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Victoria Deaf community calls for new service hub after closure
Community members say the closure has left Vancouver Island without Deaf services and are urging the province to back a locally led replacement.
- On Friday, members of Vancouver Island's Deaf community gathered at Victoria City Hall more than two weeks after the Island Deaf and Hard of Hearing Centre closed on June 30, ending 35 years of operation.
- Rising operating costs, declining donations, and the loss of government funding—including a long-term contract that ended in 2023—forced the IDHHC to exhaust restoration efforts before closing.
- Ravi Coughlin, a University of Victoria student and Deaf community advocate, described the loss as "like having my hand cut off," citing eliminated services including interpreting, peer mentorship, and American Sign Language classes.
- Town hall organizer Christine Ehrlich-Brady stated that community members established a committee to explore service restoration options, emphasizing "we need the human connection" to rebuild support networks.
- Participants urged the province to fund a new Deaf-led organization rather than relying on mainland services while calling on the government to uphold commitments under British Columbia's accessibility legislation.
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Peninsula News ReviewReposted by 
Saanich News
Saanich NewsVictoria Deaf community calls for new service hub after closure
More than two weeks after the Island Deaf and Hard of Hearing Centre (IDHHC) shut its doors, members of Vancouver Island’s Deaf community gathered at Victoria City Hall on Friday afternoon, sharing emotional stories of loss while calling on the province to help restore services they say are essential. The town hall brought together Deaf, Deaf-Blind, hard of hearing residents, interpreters, parents, advocates and allies following the organization…
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Leaning Left2Leaning Right0Center0Last UpdatedBias Distribution100% Left
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