09/21/2026
Today, I join so many across Nova Scotia in remembering Gerry Post — an extraordinary advocate, leader, mentor and friend whose impact on disability rights and accessibility in our province cannot be overstated.
For Independent Living Nova Scotia, and for so many of us who have spent our careers advocating for the rights, inclusion and full participation of people with disabilities, Gerry was an important partner and a powerful voice for change.
Gerry understood something that is at the very heart of the Independent Living movement: people with disabilities must be at the centre of the decisions, policies and systems that affect their lives. He understood that accessibility is not a favour, a program or an accommodation — it is a human right.
His leadership helped shape Nova Scotia’s Accessibility Act, and as the first Executive Director of the Accessibility Directorate, he helped build the foundation for the work toward an accessible Nova Scotia by 2030. Those accomplishments alone would represent an incredible legacy, but Gerry contributed so much more.
He challenged systems that needed to change. He brought people together when progress required collaboration. He pushed conversations forward when they were uncomfortable or difficult. Most importantly, he never lost sight of the people behind the policies.
Gerry was also incredibly generous with his knowledge and experience. Personally, I will always treasure his guidance and mentorship. He had a way of encouraging people to keep pushing forward, to expect better and to believe that meaningful systemic change was possible.
His influence can be seen throughout Nova Scotia — in legislation, policy, community leadership and in the growing expectation that people with disabilities have the right to live, participate and belong fully in their communities.
At Independent Living Nova Scotia, we know that Gerry's work helped move our province closer to the vision we all share: a Nova Scotia where people with disabilities have choice, control, dignity, opportunity and true inclusion.
There is still much work ahead of us. One of the greatest ways we can honour Gerry is to continue that work — to keep challenging barriers, amplifying the voices of people with disabilities and refusing to accept exclusion as inevitable.
Gerry was a bright star and a guiding beacon within Nova Scotia's disability community. His presence will be deeply missed, but his influence will continue to guide the work for generations to come.
On behalf of Independent Living Nova Scotia, and personally, I extend my deepest condolences to Veronica, Eleanor, Gerry's family and friends, his colleagues, and the entire disability community.
Thank you, Gerry, for your friendship, your leadership, your mentorship and your unwavering commitment to a more accessible and equitable Nova Scotia.
Your legacy will live on in the work we continue, the barriers we remove, the voices we elevate and the communities we build 💕
- Carrie Ernst, Executive Director
