Canada at the Paralympics


Canada has participated eleven times in the Summer Paralympic Games and in all Winter Paralympic Games. They first competed at the Summer Games in 1968 and the Winter Games in 1976.

Milestones

At the 2000 Summer Paralympics, Stephanie Dixon sets the Canadian record for most gold medals at a single Paralympics, Winter or Summer, with 5.
At the 2002 Winter Paralympics, Canada set a new total Canadian gold medal record haul at a Winter Paralympics, with 6.
At the 2004 Summer Paralympics, Chantal Petitclerc ties the 5 gold medal record at a single Games. She also won the demonstration sport of Wheelchair Racing in the 2004 Summer Olympics.
At the 2008 Summer Paralympics, Chantal Petitclerc again ties the 5 gold medal record at a single Games.
In 2010, Brian McKeever of Canada became the first athlete in the world to be named to the Winter Paralympics and Winter Olympics teams in the same year. At the 2010 Winter Olympics, he was scheduled to compete in the men's 50 km cross-country race.
At the 2010 Winter Paralympics, Viviane Forest became the first para-athlete to win a gold in both the Winter and Summer Games, by winning the Women's Downhill for Visually Impaired. She had previously won gold in the 2000 and 2004 Summer Paralympics for women's goalball.
Lauren Woolstencroft became the first Canadian to win 3 golds at the same Winter Paralympics, at the 2010 edition, this was eventually upped to 5 golds. With her 4th gold medal, she helped Canada set a record for most gold medals at any Winter Paralympic Games by winning the 7th medal. The previous mark was six, set at the 2002 Salt Lake City Paralympics. With her 5th gold medal, she set the record for most gold medals won by any Winter Paralympian at a single Games, and she tied the record for gold medal haul of any Canadian Paralympian at a single Games, tying Chantal Petitclerc and Stephanie Dixon, both Summer Paralympians. Her five gold are also the record for any Canadian Winter Paralympian or Olympian.
At the 2010 Games, Canada collected the most total medals and the most gold medals of any Winter Paralympics, up through 2010 for Canada, with 19 total medals, and 10 golds.
At the 2018 Winter Paralympics cross country skier Brian McKeever became Canada's most decorated Winter Paralympian when he won a 14th medal in five Games from 2002 to 2018, passing the late Lana Spreeman, who won 13 medals in para-alpine skiing between 1980 and 1994.

Hosting the Games

Canada has hosted the Games twice.
GamesHost cityDatesNationsParticipantsEvents
1976 Summer ParalympicsTorontoAugust 3 to August 11, 1976321657447 in 13 sports
2010 Winter ParalympicsVancouverMarch 12 to March 21, 20104450664 in 5 sports

In 1976, and in 2010, Canada also hosted the Olympic Games counterpart, the 1976 Summer Olympics and the 2010 Winter Olympics respectively. Canada did not host the Paralympic Games counterpart to the 1988 Winter Olympics in Calgary, Alberta; this was the last Winter Olympics that the host city did not also host the Winter Paralympics. The 1988 Summer Paralympics was the first Paralympics to be linked to the hosting of the Summer Olympics. The 1976 Summer Olympics were hosted in Montreal, and not linked to the Toronto Paralympiad.

Medals

The ranking in these table is based on information provided by the International Paralympic Committee and is consistent with IPC convention in its published medal tables, ordered first of all by the number of gold medals the athletes from a nation have won, followed by the number of silver medals and then the number of bronze medals.

Medals by Summer Games

;Medals by sport

Medals by Winter Games

;Medals by sport

Records

Summer Paralympics

Multi medalists

This is a list of Canadian athletes who have won at least three gold medals or five medals at the Summer Paralympics. Bold athletes are athletes who are still in active.
No.AthleteSportYearsGamesGenderGoldSilverBronzeTotal
1Michael Edgson1984-19923M183021
2Chantal Petitclerc1992-20085F145221
3Benoît Huot2000-20165M95620
3Walter Wu1996-20043M94215
4Stephanie Dixon2000-20083F78217
4Arnold Boldt1976-1992, 20126M7108
5Joanne Mucz1984-19923F6208
6Lisa Franks2000-20083F6107
6Jessica Sloan20001F6107
6Michelle Stilwell
2000-20165F6107
6Joanne Bouw1984-19964F5027
7Eugene Reimer1968-19804M45211
8Valerie Grand'Maison2008-20122F4408
8Jacques Martin1984-20005M4329
9Andre Viger1980-19965M33410
10Danielle Campo2000-20042F3227
10Rick Hansen1980-19842M3216
11Aurelie Rivard2012-20162F3205
11Philippe Gagnon20001M3104
12Andre Beaudoin1988-20086M27615
13Marc Quessy1988-19963M1528
14Brent Lakatos2012-20162M1427
15John Belanger1984-19882M0404
16Joyce Murland
1972-19762F0235

Multi golds at single Games

This is a list of Canadian athletes who have won at least two gold medals in a single Games. Ordered categorically by gold medals earned, sports then year.

Multi medals at single event

This is a list of Canadian athletes who have won at least three medals in a single event at the Summer Paralympics. Ordered categorically by medals earned, sports then gold medals earned.
No.AthleteSportEventYearsGamesGenderGoldSilverBronzeTotal
1Arnold BoldtHigh jump1976-19925M5005
2Benoît Huot200m individual medley2000-20165M3014
3Martha GustafsonDiscus throw1976-19843F3003
4Walter Wu400m freestyle1996-20043M2103
4Kirby Cote200m individual medley2000-20083F2103

Most appearances

This is a list of Canadian athletes who have competed in four or more Summer Paralympics. Active athletes are in bold. Athletes who were aged under 15 years of age and over 40 years of age are in bold.
No.AthleteSportBirth YearGames YearsFirst/Last AgeGenderGoldSilverBronzeTotal
1Clayton Gerein19641984-200820 - 40M3115
2Arnold Boldt
19571976-1992, 201218 - 35M7108
3Andre Viger19521980-199627 - 43M33410
3Chantal Petitclerc19691992-200822 - 39F145221
3Paul Tingley19702000-201630 - 46M1023
3Benoît Huot19842000-201626 - 32M94620

Winter Paralympics

Multi-medalists

This is a list of Canadian athletes who have won at least two gold medals or three medals at the Winter Paralympics. Athletes in bold are still active.
No.AthleteSportYearsGamesGenderGoldSilverBronzeTotal
1Brian McKeever2002-20184M132217
2Lauren Woolstencroft2002-20103F81110
3Sonja Gaudet2006-20143F3003
4Mac Marcoux2014-20182M2035
5Ina Forrest2010-20183F2013
6Lana Spreeman1980-19945F16613
7Viviane Forest20101F1315
8Stacy Kohut1994-20023F1304
9Mark Arendz2014-20182M1225
10Mollie Jepsen20181F1124
10Chris Williamson2002-20144M1124
11Natalie Wilkie20181F1113
12Karolina Wisniewska1998-2002, 20103F0448

Multi golds at one game

This is a list of Canadian athletes who have won at least two gold medals at a single Winter Paralympics. Order by gold medals earned, sport then year.
No.AthleteSportYearGenderGoldSilverBronzeTotal
1Lauren Woolstencroft2010F5005

Multi medals at one game

This is a list of Canadian athletes who have won at least three medals in a single event at the Winter Paralympics. Order by medals earned, sport then year.
No.AthleteSportEventYearsGenderGoldSilverBronzeTotal
1Brian McKeever10 km cross country2002-2018M5005
2Sonja GaudetMixed curling team2006-2014F3003
3Ina ForrestMixed curling team2010-2018F2013

Most appearances

This is a list of Canadian athletes who have competed in at least four Winter Paralympics. Still active athletes are in bold.
No.AthleteSportBorn YearGames YearsFirst/Last AgeGenderGoldSilverBronzeTotal
1Lana Spreeman19551980-199424 - 38F16613