McGill.CA / Academic Personnel Office / Staff Guides / Guide for Staff with Disabilities

Life in Quebec

Healthcare

  • Finding a family doctor in Quebec may take time. Ask around to friends, family, or colleagues to see if they have any leads on doctors accepting new patients. In the meantime, follow the steps for finding a family doctor in Quebec. You can still have access to medical care via walk-in clinics. Wait times at the clinic may be several hours, so be prepared to be patient, as this is the current reality of the medical system in Quebec.
  • The Government of Canada has information on travelling with medication, which has a few important recommendations:
    • No more than a 90-day supply of medication can be brought into Canada
    • Bring an original prescription with you, with both the generic and trade names clearly identified. A doctor’s note outlining why you take the medication is also recommended.
    • Travel with medication in their original, labelled containers
    • Travelling by air with medication, medical items and mobility aids
    • If your medication is on the Prescription Drugs List, this means that your medication requires a prescription in Canada. In order to get this medication from the pharmacy, you will need a prescription from a Canadian physician who can prescribe that medication in Quebec. Before you leave your country of origin, request a copy of all your prescriptions from your attending physician, so that you can bring it to an appointment, and have a Canadian physician write you a prescription. For more information on this topic, see here: Ordonnances - Ordre des pharmaciens du Québec (opq.org) (French only).
    • More information on Quebec’s Public Health Insurance Plan
  • McGill’s supplemental health and dental plans

Disabled Parking Permits

  • Obtain a disabled parking permit from the Société d’assurance automobile de Quebec (SAAQ). This permit is required to park in any designated accessible parking spots in the province.
  • If you will be using a personal vehicle to travel to campus, for disability-related reasons, you may be eligible for a subsidized parking permit for on-campus parking. You will be assigned a parking permit close to your area of work on campus. This program is administered by the Human Resources – Disability Management team. For information on how to apply, you can consult HR’s website: Parking Services for employees with disabilities.
  • Additional information:
    • City of Montreal’s accessible parking: view the accessible parking spots maintained by the City of Montreal. These parking spots require the SAAQ issued permit. This website also has information on how you can request an accessible parking spot near your place of work or residence.
    • On-campus accessible parking spots: view the Google map created by Parking Services

Accessible Transit

  • Montreal is regularly updating its public transit infrastructure’s accessibility, and there are several options to get around town:
  • Societe de transport de Montreal (STM): this is Montreal’s public transit authority, and manages Montreal’s main network of buses and metros. Their website has information on what metro stations and bus stops are wheelchair accessible, updates on elevator access to the metro stations, and other accessibility information.
  • The STM also has a Paratransit service. More information on eligibility, scheduling and fares are available on their site.
  • For information on on-campus Adapted transportation, see the section under Campus Life.

Accessible Housing in Montreal

Childcare for Children with Disabilities

Schooling for Children with Disabilities

Community Organizations

  • 211 Grand Montreal helps people find community and social resources. They operate a phone line and a webpage and offer keyword searches to help you find the organizations that fit what you and your family is looking for.
  • Association multiethnique pour l’intégration des personnes handicapées (AMEIPH). AMEIPH’s mission is to contribute to the development of the full potential and empowerment of people with disabilities from immigrant backgrounds and their families, by promoting their inclusion in the host society.
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