Parking verification operation for people with reduced mobility
June 14, 2024
As part of Quebec Week for People with Disabilities which was held from 1er as of June 7, 2024, police officers from the Service de police de la Ville de Montréal (SPVM) as well as parking officers from the Sustainable Mobility Agency ensured that spaces reserved for people with reduced mobility were respected. During this operation organized in partnership with the organization Melle Spinière et Motricité Québec (MÉMO-Qc), the SPVM and the Sustainable Mobility Agency issued respectively 73 and 121 infraction reports (minimum penalty ranging from $200 to $300 ), and 28 tows were carried out.
A joint action by the SPVM, Info-Crime Montréal and MÉMO-Qc members was also carried out on Monday, June 3 in 14 parking lots in the city. Several merchants were also made aware of best practices in terms of accessibility.
A major impact
Spaces reserved for disabled people aim to facilitate their movement, by giving them better access to shops, institutions or health establishments. Occupying a place intended for people with reduced mobility, even if for a short time, can have a major impact on these people. Without being able to park in a space reserved for them, people living with a disability may find themselves unable to receive a service or even get out of their adapted vehicle. Being at the same height as cars, people in wheelchairs also run a very high risk of collision when traveling in parking aisles.
If they are not in possession of a valid sticker issued by the Société de l’assurance automobile du Québec, a motorist parked in a space reserved for disabled people may be issued with a ticket. An additional fine may also be added if the driver of the offending vehicle uses a falsified sticker or one issued for another person.
The SPVM and the MÉMO-Qc organization have jointly organized verification operations in Montreal parking lots since 2018.
Quotes
“The SPVM remains vigilant all year round regarding the proper use of parking spaces reserved for people with disabilities. However, this annual campaign makes it possible to raise awareness among the population of the consequences that these people suffer when they do not have access to the spaces reserved for them, in particular those linked to their safety as well as their loss of autonomy,” underlines the Commander Michel Lebrun, Head of the Road Safety Section at the SPVM.
“More than 16% of the Quebec population is made up of people with disabilities. For them, respecting the right to reserved parking is crucial for their social and professional integration. For the rest of the population, respecting this right is a question of good citizenship,” specifies Walter Zelaya, general director, Spinal cord and motor skills Quebec (MÉMO-Qc)
“For the Association of Quebec Police Directors and all police services, the support given to this campaign demonstrates the importance of enforcing parking reserved for people with reduced mobility in order to better cohabit in the different living environments,” adds Louise Bonneau, road safety manager at the ADPQ.
“Respecting places for reduced mobility is a priority for the Sustainable Mobility Agency. Such interventions, as well as those of our agents on a daily basis, ensure travel safety for everyone,” indicated Laurent Chevrot, Director General of the Agency.
