B.C. Conservative Attorney General Critic Steve Kooner is raising the alarm after courts announced all criminal jury trials and many criminal proceedings in Vancouver, New Westminster, Abbotsford and Chilliwack will be postponed during the 2026 FIFA World Cup due to poor planning involving policing shortages.
MLA Kooner is demanding answers on whether the NDP government conducted adequate risk analysis before bidding, who will cover additional security costs, and how many cases, including violent offences, could be delayed or dismissed entirely.
“Victims will pay the price for the NDP’s failure to hire enough sheriffs, prosecutors, and court staff. The public deserve to know how many criminals will walk free because the Premier failed to plan for the world’s largest sporting event,” said Kooner.
Conservatives are calling for a review of all impacted cases and full transparency on the consequences of this government’s absolute failure to address the systemic issues in B.C.’s court system.
B.C. Supreme Court Chief Justice Ron Skolrood said in a notice on Monday: “The Court has been advised to expect very significant impacts for its operations during the period of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The important priorities of public safety and traffic and crowd management during the event will draw heavily on police resources in the Lower Mainland and potentially elsewhere in the province.”
He said: “For similar reasons, 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. Downtown Vancouver and other areas of the Lower Mainland may see heavy traffic congestion. Hotel rooms may be difficult to secure for deliberating juries or for out-of-town witnesses.”
He added: “The full extent of the impacts is uncertain and will remain so for some time. 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 Chief Justice said: “The Court is committed to ensuring that the Court maintains sufficient capacity to handle urgent matters and emergency hearings during the events and to protecting the safety and security of court participants, court proceedings and courthouses. Although the Court is concerned to continue its operations as fully as possible during the events, it also recognizes that some reduction is unavoidable.”
He added: “This Notice sets out the adjustments seen at this time to be necessary for the period of June 12, 2026 to July 8, 2026 (the “FIFA period”) at the Vancouver Law Courts, the New Westminster Law Courts, the Abbotsford Law Courts and the Chilliwack Law Courts. The Court understands and regrets the inconvenience these measures may cause to parties, counsel and the public.”
