Malls must be better in accommodating people’s disabilities during pandemic: advocacy group

WINNIPEG – Manitobans with disabilities are finding shopping centres have taken away accessibility items in the name of pandemic health protocols.

But some say they could still offer the services safely and they feel malls are prioritizing profits over accessibility.

At St. Vital mall in Winnipeg, wheelchair and stroller services have been discontinued, forcing Rae Metcalfe, who is pregnant, to carry their three-year-old as they look for shoes to fit her new braces.

“My daughter has cerebral palsy and so sometimes that means she wants to walk and walking is good therapy for her when she has her braces on to learn how to do that. But when she decides she can’t do that anymore, we need access to a stroller to keep her in. And because I bus, that isn’t always an option for us to lug on a bus,” they said.

A member of Barrier-Free Manitoba says a better option is wiping down wheelchairs and strollers between uses — like the new norm with shopping carts.

“The law is they have to be accessible,” said David Kron with Barrier-Free Manitoba. “Reasonable expectation. And cleaning a stroller between uses is a reasonable expectation.”

Stroller and wheelchair services have also been halted at Kildonan Place.

Kron and Metcalfe say able-bodied people don’t understand what these services mean to people with disabilities, some parents with children, and the elderly.

“There are people who say, ‘Well, you could stay home, it’s better if you just stay home.’ But a lot of those people who have invisible or even visible disabilities don’t have that option to stay home,” said Metcalfe. “They have to go to work, they have to do their own shopping. They have to do their own care for themselves and they don’t have any other way of doing that without doing it themselves.”

Metcalfe says taped-off benches also pose a problem for people with certain mobility devices, single parents with children, obese people, and the elderly.

“It makes me really upset and sad when I see elderly folks who don’t have a spot to sit with their spouse or people with walkers who can’t back up onto those chairs and have a moment of rest because their walker is not designed to fit that close to a chair of that size but they could do it fine if they had the bench.”

When Metcalfe messaged the mall, the response cited provincial regulations. But regulations make an exception for accessibility items.

“There have been a lot of, ‘It’s easier to just say no to something,’ as opposed to ‘Let’s work together and work around it,’” said Kron.

CityNews reached out to the company that runs St. Vital mall and has yet to receive a response.

The company that runs Kildonan Place says safety is its top priority.

“The lending of some amenities such as food courts trays, strollers and wheelchairs has also been suspended as part of our pandemic response. Guests are still most welcome to bring their own mobility aids and strollers into the centres,” read, in part, a statement from Primaris.

Read the rest of the statement from Primaris below:

Like all Canadians, we at Primaris are eager to return to a more normal way of life.

“While we look forward to getting back to business, the safety of our customers, employees and the public is of the highest priority.  As our government starts to lift restrictions and re-open the economy, we continue to be vigilant in our efforts to minimize the spread of the virus. 

“Our pandemic plan includes, but is not limited to, enhanced cleaning and sanitizing programs, increased security presence and reduction of common gathering points such benches and tables to encourage social distancing. The lending of some amenities such as food courts trays, strollers and wheelchairs has been also been suspended as part of our pandemic response.

“Guests are still most welcome to bring their own mobility aids and strollers into the centres. 

“This situation is ongoing and will continue to evolve. We continue to monitor closely and engage in regular dialogue with the Manitoba health authorities.  We will update our pandemic response as new information becomes available and will proceed with the utmost caution to protect the health and well being of Manitobans.”