Left to right: Joanne Mills, Vice President, Quality Services and Indigenous Relations, Roger and Laura Toews, WOW Award recipients, Leah Blair, Manager Yellowhead Community Services, WOW Award nominator
CLBC is pleased to recognize Roger and Laura Toews and the Clearwater Tim Hortons team with a 2026 Widening Our World (WOW) Award.
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.
Left to right: Daniel Gill, self-advocate, with Roger and Laure Toews, WOW Award recipients
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.
Learn more about CLBC’s WOW Awards here.