Senator, Paralympic champion Chantal Petitclerc urges action after fall on Montreal sidewalk

An urgent call for action is coming from 14-time Paralympic gold medallist and senator Chantal Petitclerc, who is speaking out after fall off a Montreal sidewalk on Halloween.

Petitclerc says she was out trick-or-treating with family and friends when an uneven sidewalk led to her getting injured.

“My head banged on the sidewalk and just a major, major bruise,” said Petitclerc. “It was at night. So, while I was looking up for just a few seconds, the front wheels of my wheelchair got caught in a big hole. And I just flew off my wheelchair, ended up on the sidewalk.”

Montreal’s sidewalks, she says, are often cracked, full of potholes and difficult to safely use for anyone with reduced mobility.

She says the fall could happen to anyone living with reduced mobility, and it raises bigger questions about how safe and accessible Montreal’s infrastructure really is.

“I’ve realized with the years that I’ve changed routes, you know, like I will say, ‘OK, let’s not go this way because the sidewalk is so bad,’” said Petitclerc. “I prefer to go around just to make it easier and safer and more agreeable.”

“When there’s a pothole on the road, what do we do? We try to fix them,” said Steven Laperrière​​, general director of Regroupement des activités pour l’inclusion au Québec (RAPLIQ). “Well, sidewalks are a priority also.”

With winter approaching, advocates worry the risks will rise even further.

“Now it’s OK, there’s no snow, but when there’s a small trace of snow, it hides even more of the holes, so you’re even more bound to have an incident like that,” said Laperriere.

For Petitclerc, the city needs to act and include people with disabilities in every step of that process.

“We can look at the city and say, every time we do something, let’s have this lens of people with disability,” said Petitclerc.

“So, can we really have it on a checklist, you know? If there’s a wheelchair user, will they be OK? Will they be in danger? Will they be able to just go on with their day as anybody else? And it’s not happening right now,” said Petitclerc.

“Every sidewalk has to be checked and repaired, and I know it’s a big task and I’m not saying to do this overnight, but within the next year it has to be done,” added Laperriere.

Petitclerc says accessibility challenges extend far beyond sidewalks.

“I was thinking about access to vote,” said Petitclerc. “I had challenges to go vote in the municipal election because of a construction site beside the voting centre, access to recreation for persons with disability. There is a lot to be done.”

The City of Montreal told CityNews in a statement: “Our hearts go out to Ms. Petitclerc following the unfortunate accident. As soon as we were informed of the situation, we went to the site to see the condition of the sidewalk at this location and our teams made the necessary repairs to ensure that the sidewalk was safe for all users. This section of sidewalk will be rebuilt when weather conditions allow, next spring. We also ask the public to report any situation that may represent a safety issue, whether on the road or the sidewalk.

“Considering that our network has 10,000 km of streets and sidewalks, these reports are essential. Reports can be made by calling 311 or via the Montréal – Services aux citoyens application. In the case of the section of sidewalk in question, no reports have been received by the 311 service centre in the last five years.”

Laperriere hopes the city will finally treat accessibility as a core responsibility, not an afterthought.

“I know talking about disability issues is not a very sexy topic, but it’s still a reality for many of our citizens,” said Laperriere.