Discounts for People with Disabilities • Victoria Disability Resource Centre

Please note: this information is subject to change without notice by the service providers. None of these organizations are endorsed by the VDRC, and you should use discretion. If you find any information in this list that has changed, please contact us at reception@drcvictoria.com so we can update our database.

Consumer Services

Editor’s Note: The following cards, the Access 2 Card and the Leisure Assistant’s Pass, are very similar products, both providing free/discounted admission for support persons at local attractions. The key differences are that: Access 2 card costs 20$ while the Leisure Assistant’s Pass is free and that the Access 2 Card includes Cineplex-brand theatres while the Leisure Assistant’s Pass is more focused on locally-owned attractions (with the IMAX being the only movie theatre included).

Access 2 Card

Easter Seals offers the Access 2 Card for persons with a disability to receive either free or discounted admission for their support person at associated movie theaters, recreation centres, and attractions across Canada, – see the list below:

Apply for an Access 2 Card here

Note: $20 processing fee for the 3 year period or a $30 processing fee for the 5 year period.

Participating movie theaters:

Silver City – 3130 Tillicum Rd.
Cineplex Odeon – 780 Yates St.
University 4 Cinema – 3980 Shelbourne St.
National Geographic IMAX Theatre – 675 Belleville St.

Participating Recreation Centres:

Burnside Gorge Community Centre – 471 Cecelia Rd.
Crystal Pool & Fitness Centre – 2275 Quadra St.
Recreation Oak Bay – 1975 Bee St.
West Shore Parks & Recreation – 1767 Island Highway.
YMCA-YWCA Vancouver Island

Participating Attractions:

Art Gallery of Greater Victoria – 1040 Moss St.
Butchart Gardens – 800 Benvenuto Ave.
Galey Farms – 4150 Blenkinsop Rd.
The Robert Bateman Centre – 470 Belleville St.
Intrepid Theatre – 1609 Blanshard St.
Royal BC Museum – 675 Belleville St.
Royal Theatre and McPherson Playhouse – 625 Fisgard St.
Victoria Operatic Society – 744 Fairview Rd.
Craigdarroch Castle – 1050 Joan Crescent.
Highland Pacific Golf Driving Range – 450 Creed Rd.
Horror Escape – 523 Broughton St.

Leisure Assistant’s Pass

The Leisure Assistant’s Pass provides free and discounted rates for a leisure assistant at various locations.

Due to Covid-19 Protocols, we suggest that people register for a Leisure Assistance Pass online or make contact by telephone (included in the information below) for the area in which you live.

For the Township of Esquimalt: Applications are online or by phone at the Esquimalt Recreation Centre: https://www.esquimalt.ca/parks-recreation/admission-rates-passes/leisure-assistant-pass

For the Municipality of Saanich: https://www.saanich.ca/assets/Parks~Recreation~and~Community~Services/Documents/Community~Services/Leisure%20Assistant%20Pass%20Feb%202020.pdf

For the City of Victoria: https://www.victoria.ca/assets/Departments/Parks~Rec~Culture/Recreation/Documents/2020%20Victoria%20Leisure%20Assistant%20Pass.pdf

For the Municipality of Oak Bay: https://www.oakbay.ca/sites/default/files/recreation/documents/leisure-assistant-pass-information-application.pdf

For all of the Saanich Peninsula: Central Saanich, North Saanich, Sidney and the 4 W̱SÁNEĆ Communities of Tseycum, Pauquachin, Tsartlip and Tsawout, may apply for a Leisure Assistant Pass with Panorama Recreation. Residents from municipalities outside of this region, may apply within their local municipal recreation centre: https://www.crd.bc.ca/docs/default-source/panorama-pdf/leisure-assistant-pass.pdf?sfvrsn=1239ddca_8

For the West Shore: Colwood, Langford, Highlands, Metchosin and View Royal along with the communities of the Songhees Nation, Esquimalt Nation, and Beecher Bay First Nation may apply for a Leisure Assistant Pass with West Shore Parks & Recreation: http://www.westshorerecreation.ca/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/WSPR-Leisure-Assistant-Pass-2020.pdf

Participating Venues

Art Gallery of Greater Victoria (250-384-4171)
Boulderhouse Climbing (778-265-9342)
Boulders Climbing Gym (250-544-0310)
Burnside Gorge, Fairfield, Fernwood, James Bay, Oaklands, Quadra Village and Vic West Community Centres
Butchart Gardens (250-652-4422)
Craigdarroch Castle (250-592-5323) *not wheelchair accessible
Discover the Past Walking Tours (250-384-6698)
Flying Squirrel – Victoria Location (778-404-1778) *Waiver and purchase of re-usable trampoline socks is required
Galey Farms (250-477-4450) *Includes corn maze, railway, petting farm, etc.
Highland Pacific Driving Range (250-478-4653)
IMAX Victoria (250-480-4887) *Applicable to regular public rates only. Eligible IMAX annual pass holders will receive up to 5 attendant discounts.
Maritime Museum (250-385-4222)
Mount Douglas Golf Club (250-477-8314)
Pacific Institute for Sport Excellence (250-220-2510)
Robert Bateman Centre (250-940-3630)
Royal BC Museum (250-356-7226)
Royal Theatre and McPherson Playhouse (250-361-0808) *Some restrictions apply. Call between 8:30am-4:30pm Mon-Fri or email melissa@rmts.bc.ca. Please include the performance you are interested in.
Seasonal Productions of Intrepid Theatre (250-383-2663) *example: Vic Fringe Festival
Shaw Centre of the Salish Sea (250-665-7511)
Sidney Spit Ferry – Alpine Group (250-474-5145, ext. 232) *Admission discount only. Not wheelchair accessible.
CARSA – Centre for Athletics, Recreation and Special Abilities (250-472-4000)
Victoria Bug Zoo (250-384-2847)
Victoria Butterfly Gardens (250-652-3822)
Victoria YM/YWCA (250-386-7511) *Downtown, Eagle Creek, and Westhills locations
WildPlay Element Parks Victoria (250-595-2251) *By appointment only, some restrictions apply. Enquiries/bookings guestservices-victoria@wildplay.com

Consumer Discount Card

The Action Committee for People with Disabilities offers a consumer discount card for 4$ entitling people with disabilities retail service discounts including the following:

Cargo Games-Coffee & Tea, Bay Center Food Fair– 10% off coffee, tea, and related items
Cordova Hair Boutique Ltd–discount on all products
Cook Street Market Place– 10% off all products
Orange Julius (Tillicum & Hillside locations)– 10% off food and beverages
Esquimalt Optical– 15% off regular prices.

For a full list of discounts, phone or go to the Action Committee office on 948 View Street.

Info: 250-383-4105

Recreation

Leisure Assistance Pass

The Leisure Assistance Pass allows an individual providing leisure assistance to a person with a disability free admission to all municipal recreation facilities and some private sector venues. The pass is issued to the person with the disability. The LA Pass is available within the municipality you reside in:

City of Victoria
Saanich
Township of Esquimalt
Westshore
Sooke and Juan de Fuca Electoral Area

Discount Kids Camps

The YM/YWCA offers subsidies for the children of parents with disabilities (or low incomes) to attend Camp Thunderbird. To determine how much you pay, the YM/YWCA uses the government’s low income cut off chart and asks you to pay as much as you are reasonably able to.

Info: 250-386-7511

Free Camping

People with disabilities and their camping party can camp free year round once they have been issued a “Freedom of information form” by their PWD worker.

Website: Camping Info for Persons with Disabilities

Note: Take a second piece of ID with you!

B.C. recreational freshwater Fishing Licence

BC residents living with a disability can obtain an annual Non-Tidal Angling Licence for a reduced fee.

Info: 250-356-9295, 250-387-9589 or download the application here: https://www2.gov.bc.ca/assets/gov/sports-recreation-arts-and-culture/outdoor-recreation/fishing-and-hunting/freshwater-fishing/disabled_angling_app.pdf

Website: https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/sports-culture/recreation/fishing-hunting/fishing/recreational-freshwater-fishing-licence

Transportation and Travel

Easter Seals Disability Travel Card

The Easter Seals have reinstated the Disability Travel card, which allows people with permanent disabilities access a free ticket for their support giver. This card applies to Greyhound Canada, VIA Rail Canada, Coach Canada, and Motor Coach Canada. Individuals wishing to access this card must apply. To apply, fill out the form here!

Specially Equipped Motor Vehicle Rebate

Complete this form to claim a specially equipped motor vehicle rebate if you paid GST/HST on the purchase of a qualifying motor vehicle, a modification service performed on your motor vehicle, the importation of a qualifying motor vehicle, or the bringing of a qualifying motor vehicle into a participating province from a non-participating province.

Website: GST/HST Specially Equipped Motor Vehicle Rebate Application

Government-Paid BC Transit Bus Pass

As of January 1st, 2018, people who receive disability insurance will receive an extra 52$ monthly for a bus pass (which is usually 85$) or other transportation-related need. To claim this pass, you can call the Ministry of Social Development and Poverty Reduction at 1 866 866-0800 or visit the BC Bus Pass Program website.

If you do not want a bus pass, the 52$ monthly will simply be added to your regular amount.

More information here.

Low-Cost Door-to-Door Transportation

handyDART offers door-to-door transportation for persons with a disability and seniors who cannot use the fixed-route transport services. You must register, at no charge, to participate in this program.

Trip reservations can be made up to 14 days in advance (recommended) and should be made at least one day in advance.

Fees for handyDART use:
- Individual: $2.50
- 10 Tickets: $22.50

handyDART also has a Taxi Saver program when their regular services are not enough. To qualify for the Taxi Saver program, you must be a permanent handyDART customer, 12 years of age or older, and have a handyPASS. Eligible individuals can purchase an $80 package of Taxi Saver coupons at a cost of $40 once a month. The coupons come in denominations of $1, $2 and $5. To use them, one can call any participating taxi company and pay in the coupons.

For more information, visit the BC Transit webpage.

BC Ferries Discounted Rates

BC Ferries offers a 50% discounted passenger rate for residents of BC who have a permanent disability. To receive this discount, individuals must apply for a BC Ferries Disabled Status Identification (DSI) Card, which you present to the Ticket Agent at the terminal.

For more information, and where to apply for the DSI Card, check here.

BC Ferries also offers reduced-rate travel for senior BC residents (65+) Monday-Thursday, as long as they present identification indicating their age (BCID, BCDL, BC care card etc.). More information can be found here.

Gas Tax Rebates

Purchasing fuel in BC means you are paying fuel tax as well. The Ministry of Finance offers a fuel tax rebate for persons with disabilities. The amount of a rebate you can receive depends on the type of fuel your vehicle uses – see the tax rates here.

18 cents returned per litre
you must keep receipts to receive the rebate. but the first year doesn’t require this
average person gets $200 a year

Information on how to apply for the rebate here.

General information on BC’s fuel taxes here.

There is also a federal rebate at a return of 1.5 cents per litre. See here for details.

Autoplan Discount

If you have been approved for the fuel tax rebate under the BC government’s Fuel Tax Refund Program for Persons with Disabilities, you could also qualify for a 25% discount on your autoplan insurance, even if you don’t personally drive the vehicle you insure.

For more information, visit the ICBC website:

http://www.icbc.com/autoplan/costs/Pages/Discounts-and-savings.aspx

Note: To register you must have a copy of your identification, a copy of your ICBC vehicle registration and documentation to confirm your disability.

Eye Exams and Glasses

Inner Harbour Optometry allows individuals with PWDs status to receive eye exams free of charge.

Otherwise, many local optometrists will bill the governmental insurance policies directly – which may not be a discount, but will save someone on PWD time and effort. Click here for information on the policy and local optometrists who bill directly.

Dental Care

Many local dentists will bill the governmental insurance policies directly – which may not be a discount, but will save someone on PWD time and effort. Click here for information on the policy and local dentists who bill directly.