Statement on the Passing of Ellen Cohen – Disability Community Mourns Her Loss

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Ottawa, June 6, 2022 – In celebration of Independent Living Day in Canada, Independent Living (IL) Canada and ARCH Disability Law Centre are pleased to release a Report with findings from a survey on disability-related barriers to COVID-19 vaccines, titled: Disability Related Barriers to COVID-19 Vaccines: Highlights from the COVID-19 Vaccination Accessibility Survey 2021.

The key tenets of the Independent Living movement in Canada are consumer control, the dignity of risk, peer support and empowerment. Consumer control means that people with disabilities are in control of their lives. To be an Independent Living Centre, 51 percent of board members and staff must be persons with disabilities. Dignity of risk, means, being able to take risks, fail, learn from our mistakes, and move on. By having access to information and peer support, people with disabilities are empowered to make their own decisions.

During this pandemic, people with disabilities in Canada have been disproportionately affected by COVID-19. In many cases, people with disabilities lost consumer control, as decisions were taken out of their hands, and they lacked access to important information and became disempowered throughout this pandemic.

“We undertook this survey to listen to the voices of people with disabilities and to learn what their experiences were in accessing vaccines across the country”, said Anne MacRae, Executive Director of Independent Living Canada. “We learned that while some were able to access vaccines with minimal difficulty, many did experience barriers”. These barriers included inaccessible information, inaccessible transportation, inaccessible booking systems and vaccination sites, increased financial burden, and lack of information about how COVID-19 impacted specific disabilities.

“We hope the recommendations contained in this report will help governments and stakeholders to eliminate ongoing barriers, so that as COVID-19 continues and as we prepare for future pandemics, people with disabilities will not be forgotten again”, said Robert Lattanzio, Executive Director of ARCH Disability Law Centre.

About Independent Living (IL) Canada

Founded in 1986, Independent Living Canada is a national non-profit association of Independent Living Centres led by and for people with disabilities who promote the Independent Living Philosophy. IL Canada supports the development of Independent Living Centres, and provides education and leadership for its member organizations, partners and communities.

About ARCH Disability Law Centre:

ARCH Disability Law Centre is a disability rights speciality legal clinic in Ontario, and has been a leader in disability rights advocacy and test case litigation for almost 45 years. ARCH is dedicated to defending and advancing the equality rights, entitlements, fundamental freedoms, and inclusion of persons with disabilities with low income. ARCH is primarily funded by Legal Aid Ontario.

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Contacts:

The report is available for download below:

The Recommended Areas of Improvement One Page Summary is available for download below:

Communiqué De Presse Et Nouveau Rapport- Obstacles liés au handicap en lien avec les vaccins contre la COVID-19 faits saillants du sondage sur l’accessibilité la à vaccination contra la COVID -19                                       

POUR DIFFUSION IMMÉDIATE

Ottawa, le 6 juin 2022 – Pour célébrer la Journée de la vie autonome au Canada, Independent Living Canada – Vie autonome Canada et ARCH Disability Law Centre sont heureux de publier un rapport contenant les résultats d’un sondage sur les obstacles liés au handicap aux vaccins contre la COVID-19, intitulé : Obstacles liés au handicap en lien avec les vaccins contre la COVID-19 : faits saillants du sondage de l’enquête sur l’accessibilité à la vaccination contre la COVID-19 2021.

Les principes clés du mouvement de la vie autonome au Canada sont le contrôle du consommateur, la dignité du risque, le soutien des pairs et l’autonomie. Le contrôle des consommateurs signifie que les personnes handicapées contrôlent leur vie. Pour être un centre de vie autonome, 51 % des membres du conseil d’administration et du personnel doivent être des personnes handicapées. La dignité du risque signifie être capable de prendre des risques, d’échouer, d’apprendre de nos erreurs et d’avancer. En ayant accès à l’information et au soutien par les pairs, les personnes handicapées sont habilitées à prendre leurs propres décisions.

Au cours de cette pandémie, les personnes handicapées au Canada ont été touchées de manière disproportionnée par la COVID-19. Dans de nombreux cas, les personnes handicapées ont perdu le contrôle des consommateurs, car les décisions leur ont été retirées, et elles n’ont pas eu accès à des informations importantes et sont devenues impuissantes tout au long de cette pandémie.

« Nous avons entrepris ce sondage pour écouter les voix des personnes handicapées et connaître leurs expériences en matière d’accès aux vaccins à travers le pays », a déclaré Anne MacRae, directrice générale de Vie autonome Canada. “Nous avons appris que si certains ont pu accéder aux vaccins avec un minimum de difficultés, beaucoup ont rencontré des obstacles. Ces obstacles comprenaient des informations inaccessibles, des transports inaccessibles, des systèmes de réservation et des sites de vaccination inaccessibles, une charge financière accrue et un manque d’informations sur l’impact de COVID-19 sur des handicaps spécifiques.

« Nous espérons que les recommandations contenues dans ce rapport aideront les gouvernements et les parties prenantes à éliminer les obstacles actuels, de sorte que pendant que la COVID-19 se poursuit et que nous nous préparons à de futures pandémies, que les personnes handicapées ne soient plus oubliées », a déclaré Robert Lattanzio, directeur exécutif du ARCH Disability Law Centre.

À propos de Vie autonome Canada

Fondée en 1986, Vie autonome (VA) Canada est une association nationale à but non lucratif de centres de vie autonome dirigée par et pour des personnes handicapées qui font la promotion de la philosophie de vie autonome. VA Canada appuie le développement de centres de vie autonome et fournit de l’éducation et du leadership à ses organisations membres, partenaires et communautés.

À propos de ARCH Disability Law Centre

ARCH Disability Law Centre est une clinique juridique spécialisée dans les droits des personnes handicapées en Ontario et est un chef de file dans la défense des droits des personnes handicapées depuis près de 45 ans. ARCH se consacre à la défense et à l’avancement des droits à l’égalité, des libertés fondamentales et de l’inclusion des personnes handicapées à faible revenu. ARCH est principalement financé par Aide juridique Ontario.

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Contacts:

le rapport est disponible en téléchargement ci-dessous:

Un resume d’une page est disponible en téléchargement ci-dessous:

ARCH’s Nominating Committee invites applications from across Ontario from those interested in serving on the governance Board of Directors of ARCH.

More details: ARCH seeking Board Members

April 23, 2025

Canadians are heading back to the polls on April 28, 2025 to cast their vote and elect a new government. There are some important dates to know about where and how to vote, especially if you need assistance or accommodations.

In this article, ARCH talks about two things. First, we discuss what the four political parties with candidates in Ontario promise to do for persons with disabilities if they are elected. Second, we share how you can vote on Election Day, including information about accessible voting for persons with disabilities.

The Parties’ Positions and Promises about Disability Issues

ARCH co-hosted a Federal candidates debate on Tuesday, April 8, 2025. Candidates representing the Liberal Party of Canada (“Liberal Party”), the New Democratic Party of Canada (“NDP”) and the Green Party of Canada (“Green Party”) attended and discussed their party’s position on disability-related issues. A representative from the Conservative Party of Canada (“Conservative Party”) was also invited, but did not attend.

The debate was recorded. You can access the full debate online at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0eH6fvg_iQM

To read the full platforms of each political party, visit the party’s website. The links are below. If the information on their website is inaccessible to you, we suggest you contact the party directly to request an accessible version of their platform.

Liberal Party of Canada: https://liberal.ca/cstrong/
Conservative Party of Canada: https://www.conservative.ca/change/
New Democratic Party of Canada (NDP): https://www.ndp.ca/campaign-commitments
Green Party of Canada: https://www.greenparty.ca/en/our-plan

Below is a summary of the positions of each political party about things that affect disability rights in Canada.

1 – Health Care

If re-elected, the Liberal Party promise to hire more doctors. To do this, they will focus on allowing more people to get into medical school and encourage these students towards family medicine. This means more doctors would be trained as family doctors. The Liberal Party will also make it easier for doctors and nurses from other countries to come to Canada and work in the health care system. They also promise to build more hospitals, medical clinics and long-term care homes. Finally, they promise to create a Youth Mental Health Fund. This will allow young people to access mental health care services in their community.

If elected, the Conservative Party promise to remove barriers in the health care system and give all Canadians timely access to health care. They have not given the details of what barriers they will remove or how they will be removed. However, they do promise to hire 15,000 doctors by 2030, including bringing doctors from other countries to work in Canada.

If elected, the NDP also promise to hire more doctors, nurses and other kinds of health care workers. Specifically, they are guaranteeing every Canadian will have access to a family doctor by 2030. To achieve this, they will give more money to the provinces, which will help to keep trained doctors in the community. The NDP will ensure that everyone has access to mental health care, including psychotherapy and counselling, by creating a plan to pay for these services. However, there are no details of this plan available yet.

Similar to the other parties, if elected, the Green Party promise to hire more doctors and other health care professionals. They plan to hire 7,500 doctors and nurses over the next five (5) years, and train 50,000 personal support workers (PSW). The Green Party will also make mental health services fully covered and free for everyone.

2 – Accessible Housing

The Liberal Party promise to make workplaces and new housing accessible and barrier-free. They will do this by putting more funding into the Enabling Accessibility Fund. The Enabling Accessibility Fund is a program that was created to give funding for projects aimed at making communities and workplaces more accessible for Canadians with disabilities.

While the Conservative Party addresses the housing crisis in their platform, their platform does not include any statements directly related to accessible housing for persons with disabilities.

While the NDP addresses the housing crisis in their platform, their platform does not include any statements directly related to accessible housing for persons with disabilities.

The Green Party promise to make all housing accessible and barrier-free for persons with disabilities. For homes that are already built, they will provide funding to fix or renovate them in order to make them fully accessible. Any new homes will need to be universally designed and be accessible for persons with disabilities.

3 – Income Support

The Liberal Party promise to review the application process for the Disability Tax Credit, and may expand eligibility to other types of disabilities. They have not given details of what will be changed in the application process.

The Conservative Party promise to simplify the Disability Tax Credit. One of the ways they will do this is by renaming it to “Certification of Disability”. Once approved for the Disability Tax Credit, persons with disabilities could then apply for other federal benefits. They also promise to ensure that eligibility to these other benefits will become automatic for those that receive the Disability Tax Credit.

The NDP promise to double the Canada Disability Benefit. This would mean that eligible persons with disabilities could receive up to $2,400 more per year.

The Green Party promise to fully fund the Canada Disability Benefit in an effort to ensure Canadians with disabilities do not live in poverty. To do this, they will have automatic enrolment into the Canada Disability Benefit for those who are receiving income support from provincial or federal programs. They will also remove the Disability Tax Credit as a requirement for this benefit. In addition, they will make changes to the Disability Tax Credit itself. They plan to make the rules more clear and in plain language, and make the basic medical forms free. In addition, they will turn it into a refundable credit so that low-income persons with disabilities can also benefit from this tax credit.

4 – Medical Assistance in Dying (“MAiD”)

The Liberal Party has not made any statement about MAiD in their platform.

Although it is not in their official platform, the Conservative Party has publicly said they will not remove access to MAiD. However, they will also not expand it further.

The NDP has not made any statement about MAiD in their platform.

The Green Party will not expand MAiD to people with mental health disabilities until there is proper mental health care and social supports available for Canadians. They will also make it a rule that a person will first need to be given access to appropriate health care, social services, housing and income supports before they can be approved for MAiD. They will ensure that Indigenous communities are consulted on policies related to MAiD as well. Finally, the Green Party will create an independent federal organization to oversee the MAiD process, including complaints, appeals and to ensure accountability on its use.

5 – Miscellaneous Disability-Related Issues

The Liberal Party promise to develop a Disability Justice Framework to address systemic issues faced by persons with disabilities in the justice system, including long-standing biases and systemic discrimination. This would ensure that persons with disabilities get equal access to justice.

The Liberal Party also promise to ensure all e-books produced or released in Canada are available in an accessible format by 2030.

The Conservative Party promise to use plain language for all federal laws. However, it is unclear what is meant by “plain language” and whether this means it will be accessible for persons with disabilities.

The Conservative Party also promise to give funding to train 1,000 Autism Support Workers every year to work with students on the autism spectrum.

They will also double the reach of the Ready, Willing and Able program. This program assists persons on the autism spectrum or with an intellectual disability to find and keep their job. It also educates employers about being more inclusive in the workplace.

The NDP promise to bring back a dedicated Ministry for persons with disabilities at the Federal government.

The Green Party promise to strengthen the Accessible Canada Act by making that law cover all projects funded by the Federal government. They also commit to making all government websites and online services digitally accessible.

The Green Party promise to create a national fund to pay for wheelchairs and other “essential accessibility tools” for persons with disabilities. In terms of other types of funding, they promise to put more money into home care and community-based disability support programs.

Additionally, they will help employees with disabilities by reinforcing workplace protections for employees and creating better employment support programs for persons with disabilities.

Lastly, the Green Party will make public transit barrier-free and accessible, including buses and trains, and they promise to bring back door-to-door mail service across the country so that persons with disabilities receive accessible mail service.

How to Vote on Election Day

You can vote at your assigned voting location on Election Day, on Monday, April 28, from 9:30 AM to 9:30 PM, Eastern Time. Make sure to bring your ID with you.

Your assigned voting location is a building where voting takes place and the location depends on where you live. To find out where your voting location is, you can check your voter information card, which you would have received in the mail. You can also visit Elections Canada’s website and search your location based on your postal code: https://www.elections.ca/scripts/vis/FindED?L=e&PAGEID=20

Accessible Voting

All voting locations should be accessible for persons with disabilities. If your assigned voting location is not accessible to you, you can contact Elections Canada:
Telephone: 1-800-463-6868
TTY: 1-800-361-8935

There are different accessible tools and services available to assist you in casting your vote. For example, magnifiers and large-grip pencils will be available at all voting locations. Voting locations will also have a large print list and braille list of candidates and political parties, as well as tactile and braille voting templates to help mark the ballot. You can also bring a support person with you to assist you with voting.

For more information about accessible tools and services available for voters with disabilities, go to: https://www.elections.ca/content2.aspx?section=acc&dir=tol&document=index&lang=e

If you need other types of accommodations, including sign language interpretation, please contact Elections Canada. Note that some accommodations would need to be arranged before Election Day.

To contact Elections Canada:
Telephone: 1-800-463-6868
TTY: 1-800-361-8935

Get ready for the April 28 federal election! Learn how to register, vote early, request support, and make your vote count!

Canada’s federal election is on April 28, 2025 — and eligible voters have the right to vote in a way that works best for them. Whether you are voting in person, by mail, or with support, we want to make sure you know your rights and your options.

Important Deadlines:

• Register or request a mail-in/special ballot by Tuesday, April 22 at 6:00 PM (ET)
• Advance voting is open April 18–21, from 9 AM to 9 PM
• Election Day is Monday, April 28

Ways to Vote

• Vote in person at your assigned polling station
• Vote early during advance polling days
• Vote by mail (special ballot)
• Vote at any Elections Canada office (by April 22)
• Vote from home (contact Elections Canada to request)

Learn More about Voting Options

Need Support? You Have Rights

You can:
Bring a support person
Ask poll workers for help
Use accessible voting tools
Request accommodations in advance

Some support services include:
Assistance marking your ballot
Sign language interpretation (must be arranged ahead of time)
Vouching (someone confirms your identity)
Signature guides for signing

Polling stations should also offer:
Tactile and braille voting templates
Large-print and braille candidate lists (braille available on Election Day)
Magnifiers
Large-grip pencils
Brighter voting screens

Need to confirm your polling station, make accommodation arrangements or have any questions?

Use Elections Canada’s Voter Information Service:

Find Your Polling Station

There are other accommodation options permitted in the Elections Canada Act. For more assistance options when voting or to make further arrangements.

Contact Elections Canada:
Phone: 1-800-463-6868
TTY: 1-800-361-8935

We are excited to be featured as guests on the Pulse Podcast by AMI-Audio!

Join Ilinca Stefan, staff lawyer at ARCH Disability Law Centre and Tim Rose as they discuss the important Federal Court of Appeal ruling in Air Canada v. Timothy Rose et al., which upheld a decision ordering Air Canada to accommodate passengers with disabilities who use mobility devices.

You can access the interview on the Pulse Youtube Channel starting today at 1:30pm.  Visit their Youtube Channel here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCpSCygsB9AFBhl_mhK86C6g/featured . Don’t miss this important conversation on disability rights and accessibility!

REMINDER

When: Tuesday, April 8, 2025 | 7:30 P.M. – 9:00 P.M.
Where: CNIB, 1929 Bayview Avenue Toronto, ON M4G 3E8
Moderator: David Rider, Toronto Star reporter

CONFIRMED CANDIDATES:

• George Wedge – NDP – Scarborough—Woburn
• Liane Kotler – Liberal Party – Thornhill
• Mike Morrice – Green Party – Kitchener Centre

Guests and other attendees will have the option to join virtually on Zoom or in-person at CNIB, 1929 Bayview Avenue Toronto, ON M4G 3E8.

Limited in-person attendance.

Note: The debate location is accessible, and both ASL interpretation and real-time captioning will be available. Please indicate on the registration form if you are interested in attendant service and we will do our best to accommodate your needs.

Registration – Register by April 7th at 4 pm.

Registration and to submit your questions

This event is being organized by a consortium of disability organizations: Reena, Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital, Community Living Toronto, Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act Alliance, Centre for Independent Living in Toronto, CNIB, Autism Ontario, Ontario Autism Coalition, OASIS, ARCH Disability Law Centre, Easter Seals Canada, March of Dimes Canada

April 1st, 2025

ARCH Lawyer Gabriel Reznick discusses the impact of school exclusions on children with disabilities in Ontario in a recent article by The Trillium titled ‘Ontario Kids Missing More School Due to Exclusions: Education Ministry Data.’ Visit the website to learn more.

For Immediate Release

March 27, 2025

On March 26, 2025, the United Nations Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities released the advance unedited version of their Concluding Observations which are final recommendations to Canada on how to implement the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD).

53 organizations of persons with disabilities and civil society organizations across Canada came together as a coalition, known as the Civil Society Parallel Report Group, to collectively write a Parallel Report that reflected a consensus of concerns that incorporated perspectives from a variety of disability communities. 14 organizations from that coalition travelled to Geneva, Switzerland, and spoke at a private briefing session with the CRPD Committee and advocated in-person regarding the concerns of their communities.

This collective work and advocacy of all these organizations has resulted in strong Concluding Observations and recommendations by the UN CRPD Committee which include the majority of concerns and recommendations originally raised by the coalition.

Among its recommendations, the UN CRPD Committee strongly recommends that:

• Canada should repeal Track 2 MAiD, through repealing Bill C-7, and repeal the 2027 expansion of MAiD for persons whose “sole underlying medical condition is a mental illness”;
• Canada should withdraw its declaration under article 12 and reservation to article 12 (4) of the CRPD regarding the right to equal recognition before the law;
• Canada should urgently address the lack of accessible housing and community supports within Indigenous communities;
• Canada should implement a coordinated deinstitutionalisation strategy across federal, provincial, and territorial governments;
• Canada should repeal federal, provincial, and territorial mental health and substance use treatment laws and policies allowing for involuntary detention and treatment;
• Canada should ensure that provinces and territories have consistent policies on inclusive education, that the implementation of inclusive education is tracked, and that these address specific considerations related to Indigenous students with disabilities;
• Canada should establish legally defined mechanisms ensuring compliance with the CRPD by all provinces and territories, and condition fiscal transfers from the Federal level to provinces and territories on their adherence to the CRPD

These recommendations among many others are all strong wins for disability communities as the UN continues to affirm the real and pressing concerns of disability communities across Canada.

The Civil Society Parallel Report Group is deeply appreciative of the CRPD Committee’s continued dedication to engaging in a full and fair process that takes into consideration the perspectives of disability communities as it reviewed the Government of Canada.

For media inquiries please contact the co-coordinators of the Canada Civil Society Parallel Report Group Elsie Tellier, ARCH Disability Law Centre (elsie.tellier@arch.clcj.ca) and Neil Belanger, IDC/BCANDS (exdir@bcands.bc.ca)

ARCH’s Introduction Video – Available in both French and English! 

We are excited to announce the launch of ARCH Disability Law Centre’s brand-new “Introduction to ARCH video, available in both English and French! This video will provide an insightful overview of who we are and the important work we do to protect and advance the rights of individuals with disabilities. You can catch the video on our website and social media platforms starting Monday, March 31. Be sure to stay tuned and follow us on Facebook, Blue Sky, Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok for the latest updates and more valuable resources!

Respecting Rights Toronto 6 Video Series on Decision-Making Rights

Respecting Rights Toronto is a project at ARCH, led by individuals with intellectual or developmental disabilities living in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The Respecting Rights Toronto members work with ARCH lawyers to help people with disabilities understand their legal rights.

We’re excited to announce that Respecting Rights Toronto’s new 6-video series on decision-making rights will be available starting April 7th!

This series covers important topics like an introduction to ARCH Disability Law Centre and Respecting Rights Toronto, what services ARCH provides, self-advocate meetings, and how to contact ARCH and connect with Respecting Rights. The videos also explain your rights when it comes to making decisions about money, relationships, and healthcare. One video also gives helpful information about using WheelTrans services.

Be sure to stay tuned and follow us on Facebook and visit our website for updates and more information!

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

March 24, 2025

In a precedent-setting decision released Friday, the Federal Court of Appeal, in Air Canada v. Timothy Rose et al., upheld a decision ordering Air Canada to accommodate persons with disabilities who use mobility devices. The Court’s decision marks a significant turning point in a fight for accessibility that began over eight years ago.

In response to the decision Tim Rose says, “this case was never just about me as an individual or my right to fly to Cleveland. It was about the right of all Canadians with disabilities to access the transportation system on an equal basis with others. I am proud to have been part of this significant change and win for Canadians with disabilities, and I look forward to more barrier free travel in the future”.

The Federal Court of Appeal upheld the Agency’s decision that it would not cause Air Canada undue hardship to substitute accessible aircraft when provided with 21 days’ notice and when it cannot book a passenger on any other accessible flight. While this accommodation may come with additional costs for Air Canada, the Court emphasized that “the size of Air Canada’s enterprise” is relevant in assessing Air Canada’s ability to substitute accessible aircraft.

Moreover, the Court held that it was appropriate for the Agency to order Air Canada to report in its accessibility plan under the Accessible Canada Act on how it will factor accessibility for persons with disabilities who use power wheelchairs.

In a hearing that took place on November 26, 2024, ARCH represented Mr. Rose along with Lesli Bisgould of Legal Aid Ontario’s Clinic Resource Office to defend the Agency’s decision. We want to thank the Clinic Resource Office, and Lesli Bisgould for their expertise and dedication to this important case.

Ilinca Stefan, Staff Lawyer, ARCH Disability Law Centre, says that, “this decision demonstrates the necessary role of the courts to ensure individuals’ fundamental rights are protected when large corporations fail to make their services inclusive.”

In 2016, Tim Rose was denied access to an Air Canada flight from Toronto to Cleveland because the aircraft could not accommodate his power wheelchair. On behalf of Mr. Rose, ARCH filed an application to the Canadian Transportation Agency (the Agency), arguing Mr. Rose’s right to accessible transportation.

In August 2023, the Agency released a decision ordering Air Canada to make operational changes for services to be more accessible. The Federal Court of Appeal closely reviewed the Agency’s analysis, and upheld the Agency’s decision.

The decision is available on the Federal Court of Appeal’s website in both English and French.

ARCH Disability Law Centre (ARCH) is a specialty legal clinic that practices exclusively in disability rights law. Since its incorporation in 1979, ARCH has been a leader in disability rights advocacy and test case litigation. To learn more about ARCH, please visit ARCH Disability Law Centre

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Contact:

Ilinca Stefan and Gabriel Reznick, Staff Lawyers
ARCH Disability Law Centre
Toll-free: 1-866-482-2724 ext. 2225
Emails: ilinca.stefan@arch.clcj.ca and gabriel.reznick@arch.clcj.ca

COMMUNIQUÉ DE PRESSE – Victoire des passagers handicapés contre Air Canada

POUR DIFFUSION IMMÉDIATE

24 mars 2025

Dans une décision faisant jurisprudence rendue vendredi, la Cour d’appel fédérale, dans l’affaire Air Canada c. Rose, a confirmé une décision ordonnant à Air Canada d’accommoder les personnes handicapées utilisant des appareils d’aide à la mobilité. Cette décision marque un tournant important dans la lutte pour l’accessibilité qui a débuté il y a plus de huit ans.

En réponse à cette décision, Tim Rose a déclaré : « cette affaire ne concernait pas uniquement ma personne ou mon droit de prendre l’avion pour Cleveland. Il s’agissait du droit de tous les Canadiens handicapés d’accéder au système de transport sur la base de l’égalité avec les autres. Je suis fier d’avoir contribué à ce changement important et à cette victoire pour les Canadiens handicapés, et j’espère que davantage de voyages sans obstacle se produiront à l’avenir. »

La Cour d’appel fédérale a confirmé la décision de l’Office des transports du Canada selon laquelle le remplacement pour avion accessible avec un préavis de 21 jours et lorsqu’il est impossible de réserver un passager sur un autre vol accessible ne causerait pas de contrainte excessive à Air Canada.

Bien que cet accommodement puisse entraîner des coûts supplémentaires pour Air Canada, la Cour a souligné que « la taille de l’entreprise Air Canada » est pertinente pour évaluer la capacité d’Air Canada à remplacer des avions accessibles.

De plus, la Cour a jugé qu’il était approprié pour l’Office des transports du Canada d’ordonner à Air Canada de rendre compte dans son plan d’accessibilité de la manière dont elle tiendra compte de l’accessibilité pour les personnes handicapées utilisant un fauteuil roulant électrique.

Lors d’une audience tenue le 26 novembre 2024, ARCH et Lesli Bisgould, du Bureau des ressources cliniques d’Aide juridique Ontario, ont représenté M. Rose pour défendre la décision de l’Office des transports du Canada. Nous tenons à remercier le Bureau des ressources cliniques et Lesli Bisgould pour leur expertise et leur dévouement dans cette importante affaire.

Ilinca Stefan, avocate de ARCH Centre du droit des personnes handicapées, affirme que « cette décision démontre le rôle essentiel des tribunaux pour garantir la protection des droits fondamentaux des personnes lorsque les grandes entreprises ne rendent pas leurs services inclusifs ». En 2016, Tim Rose s’est vu refuser l’accès à un vol d’Air Canada reliant Toronto à Cleveland car l’avion ne pouvait accueillir son fauteuil roulant électrique. ARCH a déposé une plainte auprès de l’Office des transports du Canada au nom de M. Rose, invoquant son droit à un transport accessible.

En août 2023, l’Office des transports du Canada a rendu une décision ordonnant à Air Canada d’apporter des modifications opérationnelles pour rendre ses services plus accessibles. La Cour d’appel fédérale a examiné attentivement l’analyse de l’Office des transports du Canada et a confirmé sa décision.

La décision est disponible sur le site web de la Cour d’appel fédérale en français et en anglais.

ARCH Centre du droit des personnes handicapées (ARCH) est une clinique juridique spécialisée pratiquant exclusivement en droit des personnes handicapées. Depuis son incorporation en 1979, ARCH est un leader dans la défense des droits des personnes handicapées et dans les litiges relatifs aux cas types. Pour apprendre davantage sur ARCH, visiter archdisabilitylaw.ca.

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Personne-Contact :

Ilinca Stefan and Gabriel Reznick, Avocats
ARCH Centre du droit des personnes handicapées
Sans-frais : 1-866-482-2724 ext. 2225
Courriels : ilinca.stefan@arch.clcj.ca et gabriel.reznick@arch.clcj.ca

It is with deep sadness and a heavy heart that we share this joint statement below to inform our communities of the sudden passing of our Board member and 2nd Vice-Chair, and dear friend, Ellen Cohen. Ellen passed on March 13, 2025 while in Geneva, Switzerland as part of the Canadian Civil Society Group advocating on behalf of disability communities at the United Nations.

Ellen joined ARCH’s Board in 2022, and has been a partner and supporter of ARCH for decades in her many advocacy roles. Her contributions have been invaluable to ARCH and to our communities. She was an integral part of ARCH’s national and international advocacy work. Ellen was highly respected and regarded within all communities that she worked with. Ellen’s larger than life personality, unparalleled compassion and generosity, unrelenting drive, and unwavering integrity were among the many incredible qualities that made her such an effective leader.

ARCH is deeply grateful for Ellen’s invaluable contributions to our organization and to the disability rights movement.  Her tireless commitment for full inclusion will continue to inspire us. Our thoughts and sympathies are with Ellen’s family and her many friends.  She will be deeply missed. Our joint statement about Ellen’s passing can be found below: