The Transportation Standards under the AODA and the Transportation Standard under the Accessibility for Manitobans Act (AMA) both require organizations to make transportation accessible to people with disabilities. Moreover, both standards require many of the same processes and practices to ensure accessibility. However, there are many important differences between the standards. The third review of the AODA recommends that the Ontario government should coordinate with other provinces and the federal government to ensure that accessibility laws are consistent across Canada. Therefore, requirements in the AODA may one day change to align with mandates under the Accessibility for Manitobans Act. In this article, we will explore requirements for fare parity between conventional and specialized transit in Ontario and Manitoba.
Fare Parity between Conventional and Specialized Transit in Ontario and Manitoba
The AODA’s Transportation Standards and the Accessible Transportation Standard of the Accessibility for Manitobans Act (AMA) both require fare parity between conventional and specialized transit. In other words, a company offering both conventional and specialized transit must offer the same payment options for both forms of transit. For example, payment options could include:
- Tickets
- Cash
- Passes
- Group discounts
Any of these options available on conventional transit must also be possible on specialized transit.
Similarly, companies offering both conventional and specialized transit must offer the same payment structures on each form of transit. For example, payment structures include prices based on the payment options, as well as price differences for:
- Adults
- Seniors
- Students
Alternatively, if conventional and specialized transportation are offered by different companies in the same location, the specialized transportation company may charge no more than the highest cost of conventional transportation. These requirements are in place so that specialized transit passengers do not pay more than conventional transit passengers.
Differences
Additionally, both conventional transit and specialized transit companies in Ontario must offer more payment options to passengers who cannot use the methods already available due to accessibility barriers. In contrast, transit companies in Manitoba do not need to provide additional payment options.