Toronto, ON, August 10, 2026 – CNIB and CNIB Deafblind Community Services (DBCS) are building for the future with a new downtown Toronto head office, opening in early 2027, designed to strengthen accessibility, collaboration and community connection, while continuing an active presence at their longstanding Bayview home.
The new head office, located at Roserock Place, 121 King St. W., reflects a deliberate choice to reduce barriers for people accessing services, while strengthening the organizations’ ability to influence change at a systems level.
By expanding into Toronto’s downtown core, CNIB and DBCS will be closer to transit, employers, government, funders, accessibility partners and community organizations. This proximity matters. It creates more opportunities to collaborate, advocate and help shape decisions that advance accessibility.
It also creates an opportunity to help advance accessibility in a part of the city that was not originally designed with this community in mind. Through this move, the organizations will lead by example, demonstrating what is possible when accessibility is shaped by lived experience, considered from the beginning and understood as something that benefits everyone.
“Our new downtown head office is about more than where we work. It is about reducing barriers for people accessing our services, and strengthening our ability to advocate for accessibility at a systems level,” says Angela Bonfanti, Chief Executive Officer, CNIB and DBCS. “By being closer to key partners, employers and decision-makers, we can have a stronger voice at the tables where decisions about accessibility and inclusion are being made. At the same time, Bayview remains an important part of our story and our future. We are honouring that history while reimagining how our spaces can best support our community.”
For decades, Bayview has been place where relationships were built, barriers were challenged and thousands of people who are blind, Deafblind or have low vision found community, opportunity and support.
As CNIB and DBCS start a new chapter in downtown Toronto, the organizations will continue to honour that history by maintaining an active presence at their longstanding Bayview location, evolving how the space is used to meet the needs of clients, staff, and the community.
CNIB’s Bayview footprint will shift to a more centralized main-floor location, anchored by a reimagined SmartLife space featuring a more focused retail experience, as well as flexible meeting and program space, and touchdown workstations for staff. SmartLife clients will continue to be served at Bayview, and the retail experience will not be interrupted. DBCS will continue to be present at both Bayview and the new downtown head office.
For DBCS, having a presence in both locations will create more opportunities for people who are Deafblind to access services, build skills, connect with community and participate in spaces designed with accessibility in mind.
“This expansion creates a dedicated space where people who are Deafblind can learn, build skills and connect with community,” says Christall Beaudry, President and COO, CNIB Deafblind Community Services. “Having a presence in both locations creates more opportunities for people who are Deafblind to communicate, participate and belong, while remaining closely connected to the programs and services that continue at Bayview.”
Every aspect of the new downtown office is being shaped through the lens of accessibility. From how people arrive and navigate the building to how they work, gather and connect, lived experience is informing the design from the beginning. That same lens will guide outreach in the surrounding downtown community, helping the organizations connect with partners and neighbours to advance accessibility both in and outside of the office.
As planning continues, CNIB and DBCS will keep staff, clients, volunteers, partners and the public informed.
“Our core purpose remains unchanged, but how we deliver on that purpose continues to evolve,” says Bonfanti. “Our changing footprint is just one example of how CNIB and DBCS are finding new ways to reduce barriers, increase impact, and respond to the needs of the communities we serve.” Every decision we're making is about creating a more accessible, inclusive and connected Canada where people who are blind, Deafblind or have low vision can participate fully and live the lives they choose.”
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About CNIB
Founded in 1918, CNIB is a non-profit 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.
Visit cnib.ca to learn more.
About CNIB Deafblind Community Services
CNIB Deafblind Community Services is one of Canada’s leading providers of specialized support and emergency services for people who are Deafblind. Our services enable people who are Deafblind to maximize their independence and engagement with the world around them.
Visit deafblindservices.ca to learn more.