ASC - Rail Travel

Chair: Sousan Zaribaf

Council of Canadians with Disabilities (CCD)

The Council of Canadians with Disabilities has been leading the way to ensure that federally regulated transportation, like air and train travel, will be accessible and respectful of the needs of persons with disabilities.

CCD challenged VIA Rail's decision to purchase inaccessible passenger railcars. A chronology of this David-and-Goliath type battle to win the case can be found on the CCD's website. Click here to read CCD's chronology of the Via Rail case.

Canadian Transportation Agency (CTA)

The Canadian Transportation Agency is responsible for ensuring that undue obstacles to the mobility of persons with disabilities are removed from federally-regulated transportation services and facilities.

The Agency removes undue obstacles in two ways:

on a case-by-case basis by resolving individual complaints formally, through adjudication and informally, through mediation and facilitation
on a systemic basis by developing regulations, codes of practice and standards concerning the level of accessibility in modes of transport under federal jurisdiction, including air, rail, and extra-provincial ferry and bus transportation