News

National Volunteer Week (April 18-24) is a time to celebrate and thank volunteers.

CNIB would like to thank Novartis Pharmaceuticals Canada Inc. for their longstanding support of people with sight loss across the country.

On March 24, 2021, the Ontario government released the 2021 Budget, "Ontario's Action Plan: Protecting People's Health and Our Economies". 

During the government's pre-budget consultations, CNIB submitted a response that urged the Ontario government to take action to address the low employment rates for people who are blind or partially sighted, which has become significantly worse due to the economic impacts of COVID-19.

We were pleased to see critical investments to support people with disabilities specifically. CNIB continues to work with the provincial government to find ways of enhancing and growing CNIB's Come to Work program with the ultimate goal of building the employment skills and employment opportunities for our Talent Pool.  

As COVID-19 vaccination clinics roll out across the country, CNIB is publicly urging provincial governments and local public health units to ensure their vaccine distribution strategies are accessible to Canadians with sight loss.

Oakville, ON – In partnership with the Canadian National Institute for the Blind (CNIB), Halton Healthcare is piloting BlindSquare, an innovative wayfinding system for people with sight loss. This initiative, being launched at Oakville Trafalgar Memorial Hospital (OTMH), will create a more accessible experience by ensuring individuals with sight loss have the opportunity to navigate the hospital safely and independently.

The Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms gives Canadian citizens the right to vote. But for many Canadians living with sight loss, voting isn’t as simple as walking into a voting booth and checking a name on the ballot. It’s an inaccessible process that involves little to no secrecy, and numerous barriers.

The CNIB Foundation is honoured to announce that Georgian has responded to the urgent need for guide dogs in Canada caused by the COVID-19 pandemic by sponsoring a dog for its entire working life.

By John M. Rafferty
When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, many charities struggled, while others were forced to close their doors. So, how did CNIB – a 103-year-old charity – become more relevant to Canadians with sight loss?

It wasn't easy. There was no playbook. CNIB was venturing into unknown territory, but we kept focused on our mission and that guided our way. As an organization with a mandate to remove barriers for Canadians impacted by blindness, we knew the need for our programs would be at an all-time high during this unprecedented time of isolation.

We are pleased to announce that, as of today, CNIB has been accredited under Imagine Canada’s Standards Program. With this achievement, we join a distinguished community of more than 250 non-profit organizations dedicated to operational excellence.

CNIB is very saddened to hear of the loss of Walter Gretzky. Our thoughts and prayers go out to the Gretzky family. Walter was an incredible CNIB supporter and avid advocate for youth with sight loss.