Earlier this month, Parks Canada and the Rick Hansen Foundation formalized a new partnership aimed at making Canada’s national parks and historic sites more accessible.
Ron Hallman, President and CEO of Parks Canada, and accessibility advocate Rick Hansen signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) outlining opportunities to collaborate on accessibility initiatives across the country. The agreement reinforces a shared commitment to ensuring Canadians of all abilities can experience the outdoors without barriers.
“This partnership reinforces our common goal of ensuring that everyone, regardless of ability, can fully enjoy the natural and cultural treasures that belong to all Canadians,” Hallman said.
Hansen, who became a household name through his 1985–87 Man in Motion World Tour, added, “By working together, we can break down barriers and open the door to more inclusive experiences in our parks and historic places.”
Local Connections: Glacier National Park
For Golden and Columbia Valley residents, the announcement has a direct link. Glacier National Park, just west of town, is home to the Hemlock Grove Boardwalk — one of Parks Canada’s most accessible trails and a living legacy of Hansen’s original tour.
In 1987, Hansen climbed the western approach to Rogers Pass in his wheelchair during the Man in Motion World Tour. Today, that determination is honoured in the Hemlock Grove Boardwalk, a short 350-metre barrier-free loop through a lush rainforest. Open during snow-free months, the boardwalk provides visitors of all abilities the chance to experience the sights, sounds, and scents of the Columbia Mountains up close.
The trail is a reminder that accessibility is not just a concept on paper, but a lived experience that allows everyone to connect with the land. With the new Parks Canada–Rick Hansen Foundation partnership, more initiatives like this could be on the horizon for other national parks.
More information about accessible activities at Parks Canada sites can be found at parks.canada.ca/accessibility. Details about the Rick Hansen Foundation are available at rickhansen.com.
