Vancouver In-Person Exhibit Hall & Networking Event
Vancouver In-Person Exhibit Hall & Networking Event
Date: Wednesday, November 8, 2023
Location: KPMG Canada – 777 Dunsmuir St., Vancouver, BC V7Y 1K3
Registration required.
By agreeing to attend in-person, please know there is a chance you could be filmed or photographed by our professional photographer on-site. If you have an issue with this, please do not hesitate to contact us at connectingthedots@cnib.ca
Conference Schedule
9:00 a.m. Sensory Relief Room opens – ALL DAY – Cypress Room, 11th Floor.
9:15 a.m. Registration opens. Room: Main Lobby, Ground Floor.
9:30 a.m. Vendor Alley opens. Room: Ignition Centre, 12th Floor.
10:00 a.m. Indigenous Elder Blessing and Opening Remarks. Room: Sea to Sky, 11th Floor.
10:15 a.m. Opening Keynote. Room: Sea to Sky, 11th Floor.
Opening Keynote Session with Marco Tomasetti, Managing Director, KPMG Corporate Finance Inc. & Partner, Deal Advisory and Vince Tomasetti, Program Manager, Assistive Technology BC.
10:50 a.m. Morning Refreshment Break. Room: Lobby, 11th Floor.
11:00 a.m. Connecting the Dots Spotlight Speaker Series 1. Room: Sea to Sky, 11th Floor.
· Session 103: Work BC - Leveraging the Assistive Technology Services Program
· Session 105: CNIB - The Way Forward: Follow the Ripple with Us
12:00 p.m. Follow the Ripple: Spotlight Series 1 Debrief and Discussion.
Rooms:
· Session 101 – Room: Downtown, 11th Floor
· Session 102 – Room: Yaletown, 11th Floor
· Session 103 – Room: Gastown, 11th Floor
· Session 104 – Room: Railtown, 11th Floor
· Session 105 – Room: Pacific Rim, 11th Floor
12:00 p.m. Vendor Alley. Room: Ignition Centre, 12th Floor.
12:30 p.m. Lunch and Prize Draw. Room: Sea to Sky, 11th Floor.
1:30 p.m. Connecting the Dots Spotlight Speaker Series 2. Room: Sea to Sky, 11th Floor.
· Session 201: CNIB National Youth Council -Two Worlds Become One: A Deafblind Perspective
· Session 202: Myth-busting Federal Government Procurement
· Session 204: Ontario Tech University - A Study of Accessible and Inclusive Virtual Models
· Session 205: Blind Beginnings Society - Limitless Potential is All we See
2:30 p.m. Wellness and Refreshment Break. Room: Lobby, 11th Floor.
2:45 p.m. Follow the Ripple: Spotlight Series 2 Debrief and Discussion.
Rooms:
· Session 201 – Room: Downtown, 11th Floor
· Session 202 – Room: Yaletown, 11th Floor
· Session 203 – Room: Gastown, 11th Floor
· Session 204 – Room: Railtown, 11th Floor
· Session 205 – Room: Pacific Rim, 11th Floor
3:30 p.m. Connecting the Dots Spotlight Speaker Series 3. Room: Sea to Sky, 11th Floor.
· Session 301: RNIB & PRCVI - Canadian National Standards - what's happening?
· Session 303: Homeschool Labs - Opening the Door to Learning
· Session 304: Azure AI: Using AI to Make Experiences Accessible and Inclusive
· Session 305: KPMG - This Changes Everything: Generative AI and the Next Competitive Advantage
4:30 p.m. Wellness and Refreshment Break. Room: Lobby, 11th Floor.
4:45 p.m. Follow the Ripple: Spotlight Series 2 Debrief and Discussion.
Rooms:
· Session 201 – Room: Downtown, 11th Floor
· Session 202 – Room: Yaletown, 11th Floor
· Session 203 – Room: Gastown, 11th Floor
· Session 204 – Room: Railtown, 11th Floor
· Session 205 – Room: Pacific Rim, 11th Floor
5:15 p.m. Closing Remarks and Prize Giveaways. Room: Sea to Sky, 11th Floor.
5:00 p.m. Vendor Alley Closes.
5:30 p.m. Main Event Close.
Opening Doors to Opportunity Networking Reception
*Invite Only - Ignition Centre, 12th Floor.
6:00 p.m. Welcoming Remarks.
6:20 p.m. Spotlight Entertainment: The Lucky Pennies.
With Mary on the Fiddle and Bob on guitar and vocals, please enjoy this spotlight performance from their Celtic/Irish roots!
6:30 p.m. Networking - Navigate and make a connection!
8:15 p.m. Closing Remarks and Prize Announcements.
8:20 p.m. Spotlight Entertainment: The Lucky Pennies.
9:00 p.m. Event Close.
Session Descriptions
Opening Keynote
Keynote with Marco Tomasetti, Managing Director, KPMG Corporate Finance Inc. & Partner, Deal Advisory and Vince Tomasetti, Program Manager, Assistive Technology BC.
Room: Sea to Sky, 11th Floor
Connecting the Dots Spotlight Speaker Series
Exhibitors, vendors, and partners of CNIB will share ideas about issues affecting people with sight loss, cutting-edge and tried-and-true products, assistive technologies and services. Talks are on a first come first served basis and will be 10 minutes in length with the opportunity to network and connect further with speakers on their topics.
Spotlight Speaker Series 1
Room: Sea to Sky, 11th Floor.
Time: 11 a.m. - 12 p.m.
Session Length: 10 minutes per speaker.
Tactile Exploration Skills through Braille Bites and Braille Zoomers
Tactile exploration skills are vital for everyone with a visual impairment. Braille Literacy Canada offers several programs to promote tactile skills throughout life. This presentation will introduce Braille Bites for families of young children and Braille Zoomers for adults and older adults learning braille. Presenters will share suggestions and strategies for supporting learners of all ages in gathering information through touch.
Speakers: Daphne Hitchcock, President, Braille Literacy Canada and Jen Jesso, Outreach Coordinator, PRCVI.
DODO Inclusive Coding Blocks: A Dynamic Learning Approach
DODO is an innovative educational tool designed for visually impaired learners. Participants will learn fundamental coding concepts using a combination of tactile tangible blocks with Braille and immersive audio tasks by Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies such as machine learning and computer vision. They will learn and create coding representations through interactive activities using voice inputs and tangible blocks. DODO's inclusive approach empowers learners with engaging experiences.
Speakers: Jennifer Alejandra Cardenas Castaneda, MSc. Mechanical Engineering, University of Alberta, Professor Dr. Rafiq Ahmad, University of Alberta, and Professor Dr. Patrick Hung, Ontario Tech University
Leveraging the Assistive Technology Services Program
Learn more on the funding for assistive technologies in BC to minimize and overcome workplace barriers. This program is intended for those seeking employment/training at WorkBC Employment Centres or those already in the workforce, employed part or full time. The common situation is they have a barrier caused by a disability, chronic pain or an old injury. Visual aids, hearing aids, ergonomics, mobility aids, and a million other items can be funded, as well as an assessment by our team of professionals.
Speaker: Nate Toevs, Marketing Manager, Neil Squire Society - WorkBC Assistive Technology Services
Navigating my career journey with CNIB’s Come to Work Program
In this session Ray will take us on his journey navigating vision loss. While trying to adapt to his vision changes, Ray sought support through CNIB’s Come to Work program, and was able to hone his transferable skills and make the transition from physical work to an office job he is enjoying. While losing his vision presented challenges, he was able to persevere and valued his connection with CNIB.
Speaker: Ray Choi, Real Estate Clerk, Vancouver Fraser Port Authority
The Way Forward - Follow the Ripple with Us
Built on the direction and feedback of people who are blind, low vision, or Deafblind across Canada, we’re proud to introduce The Way Forward, a new, five-year strategic plan that we believe will create lasting change for our community nationwide. From our consultations with people affected by sight loss nationwide, we identified the three most pressing and prolific issues facing our community, and we developed three key commitments to tackle those issues head-on. Join us to learn more about this exciting new direction and how you can get involved.
Speakers: Christall Beaudry, Vice President, Western Canada, CNIB; Craig Peterson, Executive Director, Alberta and the Northwest Territories, CNIB, and Shoko Kitano, Executive Director, British Columbia and the Yukon, CNIB.
Spotlight Speaker Series 2
Room: Sea to Sky, 11th Floor.
Time: 1:30-2:30 p.m.
Session Length: 10 minutes per speaker.
Two Worlds become One: A Deafblind Perspective
Imagine a world without sight, now imagine it without sound - together. This is what Deafblind Canadians experience every day. Join Abby and Mia as they each share their personal and professional experience. Drawing from their lived experience through an intersectional lens and providing information about education, employment, and the best way to facilitate success. Being Deafblind provides a dual outlook on the world.
Speakers: Abby Sienko and Mia Schartau, National Youth Council Members, CNIB
Myth-busting Federal Government Procurement
Did you know that the Government of Canada buys $15-20 billion worth of goods and services each year? Do you think they only buy from big companies? Would you be surprised to learn that many of these contracts are awarded to small businesses in Canada? Let us help you decide if selling to the Government of Canada is appropriate for you.
Speaker: Carter Bobbie, Outreach and Engagement Officer, Pacific Region, Procurement Assistance Canada (PAC)
Accessibility Testing and User Group Recruitment: Take your lived experience skills to the employment future
Details coming soon! Stay tuned.
Speaker: David Demers, President, CNIB Access Labs
A Study of Accessible and Inclusive Virtual Models
This presentation will discuss the recommendations on accessible and inclusive virtual models for visual impairments, hearing loss, and dual sensory loss. The content will include an overview of existing service provision accessibility standards, practices (whether formal or informal), and associated accessibility legislation to identify innovation opportunities for technical and non-technical audiences.
Speaker: Dr. Patrick Hung, Professor, Ontario Tech University
Limitless Potential is All we See
Building confidence and independence begins with believing in the capabilities of individuals who are blind and partially sighted. Shawn Marsolais will share how shifting perceptions of blindness is helping the youth and families she supports at Blind Beginnings.
Speaker: Shawn Marsolais, Founder and Director of Programs and Community Engagement, Blind Beginnings Society
Spotlight Speaker Series 3
Room: Sea to Sky, 11th Floor.
Time: 3:30-4:30 p.m.
Session Length: 10 minutes per speaker.
Session 301
Canadian National Standards - what's happening?
Our presentation focuses on the Canadian National Standards, beginning with a current status report including a national and international perspective. The Standards in their current form were launched in 2017, this presentation will be kickstarting their review, calling on input from key stakeholders in VI education across Canada. We are looking for stakeholders to join to review and support this work to maximize their impact for young people, families and professionals in VI education.
Speakers: Caireen Sutherland, Head of Children and Education, RNIB and Adam Wilton, PhD, Program Manager of the Provincial Resource Centre for the Visually Impaired (PRCVI)
Session 302
A Dynamic Tactile Display, Enabling Braille Dots To Serve 21st Century Needs
This session will discuss the upcoming Monarch Braille and tactile graphics display developed by HumanWare and the American Printing House for the Blind with their technology provider DOT Inc. Using a new innovation in braille cell technology, this tool will be capable of displaying tactile graphics and traditional braille on the same surface, unlocking access to instant information like never before.
Speaker: Peter Tucic, Director of Strategic Partnerships, HumanWare
Opening the Door to Learning
Education is the key to unlocking any door. It can be what inspires and what heals. Storytelling provides the means to present information and experiences to others as cultures, religions, and groups have done for generations. It's also an important part of the key to engaging kids in a love of learning. Listen to the story of how education helped heal and inspire a children's educational business.
Speaker: Samantha Sherman, Owner, Homeschool Labs
Session 304
Azure AI: Using AI to Make Experiences Accessible and Inclusive
AI solutions such as text-to-speech, voice control and translation have been useful accessibility tools for decades. Now, generative AI is helping to make assistive, conversational technology mainstream, which also has huge potential for people with disabilities. Join this session to learn about how Microsoft’s Azure AI platform is being used to make our own Microsoft products inclusive as well as enabling accessibility scenarios for our customers.
This Changes Everything: Generative AI and the Next Competitive Advantage
Generative AI is no longer a future concept but a present reality. This presentation navigates the transformative impact of AI on businesses, exploring why technological disruption can be difficult to see, and what you’ll need to turn AI Readiness and experimentation into competitive advantage. Join us as we explore real-life applications, challenges, and practical advice to help prepare you for responsible and effective AI adoption.
Speaker: Marc Low, Director of Innovation & Emerging Technology, KMPG