About

Canada’s National Disability Organization

CDF helps Canadians with disabilities (visible and invisible, including mobility, sensory, cognitive and mental health disabilities) pursue their goals in a more accessible, supportive and inclusive Canada. CDF supports individuals and families from coast to coast in a unified disability community across the country.

Ambition

A Canada where disability does not matter.

Mission

Our mission is to unify the Canadian disability community – more than 6.2 million people with one or more disabilities and those connected to them – through leadership, solutions and individual empowerment.

Values

Innovation – To get different results we will need to try something different. CDF is at the cutting edge of the disability movement, deploying strategies that have worked in other jurisdictions, forging our own, and abandoning those that do not work.

Respect – Disabled people deserve far more than dignity. We deserve respect. CDF is built from a core of respect that includes recognizing the diversity of visible and invisible disabilities and never using means testing. From that core, our board, staff and community radiate respect to our partners and the public – especially to those we do not agree with.

Discipline – Systemic change requires targeted and measured action. CDF understands that we cannot be everything to everyone, but that sustained intervention requires focus. Inspired by disability law and policy, our approach is rooted in three areas: inclusion, accessibility and support.

Meet the Canadian Disability Foundation Leadership Team

Josh Vander Vies

Josh Vander Vies from the waist up wears black pants, a white dress shirt and a blue blazer. His electric wheelchair joystick and arms ending below the elbow are visible in the shortened sleeves of his blazer.

A professional speaker and retired Paralympian, Josh is a Vancouver lawyer focused on creating and defending Canadian not-for-profit organizations, charitable status and charitable gifts. Born without arms and legs, he has more experience than most in identifying individual and systemic issues – and deciding when to engage each.

Paige Jackson

Paige Jackson is shown from the shoulders up with deep snow and evergreen trees behind her. She is wearing a neon pink headband, backpack and neon yellow winter coat.

A physiotherapist based in Whitehorse, Yukon Territory, Paige Jackson holds a Master’s in Physical Therapy and a Master’s in Sport Physiology and Coaching Science. Working in health care in a remote and northern community is an important influence on Paige’s commitment to improving accessibility to sport and basic, essential services.

Darda Sales

Darda Sales is pictured with a red shirt and blue blazer with green leaves of a tree in the background.

As a PhD candidate, speaker, retired Paralympian in two sports and London, Ontario based consultant to organizations looking to improve the accessibility and inclusionary practices of their programming, Darda strives to remove barriers and raise awareness that when everyone can engage equitably in all aspects of life, we all win.

Canadian Disability Foundation
 
Charitable Registration
711188292 RR 0001
info@disabilityfoundation.ca