Peggy ' s Cove accessible viewing path
Putting people first : creating accessible tourist attractions in Canada
By Katie Kirker , Rick Hansen Foundation
Canada is home to many world-renowned tourist attractions which helped draw 22.1 million visitors to our country in 2019 . Yet with 1 in 5 Canadians , and over 1 billion people worldwide identifying as having a disability , ensuring these tourist destinations are accessible is essential to allowing everyone to participate fully in these experiences .
At this year ' s Accessibility Professional Network conference , # APN2023 : Building Together presented by Royal Bank of Canada , representatives of tourist destinations came together to discuss the need of ensuring our tourist attractions are accessible . The panelists included : Peter George , Chief Operating Officer at CN Tower ; Omer Dagan , Business Development Sr . Analyst of Whistler Blackcomb ; and Matt Neville , Principal Planner at Build Nova Scotia . The panelists discussed how putting people first creates greater inclusion at their three destinations across Canada .
Whistler- Blackcomb One of Whistler-Blackcomb ' s values is inclusiveness . “ It is why we are prioritizing opportunities for everyone to experience these incredible environments ,” Dagan said .
There are challenges involved in creating accessible experiences on a mountain landscape , but they have not let that stop them . Whistler-Blackcomb has seen success in one area in particular : adaptive mountain biking . Whistler-Blackcomb is home to the first bike park with lift access and hosts the largest bike festival in the world . Ensuring everyone has access to the sport is important to Whistler-Blackcomb . One way to improve access of the trails was to think about how those on an adaptive bike use the environment . Through continuous consultation with the community , advocates and
8 Accessibilty for All
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