CNIB and Meta partner to help shape the future of accessible technology

TORONTO, October 29, 2026 – Today, CNIB announced a new partnership with Meta, to bring the knowledge, expertise and lived experience of Canadians who are blind, Deafblind or have low vision into the future of wearable technology.

“The best technology is shaped with the people who will use it,” says Angela Bonfanti, President and CEO of CNIB. “People who are blind, Deafblind or have low vision bring valuable expertise about where barriers remain and how tools like AI glasses can offer greater choice, freedom and independence in everyday life. This partnership creates a direct path for that expertise to inform Meta’s work and help shape what comes next.”

Funding from Meta will support CNIB in four areas:

  • Listening in the community: Engaging people across Canada to understand their experiences, and how AI glasses can support greater independence in everyday life.
  • Supporting community champions: Supporting Canadians who are blind, Deafblind or have low vision to lead in-person peer training and demonstrations and gather candid product feedback in their communities.
  • Informing product development: Sharing community insights with Meta’s accessibility and product teams to help improve future technology.
  • Making learning accessible: Providing accessible guides, training materials and resources that people can use wherever they are.

“We believe the future is for everyone. Partnerships like this one get Meta’s AI glasses to more blind, Deafblind and low-vision Canadians at work and in their daily lives. Working directly with CNIB and its community—the people who use the glasses every day—helps us build better products for everyone,” said Maxine Williams, VP of Accessibility, Meta. 

Along with funding to help advance inclusive innovation, Meta is also donating AI glasses through CNIB’s Come to Work program, which will put tools into the hands of people exploring employment opportunities and building their careers. With training and practical resources, participants can assess how wearable technology may assist them in securing employment, succeeding at work and pursuing their goals.

AI glasses in everyday life

For David Demers, Executive Director of CNIB Quebec and a member of the blindness community, the potential of this technology is personal. In the video below, David shares how he uses Meta glasses as an accessibility tool in his everyday life.

 

His experience offers one perspective on what these tools can make possible. Through this partnership, more people will have opportunities to explore the technology, learn from one another and contribute their own insights about what would make it more useful.

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About CNIB

Founded in 1918, CNIB is a nonprofit organization driven to change what it is to be blind today. We deliver innovative programs and powerful advocacy that empower people impacted by blindness to live their dreams and tear down barriers to inclusion. Our work as a blind foundation is powered by a network of volunteers, donors and partners from coast to coast to coast. To learn more, visit cnib.ca.

 

Media contact:

Caitlyn Crews
Manager, Marketing and Executive Communications
CNIB
416-262-5192
caitlyn.crews@cnib.ca

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