Our Member Centres

Independent Living takes shape in the communities where people live, connect and make choices about their lives. Across Canada, our Member Centres bring a shared philosophy to life in ways that reflect the people, priorities and possibilities around them. Together, they demonstrate the strength of a movement rooted in lived experience, peer support, dignity and self-determination.

To create these profiles, Independent Living Canada invited each Centre to answer six questions about its greatest strengths, what it is known for, its hopes for the future, the people it serves, its work within the four core pillars of Independent Living, and emerging needs in its community. Their responses have been brought together into narratives that follow a consistent format while preserving each Centre's distinct perspective. The profiles reflect the experiences and priorities Centres shared at the time of their responses; future goals are presented as aspirations rather than existing services.

Listed by founding year, these profiles offer a window into the diversity of our national network. They reveal how a common commitment to choice and control can take many forms—from practical support and opportunities for connection to employment, accessibility and community change. Explore each Centre's story to discover the people and ideas moving Independent Living forward. 

1982 — Independent Living Waterloo Region

As one of Canada's first Independent Living Centres, Independent Living Waterloo Region has built its work on resilience, adaptability and a lasting commitment to choice. Supporting people with disabilities aged 16 and older, the Centre continues to respond to changing community needs while keeping self-directed living at the heart of its approach. Its four programs—Attendant Services, Community Resource, Direct Funding and the Access Fund—offer different pathways to support and participation.

Peer support and information and networking are particular strengths. Inclusive social activities create opportunities for connection, while staff with lived experience offer individual guidance to help people navigate barriers and find resources. Youth in Motion brings this approach to young adults aged 16–24 through virtual meetups, in-person activities and a free summer retreat, creating space to build friendships, explore goals and prepare for independent living.

Looking ahead, the Centre wants to strengthen its role as a trusted resource on inclusion and disability issues while continuing to grow its self-directed programs. Consistent funding, especially for the Community Resource Program, remains a significant challenge. Its priorities reflect a commitment to sustaining the practical support and community connections that make choice meaningful in everyday life.

1984 — Independent Living Resource Centre Calgary

At Independent Living Resource Centre Calgary, a dedicated team and a deeply personal approach shape the support people receive. The Centre emphasizes compassion, flexibility and respect for each person's goals, creating room to learn and grow at an individual pace. Adults aged 30–40 with mental health and cognitive disabilities form its largest participant group, and it also works with a significant Deaf community across a wider age range.

People turn to the Centre for life skills development, social connection and help navigating funding, respite care and interpreter services. Independent Living skills development is a particular strength: hands-on learning and opportunities for trial and error allow participants to practise skills without fear of judgment. Support is adapted to individual strengths and circumstances, recognizing that each person brings different experiences and priorities.

The Centre's vision is to be a place where everyone feels seen, heard and supported. It identifies a need for more accessible mental health services and stronger support during transitions such as leaving high school. Improving its online presence and developing a comprehensive, accessible source of local information are also priorities, helping more people find the resources they need to pursue their own goals.

1985 — Centre for Independent Living in Toronto Inc.

The Centre for Independent Living in Toronto Inc. (CILT) is grounded in a clear principle: services for people with disabilities, led by people with disabilities. Its consumer-led structure puts choice and control at the centre of its work. CILT primarily supports adults with physical disabilities, with a reach that extends across Ontario through Direct Funding and into Toronto and York Region through the Attendant Service Application Centre.

Independent Living skills development connects much of this work. Direct Funding enables participants to hire and manage their own attendants, while other programs offer skills training, peer support and service navigation. CILT also provides disability inclusion training through IDE+A, supports parents through the Parenting with a Disability Network, and facilitates the GTA Disability Coalition. Together, these activities support both individual decision-making and broader community participation.

CILT's future priorities centre on social and economic equity, with diversity, inclusion and reconciliation informing its approach. It hopes to reach more newcomers while continuing to address barriers identified by its community, including poverty and the shortage of accessible, affordable housing. Better information about the experiences of people with disabilities is another priority, supporting a fuller understanding of the changes needed for equitable participation.

1987 — Independent Living Resource Centre Thunder Bay

Independent Living Resource Centre Thunder Bay combines a welcoming community space with an ability to adapt. Guided by lived experience and participant feedback, its small team keeps programs responsive to the people who use them. Many participants are adults with disabilities navigating poverty, isolation, housing insecurity and complex service systems, making accessible, respectful support especially important.

Peer support and skills development are central to the Centre's approach. People come for connection, assistance navigating services and disability-related barriers, and employment programs that help them build skills and pursue meaningful work. Its Essential Product Cabinet provides everyday necessities while respecting dignity and choice. Whether through informal drop-in conversations or more structured support, the Centre creates opportunities for people to learn from others who understand disability through lived experience.

Looking ahead, the Centre wants to expand disability leadership, support participants to co-create programs and strengthen their role in local advocacy. Rural and Indigenous outreach are also priorities. Growing needs include mental health support, affordable housing, relief from rising living costs and digital access. The Centre also identifies the importance of culturally relevant programming and accessible opportunities for people to influence the systems that affect their lives.

1987 — Vie autonome Montérégie

Vie autonome Montérégie brings a responsive, personal approach to supporting people with disabilities. An actively involved Board of Directors is a particular strength, helping the Centre explore practical solutions to community needs. Its largest participant group is young adults aged 18–35 with a range of disabilities, and its work emphasizes availability, direct involvement and a willingness to respond when people seek support.

While all four Independent Living pillars inform its approach, peer support stands out. The Centre describes its role through the everyday opportunities it helps make possible: assistance with adapted transportation and wheelchairs, physical assistance, and support to attend performances or community events. These activities connect practical needs with opportunities to take part in community life and enjoy experiences beyond an established daily routine.

The Centre hopes to become more widely recognized across Quebec for its generosity and human approach. A future priority is securing a municipally donated building and land that would allow it to offer respite for parents and welcome more people with diverse disabilities, including autistic people and people with Down syndrome or physical disabilities. This aspiration reflects its desire to extend its support while remaining closely connected to individuals and families.

1988 — Independent Living Centre Kingston

Independent Living Centre Kingston serves as a community resource for people seeking help with the many issues that can affect daily life. Its strengths include Direct Funding, a lending library and women's programs, alongside an approach that considers people's needs as interconnected. Many of those it supports are aged 40–70, including people with physical or mental health disabilities and people experiencing homelessness.

Information and referral are central to the Centre's work. People frequently seek assistance navigating income supports, housing options and mental health programs. By helping individuals understand available resources and work through service systems, the Centre supports informed choices across a range of concerns. Its role extends beyond a single program, offering a place to bring questions about disability-related barriers and possible sources of support.

For the future, the Centre envisions a stronger community-centre atmosphere, improved outdoor space and accessible yoga following a move. These aspirations sit alongside substantial local gaps in housing, mental health services, rehabilitation and accessibility. Financial inequality and difficulties accessing financial assistance also remain concerns. The Centre's priorities connect its practical resource-navigation role with a broader desire for welcoming spaces and services that respond more fully to the realities of people's lives.

1988 — Ottawa Independent Living Resource Centre

A strong sense of community is at the heart of Ottawa Independent Living Resource Centre. Free membership and programs reflect its commitment to making participation possible regardless of financial circumstances. The Centre welcomes people across disabilities, with participants aged 16 and older regularly taking part and adults aged 25–40 forming its largest group.

Peer support is its most active area of engagement and a particular strength within the four Independent Living pillars. Activities and workshops bring people together to share experiences, develop connections and learn alongside one another. Direct Funding is another important reason people connect with the Centre. Across its work, the emphasis is on self-determination and opportunities for skills development that respond to the direction of the community itself.

The Centre wants to be recognized for leadership in how it designs programs and engages its membership, with the Independent Living Philosophy guiding those relationships. It also sees a wider need for free or affordable activities beyond its own programs, as well as more accessible transit. These priorities reflect the connection between belonging and access: people need both welcoming opportunities and practical ways to reach and participate in them. The Centre's community focus brings these concerns into its vision for the future.

1989 — Victoria Disability Resource Centre

Victoria Disability Resource Centre combines professional knowledge with lived experience to offer practical, respectful support. Its person-centred approach helps build connections with adults across a range of disabilities. Many participants are aged 40–70 and live on fixed incomes, with experiences that include mobility disabilities, chronic pain, neurological conditions, mental health disabilities and invisible disabilities.

Information and referral are a particular strength, supported by peer connection and welcoming staff. People come for guidance that recognizes both the practical and personal realities of navigating disability-related barriers. Through LEAD, the Centre also uses storytelling to raise awareness and challenge stigma. Its responses describe positive engagement from students and repeat bookings from teachers, showing how lived experience can contribute to learning beyond the Centre itself.

Looking forward, the Centre wants to deepen individualized support, strengthen its role in community development and help influence policy and social change. Expanding innovative peer-led programming, particularly around invisible disabilities, chronic illness and mental health, is part of that vision. Community priorities include digital access, accessible and affordable housing, mental health support, disability benefits navigation and transit that people can use and afford. These needs reinforce the importance of support that connects individual circumstances with broader barriers.

1989 — Niagara Centre for Independent Living

Niagara Centre for Independent Living draws strength from experienced, dedicated staff and the direction provided by the people who use its services. Choice, control and participant feedback shape its work across the Niagara Region and beyond. The Centre reports a growing number of participants with mental health disabilities and is also responding to the needs of an aging community.

Independent Living skills development runs through its programs. Work Link provides free disability-focused employment assistance, including job-search, résumé and interview skills. Direct Funding supports adults with physical disabilities in Niagara, Haldimand and Brantford to become employers of their own attendants. The Community Participation Support Program combines practical life skills, peer support and social and recreational activities for adults with developmental disabilities, guided by their self-identified needs.

The Centre hopes to expand support for seniors and strengthen public understanding of the right to make informed choices and take considered risks. It also sees a need for employment services with sufficient disability-specific knowledge and experience. Housing insecurity and homelessness remain significant concerns for participants. Across these priorities, the Centre emphasizes support that recognizes individual circumstances and preserves people's authority over their own lives, rather than expecting everyone to follow the same path.

1990 — Cowichan Independent Living Resource Centre

Cowichan Independent Living Resource Centre is strengthened by its relationships within the community. Appreciation for its practical services has helped build awareness through word of mouth, including growing interest in its medical equipment loans program. Seniors make up a substantial part of the community it serves, alongside people with disabilities seeking information, resources and everyday assistance.

The Centre is known for its free income tax program, medical equipment loans and disability parking placards. Information and networking are particular strengths, with staff regularly helping people find housing information, resources for aging parents and disability-related programs in the Cowichan Valley. It also assists people who face barriers with computers or paperwork, helping them complete online forms and submit applications by mail or fax.

Looking ahead, the Centre hopes to secure funding to restart in-house activities, including art programs, advocacy and game or movie days. A pressing local concern is access to medical professionals who can complete documentation for disability benefits, tax credits and other supports. Many participants do not have a primary care physician, creating another barrier to obtaining assistance. The Centre's priorities reflect both the value of practical help and the importance of opportunities to connect with others.

1991 — Vie autonome Abitibi-Témiscamingue

Vie autonome Abitibi-Témiscamingue creates a welcoming environment shaped by the lived experiences of people with disabilities. Serving people from age four onward, it brings a broad perspective to the different ways accessibility affects daily life. Its person-centred approach aims to keep services relevant while recognizing the knowledge and experiences each individual brings.

The Centre is known for its progressive approach to inclusion and its work to address physical and systemic barriers. Peer support is a particular strength, with shared experiences forming the foundation for connections between participants. Alongside this personal support, its focus on accessible environments links individual experiences to the way communities are designed and organized. The Centre sees inclusion as something that must be reflected in both relationships and the places people use.

Its future vision is to help shape universal accessibility standards and inclusive design, influencing how spaces and systems are developed from the outset. The Centre identifies an ongoing need for community environments where people with disabilities are welcomed, considered and able to participate. By connecting peer experience with a broader accessibility perspective, it hopes to contribute to communities that anticipate diverse needs and make inclusion part of everyday planning.

1991 — The Ability Hub

The Ability Hub brings a cross-disability, community-driven approach to its work, with most decision-makers drawing on their own lived experience of disability. It serves adults with self-declared disabilities, mental health barriers and long-term health conditions across diverse backgrounds. This foundation helps keep its programs connected to the experiences and priorities of the people who use them.

Entrepreneurship support, skills development, pre-employment training, peer groups and mental health counselling are central to its services. Peer support is especially evident in the Entrepreneurs with Disabilities Program, where participants develop business ideas alongside others with similar experiences. Individual coaching, group workshops, mentorship and connections with entrepreneurs and sector professionals combine practical learning with opportunities to build confidence and supportive networks.

The Ability Hub wants to grow as a place where people with disabilities shape services and contribute to inclusive leadership, community development and advocacy. It identifies emerging needs for accessible mental health support, digital literacy, culturally responsive programming and help navigating systems such as housing and employment. Its emphasis on counselling also recognizes the financial barriers people may face when seeking support. These priorities connect individual goals with a wider ambition to make community systems and opportunities more inclusive.

1992 — South Saskatchewan Independent Living Centre

South Saskatchewan Independent Living Centre draws strength from a longstanding team whose shared values carry into everyday practice. Some staff members are in their third decade with the Centre, contributing continuity and a strong sense of connection. Its community includes many adults aged 25–60 facing socioeconomic barriers, with strong representation from Indigenous, newcomer and racialized communities, as well as youth and people with cognitive disabilities.

The Centre connects participants with more than 200 community partners. Employment Services, Entrepreneurs with Disabilities and Business of Living for youth support pathways to work and skills development. Its Supported Independent Living Program helps people with cognitive disabilities live and work more independently. Peer support is a particular strength, reflected in staff relationships, interactions with participants and opportunities for participants to support one another. All four Independent Living pillars are woven into its programs and values.

Looking ahead, the Centre wants to be a first choice both for people seeking disability-related support and for those pursuing work in the disability sector. Supporting newcomers is a growing area of need. Its priorities build on a combination of experienced staff, community partnerships and shared learning, with the Independent Living Philosophy providing a common foundation across different programs and experiences.

1993 — Independent Living Vernon

Independent Living Vernon brings together practical support, peer connection and opportunities to develop everyday skills. Its community spans a broad age range and includes newcomers and young adults aged 18–29. Youth programming, mental health support and skills development are identified strengths, alongside assistance with housing information, parking permits, forms and service navigation.

Peer support and Independent Living skills development are closely connected in the Centre's work. Two main peer programs support social connection and communication, with the youth and young adult group placing additional emphasis on practical skills. Activities such as nutrition and healthy meal planning also create space for shared learning and emotional support. The Centre describes this exchange as mutual: participants gain information and confidence, while staff learn more about barriers and emerging needs through the experiences people share.

Future priorities include developing support programs and advancing anti-racism. The Centre sees unmet needs around income assistance, housing, mental health and employment, as well as more accessible physical activities supported by adaptive equipment and education. It also identifies the value of a guide to help serve members more efficiently. Across these priorities, its focus remains on strengthening people's confidence, self-advocacy and opportunities to direct their own lives.

1993 — Breaking Down Barriers Independent Living Resource Centre

Breaking Down Barriers Independent Living Resource Centre creates opportunities for connection through a flexible combination of in-person and virtual programming. Serving Simcoe, Grey and Bruce Counties, with its seniors' program reaching further, it engages adults across abilities, largely aged 30–80. Its adaptable approach helps reduce isolation and supports participation across a broad geographic area.

Connecting with Seniors and the Diabetes Information Group are well-known programs. The latter combines expert-led education with nutrition-focused outings and shared learning. Peer support also takes place through activities such as Bingo and Friendship Café, while workshops explore budgeting, cooking, digital literacy and wellness. Direct Funding, tax clinics and resource navigation add practical support. Together, these activities reflect connections among peer support, skills development, information and networking, and community development.

The Centre hopes to strengthen its reputation for inclusive, community-driven programming and increase awareness of Direct Funding as a pathway to self-directed living. It is also seeing more engagement from younger adults with disabilities. Emerging priorities include mental health support, digital inclusion and accessible housing, alongside persistent transportation and mobility barriers. Its future direction builds on the flexibility of hybrid programming while responding to the different ways people seek support and connection.

1994 — Disability Resource Centre for Independent Living

Disability Resource Centre Kapuskasing is part of Independent Living Canada's national network, united by a commitment to choice, dignity, inclusion and self-determination for people with disabilities. Its place within the network connects the perspectives of its local community with a broader movement grounded in lived experience and the right of every person to direct their own life.

The Independent Living Philosophy recognizes that people with disabilities are the experts in their own lives. It values opportunities to learn from one another, explore options, develop confidence and make informed decisions. This shared foundation guides our Member Centres while allowing each to respond to the distinct priorities, relationships and circumstances of its community.

A fuller profile will be added soon, drawing on the Centre's own reflections about its strengths, programs and aspirations. It will offer a closer look at how Disability Resource Centre Kapuskasing brings these shared values to life and responds to the experiences of people with disabilities in its community.

1995 — Independent Living London and Area

Independent Living London and Area draws strength from the close, individual relationships made possible by a smaller Centre. Its personal approach creates a warm community setting where participants can find connection and support. The Centre primarily serves adults with physical disabilities, while its peer activities bring together people with varied experiences and across different age groups.

Peer support is its strongest pillar and the main reason many people take part. These activities help build relationships and a sense of belonging. Through its Research and Community Funding pilot, the Centre has also supported opportunities for participants to share their creative work at farmers' markets and community booths. Free, shareable resource manuals for smaller local areas bring community information together, extending the value of this work beyond individual activities.

Looking ahead, the Centre wants to preserve its welcoming peer community while becoming more widely recognized as a place where people can share their voices and talents. Continuing isolation following the pandemic remains a concern. It also identifies a need for English-as-a-second-language programs designed for people with disabilities. These priorities reflect a common goal: creating more ways for people to connect, express themselves and participate in the communities around them.

1997 — EmpowerNL

EmpowerNL supports people with disabilities to engage in community life and develop skills that strengthen independence. Its members are commonly aged 38–65 and bring intersecting identities and experiences, including Indigenous and 2SLGBTQIA+ perspectives and some newcomer experiences. Many live with more than one disability and seek different forms of support as their circumstances and priorities change.

The Centre is known for accessibility support and professional development with the corporate sector. Within its member community, peer support and skills development are particular strengths. Events and activities bring together people with common lived experiences, while opportunities connected to everyday community participation support practical learning. This combination links personal connections with the skills and access people need to take part more fully in community life.

EmpowerNL wants to expand its reach and offer its services on a larger scale across Newfoundland and Labrador. Accessibility education is a central part of that vision. The Centre identifies a need to help business partners develop accessibility plans and create environments with fewer barriers. Its future priorities connect support for individual members with work alongside organizations, recognizing that meaningful participation depends on both personal opportunities and changes in the places where people live, work and gather.

1998 — Independent Living Parry Sound - Muskoka

Independent Living Parry Sound - Muskoka describes itself as a disability-led community resource rooted in dignity, inclusion and lived experience. People come to connect with peers, build confidence, find practical information and contribute to community change. Its approach places relationships at the centre of Independent Living, recognizing the value of spaces where people can share knowledge and support one another.

Peer support is especially visible in BuzzTalk Tuesdays and The Gathering Place. BuzzTalk Tuesdays offers a relaxed setting to explore topics, ask questions and exchange ideas. The Gathering Place welcomes seniors, caregivers and people with disabilities to connect through shared experiences. Research and community development are also strengths: relationships with community members, organizations and advocates help identify barriers and explore practical solutions. The Centre is also developing its information, networking and skills-development activities.

Its future vision emphasizes stronger skills, greater opportunities for people to be heard and communities where independence is part of everyday life. Local concerns include limited access to family doctors and medical services, affordable housing, food insecurity and transportation. By bringing peer knowledge and community partnerships together, the Centre aims to respond to these realities while supporting people to participate in decisions and changes that affect them.

1999 — Vie autonome Péninsule Acadienne inc.

Vie autonome Péninsule Acadienne inc. takes an individualized, human approach to supporting people with disabilities. Collaboration with families, institutions and community partners helps shape its work, alongside a willingness to explore new responses to barriers. Young autistic people form its largest participant group, bringing particular importance to opportunities for inclusion, independence and meaningful community participation.

The Centre is known for employment assistance and support that helps people pursue greater independence. It identifies research and community development as a particular strength, including in its employment-related work. Its approach connects individual aspirations with the relationships and community conditions that can help make them possible. Respect for people's choices and attention to their circumstances are central to the environment it seeks to create.

Looking ahead, the Centre wants to be a place where people develop projects, pursue their goals and participate fully in society. It sees significant gaps in access to autism assessments for people in rural areas or without transportation. Isolation and limited cultural and social opportunities are also concerns. Its vision of innovation and inclusion responds to these barriers, with an emphasis on ensuring that people with disabilities feel welcomed, respected and supported in shaping their own lives.

2000 — Richmond Centre for Disability

Richmond Centre for Disability supports people with diverse abilities to pursue independence with confidence and dignity. Young adults and adults make up its largest participant groups, and people connect with the Centre for a wide range of practical, social and learning opportunities. Its approach recognizes the importance of both developing skills and finding places where people feel safe, welcomed and valued.

Programs include information and referral, life skills and Independent Living activities, a jobs club, recreation and accessible parking permits. Friendship is also an important reason people take part. The Centre sees all four Independent Living pillars as interconnected, reflected in adaptable in-house programs and staff involvement in community committees. These relationships contribute to local development while creating opportunities to share information about the Centre's work more widely.

Its vision is for people with disabilities to have the skills and opportunities to lead fulfilling lives as involved, valued members of society. Strategic planning is helping guide further program development. Services for youth and young adults are an emerging priority, with employment identified as a particularly significant gap. The Centre's future direction connects practical support with a wider commitment to communities where every person has opportunities to contribute and belong.

2001 — Vie autonome Montréal

Vie autonome Montréal is grounded in support by and for people with disabilities, with lived experience shaping an equal and respectful approach. Members describe a place where they feel heard, understood and welcomed. The Centre serves adults with physical, neurological and sensory disabilities, often alongside chronic pain, mental health concerns or neurodevelopmental conditions, and welcomes people from diverse cultural backgrounds and LGBTQIA+ communities.

Peer support is at the heart of its work. Shared experiences between staff and members help make support relevant and can strengthen confidence while reducing isolation. Many participants also face poverty, disconnection from employment and significant loneliness, making opportunities for understanding and connection especially important. The Centre's caring, stimulating environment responds to these overlapping realities rather than treating disability as a single, uniform experience.

For the future, Vie autonome Montréal wants to develop inclusive pre-employment support and structured skills-development opportunities that reflect people's cognitive, physical and psychological realities. It identifies growing distress associated with housing insecurity, inaccessible resources and the exhaustion of repeatedly asserting one's rights. Digital exclusion is another concern when online tools are not designed accessibly. Its priorities connect belonging with practical opportunities to learn, prepare for employment and participate more fully on one's own terms.

2002 — Independent Living Sudbury Manitoulin

Independent Living Sudbury Manitoulin supports members to build the confidence and practical skills to direct their lives and advocate for themselves. Adults aged 40–65 form its largest participant group. Its community-based approach combines everyday support with opportunities to connect, learn and take part in activities that bring people together around disability and accessibility.

Peer support and Independent Living skills development are particular strengths. Talk Tuesday offers a welcoming, staff-facilitated sharing circle where members can participate flexibly, exchange experiences and contribute to respectful discussion. Hands-on workshops support practical learning, while daily hot lunches and weekly food boxes respond to everyday needs. Community events, accessibility celebrations and disability consultation for businesses extend the Centre's involvement beyond its regular programs.

The Centre's future vision includes fully accessible, centrally located housing and a community hub, with fundraising underway through its Accessible Housing Project. It also identifies a significant gap in support for youth with disabilities, especially during the transition to adulthood. Engagement with organizations such as the Children's Aid Society is beginning to explore better support for young people and raise awareness of Direct Funding. These priorities build on its commitment to practical choice, stronger connections and greater opportunities for self-direction.