What CNIB Deafblind Community Services does

CNIB Deafblind Community Services (DBCS) is a Canadian non-profit organization that provides specialized support and emergency services for adults who are Deafblind. It operates as a distinct entity under the CNIB parent group alongside Vision Loss Rehabilitation Canada, CNIB SmartLife, CNIB Guide Dogs, and CNIB Frontier Accessibility. DBCS traces its operating history to the 1970s (within CNIB's Deafblind programs since the 1940s), was rebranded in 2018, and was formally established as a separate entity in 2019. It employs over 100 staff and serves over 200 clients across Ontario, Saskatchewan, and British Columbia through six regional offices (Toronto, London, Hamilton, Ottawa, Saskatoon, New Westminster).

DBCS's core offerings are Intervenor Services (trained professionals who act as the eyes and ears for Deafblind clients, certified toward the CDBIS designation, facilitating communication via tactile/visual ASL, two-hand manual, print-on-palm, large print, braille, and other methods), a 24/7 Emergency Intervenor Service (Ontario only, accessed via phone, TTY, SMS, and an internal client database), and an Ontario Skills Development Program delivering literacy and basic-skills instruction. Supplementary offerings include Emergency Communication Kits, the Access Intervenor Service (AIS) portal (launched 2022), an Ambassador Program, a Senior Peer-to-Peer Mentorship Program (funded 2025), and an annual Deafblind Awareness Month campaign. DBCS does not operate a proprietary technology stack; its technology layer consists of third-party assistive tools and an internal EIS client database.

DBCS is funded primarily through government grants from Ontario, Saskatchewan, and British Columbia, supplemented by federal grants (e.g., New Horizons for Seniors Program, Peter Gzowski Foundation for Literacy) and a partnership with Employment Ontario. Services are provided to eligible Deafblind adults at no direct cost, with the BC government having renewed and increased funding in 2025 following DBCS's advocacy. GTM is direct-to-consumer via regional managers and a central access process; Northern Ontario clients are served through Canadian Hearing Services. Pricing is not publicly disclosed because DBCS is a grant-funded non-profit.

Name

CNIB Deafblind Community Services

Legal name

CNIB Deafblind Community Services

Website

https://deafblindservices.ca

Company type

Private

Founded year

2019

Operating status

Operating

Short description

CNIB Deafblind Community Services is a Canadian non-profit that provides specialized intervenor, emergency, and skills development services to Deafblind adults aged 18+ across Ontario, Saskatchewan, and British Columbia, funded primarily by provincial and federal government grants.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Disability Support Services

NAICS

Services for the Elderly and Persons with Disabilities (62412), Individual and Family Services (6241), Services for the Elderly and Persons with Disabilities (624120), Vocational Rehabilitation Services (62431), Vocational Rehabilitation Services (624310), Educational Support Services (61171), Other Individual and Family Services (624190)

SIC

Services-Misc Health & Allied Services, Nec (8090), Services-Health Services (8000), Services-Home Health Care Services (8082), Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Assistive Technology (AT) Access & AAC Access Support (OT-Led) (EDAKAFAG)

Keywords

• Deafblind support services
• Intervenor communication services
• Emergency intervenor services
• Deafblind literacy training
• Disability community services

Headquarters

HQ city

York

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices6 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Government Funding - Ontario: The Emergency Intervenor Service (EIS) program is funded by the Government of Ontario and operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week for Ontario clients.
2. Government Funding - Saskatchewan: Saskatchewan committed to providing dedicated funding for specialized services for people who are Deafblind, making it the first province outside Ontario to provide funding for DBCS.
3. Government Funding - British Columbia: The B.C. government committed to renewing and increasing funding for Deafblind intervenor services following advocacy efforts.
4. Government of Canada - New Horizons for Seniors Program: DBCS received funding from the Government of Canada's New Horizons for Seniors Program to launch a Senior Peer-to-Peer Mentorship Program.
5. Peter Gzowski Foundation for Literacy: Funding awarded to enhance how DBCS trains and supports Skills Development Specialists.
6. Skills Development Program: An Employment Ontario project funded in part by the Government of Canada and the Government of Ontario, providing literacy and basic skills instruction for adults who are blind, Deafblind, or have low vision.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels12 records

Core offering

CNIB Deafblind Community Services (DBCS) provides specialized support and emergency services for adults (18+) who are Deafblind in Canada. Its core offering is one-on-one Intervenor Services delivered by trained staff working toward Certified Deafblind Intervenor Specialist (CDBIS) certification, supplemented by a Skills Development Program for literacy and basic skills, 24/7 Emergency Intervenor Services in Ontario, and an Ambassador Program for advocacy.

Product overview

CNIB Deafblind Community Services (DBCS) is a non-profit service organization providing specialized support for people who are Deafblind in Canada. The core service offerings include Intervenor Services (trained professionals facilitating communication and access), the Skills Development Program (literacy and basic skills training for adults in Ontario), and Emergency Intervenor Services (24/7 support for clients in Ontario). Additional services include an Ambassador Program for advocacy, a Senior Peer-to-Peer Mentorship Program, Emergency Communication Kits, an Emergency Intervenor Database, and educational resources covering Deafblindness awareness, communication methods, and sighted guide techniques. The organization also publishes the Vibrations client newsletter and supports the Dots and Taps magazine. DBCS operates across Ontario, Saskatchewan, and British Columbia with over 100 employees serving over 200 clients.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Intervenor Services Trained intervenors act as the 'eyes and ears' for people who are Deafblind, providing specialized communication facilitation, access to information, and navigation assistance to enable independence and safety. Available to Deafblind adults across Ontario, Saskatchewan, and British Columbia.
• Skills Development Program Literacy and basic skills instruction program for adults who are blind, Deafblind, or have low vision in Ontario. Provides one-on-one or small group instruction in person across Ottawa, Kingston, Toronto, Hamilton, and London, or virtually, following the OALCF competency-based curriculum.
• Emergency Intervenor Services 24/7 emergency intervenor support program for DBCS clients in Ontario, providing immediate communication assistance during emergency situations through a toll-free hotline, TTY, SMS, and email contact options.
• Ambassador Program Program that trains and deploys individuals who are Deafblind as ambassadors to share their stories, raise awareness, and educate the public in schools, corporate, healthcare, and community settings.
• Senior Peer-to-Peer Mentorship Program Program funded by the Government of Canada's New Horizons for Seniors Program that empowers Deafblind seniors to become mentors, sharing lived experience and offering support to others navigating dual sensory loss.
• Emergency Communication Kits Physical communication kits provided to clients containing an Emergency Communication Book and Communication Alert Card to facilitate basic communication between Deafblind clients and first responders or medical staff until an intervenor arrives.
• Emergency Intervenor Database Database system that stores client personal information including address, contact details, and communication preferences to enable rapid access during emergency situations.

Quantifiable outcome

• More than 5,800 hours of direct service provided to 40 active clients in BC in 2023-24 fiscal year
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered major, core and minor.

• Deafblind InternationalmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023DBCS team participated in the 18th International World Conference hosted by Deafblind International in Ottawa, with over 600 participants from around the world.
• Vision Loss Rehabilitation CanadacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCNIB group partner organization providing vision loss rehabilitation services. DBCS works alongside VLRC as part of the broader CNIB family of organizations serving Canadians with vision loss.
• CNIB SmartLifecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner site under the CNIB umbrella providing programs and resources for daily living and independence.
• CNIB Guide DogscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organization providing guide dogs for people who are blind or have low vision, working alongside DBCS services.
• CNIB Frontier AccessibilitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organization focused on accessibility initiatives under the CNIB umbrella.
• Canadian Hearing ServicesminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorNorthern Ontario clients can access services from Canadian Hearing Services when DBCS services are not directly available.
• Ontario Adult Literacy Curriculum Framework (OALCF)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDBCS's Skills Development instructors follow the OALCF framework, which is competency-based and supports the development of adult learners and literacy programming.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• CNIB (Canadian National Institute for the Blind): Parent organization of DBCS. CNIB is Canada's largest national non-profit serving people with vision loss, with a much broader mandate and program portfolio spanning the country. Comparable because DBCS operates as the Deafblind-specific subsidiary within CNIB's family.
• Perkins School for the Blind: Historic US institution serving blind, Deafblind, and multiply-disabled individuals with education, rehabilitation, and advocacy services. Broader scope than DBCS but serves overlapping Deafblind populations with comparable intervention and literacy services.
• Lighthouse Guild: US non-profit providing integrated vision and hearing healthcare, rehabilitation, and advocacy. Comparable in delivering combined sensory-loss services and assistive technology programs to populations that overlap with DBCS's Deafblind clients.

Direct peers

• BC Deaf-Blind Services (via Canadian Hearing Services): Deafblind-specific service delivery channel operated by Canadian Hearing Services in BC. Directly comparable because both organizations provide intervenor and communication-support services to the same BC Deafblind population, sometimes in coordination with DBCS.
• Canadian National Society for the Deaf-Blind (CNSDB): Canadian consumer organization run by and for Deafblind individuals. Directly comparable as a national Canadian peer organization focused on Deafblind advocacy, peer support, and consumer representation.
• Sense International: International non-profit supporting people with Deafblindness and complex disabilities, primarily in low- and middle-income countries. Highly comparable mission and intervenor-style service model focused on Deafblind populations, though operating across different geographies.
• Vision Loss Rehabilitation Canada: CNIB-affiliated organization providing rehabilitation services for Canadians with vision loss. Sister organization within the CNIB family; directly comparable as a service-delivery peer targeting overlapping client populations with rehabilitation and daily living supports.
• Deafblind International: Global umbrella organization for Deafblind services and advocacy. DBCS staff actively participate in its world conferences. Directly comparable as a peer focused on Deafblind service standards, training, and cross-border knowledge exchange.
• Canadian Hearing Services: National non-profit providing services to Deaf and hard of hearing Canadians across Canada. Serves as DBCS's referral partner for Northern Ontario clients. Comparable because both deliver accessibility and communication support services to sensory-disabled populations in Canada, often jointly serving Deafblind individuals.
• Helen Keller Services for the Blind: US-based non-profit providing rehabilitation, social, and educational services to individuals who are Deafblind or have combined vision and hearing loss. Directly comparable mission and service mix; operates a similar intervenor/communication-support model.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/CNIB_DBCS
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCu7lKoLYiPGr9c_WV4cbj0g
• Facebookfacebook.com/CNIBDeafblindServices
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/cnibdbcs

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 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 CNIB Deafblind Community Services