MONTREAL, Oct. 10, 2023 /CNW/ – The hearings of the class action against the STM, the City of Montreal, the RTM and the Metropolitan Regional Transportation Authority for systemic discrimination in public transit will begin tomorrow at the Montreal Courthouse.
The appeal, the request for which was filed by a member of RAPLIQ in 2015 and authorized by the Superior Court in 2017, concerns more than 20,000 people with physical limitations (including people using a wheelchair, a walker and a cane for blind people) who are potentially affected by discrimination in access to the metro, the train, the regular bus and paratransit in Montreal. It could cost public transport authorities hundreds of millions of dollars, since $50,000 in moral damages and $25,000 in punitive damages per person are being sought.
The plaintiffs, RAPLIQ and the designated member, are represented by Me Aymar Missakila (Trivium lawyers), Me Gilles Gareau as well as by Alain Arsenault, Justin Wee and Audrey Labrecque (Arsenault Dufresne Wee).
The collective action constitutes a test not only for Quebec in terms of the accessibility of public transport for all without discrimination based on disability, but also for the City of Montreal in particular whose commitment to fight against systemic discrimination will be under the judicial microscope.
For many people, systemic discrimination in public transit has been known for years given the inability of people with disabilities, who are already vulnerable and socially and economically disadvantaged, to have access to it.
The 33 days of collective action directly challenge the mayor of Montreal as well as the leaders of the public transport authorities since these people with disabilities still have to fight against public organizations to have their rights respected despite public declarations and action plans regarding their accessibility and equity.
RAPLIQ representatives and their lawyers will be available to provide relevant information on the class action tomorrow:
Tuesday, October 10, 2023, 8:30 a.m.
Montreal Courthouse
1 Notre-Dame East, Room 16.03
Brummionline