A special program was created by STM to allow people with physical or intellectual limitations to travel independently via public transportation.
The initiative was created by Julie Cadieux, an STM counselor and mother of Ludovic, a 17-year-old with a mild intellectual disability.
“At some point, I asked Ludovic: ‘Do you want to be independent to be able to move around the city on your own?’ He told me: ‘Yes, I really have the taste!’” she told TVA Nouvelles.
“I tested it with my teenage son, which really helped me improve the content and all that. “The idea was to develop an approach, vocabulary and tools that could really speak to the learners,” she added.
Thanks to the Métropolitaine Universal Mobility Program, Ludovic has been traveling the Montreal area for two years by bus and metro.
“The first time Ludovic returned home and finished the trip, he had stars in his eyes, pride. I’m not telling you, it’s extraordinary!”, explains Julie Cadieu.
“It gives him power, allows him to be a full citizen, to do like everyone else, to move like everyone else, when he wants, whenever he wants, and gives him confidence in his abilities,” she adds.
“I feel free, I feel independent. I feel proud of myself,” says Ludovic.
Nearly 420 people have been trained through this program so far. By 2025, STM expects at least 2,000 people to be able to travel fully independently.
To watch the full report, watch the video above.
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