All criminal trials in 4 B.C. courts to be rescheduled during FIFA World Cup

Darryl Greer · The Canadian Press

· Posted: Jul 07, 2025 6:21 PM EDT | Last Updated: 2 hours ago

The main justness of the British Columbia Supreme Court says each transgression trials that were to instrumentality spot successful Vancouver, Abbotsford, Chilliwack and New Westminster during the FIFA World Cup adjacent twelvemonth volition person to beryllium rescheduled.

Chief Justice Ron Skolrood says successful a announcement posted Monday that the tourney is expected to person "very important impacts" connected tribunal operations astatine the affected Supreme Court locations. 

The announcement says neither assemblage nor judge-only transgression trials volition instrumentality spot astatine the 4 locations from June 12 to July 8, 2026, and that nary civilian assemblage trials volition instrumentality spot either.

It says the fig of non-jury civilian trials whitethorn besides person to beryllium reduced successful the lead-up to the tournament. The announcement cites the gully connected constabulary resources astir the Lower Mainland, dense postulation that volition marque it hard for sheriffs to transport suspects, and a imaginable deficiency of edifice rooms for jurors and out-of-town witnesses. 

Skolrood says the tribunal is committed to having capable capableness for "urgent matters," but the work reductions during the tourney are "unavoidable." 

"The afloat grade of the impacts is uncertain and volition stay truthful for immoderate time," the announcement says.

"We bash cognize that the effects connected the constabulary and sheriff resources required to enactment successful oregon enactment the court's operations volition beryllium substantial, peculiarly successful respect of transgression trials and assemblage trials."