by: blair crawford
unmasked passengers are being allowed on para transpo buses, putting drivers and other riders at risk, many of whom are at immunocompromised and vulnerable to infection, says a former ontario human rights commissioner and regular user of the service.
elizabeth sorfleet said she began her own investigation after she shared a ride with an unmasked passenger last summer. the passenger had a developmental disability, so sorfleet didn’t say anything. but afterwards she asked the driver about it.
“when i asked the driver about people coming on who refuse to wear a mask and have no medical certificate exempting them, that opened a flood gate,” she said.
sorfleet began to survey other drivers about their experiences, eventually speaking to 32 of them.
“of the 32, 30 confirmed, ‘yes this is happening.’ and they said it was a daily occurrence, which is shocking.”
during her own ride with the unmasked passenger, “i felt uncomfortable, but my initial concern became magnified when i found out how common it was,” she said.
most para transpo users have disabilities and many are seniors at high risk of covid-19, she said. some are unvaccinated children, who either have disabilities of their own or who are riding with their parents.