Despite the efforts of recent years, there is still a lot of work to be done to improve accessibility for people with disabilities, recalled stakeholders at the start of the Quebec week of people with disabilities.

Daniel Mailhot is one of 13,000 people with disabilities in Drummondville. He is also the director of the Drummondville Disabled Persons Association. Having fallen ill at the age of 37, he is aware of the magnitude of the challenge of getting around in a wheelchair.

Even if some merchants make efforts to make their building more accessible, it is not always easy to be up to standard.

"Here they made an effort [by installing a ramp], but I couldn't climb it alone... I would need help, but at least I have access to this business", gave as an example Daniel Mailhot, speaking of an initiative by a merchant who installed a ramp to gain access to his business.

Organizations such as the pediatric early childhood center Les petits bonheurs in Drummondville are making efforts to make life easier for people with disabilities. The organization added a ramp of a few meters in order to make the existing stairs useful, but not essential, to enter the interior of the organization.

The organization received a government grant covering 75% of the construction costs, up to a maximum of $15,000 to build the structure.

Drummondville is celebrating the 14th year of its universal accessibility policy this year.