May 29, 2025
NAV CANADA is dedicated to creating and sustaining an inclusive and accessible environment for everyone, including, employees, partners, customers and members of the public who have disabilities.
To reinforce this commitment, the Company is taking concrete steps to improve the accessibility of its facilities to ensure all can access and use spaces regardless of ability. The Montreal Area Control Centre (ACC) is a good example of the progress that has been made in recent years.
Claude Castonguay has been working as Unit Manager, Operations at the Montreal ACC since July 2022. The lived experience that Claude brings as someone who uses a wheelchair provided those around him with the opportunity to realize the impact that the facility’s accessible design can have on those with physical disabilities, like him.
“When I first started working at the ACC, I had trouble even getting through a doorway. With their spring-loaded mechanism, I was unable to open doors manually and get through fast enough before the doors would close on me,” said Claude. “Since then, sensors have been installed and doors open automatically. I can now come and go without needing help from anyone.”
Luckily, Claude found allies within NAV CANADA. With a better understanding of how barriers affected his access to various spaces in the ACC, the management and facilities team took action and looked for solutions.
“My office is on the second floor,” he said. “And the only way for me to get there was to take an old freight elevator, in which I got stuck three times. NAV CANADA saw that this situation could not go on as it was and decided to replace everything by 2026, or perhaps even 2025.”
What about his workspace? Claude now has a bigger office, in which he can move around in his wheelchair, and where he can work directly at his adjustable workstation.
The next step: washrooms. Work will soon be underway to combine the men’s and women’s washrooms into a single larger one that is accessible for persons with a physical disability. “These renovations will be a huge improvement for people in my situation,” said Claude.
Other improvements have also been made to ensure the safety of persons with a physical disability in an emergency.
Claude recalls an evacuation exercise where he remained in his office because there was no way to easily evacuate the building without a functional freight elevator. “The firefighters were quite adamant: you cannot leave anyone inside the building, even during an exercise! I then suggested to NAV CANADA that they purchase an evacuation chair, like the ones ambulance personnel use on stairways. No sooner said than done! A chair is now available near the stairway, on the second floor, and a sign has been posted at the stairway entrance telling emergency responders where to find the person(s) with a physical disability who need to be evacuated.” This change, simple at first glance, has made a world of difference for Claude: he now feels safe, appreciated and valued.
For a long time, outdoor parking spots reserved for persons with a physical disability were only identified by a small handmade sign, which few people respected. Noticing this, Claude put a bug in management’s ear and soon official signs were posted. Management also had the reserved parking spots painted blue to make them more visible. Another parking spot will be created in the spring, near the door at the back of the building, to facilitate access for people in a wheelchair who have difficulty moving in the snow and ice in the winter.
That is not all. NAV CANADA even took the initiative to designate a parking spot with a charging station for persons with a physical disability, which Claude especially appreciates, as the owner of an electric vehicle.
Everyone has a role to play in improving accessibility. “No one knows better than those with a physical disability what we really need,” said Claude. “For example, in my case, an automatic door is great, but it has to stay open long enough for me to get through the door. If I don’t say anything, then how can the situation change? We need to have the courage to express our needs. That is how advancements are made.”
Luc Poirier, Facilities Maintenance Infrastructure Specialist at the Montreal ACC, has headed up several of the changes made to the ACC in recent years. “When Claude comes to me to discuss a situation, I immediately go into problem solving mode. I want to do everything I can to make our workplace as accessible as possible for everyone,” said Luc.
Everyone must be willing to put in an effort, whether that means expressing your own needs, taking others’ needs into account, or taking concrete action to change things.
Guided by its Accessibility Plan, NAV CANADA is committed to promoting a barrier-free workplace for persons with a physical disability, so that they can achieve their full potential in their jobs. NAV CANADA also produces periodic progress reports and aims to continue making concrete changes throughout the organization.
What would Claude like to see in NAV CANADA’s future? “I am hoping that one day I will be able to travel from one facility to another with the same ease. The process has begun. We’ll get there, one change at a time!”
This year, National AccessAbility Week will be held from May 25 to 31, 2025, a week dedicated to recognizing the challenges faced by persons with a physical disability and celebrating their accomplishments.