Today, the Honourable Robert Oliphant, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Member of Parliament for Don Valley West and John M. Rafferty, President and CEO, Canadian National Institute for the Blind (CNIB), announced a federal investment of more than $2.3 million to support retrofits to a number of buildings at the CNIB’s Lake Joe camp in MacTier, Ontario.
This investment will enable CNIB to expand its services to four seasons and to receive 900 additional attendees. Funding will enhance the camp’s resiliency and expand programming to year-round by providing better insulation, replacing baseboard heating with ground source heat pumps, adding LED fixtures, and upgrading windows in many of the camp’s buildings. Once complete, these improvements are expected to reduce the facility’s energy consumption by an estimated 58% and greenhouse gas emissions by 83.10 tonnes annually.
Since 1918, CNIB has been delivering innovative programs and advocating for people impacted by blindness to live their dreams and tear down barriers to inclusion. These upgrades at Lake Joe will allow CNIB to welcome more Canadians with sight loss and their families to the camp year‑round in a safe and accessible recreational environment.
By investing in infrastructure, the Government of Canada is growing our country’s economy, building resilient communities, and improving the lives of Canadians.
