Hansen Says Canada Still Has Accessibility Gaps

Forty years after his 1985 world tour, Rick Hansen says barriers for people with disabilities persist across the country.

Updated on Nov. 5, 2026 in Special Needs

Wide empty concrete plaza with a gently sloped curb-cut ramp leading up to a stone civic step under overcast daylight, a quiet public space photographed at eye level. — Forty years after his 1985 world tour, Rick Hansen says accessibility barriers persist across Canada, as a documentary about his journey was screened on Parliament Hill. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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Rick Hansen said accessibility gaps remain in Canada 40 years after his historic tour. A screening of the documentary "Man In Motion: The Rick Hansen Story" took place on Parliament Hill on Wednesday.

Why it matters

The Accessible Canada Act, adopted in 2019, sets out a goal of making Canada barrier-free by 2040. Statistics show millions of Canadians live with disabilities, making the pace of change a concern for many households.

The 2022 Canadian Survey on Disability found 8 million Canadians, about 27 per cent of the population, had a disability. Hansen's 1985 tour covered more than 40,000 kilometres across 34 countries and raised $26 million, with then-prime minister Brian Mulroney contributing $1 million.

The players

Rick Hansen

Canadian athlete and disability advocate who led a 1985 world wheelchair tour that became a national symbol of inclusion.

Brian Mulroney

Former Canadian prime minister who contributed $1 million on behalf of Canadians to Hansen's 1985 tour.

The details

Hansen, who has won 19 wheelchair marathons and three Paralympic gold medals, began his 1985 world tour after a truck accident left him paralyzed from the waist down. The Parliament Hill screening marked the event alongside a celebration in Ottawa, where thousands gathered after he crossed from Hull, Quebec.

1985: Hansen begins his world tour promoting disability inclusion.
2019: The federal government adopts the Accessible Canada Act.
2022: The Canadian Survey on Disability releases its findings.
September 2026: The documentary premieres at the Toronto International Film Festival.
November 4, 2026: The documentary is screened on Parliament Hill.

Culture Shift

Hansen's 1985 Man In Motion tour helped shift national attention toward disability inclusion, and the 2019 Accessible Canada Act formalized that goal in law. The 2040 barrier-free target now frames how Canadians assess progress on that effort.

Canadians with disabilities face ongoing barriers in daily life, and the Accessible Canada Act's 2040 target sets a timeline for change. Readers planning public events or travel should expect uneven accessibility across communities.

The takeaway

Accessibility progress depends on sustained effort beyond landmark moments, and the 2040 target gives Canadians a measurable benchmark to track. Readers can follow federal reporting on the Accessible Canada Act to see how that goal is being met.