The Government of British Columbia announces new funding for Deafblind services across the province
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CNIB Deafblind Community Services is thrilled to share that in honour of National Deafblind Awareness Month, the Government of British Columbia has announced that they will be providing dedicated funding for intervenor services to support British Columbians who are Deafblind.
Sherry Grabowski, Vice President of CNIB Deafblind Community services poses with Dan Coulter, MLA for Chilliwack and Parliamentary Secretary for Accessibility, Nicholas Simons, MLA for Powell River-Sunshine Coast and Theresa Tancock, Family Services Coordinator, British Columbia Chapter of the Canadian Deafblind Association.
The landmark decision makes British Columbia the third province outside of Ontario and Saskatchewan to provide funding for CNIB Deafblind Community Services (DBCS), representing a monumental step for Canada’s Deafblind community.
This funding for intervenor services will help address communication challenges and provide critical supports for individuals who are deafblind so they can stay connected in their communities.
The Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW) went on strike this morning, Friday, November 15. CNIB is working to minimize the impact the strike will have on Canadians who are blind, Deafblind, or who have low vision, particularly as it relates to the delivery of alternative-format materials provided through our partners at CELA (Centre for Equitable Library Access).
At CNIB, we believe that everyone should be able to depend on public transit to get to where they need to go, when they need to go – from the first kilometre to the last kilometre. Join us in championing safer, more accessible journeys. Because everyone should be able to rely on public transit to travel door-to-door, safely and independently. Watch our Public Service Announcement and visit cnib.ca/transit to learn more.
The federal government recently launched a public consultation to gather feedback on the proposed Canada Disability Benefit Regulations (hereafter “the Regulations”) which, once approved by the Government of Canada, will set out technical details for the design and implementation of the Canada Disability Benefit (CDB). CNIB submitted feedback to the consultation, informed by an engagement survey distributed to our community members asking for their perspectives on key aspects of the Regulations. Our final submission brief made 14 recommendations to the Government and touched on topics including eligibility criteria, payment amounts, program administration, employment supports, and more.
We are thrilled to announce that registration is now open for Connecting the Dots 2024, Canada's largest conference focused on education, technology, and employment for people who are blind, Deafblind, or have low vision. This year, we're bringing the event to four dynamic cities across Canada, and we can't wait for you to join us!
The Canada Disability Benefit Act became law in 2023 and seeks to create a new federal benefit program that will strengthen the financial security and independence of Canadians with disabilities from coast to coast to coast. Now, the Government of Canada is seeking feedback from the disability community on its proposed Canada Disability Benefit Regulations, which will set out the design and technical details of the program, scheduled to launch in July 2025. CNIB is seeking the perspectives of our community members to inform our submission to the Government’s consultation, and we’re asking you to get involved by completing our survey.
