Adapting a vehicle

Questions and answers

Adapting a private vehicle

On its website, Savaria answers frequently asked questions about adapting a private vehicle.

To view this page : click here.

Financial assistance and steps

Financial Assistance Programs

There are various financial assistance programs to help you adapt your vehicle. You will find information on this subject in our section Financial assistance.

Steps

If you are considering purchasing a new vehicle (new or used) with the goal of having it adapted, or if you are planning to apply for financial assistance from the SAAQ to adapt a vehicle, the following may be helpful.

Make sure your driver's license is in order

If your condition has changed since you renewed your licence and could have an impact on your driving (for example, if you have shoulder pain that reduces your ability to handle the steering wheel), you may want to update your licence before spending money on vehicle modifications. In fact, legally speaking, you are required to ensure that your medical condition has been declared. To do so, you will need to have your doctor (GP or physiatrist) complete the SAAQ medical evaluation form (form M-28). You may have to pay some costs.

Apply for financial assistance

The Société d'assurance automobile du Québec (SAAQ) is the place to apply for a subsidy to adapt your vehicle. Through the Vehicle Adaptation Program for the Disabled, the SAAQ can grant, a maximum of once every five yearsThis program provides financial assistance to people with disabilities who wish to have a private vehicle adapted to enable them to drive or access it.

To do so, you must contact the SAAQ (1-800-525-7719) to obtain more information and find out if you are eligible for the program. If you are, you must then complete the "Application for Financial Assistance for Vehicle Adaptation" form, which is available at the SAAQ (at the customer information service) or from certain occupational therapists. This form must be accompanied by a medical certificate confirming the diagnosis and the deficiencies.

The waiting list can be long, so it is in your best interest to apply early.

Evaluation of your ability to drive a motor vehicle.

Following receipt of the application form, the SAAQ's medical evaluation department may require another type of medical opinion, such as an eye test if it has been some time since you had one. In addition, you will need to have an occupational therapist assess your physical and mental ability to drive a road vehicle (form M-57). Make sure that the occupational therapist who does your evaluation is specialized in driving to avoid the SAAQ refusing the evaluation. The evaluation is free, unless it is done in a private clinic, but a fee may be charged for the road test.

If the examiner recommends that the person be allowed to drive a vehicle, the occupational therapist will indicate the modifications and equipment required and will complete his or her evaluation with other data (your abilities and disabilities, the mobility aids you use, your environment, etc.) to properly identify your needs. In most cases, the occupational therapist will be able to complete and forward the M-57 form to the SAAQ after the road test and indicate the modifications or equipment required for your driving.

The choice of equipment and vehicle

The SAAQ will confirm in writing the maximum amount you are entitled to based on the lowest price received between the bids of two suppliers. You will be able to have the required work done by presenting the letter of award to the supplier of your choice (which may be different from the suppliers who bid). Since there are differences in the equipment offered and not all suppliers have the same expertise in the different types of vehicles on the market, you are advised to visit several suppliers and ask questions.

While only modifications essential to your needs are covered by the Vehicle Retrofit Program for Persons with Disabilities, you may decide to request, at your own expense, additional modifications such as lowered floors, raised roofs and doors, platform elevators, ramps, hand controls, specialized seating, etc.

Please note that...

  • Not just any modifications can be made to any vehicle. The type of construction of the vehicle (unibody construction or body-on-frame) can have an impact on the modifications required. Therefore, do not purchase a new or used vehicle until you are sure that the modifications can be made.

  • Once you have received authorization from the SAAQ, you have only 12 months to have your vehicle adapted. After this time, you must submit a new application.

  • Be patient... and think ahead. By some accounts, an appointment with a specialized occupational therapist can take up to two years. Opting for the private sector is a way around this problem, but it will cost you between 300 $ and 500 $ which will not be reimbursed by the SAAQ, unless your disability is the result of a car accident. In addition, it can take up to 6 months to process a request to the SAAQ. Finally, the adaptation of the vehicle can take from three to eight weeks, depending on the importance of the modifications to be made.

Note: The information presented above comes from the former site of the Association des paraplégiques du Québec, now known as Moelle épinière et motricité Québec.

Retailers

There are several retailers who can perform vehicle adaptations; we present you with some of them here. We strongly encourage you to take the necessary steps to verify the competence of the supplier you choose and the competitiveness of its price with regard to the adaptations you wish to make to your vehicle.

Please note that the retailers presented here have not been selected according to criteria of competence or appreciation. This list, inspired by the one available on the laccompagnateur.orgThis is a partial list and is designed to give you a starting point for your research. We invite you to provide us with the contact information of other retailers or to let us know how you feel about the retailer you dealt with.

Center Auto De Duberger Inc.

Region: Quebec
Offers automotive maintenance and repair services. Has a division, TransQam, which specializes in the adaptation of vehicles for people with reduced mobility.

Address : 2957 Boul. Père Lelièvre, Québec (Québec) G1P 2X9.
Telephone: 418-683-4876
Website : http://centreautoduberger.com/

St-Lambert Auto Center

Region: Quebec
Vehicle adaptation for disabled people.

Address : 145, Damase-Breton, St-Lambert-de-Lauzon, Québec, G0S-2W0
Telephone: 418-889-0419 or 1-866-641-0419
Website : http://pages.infinit.net/centauto/

Autonomy Center

Region: Saguenay / Lac St-Jean
Adaptation of vehicles of all makes for motorists with various motor disabilities.

Address: 399 avenue de la Friche, Dolbeau-Mistassini, Quebec, G8L 2T3
Telephone: 1-418-276-8336 or 1-800-263-8337
Website : http://www.centreautonomie.com/

Eureka solutions

Region: Eastern Townships / Laurentians / Montreal.
Specialists in vehicle adaptation for wheelchair users and accessibility for people with reduced mobility (car adaptation, trucks, minivans, houses, access ramps, etc...).

Service centers: Sherbrooke, Montreal, Blainville, Ottawa.
Phone: 1-866-562-2555
Website : http://www.eurekasolution.com

François Pilon

Region: Montreal.
Technical assistance for adapted vehicles.
Phone: 1-888-996-6661

Handi-Service

Region: Montérégie
Equipment and products to support mobility. Vehicle adaptation, general mechanics, residential and commercial adaptation, and home maintenance services.

Address: 3640 Richelieu, St-Hubert, Quebec, J3Y 7B1
Telephone: 450-445-2222 or 1-877-654-2634
Website : http://www.handi-service.net

André Viger House

Region: Montreal
Offers a wide range of products: wheelchairs, scooters, four-wheelers, accessories, medical products, vehicle adaptation, etc.

Address: 6700 St-Denis Street, Montreal, Quebec, H2S 2S2
Telephone: 514-274-7560 or 1-800-363-6703
Website : http://www.andreviger.qc.ca/

TVR Technologies inc.

Region : Lanaudière
Specializes in the adaptation and modification of vehicles for people with reduced mobility and commercial vehicles.

Address: Richard Monette, 595 Lanaudière, Repentigny, Quebec J6A 7N1
Telephone: 450-582-2555 or 1-888-919-2555
Website : http://www.tvrtechnologies.com 

Savaria Vehicle Group

Region: All of Quebec
Savarin specializes in the adaptation of personal and commercial vehicles for people with reduced mobility in Canada.

Address: 4350 Highway 13 South, Laval, Quebec H7R 6E9
Telephone: 1-800-361-1725 or 1-800-668-8705 ext. 318
Website : http://www.savaria.com