A champion for accessibility and inclusion, Rick Hansen is a Canadian icon best known as the “Man In Motion” for undertaking an epic two-year circumnavigation around the world in his wheelchair. Rick is also a four-time world champion, nine-time Pan Am gold medalist, and three-time Paralympic gold medalist. He is currently the Founder and CEO of the Rick Hansen Foundation, an organization committed to creating a world without barriers for people with disabilities.

The B.C. provincial government declared May 28, 2018 as Rick Hansen Day in honour of Rick’s contribution to the province and country. They also announced a $10-million grant to the Rick Hansen Foundation to continue their work in creating more accessible and inclusive communities.

From an article via Global News:

 “Rick is not only going to continue to raise awareness, but provide practical solutions to removing barriers,” said [Premier John] Horgan on the front steps of the B.C. legislature. “To make certifications not just for elder buildings like this, but new buildings across B.C. and across Canada.”

…

“We can’t stop now, we have to accelerate the pace and the only way we can do that is to see leadership take place,” said Hansen. “One of the challenges on dealing with disability is there is a lot of fragmentation and we want to bring those communities together.”

The B.C. government has also named May 27 to June 2, 2018 as AccessAbility Week. Read the whole article here.