When Lucy Goddard went shopping at her local No Frills in Preston last week, she left in tears after she says she wasn't offered the dignity of being properly accommodated for her disability.
"I've never gone through anything like this in my entire life," said Goddard. "Usually when something like this comes up it can be a teaching moment, but this was different."
Goddard suffers from a brain injury that makes it harder for her to process some information. Because of it, she's slower than other shoppers while scanning and bagging items in the self checkout lane.
But Goddard has the same routine every time she goes out and believes it reduces her impact on other patrons of the store. She says it's also safer for her service dog Sloan in the wider self checkout aisle.
Last week Goddard and Sloan tried to take her shopping cart with about 30 items through the self-checkout when she was met with resistance from one of the staff members.
"The cashier told me that I could not bring my cart in here and I explained that I have a service dog with me, I have a brain injury and we use the self checkout, because it's the only way I can really do this," she added.
After explaining this and becoming more anxious and overwhelmed, Goddard said she was told, "rules are rules" and she would have to move.
She asked to speak with a manager to further explain her case and the owner of the store, Ross Ware, stepped in to see what was going on.
According to Goddard, Ware was not budging on letting her use the self-checkout as she usually does and insisted that she pack up all her items and move to a cashier lane.
This is where Goddard started to become more symptomatic, losing the ability to speak properly and becoming completely overwhelmed.
"I was shaking, I was crying, my voice was wavering and I was having trouble finding words," she said. "As a business owner I don't understand how you can see a customer like this and think you are doing the right thing."
After this interaction, Goddard and her guide dog promptly left the store as she could not handle the situation, leaving her food and other items behind.
Ware did not respond to CambridgeToday's request for comment, but did publicly comment on Goddard's social media post.
"I am very sorry we made you feel this way and understand this situation was stressful for you. At No Frills, we take accommodation seriously and as discussed with you during this shopping trip with us, we most certainly can accommodate you however you needed at one of our regular tills if you are doing a full shop," Ware wrote.
He went on to say the self checkout lanes are meant for quick purchases of up to 16 items and that they will close down a specific lane to assist customers so they can take their time, an option Goddard maintains she was not offered.
City councillor and disability advocate, Sheri Roberts connected with Goddard and helped her understand her rights as a customer and the store's responsibility under the Accessibility for Ontarian's with Disabilities Act (AODA).
"I did encourage the resident to work with the business owner to let them know what sort of support she would need in order to shop independently in the future to prevent any sort of miscommunication or misunderstanding about what her needs are," Roberts said.
"Having not been there, I still think these circumstances are a teachable moment, because if she wasn't able to access goods and services in a way that took into account her disability and her needs, that's not allowed."
Roberts also points to the free training and information online about AODA rules and tips to help those with disabilities and business owners become as accommodating as possible.
Over the weekend, the store owners posted a second response on Facebook, saying their "dedicated staff take customer service, health and safety, and accessibility very seriously."
"We are proud to have a culture of inclusion, authenticity, and diversity. Our staff are trained, ready, and willing to help all of our customers, including any requests for accommodation."
Goddard hopes her story can be a teaching moment for Ware and his team, but has little hope after their online interaction made her feel like he was putting the blame on her.
"There needs to be change here." she said.
