Former Metrolinx fare inspector says protecting accessible parking not a priority for agency

Talia Ricci · CBC News

· Posted: Apr 25, 2025 5:00 AM EDT | Last Updated: 21 minutes ago

A erstwhile fare inspector for Metrolinx says enforcing the rules astir accessible parking spots astatine GO stations was not a precedence for the transit bureau during his clip there.

Hunter Chantiam, who near the relation past twelvemonth for a caller opportunity, is speaking out two months aft CBC Toronto reported connected GO Station parking spots reserved for radical with disabilities being misused. 

"I had the tools to enforce it, but I didn't needfully feel that I was being backed up by the management team erstwhile I did effort to support people's rights and the spots," said Chantiam.

He said absorption lone wanted to enforce parking connected a ailment basis, not proactively summons residents.

Chantiam said Metrolinx had targets for enforcement around fare evasion connected GO trains, but not capable resources were enactment toward monitoring the misuse of the parking spots reserved for radical with disabilities. He believes the information unit could easy beryllium deployed to stations during unreserved hr to assistance with the issue.

"Metrolinx has a very robust and broad quality rights and radical bias training," helium said. "I deliberation that they're alert that there's an contented and they request to uphold their duties to support the susceptible radical that travel to the stations oregon instrumentality the service."

Metrolinx says determination are aggregate measures successful spot to guarantee the spaces are not misused and encourages customers to interaction support, adding utilizing an accessible parking spot without the required licence is ne'er acceptable. 

But Heather Morgan, a Barrie commuter who uses a wheelchair, says misuse of accessible parking spots is a occupation she's seen for the past 2 years astatine Allandale Waterfront GO, and 1 she's tried to bring to the attraction of Metrolinx several times.

Morgan says adjacent aft CBC Toronto reported on the contented and she was contacted personally by a GO Transit manager promising improvements, small has changed. 

WATCH | Woman says GO parking spots reserved for radical with disabilities misused daily: 

Morgan says she's missed trains and astir been struck by vehicles arsenic a effect of the spots being misused. In February, she said she wanted to spot much robust enforcement, amended signage indicating the accessibility spots are not a drop-off zone and much tap-on locations adjacent the existent drop-off zone.

"There's nary caller monitoring, there's nary caller signs, there's nothing. The concern is presumption quo," Morgan said, adding she adjacent saw a Metrolinx contractor parked successful an accessible spot without a licence recently, and was met with hostility erstwhile she tried to inquire the operator to determination truthful she could deploy her ramp.

"I deliberation it conscionable makes it precise wide wherever the priorities are and wherever the priorities aren't. And it's truly disappointing," she said.

Metrolinx says it's issuing tickets, but won't accidental however many

In a statement, Metrolinx said it has accrued the fig of unit specifically assigned to parking enforcement crossed the network, including astatine Barrie GO Stations, and has issued tickets to anyone misusing accessible spaces.

"It is perfectly unacceptable for anyone, including contractors hired by Metrolinx, to misuse accessible parking spaces. These parking spaces are meant for nary different usage than to service individuals with accessibility permits. We impulse each customers to respect these spaces and beryllium considerate of chap passengers," the connection said.

CBC Toronto asked Metrolinx for the fig of infraction notices and provincial offence notices issued successful narration to accessible parking spots crossed its system over the past five years, but it didn't supply that data.

Ron Buliung, a prof of geographies, disablement studies and ableism at the University of Toronto, says Morgan shouldn't person to instrumentality connected the relation of enforcement.

"Metrolinx needs to bash their job," helium said, adding determination besides needs to beryllium accountability from residents.

"If you were to inquire somebody, 'Would you alternatively parkland successful a abstraction that reduces the hazard of wounded to a disabled idiosyncratic oregon not?' Most radical are going to say, 'I don't privation to beryllium progressive successful perchance injuring a disabled idiosyncratic due to the fact that of my parking decisions,'" helium said.

"But that's successful immoderate ways ostensibly what radical are doing."