Quebec

Welcome to the CNIB Quebec Division

In this section, you can find information about the various events, programs, services, resources and volunteer opportunities available in your community.

What’s New?

White Cane Week 2010 - To Enhance Independence of People Who are Blind or Living with Vision Loss

To celebrate White Cane Week, CNIB’s Quebec Division offers the following workshops from February 8-14, 2010. All these workshops will take place at CNIB’s Montreal office located at 3044, Delisle Street (Lionel-Groulx subway).

Please note that places are limited so registration is mandatory. First come, first served. To register, call 514-934-4622 extension 221 or send an email to quebec@cnib.ca.

Gardening

Meet Julie Dufort, horticulture/landscape designer, for an introduction to gardening, a discovery of odorous plants and finding out what can be planted in the spring.

• In French, Monday, February 8 from 1:00pm to 2:30pm.

Windows 7

Robert Savard, Manager of the Department of Assistive Technology at CNIB, will present the new Windows 7 and its compatibility with screen readers and screen magnifiers such as Jaws and ZoomText. This new version of Windows repeats the Windows Vista base but offers many modifications, in particular various changes in terms of interface and general ergonomics.

• In French, Tuesday, February 9 from 1:00pm to 2:30pm

You and Your Vision Health

Marie de Brienne, Registrar at CNIB, will present interesting statistics on vision health, programs and services available at CNIB and through the QC health system, and basic prevention notions.

• In English, Monday, February 8 from 3:00pm to 4:30pm
• In French, Tuesday, February 9 from 3:00pm to 4:30pm

Wine Aromas

One of the joys of drinking wine is smelling it. In fact, the pleasure of merely taking in the aromas of a wine can be just as satisfying as that of drinking it. From fruity to earthy, smokey and crisp, Pascal Patron of the Institut de tourisme et hôtellerie du Québec (ITHQ) will teach you how to recognize most common aromas and describe various wines.

• In French, Wednesday, February 10 from 1:00pm to 2:30pm

Glaucoma

Marc Renaud, Technician in ophthalmology and project Manager for the Montreal Jewish Hospital’s Glaucoma Information Center, will explain the causes and the consequences of glaucoma, an eye disease that touches over 65,500 Quebecers, the importance of correctly using ophthalmic drops daily and regular eye exams as well as treatments available.

• In French, Thursday, February 11 from 1:00pm to 2:30pm
• In English Thursday, February 11 from 3:00pm to 4:30pm

Macular degeneration

Carole Desharnais, one of the few nurses with both a Bachelor in nursing and a Graduate Certificate (DESS) in intervention in visual impairment, will give an outlook on macular degeneration, an eye disease that touches 299,000 Quebecers. Her presentation will include a description of symptoms, causes, treatments and prevention.

• In French, Friday, February 12 from 1:00pm to 2:30pm
• In English Friday, February 12 from 3:00pm to 4:30pm

For more than 90 years, CNIB has been one of the world’s largest non-profit agencies committed to providing Canadians who are blind or partially sighted with the confidence, skills and opportunities to fully participate in life and society. CNIB is the only organization offering vision support services across Canada and combines the strength of a community-rooted approach and a nationwide presence. With the support of 900 employees and 10,000 volunteers working out of more than 50 offices across the country, CNIB serves thousands of Canadians of all age. Our services are offered for free.

Vision loss represents the highest direct cost burden on Canada’s health care system. In Quebec, vision loss costs 2.6 billion dollars every year. More than 1.1 million Quebecers (1 in 7) live with one of the four most common eye conditions, namely: age-related macular degeneration (AMD), diabetic retinopathy, glaucoma and cataracts. Medical experts and health officials predict that rates of vision loss and severe visual impairment will double by 2030.