Government of Canada Lends Support to Keroul's The Accessible Road

MONTRÉAL, QUEBEC. The Honourable Denis Lebel, Minister of Transport, Infrastructure and Communities and Minister of the Economic Development Agency of Canada for the Regions of Quebec, announces that the organization Kéroul has been granted $50,000 in non-repayable funding for the implementation of its commercialization plan for The Accessible Road for 2011-2012.

"The Government of Canada is always ready to lend its support to organizations that, like Kéroul, are working with Quebec's regional economic stakeholders to further the development, success and international reach of our tourism industry," said Minister Lebel.

The Accessible Road, Kéroul's innovative project, is a guide that directs people with restricted physical abilities to tourist destinations in Quebec that offer activities and services adapted to their needs. Not only are The Accessible Road's member establishments handicapped accessible, their employees have undergone the "Welcoming Ways" training program dedicated to assistance and hospitality services for the disabled. The originality of The Accessible Road earned Kéroul a United Nation's World Tourism Organization's Ulysses Award at a ceremony held this past June in Vilamoura, Portugal.

Kéroul is a non-profit organization whose mission is to make tourism and culture accessible to persons with limited physical ability and to inform them of the sites and destinations offering services adapted to their needs. The organization works in collaboration with governments and private enterprise to increase accessibility and ensure personalized hospitality services to meet the needs to the physically disabled. Kéroul provides support to enterprises wishing to gain a sizeable share of the market with this clientele.

This funding has been granted through Canada Economic Development's Community Diversification program. Since 2005, Kéroul has received a total of $131,500 in assistance from the Agency in support of its commercialization activities.

Kéroul is a non-profit organization that, for over 30 years, has promoted accessible tourism and culture for persons with limited physical abilities, and serves as the Ministère du Tourisme’s key consultant on accessibility matters.

Kéroul is an Associate Member of ENAT