Æ»¹ûÒùÔº

Accessible Transportation

There are multiple options for travelling to campus. The following accessibility information will help you decide which method is best for you:

Adapted transit

The Société de Transport de Montreal (STM) manages the network of buses and metros in the downtown area. You can find information about the accessibility of their bus and metro network (including stations with elevators, and bus stops with wheelchair access), and eligibility for their Paratransit services.

Once you get to campus, if getting to and from different building is a challenge, you can request on-campus adapted transportation – a service run by Campus Security Services (Downtown campus only).

• (Employees)
• (Students) On-campus adapted transport authorization request form

Parking

As Æ»¹ûÒùÔº is in the heart of downtown Montreal, parking on or around campus can be a challenge. The following links will help you identify the best parking options for your needs:

• Æ»¹ûÒùÔº Parking Services: accessible parking spots on the downtown campus. This is a map of the spots reserved for individuals carrying an accessible parking placard (government-issued). As a staff member, you may be eligible for a reduced fee.
• Proximity parking: If you are a staff member and require parking close to your place of work for disability reasons, but do not require an accessible parking spot, you can request this through Human Resources.
• The City of Montreal has also published a , which will help you identify off-campus parking options.

Taxis

has compiled a list of taxi companies in Montreal that offer accessible transportation services that can help you get around the city.

Campus and Building Accessibility

Æ»¹ûÒùÔº is a two-hundred year old institution nested into the side of Mount-Royal, in a city notorious for icy and snowy winters. With those challenges in mind, the university is committed to enhancing the accessibility of its buildings, pathways, and physical spaces (read more in the Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Strategic Plan 2020-2025)

Buildings and design

• The Campus Planning and Development Office has integrated accessibility as a key element of its Master Plan, which guides the physical evolution of the university in the short, medium and long-term.
• Æ»¹ûÒùԺ’s Design Services unit has published a set of comprehensive accessibility design standards, guiding the university in enhancing accessibility as part of their construction or renovation projects.
• The Universal Access Capital Projects Working Group oversees the approval and execution of capital projects that enhance campus accessibility, and regularly issues calls for proposals from the Æ»¹ûÒùÔº community.
• The tool allows Æ»¹ûÒùÔº staff to access photos of classrooms, as well as information about the audiovisual equipment available in the room.

Wayfinding and construction

• The is web tool currently in development. It aims to help access campus spaces and services easily, based on various mobility requirements (e.g. motorized wheelchair, manual wheelchair, assisted walking) It will provide accessible navigation options and building accessibility information while serving as the official Æ»¹ûÒùÔº map. This tool will be released for use in the Fall 2020 semester.
• Maintaining a historic campus calls for regular construction projects across the university. maintains a list of major construction projects on the downtown campus which may affect the routes to or from the buildings you visit. Construction Services works to maintain universal access pathways. If you have an access concern, leave them .

Facilities Call Center

If you are experiencing an accessibility barrier as a result of a leak, elevator problem, electrical problem, painting, carpeting, temperature, etc. contact the Facilities Call Center.
Phone: 514- 398-4555
Email: fcc.fod [at] mcgill.ca
Or use FAMIS to access the Online Service/Work Request form (for both campuses).

Snow Removal

Grounds is the unit of Facilities Management and Ancillary Services at Æ»¹ûÒùÔº that, amongst other things, coordinates the snow removal of Æ»¹ûÒùԺ’s sidewalks, pathways, terraces, emergency exits, exterior parking lots and roofs. If you need to request a service or report a problem, contact the Facilities Call Center: fcc.fod [at] mcgill.ca or 514-398-4555

Communication & Language

Language is ever-evolving, and the words we choose reflect our thoughts and biases. Some people are unsure what words they should (or shouldn’t) be using to refer to disability. The resources in this section will help you to write inclusively and accessibly. It also introduces other tools or resources that you can use to create accessible communications. 

Employee Resource Group

The Accessibility Advisor organizes activities and information sessions for employees with disabilities at Æ»¹ûÒùÔº. To see upcoming events, or past initiatives you can review the Accessibility Advisor’s Events and Initiatives webpage, or contact her directly at Rachel.desjourdy [at] mcgill.ca

Education and Awareness

A key component of building an inclusive and accessible campus community is learning about what this means in practice and building a personal commitment to learning. There are several options available to help you build your own knowledge and skills:

Æ»¹ûÒùÔº Equity Team Trainings

Æ»¹ûÒùԺ’s Equity Team offers workshops for staff and workshops for faculty. The following workshops directly touch on aspects of disability and accessibility:

• Accessible by Design: Access in the classroom
• Accessible by Design: Access in field courses
• Accommodating employees with disabilities

Stay tuned to the Equity Education website for regular updates and new offerings as they become available.

LinkedIn Learning

LinkedIn Learning is available to regular administrative support staff as a pilot project through Organizational Development. Some courses of interest for skill-building are:

Journals

Disability Studies continues to emerge as an interdisciplinary field of scholarly research that examines disability from multiple perspectives. Looking to discover research in this field? Here are a few journals to get your started:

Podcasts

Have a favourite podcast to add to this list? Email Rachel.desjourdy [at] mcgill.ca with your recommendations.

Event Planning

Planning accessible events is most successful when access is a guiding principle, instead of an afterthought. Many organizations have published guides to help you during the event-planning process. Here is a selection to get you started:

• published by Women and Gender Equality Canada includes a comprehensive checklist for planning inclusive events, which includes aspects of accessibility as well as other equity considerations.
• published by the Government of Ontario is simple and clear, and includes a checklist at the end
• published by the Center for Community Organizations (COCo)
• published by the Government of Canada
• For virtual events, check out Æ»¹ûÒùÔº's Virtual Presenters' Accessibility Guide

Teaching and Learning

Teaching and Learning Services

Teaching and Learning Services is a unit that provides resources, support, and development opportunities for instructors and students on campus. They offer multiple tools (online and in-person) to help instructors develop their teaching materials, as well as skills development programming for students.

Some resources of interest include:

• Accessible course outline template
• Teaching Checklist
• Æ»¹ûÒùÔº Policies and Guidelines related to Teaching
• Virtual Presenters' Accessibility Guide

Æ»¹ûÒùÔº also collaborated on a series of online modules on  which includes how-to tutorials so you can apply principles of accessibility in designing course materials. 

Office for Students with Disabilities

The Office for Studies with Disabilties (OSD) is a division of Student Services that administers reasonable accommodations for students on behalf of the faculties at the University.

• If you are a student looking for more information regarding eligibility for OSD Services, you can follow the directions on the .
• For instructors looking for resources, or who have questions about the services that the OSD offers to students, you can view the

Disability Working Group

°Õ³ó±ðÌýDisability Working Group is affiliated with the Institute for Health and Social Policy at Æ»¹ûÒùÔº. It is a community of researchers, students, members of the disability community, allies and other stakeholders interested in disability studies, culture and policy.

Library Resources

Æ»¹ûÒùÔº has several library branches that offer services, which may be particularly helpful to students and staff with disabilities.

• Services for people with disabilities
• Ebook accessibility
• Distance borrowing (Æ»¹ûÒùÔº students)
• Requesting items for pickup
• Article/chapter scan service
• Office delivery for Æ»¹ûÒùÔº faculty
• Study areas (help you pick where to study based on your study style)

Technology

Websites

The Government of Quebec published revised in 2018, outlining the accessibility standards that websites, including Æ»¹ûÒùԺ’s websites, should adhere to.

If you have an issue navigating any of Æ»¹ûÒùԺ’s webpages, you can report accessibility issues to IT Services using their dedicated form.

IT Services has published several articles on website accessibility using WMS – especially important if you are a Æ»¹ûÒùÔº website editor or manager.

Want to learn more about website accessibility? You can explore:

Social media

The University of Minnesota has a valuable toolkit on that covers best practices and tips on how to optimize accessibility on each of these platforms (and more!). University of Arkansas' Explore Access website contains a , and another helpful resource guide was created by .

recorded a webinar on Social Media and Accessibility (May 2020)

In addition, we have included links to accessibility tips and resources for each platform:

• I

Work

Accommodations in the workplace

Æ»¹ûÒùÔº is committed to fostering an equitable, accessible, and inclusive workplace. As such, the University is committed to ensuring that all employees enjoy equal opportunity free from discrimination prohibited by law, including discrimination on the basis of a disability. via the Human Resources’ website

Accommodations in interviews

If you are a candidate with a disability, and would like to request accommodations during your interview at Æ»¹ûÒùÔº, write to: accessibilityrequest.hr [at] mcgill.ca. Learn more about via the Human Resources’ website.

Harassment and discrimination

The Senior Equity and Inclusion Advisor is your first contact if you have a question about harassment or discrimination, if you want to file a complaint, or if you are looking for resources. For more information and how to report, visit the Reporting Harassment, Discrimination and Sexual Violence website.

Individualized emergency response plans

Any member of Æ»¹ûÒùÔº with a condition that may impact their ability to safely evacuate during a fire alarm are invited to prepare for emergencies by speaking with a Fire Prevention Officer.

Call: 514-398-3473 or email: fireprevention [at] mcgill.ca

Housing

Finding accessible housing in Montreal

• A couple of resources are available to help you and your family’s search for accessible housing in Montreal:
  • The Government of Quebec’s Societe d’habitation offers a where eligible persons can receive financial assistance to retrofit or adapt their home
  • The City of Montreal’s website has information on

Residences accessibility

If you are a student interested in living in Æ»¹ûÒùԺ’s residences, and would like to signal an accessibility request, you can complete the Residence Accessibility Request Form