In February, a wonderful thing happened at CNIB Guide Dogs – we welcomed five beautiful puppies into the world!
Born in Ontario, Angus, Jedda, Makali, Hera, and Ella are the first litter of pups from the CNIB Guide Dogs breeding program.
Riley (mom) is a CNIB Guide Dog, and Eski (dad) is from Guide Dogs for the Blind.
Their highly anticipated arrival is a significant step in the expansion of CNIB’s Guide Dogs program. We're excited to mark this important milestone and celebrate the birth of a healthy litter of CNIB Guide Dogs pups.
The federal government recently launched a public consultation to gather feedback on the proposed Canada Disability Benefit Regulations (hereafter “the Regulations”) which, once approved by the Government of Canada, will set out technical details for the design and implementation of the Canada Disability Benefit (CDB). CNIB submitted feedback to the consultation, informed by an engagement survey distributed to our community members asking for their perspectives on key aspects of the Regulations. Our final submission brief made 14 recommendations to the Government and touched on topics including eligibility criteria, payment amounts, program administration, employment supports, and more.
We are thrilled to announce that registration is now open for Connecting the Dots 2024, Canada's largest conference focused on education, technology, and employment for people who are blind, Deafblind, or have low vision. This year, we're bringing the event to four dynamic cities across Canada, and we can't wait for you to join us!
The Canada Disability Benefit Act became law in 2023 and seeks to create a new federal benefit program that will strengthen the financial security and independence of Canadians with disabilities from coast to coast to coast. Now, the Government of Canada is seeking feedback from the disability community on its proposed Canada Disability Benefit Regulations, which will set out the design and technical details of the program, scheduled to launch in July 2025. CNIB is seeking the perspectives of our community members to inform our submission to the Government’s consultation, and we’re asking you to get involved by completing our survey.
CNIB is pleased to announce that Angela Bonfanti, a 13-year veteran of the CNIB team, today became the organization’s first female president and CEO. After holding several leadership positions at CNIB – including, most recently, the position of Chief Operating Officer – Angela succeeds John M. Rafferty, who has been CNIB’s president since 2009.
In May, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control announced new rules for all dogs entering the United States as part of their efforts to prevent dog-variant rabies from entering the country. The changes, which were set to take effect Aug. 1, would have required people entering the U.S. with a dog to complete two new forms, including one signed by a veterinarian to be verified upon arrival by U.S. border agents. CNIB Guide Dogs publicly voiced its concerns about how the changes and cumbersome administrative paperwork would negatively affect guide dog handlers crossing the border.