Jamie Coleman was among the first to travel under new exemptions for Hullo Ferries from Transport Canada, allowing wheelchair-bound passengers to remain in their chairs instead of being transferred. (Jordan Davidson/NanaimoNewsNOW)

By NanaimoNewsNOW Staff

rolling on board

Hullo Ferries receives eased wheelchair exception

Oct 11, 2024 | 12:32 PM

NANAIMO — Those with accessibility challenges hoping to connect between the Harbour City and downtown Vancouver can do so a little more comfortably.

Transport Canada granted an exemption to Hullo Ferries in September, to allow them to transport wheelchair-bound passengers and have them remain in their chairs for the duration of the trip, rather than having to be transferred to a seat on the ship.

Xander France, Hullo’s director of sales and marketing, told NanaimoNewsNOW they and a number of lobbying groups made an application to override the rules which stated passengers had to be in a seat bolted to the ship itself.

“[We had to prove] that our system is all safety and reliability and regulatory standards and [passengers staying in their wheelchairs is] just as safe, if not more safe, than moving into our seats.”

France added there are four spaces on board designated for wheelchair users, with one spot customized with the appropriate clips and tie-downs to ensure passenger safety. The other three require the user to move into a Hullo seat.

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Jamie Coleman was among the first to travel on board a Hullo boat under the new rules, heading to Vancouver to watch his beloved Philadelphia Flyers take on the Vancouver Canucks on Friday, Oct. 11.

The 45-year-old from Duncan was injured in a car accident when he was 20, breaking his neck and becoming a C5/C6 quadriplegic.

Jamie Coleman broke his neck in a car accident when he was 20, and faced challenging trips on Hullo Ferries due to Transport Canada rules. (Jordan Davidson/NanaimoNewsNOW)

Coleman said he’d travelled on board Hullo a few times.

“I came with my wife, we went to the Pearl Jam concert…and they asked me to get out of my chair and go into a regular seat which was a surprise to me and it’s not something I can do on my own.”

He said he’s infinitely safer in his own chair compared to a standard Hullo seat.

“In their chair I can flop around, I have no stomach or chest muscles…from my collar bone I’m like a wet noodle flopping around. It’s safer and a lot more comfortable.”

He called the process of being transferred into chairs on various forms of transportation “embarrassing” and is thrilled with the change.

Part of his campaign involved letter writing to Transport Canada and the federal government, backed by speeches in Parliament from Cowichan-Malahat-Langford MP Alastair MacGregor, as well as in the Legislature by BC Green Party leader Sonia Furstenau.

“I was talking to Hullo, the Ministry of Transport, for the last six months I’ve been writing letters, filed a human rights complaint, did some things to try and get to this point so I’m pretty happy they’re making it pretty easy for everybody.”

Coleman said he is able to stay in his chair while travelling on BC Ferries or most other forms of transportation.

The Hullo Fast Ferry Service launched at the tail end of summer 2023. (File photo/NanaimoNewsNOW)

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