Cabinet ministers no longer get closest parking spaces to Confederation Building entrance

Changes to parking spaces at Confederation Building mean provincial cabinet ministers no longer get the spots closest to the entrance.

• Cabinet ministers parking where blue zones should be, advocate complains

The nearest ones are now designated blue zones reserved for people with disabilities and require a permit.

The change was prompted by a complaint from accessibility advocate Craig Reid.

"This is a government service, and government services are supposed to be accessible. And the first point of contact is our parking lot. And if we can't get that right, well, there's something wrong with our government," Reid told CBCNews earlier this month.

• New accessibility regulations for N.L. buildings, parking lots

An accessibility inspector foundthe Newfoundland and Labrador government was not following its own Buildings Accessibility Act and ordered compliance by Friday, Oct. 27.

Even the cabinet ministers who parked in the spaces weren't sure why they were permitted to do so in the first place.

"There's no special reason. I think it's by virtue of what's traditionally been done," said Education and Early Childhood Development Minister Dale Kirby. "What we've done traditionally is not necessarily ... what works best for people with disabilities."

The work, which was completed this week, cost just shy of $7,000according to government figures.