Eight national organizations call for $10M awareness campaign and Strategic Steering Committee or risk a projected $56 billion burden by 2050

OTTAWA, ON – May 27, 2026 – As part of Vision Health Month, the Vision Health Partners’ Coalition (VHPC) is calling on the federal government to fund implementation of Canada’s National Strategy for Eye Care (Bill C-284, Royal Assent November 2024). Speaking at the Parliamentary Press Gallery, VHPC Chair Jennifer Urosevic presented two immediate, cost-effective budget requests.

More than 2.2 million Canadians live with vision impairment, and the economic burden is projected to reach $56 billion by 2050. Yet one in three adults skips recommended eye exams, often resulting in late-stage diagnoses, that are more difficult and costly to treat. Vision loss affects children’s learning, workforce productivity, and older adults’ independence.

Recommendation 1: $10 Million National Public Awareness Campaign (5 years)

A federally funded campaign targeting three populations aligned with existing federal priorities:

– Children — early detection for school readiness and healthy development
– Working-age adults — prevention, eye exams, and the link between vision and workforce participation
– Older adults — aging in place, independence, and early detection of age-related conditions

Recommendation 2: Strategic Steering Committee

A multi-stakeholder committee including people with lived experience, clinicians, researchers, and community organizations to provide coordinated governance and ensure evidence-based implementation of the National Strategy.

“The tools are in place, the strategy exists, and Canadians are waiting. Now it is time to act and to invest,” said Jennifer Urosevic, Chair of VHPC. “Canada has a once-in-a-generation opportunity to transform vision health outcomes for millions of people.”

Coordinated implementation of the strategy is needed to improve access to eye care, support earlier intervention, and help reduce preventative vision loss across Canada.

About VHPC: The Vision Health Partners’ Coalition represents: Canadian Council of the Blind, CNIB, Canadian Ophthalmological Society, Canadian Association of Optometrists, Opticians Association of Canada, Fighting Blindness Canada, Vision Loss Rehabilitation Canada, and Orbis Canada.

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MEDIA CONTACT:
Jennifer Urosevic
Chair, VHPC & President/CEO, Vision Loss Rehabilitation Canada
[email protected] | 519-505-5949