The City of Ottawa plans to reserve parking spots for pregnant women at OC Transpo park and ride locations after a woman complained she should not have to treat her pregnancy as a disability.

Natalie Leclair, who is eight months pregnant, told CBC News she recently contacted the transit service to ask about parking accommodations for pregnant women and was told to apply for an accessible parking pass meant for those with physical disabilities.

"It is embarrassing because it isn't a handicap," Leclair said.

Hours after CBC News contacted OC Transpo about its parking policy, an official with the transit service said that pregnant parking signs will be installed at all the city's park and ride locations.

"It's a good idea to do because it shows all of our customers that we care about them and that we'll find ways to make their travel to work or to school or to wherever they're going as easy as we can make it," said OC Transpo's Pat Scrimgeour.

There is no timeline for the plan yet, he said.

Leclair said she's pleased with the plan.

"I'm very surprised. I never expected it to happen so quickly. So we'll see if everything follows through," she said.

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