Awareness campaign concerning reserved parking spaces for the disabled
People with a spinal cord injury have a legitimate ambition to lead active and productive lives, have access to leisure activities, to study and to integrate into the labor market. For the disabled to be able to participate socially is dependent on their mobility, which often involves using an adapted vehicle.
Regular parking spaces, due to their size and location, generally do not allow for disabled access to a building in a secure manner. Parking spaces reserved for disabled people are equipped to enable them to get out of their vehicle safely.
However, there are a number of factors which inhibit the ability to make use of this important tool. For example:
• The ratio between the number of existing spaces and the number of users;
• The lack of harmonization in the area of signage and reserved parking, including the governing practices;
• The lack of respect by drivers who are parked in a reserved spot without a proper permit;
• The lack of consistency dealing with offenders;
• The multiplicity of authorities having jurisdiction in these issues.
The issue of reserved parking is complex and it is likely that the issues dealing with this will continue growing in the coming years, partly because of an aging population.
MEMO-Qc conducts an annual provincial awareness campaign working with a large number of partners from different backgrounds : community organizations, government institutions, police, municipalities and individuals.
Each year a number of measures are put forward to improve respect for reserved parking and especially to inform the public of their importance. For example, production and dissemination of educational materials, canvassing on both municipal and provincial levels to educate our elected officials to the situations experienced by legitimate users of these reserved places, conducting citizen patrols on the ground, and holding press conferences.
Some actions taken during the last campaign:
Campaign 2010-2011
Short film “Just 2 minutes’
Production and distribution of a short viral awareness entitled “Just 2 minutes” produced jointly with the production company and the agency Alt Cart1er communication.
Watch it on our YouTube channel : Just 2 minutes
- Viewed nearly 400,000 times on the Internet (April 15, 2011), causing over 650 comments from users;
- Built in the educational kits from several driving schools;
- Distributed to patrol various police departments;
- Awarded the Grand Prix in the category Film Crea-Off TV.
Press Release April 11, 2011
Launched our awareness campaign on parking spaces
Very positively received and a very positive reflection on the work done by MEMO-Qc
Press Release April 8, 2011
Invitation – Citizen Patrols at work in Quebec City
Press Release November 29, 2010
“Just 2 minutes’; MEMO-Qc launches a short film to raise awareness of parking spaces for people with disabilities.
Press conference followed by citizen patrols in Quebec
Date: April 8, 2011
Location: Institute of Physical Rehabilitation in Quebec
Awareness materials
Development and distribution of kits used for the citizen’s patrol, involving nearly 150 partners, including more than 6000 awareness of good citizenship pages and 1200 tickets, which were then distributed to offenders caught.
Campaign 2009-2010
We held citizen patrols throughout the month of February 2010.
Press Release February 24, 2010
Meeting – Citizen Patrols at work in the city of Montreal
Press Release February 15, 2010
Meeting – Citizen Patrols at work in Quebec City
Press Release January 31, 2010
You are illegally parked in a spot? – The citizen patrols are watching!
Press Release September 26, 2009
DPA campaign on parking spaces reserved for disabled people: Call for civility
Presentation at a symposium
Date: November 20, 2009
Location: Quebec
Presentation at the annual conference of INDCP, entitled Disability and reserved parking, issues and challenges, given by Walter Zelaya, General Director of MEMO-Qc, and Eric Gilbert, volunteer peer counselor for the Quebec City area
Awareness materials
In collaboration with 45 partners across the province (municipalities, local, regional groupings and police services), distribution of more than 600 posters and 17,500 leaflets concerning awareness.