THE CANADIAN COUNCIL OF THE BLIND

What THE CANADIAN COUNCIL OF THE BLIND does

The Canadian Council of the Blind (CCB) is a Canadian non-profit charitable organization founded in 1944 and headquartered in Ottawa, Ontario (Charitable Registration #11921 8899 RR0001). It serves blind, deaf-blind, and partially sighted Canadians through a national network of local chapters spanning British Columbia to Newfoundland, providing peer support, advocacy, programs, publications, and events. The organization operates with a small professional staff (11-50 employees) supported by volunteer leadership under a National Board of Directors, and holds viceregal patronage from former Governor General Julie Payette, a symbolic but not governance-bearing recognition.

CCB's core offerings center on peer-based support rather than proprietary technology products. Core programs include the Get Together with Technology (GTT) peer-mentoring initiative for assistive technology training, the Mobile Eye Clinic providing in-school eye examinations, a multi-level Advocacy Program operating at municipal, provincial, and federal scales, and member bursaries. Communications and engagement assets include the monthly Visions Newsletter, the White Cane Magazine, the CCB Podcast, and the Beyond the Diagnosis webinar series. Recurring national events include White Cane Week, the Vision Health Month Conference, the Canadian Vision Impaired Curling Championship, the Atlantic Sports and Recreation Weekend, and the Experience Expo. Research output includes The Cost of Vision Loss in Canada report.

The business model is that of a registered Canadian charity. Revenue is generated through individual membership fees across chapters, individual and corporate donations (including planned giving/legacy gifts), and corporate sponsorships such as Specsavers Canada's support of the Vision Health Month Conference. Services to members are provided free of charge; specific membership pricing is not publicly disclosed. CCB does not sell products or licenses and has no app, API, or paid commercial offering. Strategic partners include Fighting Blindness Canada (co-host of the annual Vision Health Conference), Vision Loss Rehabilitation Canada, the Vision Health Partners' Coalition (National Strategy for Eye Care Act advocacy), the Consumer Access Group (alongside CNIB, AEBC, and Alliance for Equality of Blind Canadians), and the National Arts Centre.

Name

THE CANADIAN COUNCIL OF THE BLIND

Legal name

Canadian Council of the Blind

Website

https://ccbnational.net

Company type

Private

Founded year

1944

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Canadian Council of the Blind is a Canadian non-profit, founded in 1944 and headquartered in Ottawa, that delivers peer support, advocacy, programs, publications, and events to blind and visually impaired Canadians through a national network of local chapters.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Ottawa

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Fees: CCB generates revenue through membership fees from individuals across Canada who join local chapters.
2. Donations and Charitable Contributions: The organization accepts donations from individuals and organizations to support its programs and activities. CCB is a registered charity with Charitable Registration #: 11921 8899 RR0001.
3. Sponsorships: Corporate sponsors support CCB activities, events, and programs. Sponsors include companies like Specsavers Canada for Vision Health Month conferences.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

The Canadian Council of the Blind (CCB) is a national membership-based nonprofit that provides peer support, advocacy, programs, and resources for blind and visually impaired Canadians. CCB operates through a national network of local chapters and delivers accessible technology training (GTT Program), publications, conferences, sports/recreation events, and policy advocacy at municipal, provincial, and federal levels.

Product overview

The Canadian Council of the Blind (CCB) is a non-profit advocacy organization, not a technology product company. The organization offers a portfolio of community programs and services including the CCB GTT Program for accessible technology training, the Visions Newsletter and White Cane Magazine publications, The CCB Podcast, the Mobile Eye Clinic healthcare service, and the Beyond the Diagnosis Webinar Series educational program. CCB also organizes major events including White Cane Week (annual awareness week), the Vision Health Month Conference, the Canadian Vision Impaired Curling Championship, Atlantic Sports and Recreation Weekend, and the Experience Expo. Additional offerings include advocacy programs, bursaries for education, research reports such as The Cost of Vision Loss in Canada, and the Online Book Club Handbook. These programs and services work together to support Canadians living with vision loss through peer support, advocacy, recreation, education, and awareness initiatives.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• GTT Program: Get Together with Technology program - a peer support and technology training program for blind and visually impaired individuals
• Mobile Eye Clinic
• Visions Newsletter
• White Cane Magazine
• Beyond the Diagnosis
• CCB Podcast

Products and services

• CCB GTT Program (Get Together with Technology)

Named customers1 record

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Specsavers CanadacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSpecsavers Canada is a key sponsor of CCB's Vision Health Month Conference, supporting national conversations on vision health in Canada. The partnership helps advance eye care awareness and accessibility initiatives.
• Vision Health Partners' CoalitioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCCB works with the Vision Health Partners' Coalition to advance the National Strategy for Eye Care Act and coordinate advocacy efforts for vision health policy changes.
• VIA Rail CanadaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCatherine Langlois of VIA Rail Canada participated in CCB's Vision Health Month Conference discussing national accessibility plans and inclusive travel across Canada.
• Fighting Blindness CanadacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCCB co-hosts events and conferences with Fighting Blindness Canada, including the annual Vision Health Conference. The organizations collaborate on advocacy and awareness initiatives.
• National Arts Centre (NAC)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Empower Arts 2.0 Summit was hosted at the National Arts Centre in collaboration with multiple arts organizations as part of National Accessibility Week.
• iBUG (iBlind Users Group)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCCB Mississauga VIP Chapter hosted a Zoom call with iBUG leaders for technology training and knowledge sharing. iBUG provides accessible technology training to blind and visually impaired individuals.
• Toronto Blind JaysminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCanada's first blind baseball team collaborated with CCB to demonstrate Beep Baseball fundamentals at a 'Try It' event, promoting adaptive sports.
• Vision Loss Rehabilitation CanadacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCCB collaborates with Vision Loss Rehabilitation Canada on advocacy initiatives and awarded their President (Jennifer Urosevic) the Person of the Year award in 2026.
• Lions ClubsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerVarious Lions Clubs across Canada support CCB events and initiatives, including the Atlantic Sports and Recreation Weekend and local chapter activities.
• Toronto Public LibraryminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerToronto Public Library curated a special book list for White Cane Week: 'Reading Beyond Vision' featuring books about blindness and visual impairment.
• Consumer Access Group (CAG)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCCB is a member of the Consumer Access Group, a coalition of blindness-related organizations that develops position statements on blindness concerns and advocates with a common voice. Other members include CNIB, AEBC, and Alliance for Equality of Blind Canadians.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Foundation Fighting Blindness (Canada): Although its research focus differs, Foundation Fighting Blindness is part of the Canadian vision loss ecosystem and shares CCB's donor base and advocacy space, particularly around inherited retinal diseases.
• Fighting Blindness Canada: Fighting Blindness Canada funds vision research and advocates for the vision loss community. CCB co-hosts events with this peer and collaborates on advocacy, making it a directly comparable blindness-focused organization.
• CNIB (Canadian National Institute for the Blind): CNIB is the largest Canadian charity serving blind and partially sighted Canadians, offering peer support, rehabilitation, advocacy, and technology training. It directly competes with CCB for donors, members, and policy influence, and both are members of the Consumer Access Group coalition.
• Alliance for Equality of Blind Canadians (AEBC): AEBC is a national consumer organization of blind Canadians that co-advocates with CCB through the Consumer Access Group. It directly parallels CCB's grassroots advocacy and peer-support model.
• Vision Loss Rehabilitation Canada: Vision Loss Rehabilitation Canada provides rehabilitation services for people with vision loss. CCB recognized its president (Jennifer Urosevic) with the Person of the Year award in 2026 and the two organizations collaborate on advocacy — overlapping significantly in target audience and mission.
• Balance for Blind Adults: Balance for Blind Adults provides rehabilitation and peer support services in Canada; its leader received CCB's 2022 President's Award. The organization directly parallels CCB in service offerings to blind Canadians.

Broad incumbents

• Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB): RNIB is the UK's leading blindness charity offering advocacy, peer support, and accessible technology training. It is structurally and mission-comparable to CCB at a larger scale, serving as a broad international incumbent.
• American Council of the Blind: The American counterpart to CCB, ACB operates a national advocacy and peer-support model for blind Americans. It serves as a broad international peer in mission and structure, though focused on U.S. policy.

Emerging players

• Guide Dogs for the Blind (Canada): Guide Dogs for the Blind is a Canadian non-profit providing guide dog services and accessibility advocacy. It overlaps with CCB on mobility and accessibility advocacy for blind Canadians but specializes in guide dog services.

Others

• Lions Clubs International (Canada): Lions Clubs are key supporters of CCB events including the Atlantic Sports and Recreation Weekend. They are an ecosystem partner rather than direct competitor, focused on vision health through service clubs globally.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/CCBNational
• Facebookfacebook.com/ccbnational
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/canadian-council-of-the-blind
• Instagraminstagram.com/canadiancounciloftheblind

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about THE CANADIAN COUNCIL OF THE BLIND