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

A former fare inspector for Metrolinx says enforcing the rules around accessible parking spots at GO stations was not a priority for the transit agency during his time there.

Hunter Chantiam, who left the role last year for a new opportunity, is speaking out two months after CBC Toronto reported on GO Station parking spots reserved for people with disabilities being misused. 

"I had the tools to enforce it, but I didn't necessarily feel that I was being backed up by the management team when I did try to protect people's rights and the spots," said Chantiam.

He said management only wanted to enforce parking on a complaint basis, not proactively ticket residents.

Chantiam said Metrolinx had targets for enforcement around fare evasion on GO trains, but not enough resources were put toward monitoring the misuse of the parking spots reserved for people with disabilities. He believes the security staff could easily be deployed to stations during rush hour to help with the issue.

"Metrolinx has a very robust and comprehensive human rights and racial bias training," he said. "I think that they're aware that there's an issue and they need to uphold their duties to protect the vulnerable people that come to the stations or take the service."

Metrolinx says there are multiple measures in place to ensure the spaces are not misused and encourages customers to contact support, adding using an accessible parking spot without the required permit is never acceptable. 

But Heather Morgan, a Barrie commuter who uses a wheelchair, says misuse of accessible parking spots is a problem she's seen for the last two years at Allandale Waterfront GO, and one she's tried to bring to the attention of Metrolinx several times.

Morgan says even after CBC Toronto reported on the issue and she was contacted personally by a GO Transit manager promising improvements, little has changed. 

Morgan says she's missed trains and nearly been struck by vehicles as a result of the spots being misused. In February, she said she wanted to see more robust enforcement, better signage indicating the accessibility spots are not a drop-off zone and more tap-on locations near the actual drop-off zone.

"There's no new monitoring, there's no new signs, there's nothing. The situation is status quo," Morgan said, adding she even saw a Metrolinx contractor parked in an accessible spot without a permit recently, and was met with hostility when she tried to ask the driver to move so she could deploy her ramp.

"I think it just makes it very clear where the priorities are and where the priorities aren't. And it's really disappointing," she said.

In a statement, Metrolinx said it has increased the number of staff specifically assigned to parking enforcement across the network, including at Barrie GO Stations, and has issued tickets to anyone misusing accessible spaces.

"It is absolutely unacceptable for anyone, including contractors hired by Metrolinx, to misuse accessible parking spaces. These parking spaces are meant for no other use than to serve individuals with accessibility permits. We urge all customers to respect these spaces and be considerate of fellow passengers," the statement said.