Programs & Services - Easter Seals Canada
  • Trainee at Easter Seals New Leaf Employment Program in Halifax

PROGRAMS & SERVICES

The following is a general list of Easter Seals programs and services across the country. Please note however that the specific menu of programs and services offered by the Easter Seals organization  in each province may differ.

To learn more about the programs and services available in your province, we invite you to  check out the website for the Easter Seals organization in your province.

Programs or services with an asterisk (*) are are primarily offered by Easter Seals provincial organizations and differ from province to province. Not all programs are available across Canada.

Assistive & Adaptive Technology | Education & Training |  Sports, Recreation & Leisure |  Rehabilitative & Occupational Therapy

Residential & Respite |  Camps |  Access 2 Card |  Disability Travel Card

Easter Seals Camps: Day, Overnight & Online

Every year, more than 6,000 kids living with disabilities attend one of 14 specialized accessible day and/or overnight Easter Seals camps across Canada.

At camp, every child—no matter their disability—receives the encouragement and support they need to challenge themselves, build confidence and make the most of their abilities.

Camp is a special place where kids can just be themselves and focus on their abilities…not their disabilities. Camp is a place where everything is accessible and there are no boundaries, no barriers, no limits to what they can achieve.  Camp provides a sense of freedom and independence in an environment where anything is possible and there is no such thing as disability. Camp is a place of “yes I can!”

Find a Camp in Your Province
A person in a wheelchair taking part in a high ropes course at an Easter Seals camp

I Can Too!®
Disability Awareness and Inclusion for Children and Youth

The “I Can Too!®” disability awareness program educates children and youth about people living with disabilities and the importance of inclusion.

Our presentations are customized by age group to ensure the messaging is suitable for the curious kindergartner, the contemplative fourth-grader, or the impressionable middle schooler. By considering their age, attention span, and prior knowledge, we excel at engaging in meaningful conversation and building awareness.

The program was launched by Easter Seals Newfoundland & Labrador(opens in a new tab) in 2011. Since then, the program has expanded to additional provinces and has grown into a national initiative.

About "I Can Too!"
Cartoon girl wearing glasses holds an open book. There is a speech bubble that reads: See the Person, not the disability.

The Access 2 Program

The Access 2 Program is a landmark partnership between Easter Seals Canada, Cineplex Entertainment and the Canadian movie theatre and cultural attractions industries.

This national program allows people with permanent disabilities to receive either free or significantly discounted admission for their support person at member movie theatres, cultural attractions and recreation facilities across Canada. Continuing to grow year-over-year, the Access 2 Program has nearly 50,000 active cardholders nationwide.

According to a survey conducted by Easter Seals and Queen’s University, 86 percent of respondents said that the Access 2 card helped them get out more and be more active than before receiving it.

Learn More and Get a Card
Access 2 Logo

The Disability Travel Card

The Disability Travel Card is for people of all types of permanent disabilities who require the assistance of a support person when travelling with VIA Rail Canada.

When a cardholder presents the Disability Travel Card when purchasing a ticket for travel with one of our participating partners, one support person can accompany them at a reduced fare. The Disability Travel Card holder pays regular ticket price.

Apply Now

English (PDF)
French (PDF)

Assistive & Adaptive Technology

Easter Seals provides financial assistance and delivers a range of direct-to-client programs to help ensure that Canadians living with disabilities have access to the essential assistive, adaptive, communications and learning technology they need to access their world and maximize their independence.  This includes things like:

  • Mobility equipment such as wheelchairs, walkers, specialized strollers, scooter devices, leg braces and splints
  • Home modifications such as ramps, elevators, porch lifts, stair lifts and ceiling track lift systems
  • Augmentative communication devices such as communication boards, speech aids, computers and writing aids
  • Bath and toileting aids such as shower/bath chairs, commode chairs, and transfer aids/lifts.
Note: Programs and services are primarily offered by Easter Seals provincial organizations and differ from province to province. Not all programs are available across Canada.
Find programs & services in your province
Close-up image of person in wheelchair

Education & Training

Easter Seals offers a variety of specialized education and training programs and services including:

  • Education, job training and employment services for youth and young adults who face barriers to employment—inspiring them to live positive and productive lives
  • Scholarships and bursaries to help cover the ever increasing cost of post-secondary education and support youth with disabilities in their pursuit of higher education
  • Child life skills programming to enable children with disabilities to improve functional ability and increase their participation at home, at school and in their community.
Note: Programs and services are primarily offered by Easter Seals provincial organizations and differ from province to province. Not all programs are available across Canada.
Find programs & services in your province
A trainer and trainee at an Easter Seals employment training program

Sport, Recreation & Leisure Programs

Easter Seals challenges and encourages Canadians living with disabilities to get active and get involved. Our specialized accessible sport, recreation and active living programs encourage active participation and enhanced well-being.  Programs include activities such as:

  • Sledge hockey
  • Wheelchair basketball
  • Swimming
  • Rock climbing
  • Sailing, canoeing & kayaking
  • Boccia
  • Music, dance and dramatic arts
Note: Programs and services are primarily offered by Easter Seals provincial organizations and differ from province to province. Not all programs are available across Canada.
Find programs & services in your province
Players at an Easter Seals sledge hockey game

Rehabilitative & Occupational Therapy

Rehabilitative Therapy Programs focus on preserving, developing and restoring physical function and encouraging renewed independence through functional mobility at work, home, school and in the community.

Occupational Therapy Programs focus on developing an ability to perform activities of daily life, such as bathing, dressing, cooking, and feeding. Through purposeful, everyday activity and fine motor skill development, the goal is to enhance or restore lost function and promote independence.

Note: Programs and services are primarily offered by Easter Seals provincial organizations and differ from province to province. Not all programs are available across Canada.
Find programs & services in your province
A child with his occupational therapist

Residential & Respite Programs

Easter Seals House – Vancouver, BC

Providing a home away from home, Easter Seals House offers out-of-town families affordable accommodations when they have to bring their sick children to Vancouver for medical treatment.

Easter Seals McQueen Residence – Edmonton, AB

In a community-based group living experience for adults with physical disabilities, residents learn the life skills necessary for independent living in a community setting. They share in the daily management of the house which gives them confidence and prepares them for a more independent lifestyle in the future.

Papillon Residence & Auberge Papillon – Montreal, QC

Delivering respite services for families of children with disabilities, Papillon Residence & Auberge Papillon provide a stimulating environment for kids and a much needed breather for parents.

Note: Programs and services are primarily offered by Easter Seals provincial organizations and differ from province to province. Not all programs are available across Canada.
Find programs & services in your province
Image of Easter Seals House in Vancouver, BC

Interested in becoming a National Partner of Easter Seals?

To discuss any of these national funding or partnership opportunities, please contact:

Easter Seals Canada
partnerships@easterseals.ca
Toll Free Tel: 1-877-376-6362