by Marc Phillippe Babineau

Created on: July 03, 2010

Canada, the home of the greatest amount of fresh water on the planet, as well as the longest undefended border in the world.  But, Canada is also known for it’s major amounts of free space, it’s thousands and thousands of lakes, rivers and streams that are just chock full of sport fish.  From mountains and wine valleys, dinosaur parks and permafrost walkabouts to picturesque scenery, Canada has it all.  In the far north, you can even find diamonds just sitting on the ground, if you know what to look for.  And, for the handicapped travelers, Canada is one of the most accessible countries around.

As a travel destination, Canada has a law that makes it illegal for any place that is meant for tourists, or for any business, store, bar, or other gathering places to be made handicapped accessible.  Many great fishing holes and bird sanctuaries have boardwalks built into them, so that the handicapped can have access to the same beautiful and wondrous sights and sporting events that handi-capable people can attend.

The entire country of Canada has the law that all events, national monuments and places of interest (tourist destinations) be accessible to the handicapped.  So, if there is something going on, like camping for the 4th of July, then you know that the campsite will have handicapped accessible showers and bathrooms.  There are statutes, however, that claim if a business does not meet certain criteria, then they can be excused, as long as they are willing to actually carry the handicapped person and their chair into, onto or through any barriers to their business.

Major concerts have stages built near the concert stage, so that the people in wheelchairs are not subject to looking at other people’s backs instead of the show that they paid the same amount of money as the handi-capable to see.  Places like Gros Morne National Park in Newfoundland, the Hopewell Rocks or Magnetic Hill in New Brunswick, the Winter Festival in Quebec city, Canada day events country-wide, or any event or popular site will be handicapped accessible.  Call ahead, and you will find that any hotels will go out of their way to accommodate your disability.

Many beaches have boardwalks built onto them so that people in wheelchairs can get to the water, or travel along the beach.  If there is no boardwalk at a very popular beach like Prince Edward Island’s (PEI’s) Cavendish Beach, then they may likely have wheelchairs that they rent out, very cheaply, that can travel in soft packed sand.  These chairs have large, 4x4 wheels, with motors that can easily power the chairs through a couple of feet of water, in soft sands, safely.

You will find that every major city, and every major landmark in Canada will be handicapped accessible.  Call Canada tourism, and find out what the location you are interested in visiting has in store for the handicapped.  You may just be pleasantly surprised.

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