Most British Columbians are familiar with how to deal with bad customer service — complain, take their business elsewhere, write an honest, negative review.
But people in B.C. who use wheelchairs say they’ve faced years of bad communication, and slow and inadequate repairs, without being able to access any of the usual remedies.
While they wait, people told The Tyee, they are often stuck at home or even in bed, which prevents them from going to work or looking after their families, and can even put them at risk of injury or infection.
For this series The Tyee sat down with people who use wheelchairs to hear about their experiences; with a local business owner to hear what challenges his company faces; with an academic who has tried to work on solutions for decades across Canada; with mechanics who help fix mobility devices; and with advocates who are all too familiar with these problems.
Part 1 of these series details the problems, and Part 2 looks at what can be done to fix them.
In This Series
Why Is It So Hard to Fix a Wheelchair in BC?
Disabled people say companies are struggling to service their equipment, which can trap them in bed or at home.
How to Speed Up Wheelchair Repairs
Systemic changes are needed from government and industry, experts say. In the meantime, users are turning to DIY.