1. Home  
  2. Transports  
  3. Paratransit  
  4. Paratransit Eligibility

Paratransit Eligibility

Paratransit is for handicapped persons whose disabilities greatly compromise their mobility.

Presentation and objectives

The objective of paratransit is to favour the social, school and workplace integration of handicapped persons. It allows them to travel to access activities in their community.

Eligibility

The eligibility policy defines the eligibility criteria for paratransit. The policy ensures consistency in the processing of the applications by the committees of each of the paratransit bodies. To be eligible, you must meet the following two requirements:

  • be a handicapped person, that is, “a person with a deficiency causing a significant and persistent disability, who is liable to encounter barriers in performing everyday activities”
  • have limited mobility justifying the use of a paratransit service. Only the following disabilities will be considered for eligibility:
    • the inability to walk 400 metres on even ground;
    • the inability to go up a step 35 centimetres high with support, or step down without support;
    • the inability to make an entire trip using regular public transit;
    • the inability to keep track of time or find one’s bearings;
    • the inability to master situations or behaviour that could represent a danger for the person or for others;
    • the inability to communicate orally or through sign language. Note that, by itself, this disability does not constitute a criterion for eligibility.

If you are eligible for paratransit, the committee will give you a level of eligibility and the type of accompanying services that reflect your actual needs. It will take into account your disabilities and, if applicable, your ability to learn to use public transit or your need to familiarize yourself with it.

Review of the eligibility file

There is a last resort mechanism if you think you have been wronged by a decision rendered. For more information on that procedure, you can consult the Paratransit Eligibility Policy pamphlet (PDF 131 Kb).

Levels of eligibility

You will be given one of the following levels of eligibility:

  • General eligibility: valid for all trips at all times
  • Partial eligibility: valid for certain trips only
  • Provisional eligibility: valid for all trips during a determined period of time
  • Seasonal eligibility: valid for all trips during winter only

Types of accompanying services

Authorized for all trips:

  • Mandatory accompaniment
  • Temporary accompaniment for familiarization purposes

Authorized for certain trips:

  • Optional accompaniment
  • Accompaniment for assistance at destination:
    • The authorization of that type of accompanying service is left to the discretion of each service. The service will determine whether its users may be accompanied when they only need assistance at destination.
  • Accompaniment for parental responsibilities:
    • Parents with disabilities will be allowed to travel with their children under the age of 14.
    • Children with disabilities under the age of 14 will be allowed to travel with their parents (or a person in charge of them) and, if applicable, another member of the immediate family under the age of 14. However, accompaniment is mandatary for children with disabilities under the age of 6.

Procedure

Contact the paratransit service in your municipality (in French only) to obtain an application form. The eligibility committee rules on each application it receives. The committee is composed of members representing the designated body, handicapped persons and the health and social services network.

If there is no paratransit service in your municipality, contact the service nearest you. The service will refer you to the eligibility committee designated to analyze the applications from your municipality.

You will receive a written answer within 45 days following the receipt of your duly completed form. All applications are processed confidentially. All information provided is protected by the Act respecting Access to documents held by public bodies and the Protection of personal information This hyperlink will open in a new window..

Once you are considered eligible, you will receive a card enabling you to use the paratransit service in your municipality. As a visitor, you will also have access to paratransit services elsewhere in Québec.

For additional information, contact the paratransit service in your municipality (in French only).

Help and Resources

To find the paratransit service in your municipality, consult the list of designated bodies for paratransit in the various regions of Québec (in French only).

If you need help with the procedure, contact the Office des personnes handicapées du Québec This hyperlink will open in a new window. (in French only).

Last update: November 16, 2023

Comments

Was the information on this page useful to you?
General notice

You have questions or require additional information?

Please contact Services Québec