Mayor and Council
City of Vancouver
Via email
Re: Motion 6 – No Penalties for Vehicle Shelter During FIFA
Dear Mayor Sim and Councillors Bligh, Dominato, Fry, Kirby-Yung, Klassen, Maloney, Meiszner, Montague, Orr, and Zhou,
I am writing on behalf of British Columbia Civil Liberties Association (BCCLA) in support of Motion 6, “No Penalties for Vehicle Shelter During FIFA,” which is scheduled to be heard on Wednesday April 22, 2026. We urge Council to adopt a temporary respite from bylaw enforcement against individuals sheltering in vehicles and RVs parked on designated city streets, or in parks during the FIFA tournament, and to take meaningful steps toward longer-term, humane policy reform, including the development of RV parks and small-scale housing solutions.
As Vancouver prepares to host FIFA events, it is reasonable to anticipate that an influx of visitors[1]—combined with an ongoing housing crisis[2]—will result in more people, including visitors to Vancouver, sheltering in vehicles and RVs. For many, this is not a matter of choice, but of necessity. Current conditions, including the lack of adequate accessible housing, the unsuitability of many SROs[3], restrictive park[4] and city bylaws[5] governing outdoor daytime and nighttime sheltering, leave vehicle dwelling as one of the only viable options for safety and stability.
Vehicles and RVs will serve as a minimal but critical form of shelter during the FIFA period, particularly as increased demand and limited accommodation options push more people to rely on them. They provide a measure of safety, protection from the elements, and continuity, allowing individuals to remain connected to their communities without the full destabilization associated with absolute homelessness. In this context, vehicle sheltering represents a pragmatic and adaptive response to systemic gaps in housing.
Despite this heightened need, current bylaw enforcement practices risk further destabilizing these already fragile arrangements through displacement, ticketing, and inconsistent enforcement at a time when stability is most essential.
A temporary suspension of enforcement practices in specific designated areas—specifically ticketing and towing—during the FIFA period would constitute a measured and proportionate response in the circumstances. While the City does not maintain a blanket prohibition on sheltering in vehicles, the application of existing street-specific restrictions and associated enforcement mechanisms nonetheless produces material instability for individuals with no viable housing alternatives. A time-limited exercise of enforcement discretion would be consistent with the City’s stated commitments to preventing homelessness, reducing discrimination, and prioritizing vulnerable populations. The continued application of enforcement in this context risks frustrating those objectives.
These impacts are particularly dire for Indigenous peoples, who continue to face systemic and colonial harms. British Columbia has committed to implementing the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. This includes obligations related to land, cultural practices, and protection from discriminatory treatment. Enforcement practices that displace Indigenous individuals from unceded land and their community raise serious concerns in this context.
Considering these realities, we respectfully recommend that Council:
- Consider and adopt a temporary moratorium on bylaw enforcement against individuals sheltering in vehicles during the FIFA period.
- Explore the use of publicly owned or leased land for temporary or longer-term solutions, including safe parking sites and small-scale housing options.
- Expand low-barrier, serviced spaces within the city where individuals can safely park and access basic amenities such as washrooms, water, and sanitation.
- Ensure that all outreach by City staff is consistent, transparent, and non-punitive, with clear follow-through on any housing or support referrals offered.
While this is a temporary measure that by no means would be an adequate fix for a broader housing crisis, they present an opportunity for the City to demonstrate leadership by responding to both an international event and a local crisis with compassion, pragmatism, and respect for human rights.
Sincerely,
Jerome Igbokwe
Staff Counsel, Policy & Litigation
British Columbia Civil Liberties Association
[1] World Cup Soccer is Coming to Vancouver in 2026. Here’s what you need to know “ CBC News, (February 2024) online < https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/fifa-world-cup-2026-vancouver-games-1.7105342>
[2] Courtney Dickson, “Number of People who are homeless in Metro Vancouver up 9 per cent in 2 years: report”, CBC News, (July 30 2025) online: < https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/metro-vancouver-homeless-count-1.7597673>
[3] Mike Lloyd & Hana Mae Nassar, “Vancouver SROs “not fit housing”, are being addressed: Premier Eby”, City News, (January 10, 2023 ) online < https://vancouver.citynews.ca/2023/01/10/vancouver-sro-housing-dtes-eby/>
[4] City of Vancouver, revised Bylaw, Parks Control Bylaw, (21 June 2021), online: <https://parkboardmeetings.vancouver.ca/files/BYLAW-ParksBylawsConsolidated-20210621.pdf> at 11-13
[5] City of Vancouver, Consolidated Street and Traffic Bylaw, (31 March 2026), online: <https://vancouver.ca/your-government/street-traffic-bylaw.aspx> at s 17.6 & 20.1