Need to Know Information

• The City of Vancouver issues public safety alerts for urgent and severe emergencies. Get emergency alerts delivered straight to your phone, download the Alertable App.  
• Stay informed on important safety instructions and active emergencies in Vancouver at: vancouver.ca/alerts.
• Follow @EmergencyInfoBC or visit Emergency Info BC 
• If you need an immediate response from police, fire, or ambulance, call 9-1-1. Learn more about when to call 9-1-1.  
• Follow @VancouverPD to stay updated on police emergencies in Vancouver. 
• Follow @rcmpgrcpolice for information on police emergencies in jurisdictions outside Vancouver like the YVR airport.

• 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.

• 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.
• 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-VictimLinkBC@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.
• 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.

• 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.

• 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).

• 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.

• BC’s illegal drug supply is contaminated by fentanyl and other toxic substances. Visitors are advised to avoid using illegal drugs and if using, to not use alone. Learn about free resources such as drug checking, clean supplies, overdose prevention sites and the Connect by Lifeguard App.
• Alcohol consumption is permitted only in licensed areas. BC’s liquor laws under the Liquor Control and Licensing Act will be strictly enforced. The World Cup is an all-ages celebration, with many venues available where adults can responsibly enjoy a drink while watching the matches. The legal drinking age in British Columbia is 19. Learn which parks and beaches in Vancouver allow legal drinking.
• Buying and using small amounts of cannabis or marijuana in Vancouver is legal for adults 19 years and older in Canada. Learn about safe cannabis use and where to find legal retailers in Vancouver and BC.

• 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.

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.

• 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.