News

Ten years ago, if you asked Larissa Proctor if she ever thought she would have a guide dog, the answer would have been a resounding no. Over time, as her vision declined, she was open to the possibility of a guide dog partnership. 

When Pascal Marcil lost his sight at 30, he turned to CNIB for support and guidance. Years later, he wanted to give back to the community that was there for him in his time of need.

Bill C-81 is now law. After receiving royal assent on June 21, the Act to Ensure a Barrier-Free Canada – or the Accessible Canada Act – will now proactively eliminate and prevent barriers and ensure greater opportunities for persons with disabilities.

The CNIB Ottawa Community Hub, at 425 Marché Way, hosts an extensive menu of offerings, including accessible technology training, advocacy resources, child and youth programming, peer support sessions as well as opportunities within culture, recreation and sport.

Welcome to the June edition of Equalize. In this issue, we learn about Guide Dog AdvoCamp, a new offering at CNIB Lake Joe, and service dog policies in schools. The Know Your Rights team provides a project update, and we bid farewell to Debbie Gillespie, a valued member of our advocacy team, who's retiring after 31 years. We also hear how the Federal Budget 2019 will impact Canadians with sight loss. Plus, we learn more about BlindSquare, a navigational app that's changing what it is to be blind today.

Ashley Shaw shares her experience navigating with BlindSquare in Toronto.

The CNIB Foundation is launching an ambitious federal election campaign to get each of the main political parties to commit to putting technology in the hands of Canadians who are blind or partially sighted, but we need your help!

On Tuesday, March 19, 2019, Finance Minister Bill Morneau tabled the Liberal government's fourth federal budget, titled "Investing in the Middle Class." It included measures to support equality for Canadians who are blind or partially sighted.

After 31 years with CNIB, Debbie Gillespie prepares for retirement and reflects on her time with the organization and the advocacy campaigns she's worked on.

Too many members of Ontario's blind, partially sighted and Deafblind communities become confused, frustrated, or exhausted when they're trying to understand their legal rights and challenge discrimination. Since the Fall 2018 launch, we’ve made excellent progress in developing easy-to-understand, practical legal information handbooks, producing public education videos, and running training for CNIB staff and community partners.