Chantal Petitclerc, Chef de Mission for the Canadian Paralympic team, will oversee the event which is due to begin this winter and run until the spring.

Petitclerc, who boasts an incredible 21 Paralympic medals in wheelchair athletics,  will visit ten Canadian cities, including Montreal, Vancouver, Halifax and Calgary, and at each stop will visit schools and meet with local coaches and athletes.

She will also gives speeches, meet with elected officials and play wheelchair basketball.

"Community involvement is crucial to the success of Paralympic athletes," she said.

"Special facilities and major investments are required for para-sport, so this is a unique opportunity to see what is being done in the community and thank those who support athletes and the Paralympic movement.

"My mission is to rally as many people as possible around the Paralympic movement by telling the athletes' stories.

"My role as Chef de Mission will contribute to raising awareness of Paralympic sport, changing perceptions and, above all, revealing the athletes behind the results and medals.

"The tour will take me across Canada to highlight the athletes who are training for the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games."

Petitclerc, 45, who has 14 Paralympic gold medals in her collection from T54 100 metres right up to 1500 metres, is scheduled to visit Rio de Janeiro later this month to evaluate the venues ahead of next summer's Games.

She lost the use of her legs at the age of 13 in a farm accident when a barn door fell on her.

Canada plans to send a team of between 170 and 200 athletes to Rio.




Related stories
May 2015: O'Reilly appointed assistant Chef de Mission for Canadian Rio 2016 Paralympic team
September 2014: Five-time Paralympian Petitclerc revealed as Canada's Rio 2016 Chef de Mission