September is Disability Employment Month in B.C., recognizing the important contributions people with disabilities make to the province’s workforce. The month also highlights the importance of working with employers to reduce barriers to employment and create more inclusive and accessible workplaces.
Read the official proclamation of Disability Employment Month 2026 here.
Learn more about Disability Employment Month on Inclusion BC’s website here.
This Disability Employment Month, CLBC is pleased to celebrate Roger and Laura Toews and the Clearwater Tim Hortons team, recipients of a 2026 Widening Our World (WOW) Award.
Roger and Laura Toews with the team at Tim Hortons in Clearwater
As owners and operators of the Clearwater Tim Hortons, Roger and Laura have created a welcoming and inclusive workplace where people with developmental disabilities have meaningful opportunities to work, build skills and contribute to their community.
Their approach to inclusive employment is rooted in a simple belief: everyone has valuable strengths and abilities to offer. Employees are supported to learn, gain confidence and succeed in their roles, with flexibility and workplace accommodations provided when needed.
For Roger and Laura, creating an inclusive workplace starts with recognizing the unique strengths each person brings. As they explain, “Everyone brings different strengths to the workplace, and we believe in giving people the opportunity to use those strengths and be part of the community. For us, it was never about doing something special. It was simply about giving people the opportunity they deserve.”
The Clearwater Tim Hortons is also physically accessible, helping make it a welcoming place for employees, customers and the broader community.
Roger and Laura were nominated for the WOW Award by Leah Blair, Yellowhead Community Services Community Integration Services Program Manager, who recognized their ongoing commitment to creating a respectful and supportive workplace. Their efforts demonstrate how inclusive employment can make a meaningful difference in the lives of employees, their families and the wider Clearwater community.
The WOW Awards have been presented by CLBC since 2009 to recognize people and organizations across British Columbia who help advance inclusion and full citizenship for people with developmental disabilities.
Congratulations to Roger and Laura Toews and the Clearwater Tim Hortons team on receiving a 2026 WOW Award and for helping make inclusion part of everyday community life in Clearwater.