Rick has been honored with a host of accolades since the 1980s. Highlights of his awards and appointments can be found below. For a full list of Rick’s achievements to date, please contact info@rickhansen.com.
Awards
Achievements
Appointments
Honorary Appointments
Memberships
Professional Background
Education
Awards
2012 – Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal
2006 – William Van Horne Visionary Award, Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame
2002 – Queen Elizabeth II Golden Jubilee Commemorative Medal, Governor General of Canada
2000 – Athlete of the Century, British Columbia Wheelchair Sports
1992 – 125th Anniversary of the Confederation of Canada Medal, Governor General of Canada
1992 – Order of British Columbia
1987 – Companion of the Order of Canada
1987 – Freedom of the City Award, City of Vancouver
1987 – W.A.C. Bennett Award, British Columbia Sports Hall of Fame
1986 – Newsmaker of the Year, Canadian Press
1983 – Lou Marsh/Canadian Outstanding Athlete of the Year Award (Co-Winner with Wayne Gretzky)
2025 – King Charles III Coronation Medal
Achievements
2017 – Ambassador, Invictus Games 2017
2017 – Contributor, Albert Einstein Foundation’s Genius: 100 Visions of the Future
2015 – Final Torchbearer, Parapan Am Games Opening Ceremonies
2015 – Final Torchbearer, TORONTO 2015 Pan Am Games Opening Ceremonies
2010 – Final Torchbearer, 2010 Vancouver Olympic Winter Games Opening Ceremonies
2010 – Torchbearer, 2010 Vancouver Paralympic Winter Games
2008 – The Blusson Spinal Cord Centre was built to house ICORD and the Rick Hansen Institute
2007 – Induction into the BC Sports Hall of Fame
2007 – Star on Canada’s Walk of Fame
2006 – Induction into Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame
2003 – Induction as “Builder” into Canadian Paralympic Association Hall of Fame
1997 – RHF induction as “Builder” into Canadian Wheelchair Basketball Association (CWBA) Hall of Fame
1996 – Supported establishment of ICORD
1996–2003 – Established five leadership endowments worth $20 million as part of the Rick Hansen Trust at UBC
1988 – Final Torchbearer, 1988 Winter Olympic Games Opening Ceremonies (8)
1987 – The Rick Hansen Trust Fund at UBC is established
1985–1987 – Established World Record for Longest Wheelchair Marathon (24,901.55 miles or 40,075 kilometres), Guinness Book of World Records
2025 – Ambassador, Invictus Games Vancouver Whistler
Appointments
1992 – Secretary to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth
1989 – Founder and Advisor, National Access Awareness Week, Canada
1988 – Commissioner General to Canada Pavilion at Expo ‘88 in Brisbane, Australia
Honorary Appointments
2012–2015 – Honorary Colonel of the Joint Personnel Unit, Canadian Armed Forces
1989 – Present Honorary Chair, Alberta Premier’s Advisory Council for Persons with Disabilities
1989 – 2002 Honorary Chair, BC Premier’s Advisory Council for Persons with Disabilities
Memberships
2005 – Present Member, Living Rivers Trust Fund Advisory Board
2000–2009 – Founding Chair and Member, Pacific Salmon Endowment Fund Society
1990–1997 – Chair (1990-1994) and Member (1990-1997) International Paralympic Committee on the Integration of Disabled Athletes (renamed: Commission for the Inclusion of Athletes with Disabilities
1989–2004 – Member, Board of Directors, Nike Canada
1987 – Present Advisory Panel, Rick Hansen Trust Fund, University of British Columbia
Professional Background
2018 – Present Founder, Rick Hansen Foundation
2014–2018 – Founder & CEO, Rick Hansen Foundation
2011 – Co-Chair, Rick Hansen Foundation Board of Directors
1997–2011 – President and CEO, Rick Hansen Foundation
1997 – Present Founder & Chair of the Fraser River Sturgeon Conservation Society
1997–2019 – Founder, The Rick Hansen Institute
1990 – Present National Fellow, Rick Hansen National Fellow Programme, University of British Columbia
1989–1991 – Consultant on Disability Issues to the President University of British Columbia
1988 – The Man in Motion Society (later the Rick Hansen Foundation) is established
1987–1988 – Commissioner General to Canada Pavilion at World Exposition ‘88 in Brisbane, Australia
Education
1986 – Bachelor of Physical Education, University of British Columbia, (first person with a physical disability to graduate with a degree in Physical Education)
*1987 – Present Rick has achieved 26 honorary degrees to date