Supporting employment for Canadians who are blind, Deafblind, or have low vision
Canadians who are blind, Deafblind, or have low vision represent an important reserve of ambitious, skilled, and capable people who have all the tools necessary to make a greater contribution to the country's economy. Yet they continue to face significantly higher levels of unemployment and under-employment than their sighted peers.
Supporting employment opportunities for people with disabilities can create jobs, strengthen our economy, and help people thrive in their everyday lives.
The next federal government must commit to supporting employment for people who are blind, Deafblind, or have low vision.
CNIB is urging the Government of Canada to prioritize policies that protect, support, and expand employment opportunities for people with disabilities. By continuing to invest in employment programs that support people with disabilities, the Government of Canada will ensure that skilled and qualified individuals living with sight loss can live to their full potential while supporting economic growth and filling workforce gaps.
Meet with your candidates
Connecting with your local candidate is a great way to educate them about the barriers people with disabilities face when accessing employment and urge them to take action if elected. Whether you want to write a letter or meet with candidates directly, CNIB has the resources you need to advocate and share your story!
Talking to candidates
As the election approaches, candidates who are running to be your next Member of Parliament (MP) are eager to connect with voters. Let your MP candidates know about the critical need to prioritize economic growth and labour market opportunities for people with disabilities, including people who are blind or have low vision.
The collective impact of all CNIB participants who meet with their local candidates could have a substantial impact on the priorities of the next government. To help guide the conversation, we developed a toolkit with information about our campaign and questions to ask when speaking with your local candidates.
Download the toolkit!
Advocate Training Sessions
We’re also hosting virtual training sessions to help advocates prepare and effectively engage with candidates.
- English Session: Thursday, April 3, 2025 at 3:00 p.m. PDT | 4:00 p.m. MDT | 4:00 p.m. CST | 5:00 p.m. CDT | 6:00 p.m. EDT | 7:00 p.m. ADT | 7:30 p.m. NDT, virtually on Zoom. Zoom information will be shared after registering. Register for the English Advocate Training Session.
- French Session: Thursday, April 3, 2025 at 11:00 a.m. PDT | 12:00 p.m. MDT | 12:00 p.m. CST | 1:00 p.m. CDT | 2:00 p.m. EDT | 3:00 p.m. ADT | 3:30 p.m. NDT, virtually on Zoom. Zoom information will be shared after registering. Register for the French Advocate Training Session.
CNIB's Outreach to Political Parties
In advance of the election, we wrote the Leaders of all the main political parties in Canada, asking them to commit to prioritizing employment opportunities and supports for Canadians with disabilities.
This includes:
- Ensuring Canadians who are blind, Deafblind, or have low vision have equitable access to labour market opportunities and the education and/or skills training required to find and maintain meaningful employment
- Investing in accessible employment supports and programs that support and facilitate connections between both job seekers with disabilities and prospective employers
- Ensuring Canadians who are blind, Deafblind, or have low vision have access to the technology they need to secure and maintain meaningful employment
Mark Carney, Leader of the Liberal Party of Canada
Pierre Poilievre, Leader of the Conservative Party of Canada
Jagmeet Singh, Leader of the New Democratic Party
Yves-François Blanchet, Leader of the Bloc Québécois
Elizabeth May, Co-Leader of the Green Party of Canada
CNIB will publish party responses as they are received.