A piece of Canadian history is now on display in Halifax. The iconic van that accompanied Terry Fox on his Marathon of Hope is on view at the Steele Wheels Motor Museum. The 1980 Ford Econoline, now known as the ‘Van of Hope,’ officially went on display Sunday to coincide with the 46th anniversary of the start of Fox’s historic run. “This van followed him from St. John’s, Newfoundland to Thunder Bay, and during the entire trek, which was 5,373 kilometres, it served as the home, the office, and the sanctuary for Terry, his friend Doug, and from Saint John, New Brunswick to Thunder Bay, his brother Darrell Fox as well,” said Jennifer Holm with Steele Wheels. The van served as their mobile hub for 143 days. Decades have passed but the van still features the original 1980s-era lettering and interior, including the space where Fox and his support team slept. According to Steele Wheels, the van was “painstakingly restored” by Ford Canada to “awaken its original spirit.” Fox’s run was cut short on Sept. 1, 1980 after his cancer spread, but his impact is still being felt to this day. In February 2026, the Terry Fox Foundation announced it had surpassed $1 billion raised for cancer research. Steele Wheels Motor Museum is open Wednesday through Sunday, which is when the public can see the ‘Van of Hope.’ For more Nova Scotia news, visit our dedicated provincial page
