulation that is more inclusive than the Part VII provisions and which would apply to all federal modes of transportation.

In examining this issue, the Agency may look to see how it is being addressed by other jurisdictions. For example, the U.S. Part 382 regulations are less restrictive than the Part VII provisions in terms of what air carriers can require as proof that an animal is a qualified service animal. Under the U.S. rule, air carriers must accept different types of service animals and, as evidence that an animal is a service animal, carriers must accept identification cards, other written documentation, the presence of harnesses or tags, and the credible verbal assurances of a qualified individual with a disability. For a person seeking to travel with an animal used for emotional support or with a psychiatric service animal, the carrier must accept the animal if the person provides documentation on the letterhead of a licensed mental health professional setting out certain pieces of information. The full rule can be viewed on the U.S. Government Publishing Office website.

Positioning and seating devices

In recent years, the Agency has received complaints from persons with disabilities regarding difficulties using special seating or positioning devices onboard aircraft.   

The Agency is considering a regulation that would require all carriers, regardless of the mode of transportation, to allow passengers who require these devices to accommodate their disability to be able to use them unless this is prohibited by safety rules or would otherwise seriously compromise the person's safety or that of other passengers.

Curbside assistance

The Agency is considering adding a requirement for terminals in all modes of federal transportation to provide assistance to persons with disabilities from the curb to the check-in area when departing from a terminal and from the general public area to the curb upon arrival at a terminal. Such a requirement would be consistent with EU Regulation 1107/2006 which requires managing bodies of airports to provide curbside assistance to persons with disabilities.

Accessible in-flight entertainment

It goes without saying that passengers with disabilities wish to enjoy in-flight entertainment as much as passengers without disabilities. The reality, however, is that passengers with hearing or visual impairments are often unable to do so as a result of inaccessible technology.

The Agency wishes to examine the possibility of requiring in-flight entertainment to be accessible (e.g.: by providing closed captioning and described video). This could include looking into whether existing entertainment systems can accommodate these formats and exploring alternatives, such as the use of tablets that contain videos in accessible formats.

Reporting, monitoring and compliance

The Agency would propose to encourage compliance with any new accessibility regulations by requiring service providers to publish multi-year accessibility plans and report on accessibility-related complaints that they receive. Accessibility plans provide an opportunity for service providers to demonstrate how they meet accessibility standards, their plans for removing existing obstacles, and strategies for preventing new ones. Complaint statistics can provide insight into obstacles that may exist and thereby inform the Agency's compliance monitoring activities.

Your input

The matters raised are complex and the Agency needs broad input from its Accessibility Advisory Committee and Canadians. The Agency plans to complete consultations and draft modernized regulations by the end of 2018, and implement the regulations in 2018 or 2019. 

Appendices

Appendix A: Removing Communication Barriers for Travellers with Disabilities: Code of Practice

Section 1: General Provisions

1.1 Provision of transportation-related information in multiple formats

1.1.1

1.2 Website accessibility

1.2.2

1.3 Automated self-service kiosks

1.4 Telecommunication systems for reservations and information

Section 2: Terminal Provisions

2.1 Telecommunication systems in terminals

2.2 Signage

2.2.1 - 2.2.11

2.3 Arrival/departure monitors and other electronic signage

2.4 Public announcement in terminals

2.5 Information on Ground Transportation

2.6 Designated seating at boarding gates and departure areas

2.7 Security at Airports

Section 3: Provisions regarding onboard communication

3.1 Communication of equipment features

3.2 Safety videos

Appendix B: Aircraft Accessibility for Persons with Disabilities: Code of Practice

Nothing in this proposal relieves any air carrier from complying with the provisions of any safety regulations.

Section 1: Aircraft accessibility

1.0 Signage

1.0.1 - 1.0.8

1.2 Integrated boarding stairs

1.2.1 - 1.2.6

1.3 Handrails

1.3.1 - 1.3.5

1.4 Floor surfaces

1.4.1

1.5 Seats with floor space to accommodate a service animal

1.5.1 (refer to the Implementation Guide Regarding Space for Service Dogs Onboard Large Aircraft)

1.6 Tactile row markers

1.6.1 - 1.6.2 (refer to the Implementation Guide Regarding Tactile Row Markers Onboard Large Aircraft)

1.7 Storage for passenger-owned wheelchairs

1.7.1

1.8 Armrests

1.8.1 - 1.8.2

1.9 Washrooms

1.9.1 - 1.9.2

1.10 On-board wheelchairs provided by air carriers

1.10.1 - 1.10.3

Section 2: Maintenance

2.0.1

Section 3: Communication

3.0 Announcements

3.0.1

3.1 Supplemental passenger briefing cards

3.1.1 - 3.1.2

Appendix C: Passenger Rail Car Accessibility: Code of Practice

Nothing in this proposal relieves any rail carrier from complying with the provisions of any safety regulations.

Part 1 – Passenger rail car accessibility

Section 1.2 – All passenger rail cars

1.2.1 Identification of wheelchair-accessible rail cars using the international symbol of access
1.2.2 Signage (b) – (f)
1.2.4 Stairs
1.2.5 Handrails and grab bars
1.2.6 Floors
1.2.7 Emergency windows and exits
1.2.8 Seats with floor space to accommodate a service animal
1.2.9 Tactile seat markers
1.2.10 Means to communicate announcements
1.2.11 Washrooms (Refer to Appendix B)
1.2.12 Alarms
1.2.13 – Storage space for personal wheelchairs
1.2.14 On-board wheelchair

Section 1.3 Coach cars with a wheelchair tie-down

1.3.1 Number of wheelchair tie-downs
1.3.2 Doorways
1.3.3 Washrooms (Refer to Appendix C)
1.3.4 Location of wheelchair tie-downs
1.3.5 Armrests

1.4 Wheelchair-accessible sleeping cars

1.4.1 How many cars should have what features and by when
1.4.2 Accessibility criteria for sleeping car rooms

1.6 Maintenance

Part 2 – Terms and conditions of carriage by rail of persons with disabilities

Section 2.2 – Services to be provided

2.2.1 Services to be provided automatically – carriage of service animals
2.2.2 Services provided on request that do not require advance notice
2.2.3 Advance notice
2.2.4 Arrival and departure services that require advance notice
2.2.5 Services related to carriage of aids that require advance notice
2.2.6 On-board services that require advance notice

Section 2.3 – Administration

2.3.1 Handling requests for service
2.3.2 Assigning seats and rooms
2.3.3 Publishing system timetables
2.3.4 Accepting a passenger's judgement

Section 2.4 – Damaged or lost mobility aids

2.4.1 Provision of a temporary replacement
2.4.2 Damaged aids that can be repaired
2.4.3 Damaged aids that cannot be repaired and lost aids
2.4.4 Use of a temporary replacement aid

Appendix D: Ferry Accessibility for Persons with Disabilities: Code of Practice

Nothing in the proposal relieves any ferry operator from complying with the provisions of any safety regulations.

Section 1: Vessel Accessibility

1.0 Signage

1.0.1 - 1.0.11

1.2 Stairways

1.2.1 - 1.2.6

1.3 Handrails

1.3.1 - 1.3.5

1.4 Corridors and Passageways

1.4.1

1.5 Floors

1.5.1 - 1.5.2

1.6 Doorways and Doors

1.6.1 - 1.6.7

1.7 Counters

1.7.1 - 1.7.2

1.8 Operator-provided Wheelchairs

1.8.1

1.9 Elevators

1.9.1 - 1.9.3

1.11 Passenger Lounges

 1.11.1 - 1.11.2

1.12 Cafeterias

 1.12.1 - 1.12.3

1.13 Cabins

1.13.1 - 1.13.6

1.14 Washrooms

1.14.1

1.15 Relieving Areas for Service Animals

1.15.1 - 1.15.4

Section 2: Maintenance

2.0.1

Section 3: Communication

3.0 Provision of Transportation-related Information in Multiple Formats

3.0.1

3.1 Information on Vessel Accessibility and Disability-Related Services

3.1.1

3.2 Website Accessibility

3.2.1

3.3 Means to Communicate Messages

 3.3.1 - 3.3.2

3.4 Supplemental Passenger Safety Briefing Cards

3.4.1 - 3.4.2

3.5 Communication of Equipment Features

3.5.1

3.6 Telephones

3.6.1 - 3.6.6

3.7 Alarms

3.7.1 - 3.7.2

Section 4: Disability-related Services

4.0 Passenger Assistance

4.0.1 - 4.0.2

4.1 Carriage of Service Animals

4.1.1

4.2 Carriage of Mobility Aids

4.2.1

Appendix E: Extra-provincial bus

The Agency is considering examining provisions similar to those proposed in the other modes of transportation, such as those related to the following:

  • Communication
  • Signage
  • Stairs and lifts
  • Armrests
  • Washrooms
  • Carriage of disability aids
  • Wheelchair tie-down areas
  • Carriage of service animals
  • Seating
  • Maintenance of accessibility-related equipment

The Agency will also consider the technical standards contained in the Intercity Bus Code of Practice. 

 

Appendix F: Passenger Terminal Accessibility: Code of Practice

 

Section 2: Facility considerations

2.1 General Considerations

2.1.1 Accessibility assessment before undertaking renovations or new constructions

2.2 Outdoor considerations

2.2.1 Drop-off and pick-up areas for passengers with disabilities

2.3 Rest areas

2.3.1 Seating areas along circulation paths

2.3.2 Alternatives for standing in line

2.4 Boarding and deboarding

2.4.1 Accessible boarding bridges, platforms, or gangways

2.4.2 Safe, dignified accessible alternate when usual boarding route is inaccessible.

2.5 Relieving areas for service animals

2.5.1 Availability of relieving area

2.5.4 Areas clearly identified, with accessible directional signage

2.6 Transportation within and between passenger terminals

2.7 Ground transportation

2.7.1 Contracts to include availability of accessible transportation (refer to "key elements for the provision of accessible ground transportation")

2.7.2 Adapted vehicles to accommodate persons using large mobility aids

2.7.3 Information to public

Section 3: Service considerations

3.1 Passenger assistance

3.3 Customer service

3.3.1 Complaints Process

3.3.2 Information to public about complaints process

3.4 Escort Passes

3.5 Facility and service awareness program

3.5.1 Means to make accessibility features and services known to travellers

3.5.2 Information on terminal accessibility features and services made available to the public

Section 4: Considerations for security screening of passengers

This section applies to security agencies responsible for pre-board screening of passengers.

4.1 Alternatives for queuing system

4.2 Audible and visual means of communication

4.3 Private screening if necessary

4.4 Information in instructional videos to be presented both verbally and visually

4.7 Complaints Process

4.8 Public documents to be available to travellers in multiple formats

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