Know Before you Go

Need to Know Information

To ensure your trip to Vancouver and British Columbia is safe and as worry-free as possible, learn more about official emergency channels, emergency services, medical advice and helpful local supports available to you below.

The Government of Canada has put together a variety of helpful resources for fans and travelers planning a trip to Canada including information on travel documents and transportation, packing tips and advice for travelling within Canada and abroad.

If you are coming to British Columbia or Vancouver, there are many travel and tourism resources to help you find your way around our city and province. Vancouver Coastal Health has developed these recommendations to help protect your health during your visit.

What to know in an emergency
Health supports for non-emergencies
  • If your health concern is less urgent and you need medical advice or guidance, call 8-1-1 to speak to a nurse or health care professional at HealthLinkBC. If you are on a phone that cannot reach 8-1-1, or use a web-enabled phone, you can call 604-215-8110. Translation services are available in over 130 languages.
  • For non-emergency health concerns, find care from a variety of providers based on your needs through Vancouver Coastal Health or use HealthLink BC’s interactive symptom checker.
  • If you suspect someone has been poisoned by a medicine, chemical or other substance, call the Poison Control Centre at 604-682-5050 or 1-800-567-8911.
Victim resources and reporting
  • Report a police non-emergency to Vancouver Police such as stolen or vandalised property to 604-717-3321 or online. Learn more about non-emergency police incidents
  • As a city that values multiculturalism and inclusion the City of Vancouver will implement a zero-tolerance policy for all acts of discrimination at World Cup venues managed by the Host City. If you have experienced an act of discrimination, you can report by calling 3-1-1 or via the Van311 app.
  • VictimLinkBC provides confidential information and referral services to all victims of crime in BC and Yukon, as well as immediate crisis support to victims of family and sexual violence. Open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, dial or text: 1-800–563–0808 or email: 211-VictimLinkBC@uwbc.ca.
  • 2-1-1 is a free, confidential service that connects people to helpful and vital resources that can assist with support for newcomers; victim services and more. Call or text: 2-1-1, email: 211-help@uwbc.ca or livechat on: bc.211.ca and explore online resources. From Monday to Friday, 9 am to 9 pm, excluding statutory holidays you can connect with a resource navigator who can provide information and referrals.
  • The Kuu-us Crisis Line provides culturally safe help, a non-judgmental listening ear and effective problem-solving supporting Indigenous people across BC in crisis. This service is available 24/7 by phone, and from 6 pm to 7 am by text, call 1-800-588-8717 or text 778-601-8009.
  • The Lamathut 24/7 Crisis Line is a First Nations–led, culturally grounded support service operated by the Indian Residential School Survivors Society (IRSSS). Rooted in Indigenous ways of care, Lamathut provides confidential, barrier free support to Residential School Survivors, intergenerational Survivors, and First Nations individuals and families experiencing crisis, trauma, grief, and gender based violence—any time, day or night. Available 24/7, call 1-800-721-0066.
  • Kids Help Phone is a national, 24/7 e-mental health service offering free, multilingual and confidential support to help all young people Feel Out Loud. Call 1-800-668-6868, text CONNECT to 686868, or message online.
  • If you have experienced or witnessed an act of racism in BC, connect with the Racist Incident Helpline by dialing 1-833-HLP-LINE (1-833-457-5463), open Monday to Friday, 9 am to 5 pm, excluding statutory holidays. This trauma-informed helpline provides free and confidential accessto information and supports from anywhere in BC, in over 240 languages.
  • If you suspect a child is in need of protection, including due to abuse or neglect, make a report to the Ministry of Children and Family Development at: 1-800-663-9122. If a child is in immediate danger or crime is involved, call 9-1-1.
  • Salal Sexual Violence Support Centre offers a 24-hour crisis and information line for sexual violence survivors (women, trans, non-binary, Two-Spirit, and gender-diverse) at 604-255-6344 (Lower Mainland) or 1-877-392-7583 (toll-free national). Services are free, confidential, and available 24/7 for support, information, and urgent assistance.
  • Contact the Migrant Workers Centre if you are migrant worker in need of language support and free legal services.
  • The Canadian Human Trafficking Hotline is a multilingual and confidential service that connects victims and survivors of human trafficking to law enforcement, emergency shelters and other trauma-informed services. Available 24/7, call 1-833-900-1010.
Local information and services
  • For non-emergency services, information about Vancouver, or to report issues in Vancouver, call 3-1-1 or download the Van311 app. Get details on parks and recreation, cycling and e-scooters, or report noise, graffiti, and more.
How to access medical care
  • In BC there is a cost for health care services. If you are a visitor to BC and not enrolled in BC’s provincial health insurance plan, you will be responsible for paying for hospital and doctor fees when you seek health care while in BC. Fees are in Canadian Dollars and are set for each hospital by British Columbia's Ministry of Health, and by each doctor. Learn more about accessing care while visiting B.C.
  • BC Emergency Health Services (BCEHS) is part of the provincial public health system. BCEHS responds to medical emergencies based on urgency. There are no private emergency (911) ambulance service providers in BC. For non-beneficiaries of the Medical Services Plan (MSP), additional BCEHS service fees may apply.
  • When traveling to a different country, it's recommended that you purchase travel health insurance*. This coverage can help pay for medical expenses if an emergency were to happen during your trip abroad. There are many options available. Review the travel health information provided by your home country to help select a plan that best fits your needs.
    • *There are many foreign health insurance companies that cannot be billed to directly, especially Medicare and US-based companies. This means you will be asked to pay upfront for your hospital and doctor fees and then submit your claim and receipts of your payment directly to your insurer (e.g., Medicare or a US-based health plan).
Advice for preventing infection
  • Before travelling to Vancouver or BC, visitors should ensure they are up-to-date with the following vaccines: Tetanus-diphtheria (Td) Vaccine; Measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) Vaccine; Varicella (chickenpox) Vaccine; Meningococcal Vaccine; and COVID-19 Vaccine. Some high-risk groups should also consider the Hepatitis B Vaccine and Mpox Vaccine. Learn more here
  • Vancouver has robust food safety protocols to help prevent food related illness when dining out. Learn more about food safety and what types of food you can bring into Canada as well as reporting food safety online.
  • Stay safe when you swim at Vancouver beaches. Check water quality before swimming and follow these tips. Wear a personal flotation device when you are on the water and make sure children are supervised at all times while swimming and near water bodies.
  • Find free safer sex supplies like condoms to protect your health when visiting.
  • Learn about sexually transmitted infections in Vancouver and available resources.
Information on safer substance use and laws
  • British Columbia is experiencing a toxic drug public health emergency involving fentanyl and other toxic contaminants. The unregulated drug supply in Vancouver is unpredictable and may be more dangerous than what visitors are used to in other countries or regions. Even a very small amount of an unregulated substance — including opioids, cocaine, MDMA/ecstasy, ketamine, counterfeit pills, or other drugs — could contain fentanyl or other toxic contaminants and can cause overdose or death.
  • The safest choice during the tournament is not to use unregulated substances, and not to start using substances you are unfamiliar with. If you do use:
    • Test your drugs at a drug checking site
    • Check drug alerts — text JOIN to 253787
    • Start low, go slow; wait before redosing
    • One substance at a time; avoid combining drugs and alcohol
    • Don't use alone; or use the Lifeguard app
    • Carry naloxone and know how to use it
    • Call 911 if you suspect an overdose — the Good Samaritan Act protects you
  • Services and links

* You do not need identification or Canadian health coverage to access harm reduction or overdose prevention services in British Columbia.

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Heat and cleaner air resources in Vancouver
  • When a heat warning is issued by Environment Canada the City of Vancouver opens air-conditioned spaces called cooling centres where everyone is welcome. You don't need to register, pay, or show identification to visit a cooling centre. Seating, water, and access to washrooms are available at these locations.
  • Every summer, Vancouver also installs misting stations and has free public water fountains where you can fill up your water bottle. Visit vancouver.ca/hot-weather for a map of water fountains, misting stations, cooling centres and tips to stay safe.
  • Sometimes hot weather in Vancouver includes smoky air from wildfires. When Metro Vancouver issues an air quality warning the City opens cleaner air spaces where everyone is welcome, no registration, payment or ID is required. Learn more and find a map of cleaner air spaces.
How to protect yourself from fraud

Large-scale events can sometimes attract fraudsters hoping to take advantage of the excitement. Be mindful of the risk of fraudulent ticket sales and other scams. Here are a few tips to help protect yourself:

  • Purchase tickets only through FIFA.com/tickets or the official FIFA resale or exchange marketplace.
  • Be cautious of listings that demand urgent payment oroffer prices far below market value.
  • Verify short-term rental listings by checking multiple sources and confirming the address exists.
  • Whenever possible, pay with a credit card, which may offer added fraud protection.
Rules about drones, boating, bikes and scooters
  • Drones: Airspace around B.C. Place Vancouver (the stadium) will be tightly controlled. Drones of any size are not permitted to fly within the designated no-fly zones, which will be over B.C. Place, at the FIFA Fan Festival at the Pacific National Exhibition (PNE), Killarney Park, and the University of B.C. For more information, visit VPD.ca/drones.
  • Boating: Visitors are encouraged to explore waterways responsibly but are expected to know the rules that govern their safe enjoyment in Canadian waters. Learn boating laws on speed limits, impaired boating, age limits and more.
  • When riding a bike or scooter in Vancouver, you must be 16 or older, wear a helmet, stay off sidewalks and keep speeds to under 25 kilometers per hours. Not wearing a helmet may result in a fine. Learn e-scooter rules in Vancouver.
  • Cyclists riding bikes and e-bikes must follow the same general road rules as drivers. This means they must obey traffic signs and lights, yield to pedestrians and wear helmets. Read cycling laws in B.C.