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July 28, 2025
Travelling can be challenging at the best of times, but even more so if you use mobility aids such as a wheelchair or walker. And while planning ahead is important, it’s also great to know what to do if things go wrong during your travels! 🛬
The Canadian Transportation Agency (Canadian Transportation Agency) can help with any accessibility-related questions you may have. They cover all national public transportation such as ferries, busses and trains as well as international airplane travel. And should you find yourself needing assistance in another country it is best to contact their Canadian Embassy for support. 🍁
So what should you do if your transportation provider doesn’t return your mobility aid in the same shape as the beginning of your journey?
✈️Take photos of your aid before and after travel – this can help if you need to file a damage claim
✈️Complete a damage claim where you receive your mobility aid – at the plane, train, bus or ferry terminal – and give it to your transport provider before you leave the building
If your mobility aid is damaged beyond use, lost or not returned to you in a timely fashion, your carrier must:
🚋Reimburse you for any expenses incurred
🚋Provide you with a temporary aid that meets your needs
🚋Arrange a repair, provide a suitable replacement or reimburse the cost of your aid
You can also visit the Canadian Transportation Agency site for support through their claims resolution services.
July 23, 2025
🌞🍔 Thank you to everyone who joined us on Saturday for our Annual Members’ Barbecue! It was a beautiful day filled with good food, great company, and lots of laughter.
Special thanks to all the volunteers that helped make our barbecue possible.
And a HUGE shoutout to Member Services Coordinator Sherri Tucker (and her awesome summer students) for creating a fabulous back yard carnival for everyone to enjoy and for arranging all the many (many) other details that helped make this event one to remember!
Events like these remind us of the power of community and the joy of coming together in a space where everyone belongs.💙
June 2, 2025
Big thanks to everyone who participated in our National AccessAbility Week contest, and to those of you who liked and shared the entries!
Our contest winner is Kim Underhay, with her lovely painting and thoughtful words about EmpowerNL and Independent Living.
Congratulations Kim!
(We will be in touch.)
June 2, 2025
Today is Independent Living Across Canada Day!🍁
This day is about making sure people with disabilities have the same choices and freedom as everyone else—to live where we want, make our own decisions, and be part of our communities.
We believe in a world where everyone can take part. We work with people, businesses, and communities to help remove barriers and build a more inclusive and accessible Canada.
Let’s keep working together for equal rights, access, and independence for all.
May 31, 2025
🎉 As National AccessAbility Week comes to a close, we want to extend a heartfelt thank you to our incredible Members, supporters, volunteers, and community partners. Your passion, advocacy, and commitment to inclusion continue to move us forward every day. 💙
This week was all about celebrating accessibility, amplifying disabled voices, and recognizing the work still to be done—and none of it would be possible without YOU.
🎨 A special thank-you to our amazing staff member Abe for sharing his creativity and heart through this inspired painting of our Centre. Your art brought beauty and meaning to our celebration!
And to everyone who participated in our National AccessAbility Week Contest! Don’t forget: you can still vote for your favorite entry by giving it a LIKE on our Facebook or Instagram pages. Your vote helps highlight the creativity and talent in our community! The winner will be announced on the afternoon of Independent Living in Canada Day, Monday, June 2nd.
Let’s keep the momentum going beyond this week. Together, we’re building a world where everyone belongs.
May 30, 2025
The final submission for our National AccessAbility Week Contest comes from Stephanie Jack in the form of this heartfelt poem!
Don’t forget to vote by liking Stephanie’s post on our Facebook and Instagram pages!
Winner will be announced on the afternoon of Independent Living Across Canada Day, June 2nd.
May 29, 2025
Our next contest entry is from Kim Underhay, who created this bright and colorful painting, and says:
What National AccessAbility Week and Independent Living means to me:
“It means being able to enter a building, barrier free and feeling very welcome. All are welcome and no one is left out.”
● Blue zone parking, curb cuts, well lit entrances with automatic doors, with a marker of some sort to indicate you are entering another part of the building or another room.
● Wind chimes or peaceful pleasant music to welcome you as you come in.
● Accessible washrooms
● Every room is within reach and at eye level.
● Even the garden is accessible.
“A great escape into nature and the outdoors, with raised beds, beautiful flowers, a Let’s Talk Bench, a Memory Garden for quiet time and a rainbow picnic table to sit and have a lunch.”
Don’t forget to vote for this entry by liking Kim’s post on our Facebook and Instagram pages!
Winner will be announced on the afternoon of Independent Living in Canada Day, June 2nd.
May 28, 2025
The next entry in our National AccessAbility Week contest is Paul Morgan!
He says:
I am happy to have accessibility and inclusion in every day life for this year’s theme. The only thing we have to do is to educate people that we can do anything if we have the proper tools and supports to work with to carry out any task. So people can better understand our needs and help us achieve our goals in living a normal life.
Don’t forget to vote by liking Paul’s post on our Facebook and Instagram pages.
Winner will be announced on the afternoon of Independent Living in Canada Day, June 2nd.
May 27, 2025
Our second entry into our National AccessAbility Week contest comes from longtime member Amanda Howlett:
Why do I love EMPOWER, The Disability Resource Centre?
The reason why I love Empower, The Disability Resource Centre is friendship, happiness, adventure, acceptance regardless of how you look or where you came from.
If I could go back and tell the eighteen and half year old me I would tell her everything will be OK! You will make friends, you will enjoy the countless adventures you will go on and you will be amazing.
I love Empower. I love the pride I have when I say I’m a member of Empower or when I say I am a Board member at Empower or when I am at a restaurant and I snap a selfie with my group. I take great pride in leading the Lunch Club & Dinner Club.
Pre-covid I loved making phone calls for various peer support groups whether that be for dinner club or women’s group or men’s group or peers group or the membership events like the Barbecue or the Christmas dinner and dance.
I love how team Empower is so accepting and understanding.
I love everything about EMPOWER and I am glad I found this amazing organization nineteen years ago this SUMMER.
Happy National AccessAbility Week.
Don’t forget to vote by liking Amanda’s entry on our Facebook and Instagram pages.
Contest winner will be announce on the afternoon of Independent Living Across Canada Day, June 2nd.
May 26, 2025
It’s National AccessAbility Week and time for the first entry in our contest!
“Each member is woven together in our own big family, each color and design to make up who we are today. Every member of the disability community is very valuable and contributes greatly.”
Quote and quilt by: Beverley Simmons
To vote for this entry, like the post on our Facebook or Instagram pages.
Winner will be announced the afternoon of June 2nd, 2025 – Independent Living Across Canada Day!
