Accessible Transportation for Persons with Disabilities Regulations (SOR/2019-244)

Marginal note:No level boarding

190 If a bus terminal does not permit level boarding of a bus and there is no lift, ramp or bridge plate available at the bus terminal, the bus must be equipped with a lift, ramp or bridge plate.

Marginal note:Other stops

191 If a bus makes a stop at any place that is not at a terminal and where passengers are permitted to board and disembark, the bus must be equipped with a lift, ramp or bridge plate.

Marginal note:Stairs

192 Any stairs that are used to board or disembark from a bus, and any interior stairs on a bus, must

• (a) meet the requirements set out in clauses 5.4.1 and 5.4.2 of CSA B651-18;

• (b) have handrails that

  • (i) are located on both sides of the stairs,

  • (ii) are located at a uniform height of 860 mm to 920 mm, measured vertically from the leading edge of the tread, and

  • (iii) meet the requirements set out in clause 5.3.1 of CSA B651-18;

• (c) have tactile attention indicator surfaces that

  • (i) meet the requirements set out in clauses 4.3.5.2(a) and (b), 4.3.5.3.1 and 4.3.5.3.4 of CSA B651-18,

  • (ii) are located at the top of the stairs, and

  • (iii) commence one tread length before the top of the stairs, extend the full width of the stairs and measure from 600 mm to 650 mm in length; and

• (d) be equipped with lighting that accentuates the steps and handrails.

Marginal note:Passenger seats

193 Passenger seats on a bus must be equipped with

• (a) movable armrests on all aisle and middle passenger seats;

• (b) handholds on the back of all aisle passenger seats; and

• (c) if there are call buttons, call buttons that are

  • (i) tactilely discernible and colour-contrasted with their background, and

  • (ii) operable using minimal force.

Marginal note:Tactile row markers

194 A bus must be equipped with tactile row markers, in raised characters and Braille, that are installed, either permanently or temporarily, on the sides of passenger seats and above the armrests or adjacent to the mechanisms for opening overhead bins.

Marginal note:Priority seats for persons with disabilities

195 The first row of passenger seats on each side of a bus must be designated as priority seats for persons with disabilities and there must be signage that indicates that a person, other than a person with a disability, must vacate a priority seat if the seat is needed by a person with a disability.

Marginal note:Mobility aid space

196 A mobility aid space on a bus must have a clear floor area of at least 1,220 mm by 760 mm.

Marginal note:Mandatory mobility aid space

197 A bus must have at least two mobility aid spaces.

Marginal note:Storage of mobility aid

198 A bus must have a baggage compartment that allows for the storage of at least two mobility aids, each of which weighing no more than 227 kg and having a width of no more than 1,092 mm, a height of not more than 736 mm (with the seat and steering column collapsed) and a length of not more than 2,260.6 mm.

Marginal note:Passenger safety features cards

199 A bus that has any passenger safety features cards available on board must have

• (a) at least two passenger safety features cards that are in large print and at least two passenger safety features cards that are in Braille; or

• (b) at least one electronic device that provides passenger safety information in an audio and visual format and permits a person with a disability to adjust the volume of the audio output and the size of the font.

Marginal note:Window emergency exits

200 If a bus is equipped with a window emergency exit, the window emergency exit must be identified by a contrasting colour strip around the perimeter and by tactile and Braille signage.

Marginal note:Standard washroom

201 A washroom on a bus, other than a wheelchair-accessible washroom, must have

• (a) doors that are equipped with handles, pulls, latches, locks and other devices that are operable using minimal force, with one hand in a closed-fist position, or by another method of operation that does not require tight grasping, pinching or twisting of the wrist ;

• (b) toilets that

  • (i) are equipped with an automated flush control or a flush control that is operable using minimal force, with one hand in a closed-fist position, or by another method of operation that does not require tight grasping, pinching or twisting of the wrist, and

  • (ii) have a back support if the toilet has no seat lid;

• (c) faucets that are equipped with

  • (i) handles or other controls that are tactilely discernible, unless the water temperature is fixed to eliminate the risk of scalding,

  • (ii) in the case of non-automated faucets, handles or other controls that are operable using minimal force, with one hand in a closed-fist position, or by another method of operation that does not require tight grasping, pinching or twisting of the wrist, and

  • (iii) in the case of automated faucets, a water activation motion sensor that turns the water on automatically when a hand is below the faucet;

• (d) grab bars that

  • (i) are located on a wall beside the toilet,

  • (ii) are rounded, slip-resistant and free of any sharp or abrasive elements,

  • (iii) have an exterior diameter and a clearance from the wall surface to which they are attached that permit them to be easily grasped, and

  • (iv) are capable of supporting a minimum weight of 113.4 kg;

• (e) toilet paper dispensers that are located so as to not interfere with the use of the grab bars;

• (f) soap dispensers that are operable using minimal force, with one hand in a closed-fist position, or by another method of operation that does not require tight grasping, pinching or twisting of the wrist; and

• (g) at least one call button or other device for signalling an emergency that

  • (i) is colour-contrasted with its background and identified by tactile and Braille signage, and

  • (ii) is operable using minimal force.

Marginal note:Wheelchair-accessible washroom

202 A wheelchair-accessible washroom on a bus must meet the requirements set out in section 201 and must

• (a) have a door or other opening to the washroom that has sufficient space in front of it and that is wide enough to allow the entry of a person using a wheelchair;

• (b) have sufficient space to allow a person, with assistance, to transfer to and from a wheelchair and the toilet;

• (c) have sufficient privacy, including with the use of retractable curtains or walls, to allow a support person or service dog to remain in the washroom with a person using a wheelchair; and

• (d) be equipped with faucets that are positioned to be easily usable by a person using a wheelchair.

Marginal note:Mandatory wheelchair-accessible washroom

203 Every washroom on a bus must be a wheelchair-accessible washroom, unless the washroom does not have

• (a) a door or other opening to the washroom that has sufficient space in front of it and that is wide enough to allow the entry of a person using a wheelchair; and

• (b) sufficient space to allow a person, with assistance, to transfer to and from a wheelchair and the toilet.

Marginal note:On-board entertainment system

204 An on-board entertainment system on a bus must be equipped to permit a person with a disability to

• (a) access entertainment content that offers closed captioning and audio description and that is the same entertainment content that is offered to the other passengers or, if that is not possible, that is comparable entertainment content; and

• (b) start, stop and pause the entertainment content, turn on and off the closed captioning and audio description functions, change the language of choice, control the volume and select channels

  • (i) through an interface that meets the requirements for an interface that are set out in the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines, or

  • (ii) if the interface has not been designed to be used with the on-board entertainment system, through a tactile template overlay affixed to the interface.

Marginal note:Pre-existing bus

• 205 (1) If a pre-existing bus referred to in subsection 185(4) has an on-board entertainment system that does not offer closed captioning and audio description, the bus must be equipped with personal electronic devices in a number that is sufficient to accommodate the number of persons with disabilities who have made a request for such a device.

• Marginal note:Personal electronic devices

  (2) The personal electronic devices must be pre-loaded with — or the bus must provide wireless streaming of — entertainment content that offers closed captioning and audio description and that is the same entertainment content that is offered to the other passengers or, if that is not possible, that is comparable entertainment content.

Marginal note:Grab bars, handholds and stanchions

206 Grab bars, handholds and stanchions on a bus must

• (a) be sturdy, rounded and free of any sharp or abrasive element;

• (b) have an exterior diameter and a clearance from the surface to which they are attached that permit them to be easily grasped;

• (c) be colour-contrasted with their background;

• (d) have a slip-resistant surface;

• (e) be located

  • (i) where passengers are required to pay fares or show proof of payment,

  • (ii) close to mobility aid spaces,

  • (iii) in priority seating areas, and

  • (iv) on each side of a door;

• (f) be evenly distributed throughout the bus to assist persons with disabilities to safely board and disembark and to sit and stand;

• (g) be located so as to not interfere with the turning and manoeuvring space that may be required by a person using a mobility aid to access a mobility aid space; and

• (h) if they are located at a door, be within the reach of a person standing at ground level and installed in a manner that ensures that they are inside the bus when the doors are closed.

Marginal note:Floors

207 The floors of a bus must meet the requirements set out in clauses 4.3.1 to 4.3.3 of CSA B651-18.

Marginal note:Tactile attention indicator surfaces

208 Tactile attention indicator surfaces on a bus must

• (a) be located at the top of stairs and at any other location where there is an unprotected drop-off edge and a change in elevation greater than 250 mm or where the ratio of the slope to surface is steeper than 1:3; and

• (b) meet the requirements set out in clauses 4.3.5.2(a) and (b), 4.3.5.3.1 and 4.3.5.3.4 of CSA B651-18.

Marginal note:Operating controls

209 Operating controls on a bus must

• (a) meet the requirements set out in clauses 4.2.1, 4.2.3 to 4.2.6 and 4.2.8 of CSA B651-18; and

• (b) if they are intended to be used by a person using a wheelchair, meet the requirements set out in clause 4.2.2 of CSA B651-18.

Marginal note:Signage

• 210 (1) Signage on a bus must

  • (a) indicate any services, facilities, amenities or equipment that are offered and of the direction to follow in order to access them;

  • (b) be positioned to avoid shadow areas and glare and have a glare-free surface;

  • (c) be colour-contrasted with its background; and

  • (d) except in the case of electronic signage, meet the requirements set out in clauses 4.5.3 to 4.5.7 of CSA B651-18.

• Marginal note:Electronic signage

  (2) Electronic signage must

  • (a) have letters, numbers, symbols and pictographs that slowly scroll across the screen and are colour-contrasted with their background but are not in red on a black background; and

  • (b) meet the requirements set out in clauses 4.5.3 to 4.5.5 of CSA B651-18.

Marginal note:Maintenance

• 211 (1) A bus and any related facilities, including any amenities and equipment used in them, that are subject to any requirements of this Division must be in good working order and properly maintained.

• Marginal note:Repairs

  (2) If any facilities, amenities or equipment that are referred to in subsection (1) are not in good working order, they must be repaired as soon as possible and, until they are repaired, measures must be taken that will result in a substantially equivalent or greater level of accessibility for persons with disabilities.

PART 4Requirements Applicable to Terminal Operators

DIVISION 1Service Requirements

Marginal note:Application

212 Unless otherwise specified, this Division applies to every terminal operator who is the owner, operator or lessee of

• (a) an airport that is located in the national capital or a provincial capital or where at least 200,000 passengers emplaned and deplaned during each of the two preceding calendar years;

• (b) a rail terminal that serves a rail carrier referred to in paragraph 25(1)(b);

• (c) a ferry terminal that serves a marine carrier referred to in paragraph 25(1)(c); or

• (d) a bus terminal that serves a bus carrier that is subject to the requirements of Part 2.

Marginal note:Non-application — certain terminals

213 This Division does not apply in respect of a terminal where the number of members of personnel who work at the terminal is, on average, fewer than 10, calculated on the basis of the daily average during each of the two preceding calendar years.

Marginal note:Prohibition — no charge for required services

214 It is prohibited for a terminal operator to impose a charge or fee for any service that the terminal operator is required by this Part to provide to any person.

Marginal note:Communication of information

215 A terminal operator must publish in electronic format on its website, or in another format if it does not have a website, information about the services or facilities available at the terminal for persons with disabilities, including information about

• (a) the curbside zone, including where the curbside zone is located and how to request assistance to or from the curbside zone;

• (b) ground transportation from the terminal that is accessible to persons with disabilities, including whether a vehicle that is capable of carrying a non-folding or non-collapsible mobility aid is available;

• (c) the location of designated areas for service dogs to relieve themselves;

• (d) transportation between facilities at a terminal that is accessible to persons with disabilities; and

• (e) wheelchair and electric cart services.