A North Shore woman who spent five decades making life better for people with disabilities is being posthumously recognized with one of the province's highest honours.
Pamela Horton from North Vancouver was one of 18 recipients awarded a Medal of Good Citizenship from the province, announced on Monday.
Horton passed away in May after a lifetime of advocacy in advancing the rights, dignity and inclusion of people with disabilities in B.C. and across Canada.
She was was the first executive director of Disability Alliance BC, where she helped launch vital programs like Tax AID, a free tax filing support for people with disabilities. She remained with the alliance's board until her passing.
She also helped make accessibility changes in TransLink as a founding member of the Access Transit Users’ Advisory Committee. The committee helped with the introduction of accessible buses with lifts and the launch of the Access Transit Strategy in 2005, guiding the transit company’s work around accessibility, the press release said.
Horton was the first person with a disability appointed to the BC Housing board in the late 1990’s.
And she contributed to legislation including the Accessible B.C. Act and Bill C-7, which allows for medical assistance in dying.
She advocated for these changes while living with multiple sclerosis, an autoimmune condition that affects a person’s brain and central nervous system.
“Pam’s lifelong commitment has transformed lives, policies and public institutions,” Horton’s bio reads.
Since its inception in 2015, the province has bestowed 196 Medals of Good Citizenship.
“[Monday] marks a decade of celebrating exceptional people who do remarkable things out of the goodness of their hearts,” B.C. Premier David Eby said in a press release. “This year’s honourees exemplify what it means to be a good citizen by selflessly stepping up to help their fellow British Columbians with kindness, compassion and commitment. Thank you to all the Medal of Good Citizenship recipients for inspiring everyone around you.”
Abby Luciano is the Indigenous and civic affairs reporter for the North Shore News. This reporting beat is made possible by the Local Journalism Initiative.
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