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Get on board with accessible public transit
People with sight loss continue to loudly voice that transportation barriers are among the greatest they face, whether they live in rural or urban environments. The issue? Inaccessible transportation systems and built environment barriers put the community of people with sight loss in dangerous and stressful situations when travelling. That’s why CNIB has made Safe and Accessible Journeys a commitment under our 2023-2028 strategic plan, “The Way Forward”.
Better transit = better quality of life.
Public transit systems can create equal opportunities for everyone to travel within their community, but only when they are accessible and reliable. Without it, people who are blind, Deafblind, or have low vision are forced to rely on personal networks for assistance or risk using unsafe services to meet their needs, which may result in reduced independence, limited recreational and employment opportunities, and increased social isolation.
People who are blind, Deafblind, or have low vision need safe and accessible transit options.
This is the right of all persons with disabilities under the federal Accessible Canada Act, the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD), and provincial accessibility legislation across the country.
Get on Board transit campaign
Last year, CNIB introduced the “Get on Board!” campaign to advocate for accessible public transit systems. Through secret rider surveys, town halls, and ride-alongs with local decision-makers, the campaign gathered insights from the community on the barriers they face when using public transit, as well as their overall transit experiences.
Over the course of the campaign’s three phases, we reached 32 communities, met with over 80 politicians and transit officials, and received over 350 secret rider surveys from across the country. Guided by the feedback we've received from the community, CNIB continues to engage with local transit authorities to push for improvements to public transit.
Phase 1 (Fall 2023) Communities: Corner Brook, NL; Dieppe, NB; Durham, ON; Edmonton, AB; London, ON; Metro-Vancouver, BC; Montreal, QC; Peterborough, ON; Saskatoon, SK; Sudbury, ON; Sydney, NS; Winnipeg, MB.
Phase 2 (Spring 2024) Communities: Brandon, MB; Calgary, AB; Fredericton, NB; Goose Bay, NL; Ottawa, ON; Quebec City, QC; Regina, SK; Summerside, PEI; Thunder Bay, ON; Toronto, ON; Victoria, BC; Yarmouth, NS.
Phase 3 (Fall 2024) Communities: Camrose, AB; Edmonton, AB; Kelowna, BC; Kingston, ON; North Bay, ON; Portage La Prairie, MB; Prince Albert, SK; Saint John, NB; Sainte-Thérèse, QC; Toronto, ON.
You can stay involved by:
- Signing up to join us in our future advocacy efforts by emailing advocacy@cnib.ca.
- Reaching out to your local city councilor and sharing with them your experience on public transit.
- Watching for future transit campaigns and getting on board!