First Nations Health Providers Suspend Non-Urgent Vancouver Medical Travel Amid World Cup Hotel Surge

Indigenous health-care providers in northwest British Columbia say escalating hotel prices tied to the upcoming FIFA World Cup are forcing them to suspend non-urgent medical travel to Vancouver this summer.

The Nisga’a Valley Health Authority (NVHA) has issued a notice advising patients that non-emergency travel bookings to the Lower Mainland will be paused between June 10 and July 20 — the period when Vancouver is hosting World Cup matches and related events.

B.C. Place is scheduled to host seven games between June 11 and July 19, while the Pacific National Exhibition (PNE) Amphitheatre will run a fan festival throughout the tournament.

“We've been noticing changes to hotel prices in Vancouver and the Lower Mainland for the past two years, ever since the announcement was made,” said Melanie Doolan, NVHA’s director of health benefits. “Now, with the tournament dates looming, we know there will be very high demand and very short supply.”

Rising accommodation pressures

A 2025 Deloitte report commissioned by Airbnb projected Metro Vancouver would have approximately 41,800 hotel and short-term rental units available during the tournament, with about 22,700 in the City of Vancouver itself.

The report estimated a potential shortfall of roughly 70,000 room nights, as officials anticipate up to 350,000 visitors during the event.

For Indigenous health organizations that must fund patient travel within strict budgets, those numbers present serious challenges.

Doolan says medical travel funding must be provided in the most economical way possible. Even before the World Cup, accommodation prices had risen significantly in the Lower Mainland following the pandemic and the return of large-scale events.

“The expenses for accommodations in the Lower Mainland have skyrocketed unbelievably in the past three years,” she said. “Each year we have to reorganize priorities and be very stringent with our criteria for medical travel — and that has not been enough to rein in the expenses.”

Impact on patient care

The blackout applies only to non-urgent appointments. Emergency travel will continue.

NVHA regularly arranges accommodations for patients requiring specialist care in Vancouver, including oncology, rheumatology, nephrology and cardiology appointments — often scheduled every few months. Some patients travel monthly for treatments unavailable in northern communities.

By pausing non-urgent bookings during the tournament window, Doolan says the goal is to preserve access for emergency cases, when advance planning is not possible.

“When emergencies happen, it's a different story,” she said. “We can’t make reservations too far in advance for emergency clients, so by limiting non-emergency travel, we’re hoping we’ll still be able to secure rooms when they’re truly needed.”

The First Nations Health Authority (FNHA), which supports more than 200 First Nations across B.C., said it has been advising communities to avoid non-urgent travel during the World Cup period due to anticipated pressure on transportation and accommodations.

The Skidegate Health Centre on Haida Gwaii has posted a similar notice, asking patients to reschedule specialist appointments in Vancouver for June and July.

Balancing access and logistics

Health providers say the move is not ideal, but necessary given budget constraints and limited room availability.

“This move is not something that we are really comfortable with doing,” Doolan said. “But we feel like it’s the best option.”

For many northern First Nations communities, Vancouver is the primary destination for specialized medical care. The temporary suspension highlights how large international events — while economically significant — can create unintended pressures on essential services.

As the World Cup approaches, Indigenous health authorities are urging patients to coordinate early and adjust non-urgent appointments where possible to ensure critical care remains accessible.