Montreal makes bid to improve Metro accessibility

In a bid to improve the Montreal Metro's accessibility, Montreal's transit authority will installelevators in14 more of its stations.

The STM announced the $213-millionproject this morning. The money will come from both the provincial and federal governments.

The 14 stations that will get elevators are:

• Jean-Talon (A transferstation, Jean-Talon will now be accessible from both the blue andorange lines).
• Jean-Drapeau
• Angrignon
• Jolicoeur
• Place-des-Arts
• Namur
• Outremont
• Universit de Montral
• Radisson
• Place-Saint-Henri
• Prfontaine
• McGill
• Villa-Maria
• D'Iberville

Part of the the money is from a previously announced $775 million investmentby the federal government intopublic transit infrastructure in the Montreal area.

Montreal Mayor Denis Coderre said the project confirms the city's commitment to improving accessibility.

"I think we're sending a very,very strong message about the way we want to invest," Coderre said.

Fully accessible by 2038

The stations were chosen based on how easy it would be toinstall elevators and based on balancing accessibility across the network.

Another nine stations are currently installingelevators, funded under existingprojects. In total, the STM plans to have 31 accessible stations by 2022.

Only 10 of Montreal's 68 stations are wheelchair accessible at the moment, and all are on the orange line.The Metro is celebrating its50thanniversary this year.

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The STM is also pledging to increase the rate at which they make Metro stations accessible, aiming to outfitan average of two stations per year with elevators. The goal is for the system to be fully accessible by 2038.

"We will have a dedicated team that will develop an expertise, so we think that the team, which will be working exclusively on elevators, will be able to find solutions for stations that are more difficult," said chairman Philippe Schnobb.

The three Laval stations were the firstto be outfitted with elevators, in 2007. In 2009,Berri-UQAM and Lionel-Groulxbecamethe first stations on the island to get elevators.

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Same price, less service

The STM has faced criticism in the past for not doing enough, with activists arguing the lack of accessibility violates the rights of people with reduced mobility.

A mobility rights groupLeRegroupementdesactivistespourl'inclusionauQubec is seekingauthorizationfrom the courts to launch a class action lawsuit against the STM over the Metro's lack of accessibility.

Steven Laperrire, RAPLIQ's vice-president, said while it'sgreat news that more stations will be accessible, he doesn't think the group willwithdraw the lawsuit application.

"What we've always fought for was a total 100 per centaccess," he said.

Laperrire added thatpeople with limited mobility pay the same as everyone else, but don't get the same level of service.

"A lot of people have missed important job interviews, medical appointments. That's why it needs to change," he said.