We know British Columbia is beautiful. Together, we are making it accessible. This year’s National AccessAbility Week (May 25–31) invites us to move “Breaking barriers together: Paving the way for an inclusive future.” It’s a powerful reminder that a barrier-free Canada is only possible when we all work collectively to make it happen.
At Spinal Cord Injury BC (SCI BC), we’re proud to collaborate with a growing network of tourism leaders across the province who are doing just that. Through our Access BC program, we champion inclusive outdoor recreation and tourism by putting universal design, access and inclusion into practice.
To mark National AccessAbility Week, we’re shining a spotlight on just a few of the organizations helping to make BC a more welcoming place for everyone. There’s a lot to celebrate, and we’re grateful to be moving forward together.
Read on to learn more about the inspiring work our partners are doing.
Tourism Industry Association of BC
The Tourism Industry Association of BC (TIABC)’s Vision is for the tourism industry to be recognized as one of British Columbia’s leading and sustainable industries. As the primary advocate for BC’s visitor economy, TIABC unites operators, sectors, DMOs, government and residents to support and be passionate about making this province a great place for tourism.
SCI BC BC appreciates TIABC’s partnership and continued efforts to advocate for accessibility and inclusion. Their commitment to prioritizing accessibility and inclusion will make for a more sustainable tourism industry.
Jody Wall Photography
Jody Wall is proving that accessibility belongs everywhere—including online. His 3D virtual tours help people preview spaces, reduce anxiety and plan with confidence. Jody’s work shows how virtual access leads to real-world freedom.
Click here to visit Jody’s new website.
SCI BC has worked with Jody Wall to create accessibility-focused Google virtual tours, including:
- Great West Life Mobility Trail in Prince George (in partnership with Northern BC Tourism Association/Tourism Prince George)
- Turtle Valley Donkey Refuge (in partnership with the Thompson Okanagan Tourism Association)
- Tsawaak RV Resort in Tofino (in partnership with 4VI/Tourism Tofino)
- Mackenzie Beach in Tofino (in partnership with 4VI/Tourism Tofino)
“Accessibility is not a niche—it’s a fundamental part of creating inclusive and engaging virtual experiences. With immersive, interactive tours, everyone can explore your space—no matter their mobility, sensory or physical requirements. The beauty of a space should be accessible to all. These tours break down barriers and open doors, allowing individuals to explore environments in ways that work for them. Whether it’s previewing entryways, locating accessible washrooms, or reducing the stress of the unknown—virtual access brings real-world freedom. Everyone benefits from accessibility. Businesses that prioritize inclusive design build trust, expand their reach and demonstrate leadership in creating equitable spaces. These tours don’t just inform—they empower. Highlight your commitment to inclusion and help every visitor feel seen, supported and ready to connect—with confidence.”
BC Lodging and Campgrounds Association
Did you know: June is Canadian RVing and Camping Month! The BC Lodging and Campgrounds Association represents the interests of independently owned and operated lodging, campgrounds, and RV parks and works for the betterment of these sectors of the tourism industry. The Association is a member of the Canadian Camping and RV Association, the national advocacy voice of campgrounds/RV parks across Canada.
Stay tuned for a special accessibility feature in the Travel BC blog in early June.
Thompson Okanagan Tourism Association
The Thompson Okanagan Tourism Association (TOTA) an industry-led, not-for-profit organization, governed by an elected Board of Directors, who represent and support business and community tourism interests throughout the Thompson Okanagan region.
They are committed to creating a strong and healthy tourism economy whilst minimizing the impact on our natural and cultural resources by promoting sustainable business practices and responsible travel.
“For the past seven years, the Thompson Okanagan Tourism Association and Spinal Cord Injury BC have worked hand in hand to champion accessibility across our region. This meaningful partnership continue to drive lasting change, empowering the tourism industry to be more inclusive, welcoming and accessible to all. Together, we are proud to be building a destination where everyone can explore and experience the Thompson without barriers."
4VI Social Enterprise Group
4VI Group is a purpose-driven organization reimagining tourism to serve communities, businesses and the environment. Using our social enterprise model, we partner with clients to deliver tailored solutions that balance economic growth with community and ecological well-being to build thriving, responsible destinations.
"Accessible tourism isn't just about ramps or grab bars; it's about ensuring everyone has the opportunity to experience the beauty and wonder of a destination. It's about inclusive planning that considers diverse needs from the outset, fostering a welcoming environment for all visitors. The accessible travel guides developed by 4TVI and our community partners are a commendable step forward. They were created through collaborative work, informed by those with lived experience, and provide valuable resources that push for a more equitable and enjoyable tourism landscape."
Tourism Tofino
Tourism Tofino welcomes all visitors to experience the breathtaking beauty of the forests and beaches, and the West Coast culture brought to life by the arts and culinary scene throughout the town.
They are working towards providing detailed accessibility and inclusion information to make trip planning easier for people with diverse needs. Accessibility attributes including mobility needs, visual and/or hearing requirements and cognitive or sensory abilities, can be found on the individual business listings.
They work in partnership with over 300 businesses and not-for-profits, the Tofino-Long Beach Chamber of Commerce, Tla-o-qui-aht Tribal Parks, the District of Tofino, the Maaqutusiis Hahoulthee Stewardship Society (MHSS),and the provincial and national Destination Marketing Organizations, respectively Destination BC and Destination Canada.
Tsawaak RV Resort & Campground
Adventure awaits! Welcome to your laid-back outdoor haven, the Tsawaak RV Resort & Campground. Proudly located on Tla-O-Qui-Aht land, the resort offers accessible facilities and campsites a short distance from the beach.
Best Western Plus Tin Wis Resort
Right next door to Tsawaak RV Resort & Campground, this full-service hotel is owned by the Tla-o-qui-aht First Nation. Experience the pristine beaches and amazing wildlife of Pacific Rim National Park while staying at the oceanfront Best Western Plus Tin Wis Resort!
Seair Seaplanes
Seair is committed to making seaplane travel easily accessible for all guests. Whether using a wheelchair, or a cane or require an escort to & from the plane, Seair will make best efforts to provide seamless travel.
In fact, Seair is the first seaplane company to offer passengers a wheelchair lift service, to allow for safe entry and exit into our seaplanes and with minimal assistance. The wheelchair lift is available at their Nanaimo and Richmond/YVR locations, with more locations to follow.
In addition to their complimentary wheelchair lift, Seair also has aircraft boarding ramps and wheelchair service available at their 3 main seaplane terminal locations. They encourage any guests with mobility concerns to speak to one of they agents for more information on how they can assist with your seaplane travel.
Hullo Ferries
Hullo Ferries is more than just a fast-ferry service- they’re a collective of people operating with positivity and innovation to effectively enhance the way people travel in British Columbia. Their goal is to connect communities in ways it hasn’t been done before. This is just the start.
The SCI BC community helped advocate for improved wheelchair accessibility aboard this new ferry service. Hullo Ferries offers fast, convenient ferry travel between downtown Vancouver & Nanaimo. Check out 3 ways to travel with ease on their website.
Featured Article: Smooth Sailing: Hullo Ferries’ Accessibility Journey
Northern BC Tourism Association
Northern BC Tourism Association is a strong accessibility advocate, marking Global Accessibility Awareness Day, National AccessAbility Week and Red Shirt Day with a commitment to barrier-free tourism. Lori Slater, SCI BC and NBTA Access & Inclusion Liaison works directly with businesses to spread awareness and build capacity for inclusive travel.
Looking for funding for your accessibility project? NBTA encourages you to visit the BC Accessibility HUB, a great resource that provides an overview of organizations and programs that currently provide funding or have provided funding for past accessibility initiatives.
Tourism Prince George
Operating on the traditional territory of the Lheidli T’enneh First Nation, Tourism Prince George exists to attract visitors, increase their length of stay, encourage them to share their amazing experiences with the world and, ultimately, increase the direct and indirect economic benefits to Prince George and the surrounding Northern Region.
Tourism Prince George hosted Heather Lamb, SCI BC’s InfoLine Services Lead and Information Resource Specialist for a special podcast episode (Episode 12) on accessible tourism. Tourism Prince George has been a longtime advocate and partner, and instrumental in the development of the Access BC program.
University of Northern British Columbia
Mark Groulx is a longtime partner and project collaborator with SCI BC. His passion for accessibility and inclusion extends to the classroom, where his leadership and groundbreaking research in this field has inspired his students to take this knowledge into their communities.
Mark is an Associate Professor in UNBC’s School of Planning and Sustainability and a Registered Professional Planner. Mark’s research focuses broadly on sustainable and resilient communities, and specifically on the importance of community engagement and placemaking in effective collaborative planning. Inspired by the creativity and careful craft of place makers of all types, Mark explores how communities are tapping into local knowledge and values to ensure that planning and design for inclusive and resilient communities is person-centered.
Mark is currently working on projects examining community-based approaches to low-carbon resilience, and is leading the SSHRC funded Nature for All project. The Nature for All project includes a diverse network of academic, tourism sector, not for profit, and government partners collaborating in the development and use of new tools to document accessibility in nature-based tourism and recreation spaces. The project supports an evidence-based approach to promoting inclusive experiences across BC’s nature continuum through barrier-free design.
Reel North Adventures
Reel North Adventures is a guide fishing business that offers fishing trips around Terrace and Prince George. At the 2025 BC Tourism Industry Awards, they received the Inclusive and Accessible Tourism Experience award.
With Access BC’s support, owner Jerry Daoust launched a 20-foot accessible flat bottom boat with a custom boarding ramp. Daoust told the Northern BC Tourism Association that the boat, “allow[s] our guests to get up onto the casting deck safely and experience multiple methods of fishing from trolling, casting, fly fishing, jigging and more.” Peer Pat Harris says, “This was a fantastic experience with Jerry, our gracious host. Not many outdoor adventure companies provide the level of accessibility as Reel North Adventures. You will catch fish!” The next project to tackle? Renovating cabins to make overnight stays just as accessible.
Tse’K’wa Heritage Society
Je aa haanach’e / Welcome to Tse’K’wa
Tse’K’wa is a Chqde Wuujo—a good place—to gather, preserve and celebrate Dane-ẕaa language, culture and heritage. A place where old stories and new teachings meet.
Tse’K’wa Heritage Society strives to create an inclusive and accessible site to ensure everyone feels welcome. The interpretive trail is appropriate for low-mobility visitors and mobility device users with assistance.
Featured Article: Accessibility Update: Tse’K’wa National Historic Site
Cariboo Chilcotin Coast Tourism Association
Cariboo Chilcotin Coast Tourism is a non-profit, stakeholder-based Regional Destination Management Organization that leads tourism in development and marketing in conjunction with the Ministry of Tourism, Arts & Culture, Destination British Columbia, Destination Canada and industry partners in the Cariboo Chilcotin Coast Region to help foster responsible growth of tourism and empowering a resilient visitor economy.
They continue to work tirelessly, through a holistic lens that values accessibility and inclusion, to create adventures in a “Land Without Limits”!
Kootenay Rockies Tourism Association
The Kootenay Rockies Tourism Association (KRTA) has operated since 1978 and represents over 850 tourism businesses and operators. This includes resorts, accommodation properties, wellness retreats, golf, ski, adventure, communities, retail, food & beverage, transportation, arts & culture and attractions.
The Kootenay Rockies region is known as ‘BC’s Mountain Playground’. And, each community has its own story to tell. Along your journey, you will see beautiful mountainous landscapes, meet warm friendly people and discover epic outdoor adventures. The travel website www.KootenayRockies.com showcases everything there is to see and do in the Kootenay Rockies.
Check out HelloBC.com, the travel website for British Columbia and the accommodation and attraction listings, to find your next more adventures. This website has a myriad of information and virtual tours of trails around the region to help you find authentic, natural experiences.
“National AccessAbility Week provides an opportunity to highlight the valuable contributions of people with disabilities and the work organizations such as SCI BC with support from KRTA are doing to remove barriers. Our region continues to make strides in increasing the information available on accessible experiences and accommodation. Approximately 1 in 5 Canadians over the age of 15 have a disability and 88% of people with a disability take a holiday every year. We want them to feel welcomed in our region from the trip planning stage to the in-destination experience."
Rocky Mountaineer
Rocky Mountaineer offers luxury train journeys through Western Canada and the American Southwest. Their world-renowned train travels by daylight and is the best way to experience some of the most spectacular scenery North America has to offer.
With an accessibility plan in place, they are committed to ensuring accessible and inclusive environments for guests and team members. Rocky Mountaineer’s commitment to accessibility is reflected in their organizational values and demonstrated in their efforts as an equal opportunity employer and their attention to the mobility and accessibility needs of guests. While they have put measures in place over the years to remove barriers within our guest experience and in the workplace, they recognize that advancing accessibility requires continuous reflection, review and improvement.
Vancouver, Coast, & Mountains
Destination British Columbia (Destination BC) is a Provincially funded, industry-led Crown corporation that supports a strong and competitive future for BC’s tourism industry through a combination of global marketing, destination development, industry learning, cooperative community-based programs, and visitor servicing. Destination BC’s programs help to improve the visitor experience, support businesses and communities across the province, and strengthen BC’s worldwide reputation as a destination of choice.
As part of Destination BC, Vancouver, Coast, & Mountains cover four areas: the Fraser Valley, Metro Vancouver, the Sea-to-Sky Corridor and Sunshine Coast.
“During National AccessAbility Week, we’re proud to recognize the important work of our partners at Spinal Cord Injury BC. We’re seeing real progress in making tourism experiences across the Vancouver, Coast & Mountains region more inclusive and accessible to all. Spinal Cord Injury BC works directly with hotels, attractions, Visitor Centres, and experience providers to assess accessibility features—information that is then shared on HelloBC.com to help travellers plan with confidence. This valuable support is offered at no cost to businesses. We’re deeply grateful for the expertise and dedication of the Spinal Cord Injury BC team. With growing interest among tourism partners to create more inclusive experiences, we invite businesses across the region to connect with us and learn how to enhance accessibility in meaningful ways.”
Vancouver Aquarium
At its core, the Vancouver Aquarium is dedicated to creating unforgettable aquatic adventures for every single one of their valued guests. This includes enhancing accessibility and fostering an inclusive environment. The Vancouver Aquarium is located on the traditional lands of the Coast Salish peoples, and has taken significant measures to support neurodiverse guests. Their dedicated staff and volunteers have undergone comprehensive training to effectively assist individuals with diverse neurological backgrounds.
We’re inspired every day by the people, projects and passion across BC’s tourism sector. Thank you to all our partners for believing in a more accessible future and for the work you’re doing to make it real. Let’s keep moving forward, together.
Happy National AccessAbility Week from all of us at SCI BC and Access BC!
