Navigating Life After Spinal Cord Injury
A spinal cord injury changes everything — quickly. Whether you’re newly injured, a family member, or years into your SCI journey, knowing what resources are available in Canada can make a significant difference in your quality of life, financial stability, and independence. This guide compiles the most important programs, organizations, and funding sources.
National Organizations
Spinal Cord Injury Canada (SCI Canada)
- What they do: Peer support, advocacy, information, and community programs
- Peer support: One-on-one peer mentoring with someone who has a similar injury — available nationally
- SCI Community: Online forum connecting SCI individuals across Canada
- Website: sci-can.ca
Rick Hansen Foundation
- Accessibility Certification: Rates buildings and public spaces for accessibility
- School Program: Disability awareness education in Canadian schools
- Website: rickhansen.com
Canadian Paraplegic Association (Provincial Chapters)
- Exists as separate provincial organizations (SCI Ontario, SCI BC, SCI Alberta, etc.)
- Services include: employment support, housing help, equipment guidance, peer support, recreation programs
Rehabilitation Centres
Major SCI Rehabilitation Hospitals
- GF Strong Rehabilitation Centre — Vancouver, BC
- Glenrose Rehabilitation Hospital — Edmonton, AB
- Toronto Rehabilitation Institute — Toronto, ON (Lyndhurst Centre — Canada’s largest SCI rehab)
- The Ottawa Hospital Rehabilitation Centre — Ottawa, ON
- Institut de réadaptation Gingras-Lindsay — Montréal, QC
- Stan Cassidy Centre for Rehabilitation — Fredericton, NB
- Nova Scotia Rehabilitation Centre — Halifax, NS
Equipment and Assistive Technology Funding
Provincial Equipment Programs
- Ontario ADP: 75% of approved wheelchair, cushion, and assistive device costs
- Quebec RAMQ/MSSS: Full coverage of prescribed mobility equipment
- Alberta AADL: 75% coverage, $500 annual max client cost
- BC DPAC: Covers prescribed mobility and positioning equipment
- Saskatchewan SAIL: Equipment lending program
- Manitoba SMD: Society for Manitobans with Disabilities — equipment support
See our detailed provincial funding guide for all programs.
Vehicle Modifications
- March of Dimes: Home and Vehicle Modification Program (Ontario)
- WSIB/CNESST: Full vehicle modification coverage for work-related injuries
- Veterans Affairs: Vehicle modification for eligible veterans
- Insurance claims: Auto insurance often covers vehicle mods after motor vehicle accidents
Income and Financial Support
Federal Programs
- CPP Disability Benefit: $1,606.78/month maximum (2025) for those unable to work due to disability
- Disability Tax Credit (DTC): Non-refundable tax credit — also opens eligibility for RDSP, CWB-D, and provincial credits
- Registered Disability Savings Plan (RDSP): Government contributes up to $3,500/year in matching grants — up to $70,000 lifetime
- Canada Workers Benefit — Disability Supplement: Additional $737/year for low-income workers with DTC
Provincial Programs
- Ontario ODSP: Up to $1,308/month for single individual (2025)
- Quebec Solidarité sociale: Long-term social assistance for people with severe disabilities
- Alberta AISH: $1,787/month maximum
- BC PWD: $1,358.50/month maximum
Employment Support
- SCI Ontario/BC/Alberta employment services: Job search support, resume help, employer connections
- Neil Squire Society: Technology-focused employment for people with physical disabilities — neilsquire.ca
- Opportunities Fund: Federal wage subsidies for employers hiring people with disabilities
- CCRW (Canadian Council on Rehabilitation and Work): Job matching and employer education
- Work from home: Remote work has exploded post-COVID — many accessible careers available (IT, writing, customer service, programming)
Recreation and Sport
- Wheelchair Basketball Canada: wheelchairbasketball.ca
- Canadian Wheelchair Sports Association: Rugby, tennis, curling, fencing
- Adaptive skiing: Programs at most major Canadian ski resorts (CADS — Canadian Adaptive Snowsports)
- Handcycling: See our handcycle and adaptive cycling guide
- Parasport: Provincial Parasport organizations fund adaptive sport equipment and programs
- Soldier On: Adaptive sport and recreation for military personnel — soldieron.ca
Mental Health
Depression affects up to 30% of people with SCI — it’s common, it’s understandable, and it’s treatable:
- Peer support: SCI Canada’s peer program connects you with someone who gets it
- Therapy: Look for psychologists experienced with acquired disability and adjustment
- Crisis line: 988 (Suicide and Crisis Lifeline — call or text, available 24/7)
- Online communities: CareCure forums, Reddit r/spinalcordinjuries, SCI-specific Facebook groups
Essential Equipment
FinalMedic carries the medical supplies and equipment that SCI individuals use daily — wheelchairs, cushions, catheters, skin care, adaptive clothing, and more.