The Canadian Council of the Blind (CCB) is the Voice of the Blind in CanadaTM and was founded 77 years ago in 1944 by blind veterans returning from the war and schools of the blind. The CCB is a membership-based registered charity with 84 local chapters nationally that bring together Canadians who are blind, deaf-blind, or partially-sighted to share common interests and social activities. Its main goal is to promote a sense of purpose and self-esteem along with an enhanced quality of life amongst its members. The CCB is unwavering in working toward improved accessibility and a barrier-free Canada.
Each year during the rstfull week of February, the CCB celebrates White Cane Week. Scheduled from Feb. 7 to 13, the year 2021 will mark its 18th annual event. Sadly, living in this era of COVID-19 where social interactions and gatherings aren’t possible, CCB members across Canada will miss many of their usual events and sports competitions. To that end, the CCB has gone virtual in an attempt to ll the gap.
White Cane Magazinewill be published on Feb. 10. The CCB will host four major events through to the middle of February. White Cane Week’s kick-off will be the Virtual Expo Forum (on the topic Assistive Device Programs) on Feb. 13 at 2 p.m., followed by the Vision 2021 Virtual Gala on Feb. 18 at 2 p.m., and bookended by the Vision 2021 Virtual Summits, which are scheduled for Feb. 17 at 2 p.m. (on The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic) and May 26 (on The Cost of Vision Loss in Canada) at 2 p.m.
In celebrating White Cane Week, the CCB aims to bring public awareness and appreciation to issues of accessibility, health, and inclusion.
The CCB works collaboratively with key government agencies and stakeholder coalitions including several national organizations. It’s through these relationships and efforts that the CCB is able to promote a better understanding of the barriers faced by those living with vision loss.
The CCB is proud of these efforts to change what it means to be blind and of its leadership role in the vision loss community. Through its collaborations and independent work, it has played a key role in attaining relevant legislation, services, and appropriate eye disease treatments.
