The FIFA World Cup is less than a year away from coming to Vancouver, and it’ll have a significant impact on the provincial court system, including the pausing of civil jury trials.
According to Court Operations, due to the strain that the World Cup will have on police resources, certain court dates will need to be rescheduled, and certain sessions will be paused during the FIFA World Cup in Vancouver.
A release from the courts says that the FIFA World Cup will “draw heavily on police resources.”
“The BC Sheriff Service may have difficulty providing its usual level of support for court operations, including for the transport to court of accused persons in custody, for jury management, and for courthouse security.”
There’s more to it than just a strain on police resources.
- You might also like:
- No relief for Vancouver media personality despite harassment case judgment
- High-risk offender posing threat to children released in Vancouver
- Early morning YVR bomb threat prompts traffic tower evacuation
Court Operations states that due to the influx of visitors in Vancouver, leading to heavy traffic congestion, hotel rooms may be difficult to come by, particularly for deliberating juries and out-of-town witnesses.
“The full extent of the impacts is uncertain and will remain so for some time,” the release states, adding, “We do know that the effects on the police and sheriff resources required to participate in or support the court’s operations will be substantial, particularly in respect of criminal trials and jury trials.”
The impact will be felt at the Vancouver Law Courts, the New Westminster Law Courts, the Abbotsford Law Courts and the Chilliwack Law Courts between June 12, 2026 and July 8, 2026.
If you have a pending court date during that period, there are several important things to be aware of.
All criminal jury trials and all judge-alone criminal proceedings will have to be rescheduled. If there’s already a judge assigned to your criminal proceeding, you have to submit a Request to Appear to schedule a case management conference with the judge.
“No civil jury trials will be able to proceed during the FIFA period.”
More information on rescheduling civil jury trials will be revealed on July 31, 2025.
Want to stay on top of all things Vancouver? Follow us on X