About
In 2018 a group of interested citizens came together to form the Canadian Adaptive Network (CAN). Based in the Elk Valley this society developed from individuals’ personal experiences with functional limitations . Their purpose was to increase awareness of what it’s like to live with disabilities and to contribute to changing perceptions and improving accessibility and inclusion.
One in seven Canadians has a disability and that number is expected to rise to one in five by 2036. This means that about two thousand citizens of the Elk Valley have a disability of some type. The Elk Valley is a great place to live but CAN believes it can make life even better by creating opportunities for people with disabilities to live to their full potential. CAN believes by achieving this, the Elk Valley could become known for its accessibility and inclusion. This would mean young people with disabilities can find jobs and participate in community life, seniors can safely get out and participate even during winter, and visitors and their families would be attracted to the Valley not only because of the recreational opportunities available for people with disabilities but because there are choices of places to stay, eat and socialize.
VISION
CAN is a catalyst for creation of an inclusive society where people with functional limitations have equal opportunity to participate in activities of their choosing and be defined by who they are, rather than by what they can or cannot do.
MISSION
Build a collaborative network for the coordination of services, creation of effective communication, reinforcement of existing organizations, and provision of a gateway for information regarding best practices, standards for adaptive design, and flexible and diverse programs and facilities aimed at achieving readily recognizable and measurable change.