Sault cracking down on people who misuse accessible parking spots
For the next several months, the City of Sault Ste. Marie will be cracking down on people who improperly use accessible parking spaces.
Officials said spots set aside for people with mobility issues are too often being taken by people without a permit.
“It is enormously frustrating,” said Diane Morrell, the city’s accessibility coordinator, who uses a wheelchair herself.
“It is probably the most common complaint from an accessibility point of view, and it's been going on at least for 20 years that I've been involved with the accessibility committee for the city.”
The cross-hatched yellow lines between accessible parking spaces are called ‘access aisles,’ and Morrell said they are regularly taken up by those without an accessible parking permit.
She said the parking spaces and accessible aisles are not to be used as drop on, or drop off locations for people, or goods, or used as a waiting zone.
Diane Morrell, the city’s accessibility coordinator who uses a wheelchair herself, said the issue is incredibly frustrating and one of the most common complaints she hears. (Cory Nordstrom/CTV News)
During a regular day, the public is generally good for respecting the parking spaces Morrell said, but it’s a different story in busy locations.
“When there's an event or some kind of tournament or Christmas or long weekend holidays, those spots are at a premium and people with disabilities aren't able to use the sites and they're not able to go shopping the same as everybody else,” she said.
Either go home or take risks
Often, Morrell said she and other disabled people choose to not attend an event if the accessible parking spaces are full.
Those that stay, usually need to park at the back of the parking lot, and take the risk of crossing a busy parking lot.
“They are not visible to drivers backing out of their parking spot,” she said.
“So there's quite a safety risk there.”
For the next several months, enforcement will be enhanced on accessible parking spots, with the hopes of getting the message to the public that the spaces are solely for those who need them.
“We really don't want anybody to get tickets. However, we need behaviour to change,” said Morrell.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Liberal MP says she's leaving politics over disrespectful dialogue, threats, misogyny
Liberal MP Pam Damoff says she won't run again in the next federal election, saying she has experienced misogyny, disrespectful dialogue in politics and threats to her life.
Concerns about Plexiglass prompt inspections at some Loblaws locations in Ottawa
Inspections are underway at more than one Loblaws location in Ottawa after complaints were filed about tall Plexiglass barriers.
Federal employees will be required to spend 3 days a week in the office
Starting in September, public servants in the core public administration will be required to work in the office a minimum of three days a week. The Treasury Board Secretariat says executives will need to be in the office four days per week.
OPP officer said 'someone's going to get hurt' before wrong-way Hwy. 401 crash
As multiple Durham police cruisers were chasing a robbery suspect on the wrong side of Highway 401 Monday night, an Ontario Provincial Police officer shared his concerns, telling a dispatcher, "Someone's going to get hurt."
Ont. woman who faked pregnancy to defraud doulas arrested again on similar charges
Victims of a Brantford, Ont., woman who was sentenced to house arrest earlier this year for defrauding and deceiving doulas say they’re not surprised she’s been apprehended again on similar charges.
Five human skeletons, missing hands and feet, found outside house of Nazi leader Hermann Göring
Archeologists have unearthed the skeletons of five people, missing their hands and feet, at a former Nazi military base in Poland.
Poilievre returns to House unrepentant for calling Trudeau 'wacko,' Speaker not resigning
An unrepentant Pierre Poilievre returned to the House of Commons on Wednesday to pepper the prime minister about his drug decriminalization policies after being booted the day prior for refusing to take back calling Justin Trudeau 'wacko' over his approach to the issue.
Construction begins on LGBTQ2S+ national monument in Ottawa
Shovels have hit the ground for constuction on Canada's LGBTQ2S+ national monument in Ottawa.
B.C. man awarded $5,000 in damages in first-of-it-kind intimate image case
In a first-of-its-kind case, a B.C. tribunal has ruled on a dispute involving the non-consensual sharing of intimate images, awarding damages and issuing orders that the photos be destroyed and taken offline.