There are many memorable ways to enjoy a visit to Alberta that meets your specific needs. Discover barrier-free attractions and restaurants in Alberta’s vibrant cities, or head outside and try adaptive hiking, mountain biking or skiing in the Canadian Rockies. Plan ahead to make the most of your visit and check with operators directly to ensure your specific accessibility needs will be met.
Accessible destinations, accommodations and adventures await across Alberta.
Experience the awe-inspiring world of accessible adventure with Ryan Straschnitzki as he tries out different adaptive sports in Alberta’s stunning landscapes.
Alberta’s three international airports provide an accessible experience for people of all ages and abilities. All three airports have recently partnered with the world-renowned Sunflower Program to help travellers who have a hidden disability. Check the airport’s accessibility services online before your trip.
Accessible transportation options to get around Alberta include taxis, Ubers, car rentals with adaptive driving devices, buses and public transit.
You’ll find comfortable and accessible accommodations throughout the province, whether you’re booking a hotel room or a stay through a vacation rental site. Check with operators directly before booking to ensure your accommodations will meet your specific needs.
Hopeful Paralympian and accessibility advocate Ryan Straschnitzki travels frequently as a public speaker, and his personal experiences have spurred him to become an accessibility advocate. The former Canadian junior hockey player became paralyzed from the chest down when a semi-truck hit the bus he was riding on with his team, the Humboldt Broncos.
Straschnitzki shares his tips and tricks for travelling comfortably in Alberta.
In Alberta, service dog teams have the right to go anywhere the public may go, including restaurants, hotels, stores, taxis, buses and other public areas. Dog teams must have a Service Dog ID card to ensure access to public places.
You need to display your valid parking placard for people with disabilities from your home province, territory or country. If you didn’t bring your placard with you, you can apply for a temporary placard to use during your stay in Alberta.
The Alberta Building Code was updated in 2014 to include a new section on barrier-free design. Some municipalities have their own standards for designing city-owned buildings that exceed the province-wide requirements. However, older buildings in Alberta may not meet the accessibility standards set in updated building codes. Call ahead to ensure your destination is accessible.
You can sign out sensory kits designed to make experiences more accessible and inviting at numerous attractions, including Calgary’s TELUS Spark, Edmonton’s TELUS World of Science (which also offers sensory-friendly IMAX film screenings), the Edmonton Valley Zoo and the Wilder Institute/Calgary Zoo. In Edmonton, the Royal Alberta Museum offers sensory kits and sensory maps and the Alberta Aviation Museum hosts occasional sensory nights. In Calgary, sensory kits are available at guest services for all Calgary Flames, Hitmen, Roughnecks and Stampeders games and events.
The Access 2 Card is a program managed by Easter Seals Canada that helps ensure entertainment, cultural and recreational opportunities are available and accessible to all. The card is for people of all ages and types of permanent disability who require the assistance of a support person. When an Access 2 Cardholder presents their valid card at a participating venue, their support person receives free admission and the cardholder pays regular admission. Buy your card and search the more than 60 participating venues across Alberta here.
