By: Shannon Kinch
CNIB's Legal Support services are designed to remove barriers to justice for people whose rights have been violated because of blindness. We offer two types of support:
- Legal referrals: Provides participants with free, confidential referrals to legal services that align with their needs.
- Litigation grants: Gives eligible Canadians financial support to challenge inequities they’ve experienced because of blindness.
January marked the one-year anniversary of the official launch of CNIB Legal Support. Over the past year, our staff and volunteers have supported participants across the country by connecting them with community legal services and helping them access justice.
To mark this milestone, we’re proud to share a few highlights from the past year:
- More than 200 people from across Canada contacted the Legal Referral Service in need of legal support. We provided them with accessible, customized information and referrals to community legal services and other resources. We also conducted hundreds of follow-up calls, connected people to services, and provided additional support as required.
- We also travelled to Alberta and Prince Edward Island to promote the Legal Referral Service, connecting with participants, sharing information, and providing in-person support. More in-person outreach is planned for the Spring 2026, stay tuned!
- Through our Litigation Grant Service, we continue to receive funding requests on issues ranging from civil matters and housing to sidewalk maintenance, all carefully reviewed by our Legal Support Advisory Committee.
Of course, these activities would not be possible without the support of our funders and dedicated volunteers, including lawyers and law students from across the country, who donate their resources and time to assist with the operation of CNIB’s Legal Support services. After a successful first year, we’re looking forward to continuing to offer these services to people who are blind, low vision or Deafblind nationwide.
To learn more about CNIB Legal Support, visit cnib.ca/en/cnib-legal-support
CNIB’s Legal Referral service is generously funded by the Alberta Law Foundation, the Law Foundation of Prince Edward Island, the New Brunswick Law Foundation, the Law Foundation of Newfoundland and Labrador.