Former Metrolinx fare inspector says protecting accessible parking not a priority for agency

A former fare inspector for Metrolinx says enforcing the rules around accessible parking spots at GO stations was not a priority for the transit agency during his time there.

Hunter Chantiam, who left the role last year for a new opportunity, is speaking out two months after CBC Toronto reported on GO Station parking spots reserved for people with disabilities being misused. 

"I had the tools to enforce it, but I didn't necessarily feel that I was being backed up by the management team when I did try to protect people's rights and the spots," said Chantiam.

He said management only wanted to enforce parking on a complaint basis, not proactively ticket residents.

Chantiam said Metrolinx had targets for enforcement around fare evasion on GO trains, but not enough resources were put toward monitoring the misuse of the parking spots reserved for people with disabilities. He believes the security staff could easily be deployed to stations during rush hour to help with the issue.

"Metrolinx has a very robust and comprehensive human rights and racial bias training," he said. "I think that they're aware that there's an issue and they need to uphold their duties to protect the vulnerable people that come to the stations or take the service."

Metrolinx says there are multiple measures in place to ensure the spaces are not misused and encourages customers to contact support, adding using an accessible parking spot without the required permit is never acceptable. 

But Heather Morgan, a Barrie commuter who uses a wheelchair, says misuse of accessible parking spots is a problem she's seen for the last two years at Allandale Waterfront GO, and one she's tried to bring to the attention of Metrolinx several times.

Morgan says even after CBC Toronto reported on the issue and she was contacted personally by a GO Transit manager promising improvements, little has changed. 

WATCH | Woman says GO parking spots reserved for people with disabilities misused daily: 

Disability advocates say accessible GO Train spots are misused daily

2 months ago

Duration 3:30

A Barrie woman says she's missed trains and almost been hit by vehicles at Allandale GO Station because people without permits are parking in accessible spots. She has brought the issue up to Metrolinx over the years, but it continues to be a weekly problem. CBC’s Talia Ricci has the story.

Morgan says she's missed trains and nearly been struck by vehicles as a result of the spots being misused. In February, she said she wanted to see more robust enforcement, better signage indicating the accessibility spots are not a drop-off zone and more tap-on locations near the actual drop-off zone.

"There's no new monitoring, there's no new signs, there's nothing. The situation is status quo," Morgan said, adding she even saw a Metrolinx contractor parked in an accessible spot without a permit recently, and was met with hostility when she tried to ask the driver to move so she could deploy her ramp.

"I think it just makes it very clear where the priorities are and where the priorities aren't. And it's really disappointing," she said.

Metrolinx says it's issuing tickets, but won't say how many

In a statement, Metrolinx said it has increased the number of staff specifically assigned to parking enforcement across the network, including at Barrie GO Stations, and has issued tickets to anyone misusing accessible spaces.

"It is absolutely unacceptable for anyone, including contractors hired by Metrolinx, to misuse accessible parking spaces. These parking spaces are meant for no other use than to serve individuals with accessibility permits. We urge all customers to respect these spaces and be considerate of fellow passengers," the statement said.

CBC Toronto asked Metrolinx for the number of infraction notices and provincial offence notices issued in relation to accessible parking spots across its system over the last five years, but it didn't provide that data.

Ron Buliung, a professor of geographies, disability studies and ableism at the University of Toronto, says Morgan shouldn't have to take on the role of enforcement.

"Metrolinx needs to do their job," he said, adding there also needs to be accountability from residents.

"If you were to ask somebody, 'Would you rather park in a space that reduces the risk of injury to a disabled person or not?' Most people are going to say, 'I don't want to be involved in potentially injuring a disabled person because of my parking decisions,'" he said.

"But that's in some ways ostensibly what people are doing."