Paul Vienneau wins award for his work as accessibility advocate

Halifax photographer Paul Vienneau is the winner of the 2018 James McGregor Stewart Award for his work advocating for people with disabilities.

The award recognizes leadership, effective advocacy and outstanding personal achievement of a person with a disability.

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“It reassures me that people are noticing, and that the message is getting out, and it’s also a big encouragement to keep going,” Vienneau told Global News.

Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "It reassures me that people are noticing, and that the message is getting out, and it's also a big encouragement to keep going," Vienneau told Global News.

Vienneau became well known in the city after he was seen breaking up thick ice from his wheelchair in downtown Halifax in 2015, and for his fight for better accessibility.

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“My whole point of this is obviously not to get awards. It’s because I was presented an opportunity three years ago with the whole shoveling Spring Garden Road crosswalks. It opened doors so that I could try to make some change on behalf of people from my community,” he said.

“I’m really grateful for the award, it means a lot.”

Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "I'm really grateful for the award, it means a lot."

In a ceremony on June 21, Vienneau will be presented with a $1,000 cheque by the executive director of Nova Scotia’s Accessibility Directorate.

Recently, Vienneau has helped The Pavillion, an all-ages music venue owned by the city, become an accessible venue with ramps. He will be performing there with his band, along with other bands, to re-launch the accessible venue on June 8.

He is currently working on projects with Halifax Transit on new tie-down systems, which tie wheelchairs to the bus.