Letters to B.C. Party Leaders

We’ve reached out to party leaders across the province to stress the urgency of protecting vital services for people who are Deafblind. These letters highlight the critical need for continued funding and support to ensure access to life-saving interventions. Below, you can read the letters we’ve sent and learn more about how we are advocating for the Deafblind community.

Re: The Critical Need for Continued Funding for Deafblind Intervenor Services in British Columbia 

Dear Ms. Furstenau,  

I am writing to you on behalf of CNIB Deafblind Community Services (DBCS), one of Canada’s leading providers of specialized support and emergency services for people who are Deafblind. As the provincial election approaches, I am seeking a firm commitment from the BC Green Party to ensure the continuation of essential funding for DBCS services in British Columbia. 

Currently, DBCS is at a critical juncture. DBCS received a two-year grant from the Department of Social Development and Poverty Reduction to establish a core service offering in the province. With no commitment for renewed funding, DBCS is seeking a permanent, long-term home for these critical services to avoid the devastating scenario of advising our clients that their life-saving intervention will cease in the immediate future. The critical supports we offer to people who are Deafblind are at serious risk.  

DBCS is seeking your party’s commitment to continue funding our operations in British Columbia. 

Deafblindness is a profound and distinct disability, characterized by a combined loss of hearing and vision that severely limits an individual’s ability to access information and engage fully in daily life. With the right support, however, people who are Deafblind can lead fulfilling lives – pursuing education, maintaining employment, and forming meaningful relationships.  

The cornerstone of this support is the work of our intervenors. Intervenors are trained professionals who support individuals who are Deafblind, facilitating communication, navigating environments, and enabling informed decision-making. Their work is not just about improving quality of life; it is about saving lives. Our intervenors provide life-saving interventions – whether by facilitating access to medical care, assisting with vital communication during emergencies, or enabling safe navigation in potentially hazardous situations. 

The need for these services is undeniable and urgent. In British Columbia, DBCS provided more than 5,800 hours of direct service to 40 active clients in the 2023-24 fiscal year. With seven new referrals pending, the demand for our services is increasing. 

Will the BC Green Party publicly recognize the immediate need to ensure that DBCS operations continue in British Columbia? Under your leadership, this commitment will tell British Columbians that the provincial government will prioritize the safety and independence of people who are Deafblind and will work with DBCS to create a barrier-free province. 

As we will be posting each Party Leader’s response on our website, your immediate attention is requested. Please ensure that your response is created in an accessible document.  

I would welcome the opportunity to meet with you to discuss this urgent matter and to explore how we can work together to ensure British Columbians who are Deafblind continue to receive these vital supports and combat the negative impacts of isolation. 

Thank you for your time and serious consideration. I look forward to your prompt and positive response. 

Sincerely,

Angela Bonfanti
President and CEO 
CNIB Deafblind Community Services

Dear Mr. Eby,

Re: The Critical Need for Continued Funding for Deafblind Intervenor Services in British Columbia

Dear Mr. Eby,

I am writing to you on behalf of CNIB Deafblind Community Services (DBCS), one of Canada’s leading providers of specialized support and emergency services for people who are Deafblind. As the provincial election approaches, I am seeking a firm commitment from the New Democratic Party of British Columbia to ensure the continuation of essential funding for DBCS services in British Columbia.

Currently, DBCS is at a critical juncture. DBCS received a two-year grant from the Department of Social Development and Poverty Reduction to establish a core service offering in the province. With no commitment for renewed funding, DBCS is seeking a permanent, long-term home for these critical services to avoid the devastating scenario of advising our clients that their life-saving intervention will cease in the immediate future. The critical supports we offer to people who are Deafblind are at serious risk.

DBCS is seeking your party’s commitment to continue funding our operations in British Columbia.

Deafblindness is a profound and distinct disability, characterized by a combined loss of hearing and vision that severely limits an individual’s ability to access information and engage fully in daily life. With the right support, however, people who are Deafblind can lead fulfilling lives – pursuing education, maintaining employment, and forming meaningful relationships.

The cornerstone of this support is the work of our intervenors. Intervenors are trained professionals who support individuals who are Deafblind, facilitating communication, navigating environments, and enabling informed decision-making. Their work is not just about improving quality of life; it is about saving lives. Our intervenors provide life-saving interventions – whether by facilitating access to medical care, assisting with vital communication during emergencies, or enabling safe navigation in potentially hazardous situations.

The need for these services is undeniable and urgent. In British Columbia, DBCS provided more than 5,800 hours of direct service to 40 active clients in the 2023-24 fiscal year. With seven new referrals pending, the demand for our services is increasing.

Will the New Democratic Party of British Columbia publicly recognize the immediate need to ensure that DBCS operations continue in British Columbia? Under your leadership, this commitment will tell British Columbians that the provincial government will prioritize the safety and independence of people who are Deafblind and will work with DBCS to create a barrier-free province.

As we will be posting each Party Leader’s response on our website, your immediate attention is requested. Please ensure that your response is created in an accessible document.

I would welcome the opportunity to meet with you to discuss this urgent matter and to explore how we can work together to ensure British Columbians who are Deafblind continue to receive these vital supports and combat the negative impacts of isolation.

Thank you for your time and serious consideration. I look forward to your prompt and positive response.

Sincerely,

Angela Bonfanti 
President and CEO 
CNIB Deafblind Community Services

Re: The Critical Need for Continued Funding for Deafblind Intervenor Services in British Columbia 

Dear Mr. Rustad,  

I am writing to you on behalf of CNIB Deafblind Community Services (DBCS), one of Canada’s leading providers of specialized support and emergency services for people who are Deafblind. As the provincial election approaches, I am seeking a firm commitment from the Conservative Party of British Columbia to ensure the continuation of essential funding for DBCS services in British Columbia. 

Currently, DBCS is at a critical juncture. DBCS received a two-year grant from the Department of Social Development and Poverty Reduction to establish a core service offering in the province. With no commitment for renewed funding, DBCS is seeking a permanent, long-term home for these critical services to avoid the devastating scenario of advising our clients that their life-saving intervention will cease in the immediate future. The critical supports we offer to people who are Deafblind are at serious risk.  

DBCS is seeking your party’s commitment to continue funding our operations in British Columbia. 

Deafblindness is a profound and distinct disability, characterized by a combined loss of hearing and vision that severely limits an individual’s ability to access information and engage fully in daily life. With the right support, however, people who are Deafblind can lead fulfilling lives – pursuing education, maintaining employment, and forming meaningful relationships.  

The cornerstone of this support is the work of our intervenors. Intervenors are trained professionals who support individuals who are Deafblind, facilitating communication, navigating environments, and enabling informed decision-making. Their work is not just about improving quality of life; it is about saving lives. Our intervenors provide life-saving interventions – whether by facilitating access to medical care, assisting with vital communication during emergencies, or enabling safe navigation in potentially hazardous situations. 

The need for these services is undeniable and urgent. In British Columbia, DBCS provided more than 5,800 hours of direct service to 40 active clients in the 2023-24 fiscal year. With seven new referrals pending, the demand for our services is increasing. 

Will the Conservative Party of British Columbia publicly recognize the immediate need to ensure that DBCS operations continue in British Columbia? Under your leadership, this commitment will tell British Columbians that the provincial government will prioritize the safety and independence of people who are Deafblind and will work with DBCS to create a barrier-free province. 

As we will be posting each Party Leader’s response on our website, your immediate attention is requested. Please ensure that your response is created in an accessible document.  

I would welcome the opportunity to meet with you to discuss this urgent matter and to explore how we can work together to ensure British Columbians who are Deafblind continue to receive these vital supports and combat the negative impacts of isolation. 

Thank you for your time and serious consideration. I look forward to your prompt and positive response. 

Sincerely, 
 

Angela Bonfanti 
President and CEO 
CNIB Deafblind Community Services