Wheels in motion to mark 40 years since Rick Hansen finished his world tour

Published 5:00 am Thursday, November 20, 2025

The Rick Hansen Foundation is getting the ball rolling for a celebration of the 40th anniversary of the completion of the Man in Motion World Tour.

The foundation is asking the city of Williams Lake to work with them on the 40th anniversary event on April 2, 2027, which will mark 40 years from the day Hansen rolled into Williams Lake on his Man in Motion World Tour.

Bridgitte Pinchbeck presented on behalf of the Rick Hansen Foundation presented to the city council at their regular meeting on Nov. 18.

On March 21, 1985, the Man in Motion World Tour began, with the goal of raising funds to find a cure for spinal cord injuries.

On the tour, Hansen rolled his wheelchair across 34 countries over 26 months and was estimated as having covered 40,000 km. The tour raised $26 million.

“That’s quite a feat for its time,” said Pinchbeck.

Since then the Rick Hansen Foundation has raised more than $400 million to increase awareness, support programs, change attitudes and improve the quality of life for people with disabilities.

But the work is not done, said Pinchbeck, noting one in four Canadians still faces barriers to full participation.

“We are rallying Canadians to continue the journey that Rick began, ensuring accessibility is not an afterthought but a foundation for a strong community,” she said.

Pinchbeck invited the city and community to get involved in helping celebrate and mark the anniversary and continue to build towards Canada’s stated goal of becoming barrier-free by 2040.

“I’m inviting you to be involved,” she said.

A public engagement campaign for inclusion and an invitation to give $40 for the 40th anniversary, national storytelling initiatives, and participation in a free national webinar on breaking down barriers on Dec. 3 were some of the aspects Pinchbeck wanted council to consider taking part in.

“It will be time well spent, an investment in our city,” she said of the webinar, which council later promised to share and look at.

A film project was also discussed, with more details to be announced.

Pinchbeck asked the city to work with the Rick Hansen Foundation to make more accessible change in the city, and for the city to be present on the webinar for a special announcement on Dec. 3.

She said she’d love to have a project the city could undertake which could be completed by April 2, 2027.

Editor’s note: The story has been updated to reflect new information brought forward by the Rick Hansen Foundation.