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Kayaking on Okanagan Lake, Services provided by CRIS Adaptive Adventures

How BC Invokes the Invictus Spirit

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Okanagan Lake | Matt Ferguson

The feeling you get when you engage in sport—whether it’s the thrill of carving powder turns or the mental and physical health benefits of moving through a peaceful forest—is available to all in British Columbia, a province that embraces accessibility and inclusion. BC’s abundance of mountain resorts and recreational trails make it a top outdoor playground, and a natural choice to host the first winter edition of the Invictus Games in February 2025.

Over nine days, some 500 veterans and active service members will compete in sporting events in Vancouver and Whistler to help them overcome physical and mental injuries while they forge friendships and build self-esteem. Visitors to BC can attend the opening and closing ceremonies, and exciting events including alpine skiing and snowboarding, biathlon, Nordic skiing, wheelchair curling, and indoor rowing (pending availability). They can also participate in sport or the rush of spending time in British Columbia’s nature firsthand, while enjoying the physical and mental health benefits of being outdoors, no matter their ability.

Big White | Matt Ferguson

“Accessibility is definitely a focus across the province of BC, in all of the regions,” says Sonja Gaudet, triple Paralympic Winter Games champion, Curling Hall of Fame member, and regional access and inclusion liaison for the Thompson Okanagan Tourism Association. 

Many of BC’s mountain resorts offer adaptive programming that removes barriers to participation in sports like alpine skiing, while adaptive companies fill in the gaps by renting adaptive equipment, and offering supported programs for activities like hiking, mountain biking, and kayaking. Immersion in nature is also possible thanks to kilometres of accessible and low-mobility trails that span the province. In between activities, travellers will find accessible hotels, restaurants, and attractions.

Here are some ideas for adaptive adventures in BC.

Wheelchair user boarding a seaplane
Seair Seaplanes

Experience Outdoor Adventures in Vancouver, Squamish, and Whistler

From flightseeing tours with Seair and gondola rides to the top of Grouse Mountain, to accessible thermal spa therapies on Bowen Island, the Vancouver, Coast & Mountains region—which stretches up the Sea-to-Sky Highway to Whistler—offers inclusive experiences for travellers with physical and cognitive limitations. 

“In BC the access to sport is incredible, so it’s only natural that adaptive sports follow closely,” says Alex Cairns, a para-alpine athlete who sit-skis and is also on the board of the Squamish Off-Road Cycling Association, which offers adaptive mountain biking. “I love it here and being able to play here is totally feasible.” 

Like the Invictus Games, organizations in the region support sport for life by breaking down barriers to participation. Whistler Adaptive Sports Program, where Cairns learned how to sit-ski, introduces those with physical or cognitive disabilities to a range of outdoor sports including alpine skiing and snowboarding, hiking, and kayaking. The volunteer-run adventure provider “adapts the playground” with specialized equipment and with instructors who are trained to support participants as they learn a new sport.

Two people, one in a wheelchair, sit at a wooden table eating bowls of food with drinks on the table.
Biblio Taco in Cumberland | Comox Valley/Jordan Dyck

Find Accessible Beaches, Attractions, and Tours on Vancouver Island

Vancouver Island recently launched a series of online accessible travel guides for 17 communities created by travellers with disabilities (both visible and hidden). Visitors can now find iconic and inclusive adventures and attractions in popular Vancouver Island destinations including Victoria, Parksville and Qualicum Beach, and Tofino and Ucluelet.

In Victoria, for example, travellers can board an accessible vessel with Eagle Wing Tours to go whale watching, or discover a number of accessible parks and pathways around town. In Parksville and Qualicum Beach, roll along the Qualicum Waterfront Walkway, or right out onto the beach in Parksville thanks to Mobi-mats that stretch across the sand and provide a stable surface for wheelchairs. And in Tofino, join an accessible bear-watching tour with West Coast Aquatic Safaris, or sign up for an adaptive surf lesson. 

Hike, Bike, or Kayak Near Kelowna

With accessible beaches, restaurants, and wineries, plus kilometres of wheelchair-friendly pathways including the Okanagan Rail Trail and Mission Creek Greenway, Kelowna—located on the shore of scenic Okanagan Lake—is one of BC’s most inclusive cities.

“Kelowna is by far one of the more accessible cities across the province. We have a large community of active wheelchair users who have chosen to live in Kelowna for that reason,” says Gaudet. “We have great access to outdoor adventures and equipment providers in the Okanagan as a whole.”

One such organization is CRIS Adaptive, an adventure company that provides adaptive equipment rentals like recumbent trikes, TrailRiders (a single-tire, all-terrain wheelchair for hiking), and “pulk” sleds, so travellers who need extra support can experience cycling, hiking, and cross-country skiing. The organization also leads supported adventures such as kayaking with pontoons for better stability, or snowshoeing using poles for extra balance.

Mt. Abriel Mountain Biking Trails | Kootenay Rockies Tourism/Mitch Winton

Try Adaptive Mountain Biking in the Kootenay Rockies

BC’s accessible trails not only include flat pathways for wheelchairs, but accessible mountain bike trails that can accommodate adaptive bikes. These trails are wider than typical single track, with firm, stable surfaces, corners that can accommodate larger and heavier adaptive equipment, longer spacing between rollers, and berms where the exit is always lower than the entry.

A great place to get started is on the network of adaptive trails at Mt. Abriel in Nakusp, a small town in the West Kootenays. You can rent an adaptive bike such as a recumbent three- or four-wheel ride with e-assist, from the Kootenay Adaptive Sport Association. The company also offers instruction and guiding services, to get you started if you’re new to the sport.

A bear in the Great Bear Rainforest
Great Bear Rainforest | William Drumm

Explore the Cariboo’s Gold Rush Trail, Chilcotin Plateau, and Great Bear Rainforest on Low-Mobility Trails

Wind through ancient rainforests and along meandering rivers on low-mobility trails in the Cariboo Chilcotin. These hard-packed, low-grade pathways are navigable with a wheelchair or rolling walker, and enable travellers with physical disabilities to immerse in the region’s natural wonders and cultural treasures.

History is for everyone along the Gold Rush Trail at sites like Cottonwood House Historic Site and at Quesnelle Forks, a gold rush ghost town with accessible trails, picnic tables, and outhouses. On the Chilcotin Plateau, wheel past sacred Indigenous petroglyphs at Churn Creek Gateway, picturesque scenery along the shores of Tatlayoko Lake, and check out spectacular views of thundering Hotnarko Falls. 

Wildlife is also within reach thanks to the accessible Belarko bear-viewing platform in Tweedsmuir Provincial Park, and the Saloompt Interpretive Trail along the Bella Coola River, with opportunities for salmon (and eagle) watching during the annual salmon run. 

Fish For Salmon or Trout in Northern BC

Boats can be challenging for individuals with a physical disability—just getting down to the dock and onto a rocking vessel poses safety risks. That’s why it was important for Jerry and Reagan Daoust, owners of Reel North Adventures, to design and launch an accessible boat for their guided fishing adventures.

With ample floor space and a stable, flat bottom, the 20-foot boat accommodates two wheelchairs and four other adults, with room for trolling, casting, or fly fishing—and for reeling in the catch, of course. 

“It’s a huge step towards accessibility in the north,” says wheelchair user Pat Harris, who spent a day on the water with Reel North Adventures. “Being able to participate in fishing like that was great.”

Back on solid ground, Northern BC offers a number of accessible trails including the Universal Access Trail in Chun T’oh Whudujut Provincial Park/Ancient Forest, BC’s newest park; a trail through giant cedars in Exchamsiks River Provincial Park near Terrace; and the Misty Meadows Trail in Naikoon Provincial Park on Haida Gwaii.

BC offers many ways for everyone to connect with nature and sport, and proves that no matter your ability, the province’s inclusive spirit opens the great outdoors to all.

Grouse Mountain Resort

Accessible Travel Tips

  • Give adaptive sports programs plenty of notice as they are volunteer-run organizations;
  • Call ahead to accommodations to ensure they are set up for your needs;
  • Download and use the Access Now app to find travel reviews from people with disabilities; 
  • Check out the Spinal Cord BC database for helpful information on accessibility; 
  • Visit your destination’s accessibility pages to learn more;
  • If you’d like to give back, donate to an adaptive organization or ask how you can help.

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