Jerry Daoust, owner-operator of Reel North Adventures, a Prince George-based fishing outfitter, has won in the Inclusive & Accessible Tourism Experience category at the BC Tourism Industry Awards.
The win came as a surprise to Daoust, who didn’t expect to take home the award or be met with cheers from the crowd.
“It was really humbling and an honour to be nominated,” Daoust said. “We were nominated this year, but I didn’t know we were actually nominated until February, when we were shortlisted as one of the three final candidates. So, when they called our name, I was super surprised. It was really cool; I didn’t think we’d win.”
The award was presented in recognition of Daoust’s commitment to accessibility, particularly his construction and launch of British Columbia’s first wheelchair-accessible 20-foot flat-bottom fishing boat.
Daoust spoke to The Citizen about his motivations for making his business more accessible to people with disabilities.
“Our remote adventures aren’t really friendly for someone who may have a mobility limitation or for small children,” Daoust said. “That was the motivation — how do we make it more inclusive for everyone? A lot of people say, ‘Oh, you built a wheelchair-accessible boat,’ but not really. It’s inclusive for everyone. That’s the whole point. We want to be able to take everyone out, and people who use wheelchairs are one of those demographics we can serve better now. But we just want people to know it’s not just for that group. It’s for everyone.”
One of the key reasons this unique boat won the award is its innovative construction and support from local industry.
“We thought we’d have to develop something from scratch,” Daoust said. “Originally, we looked at fabricating a boat, and then through that process, I came across hunting utility boats built by companies like Crestliner. I thought, ‘Well, this is perfect.’ Those boats are built for hunting, but the needs of a hunter are very similar to those of someone who may have accessibility limitations or uses a wheelchair. They need stability, they need room. So, I ended up buying that base hull and then getting it fabricated with CCI Industries here in town. They developed a custom railing system and a ramp system that allows us to load someone who uses a wheelchair through a standard boat launch or even from a dock.”
The boat is a 20-foot Crestliner with an eight-foot casting deck and a 150-horsepower engine. Its weight provides stability, which Daoust noted is crucial for people with accessibility limitations. The boat also features flotation pods at the rear to increase stability, and CCI Industries developed a custom railing system to facilitate easy access.
One of the primary challenges in construction, Daoust said, was the cost. However, he received support from the Enabling Accessibility Fund of Canada, Desjardins Bank of Canada, and CCI Industries’ labour.
Daoust has already conducted a few trial runs and a soft launch of the new boat, which received positive reviews.
“The reaction has been good,” Daoust said. “We did a soft launch last year with Cole Carrera, who is a member of Spinal Cord BC and uses a chair, as well as Pat from Spinal Cord BC. We did three trips last year with great results. They both really liked it. They liked where it’s heading, and this year we’d like to do more.”
Finalists in the Inclusive & Accessible Tourism Experience category included Campbell River Whale Watching and Adventure Tours and the Vancouver Aquarium.
