Today I am publishing an open letter to Prime Minister Mark Carney, the federal Minister of Health, and all MPs in British Columbia, with provincial counterparts copied.
Across British Columbia, patients and caregivers travel to Vancouver every day for medically necessary care that cannot be provided at home. That reality is not the issue. The issue is that the supports that make medical travel feasible are eroding. Accommodation costs and availability, combined with fragmented navigation and limited backup options, are creating non-clinical paywalls that increasingly determine who can reach care.
During FIFA 2026, Vancouver and Toronto will experience a predictable accommodation surge. If governments do not act now, this will magnify a problem that is already causing delayed care, missed appointments, avoidable stress, and preventable harm.
This can be solved without theatrics. We need urgent coordination across governments, clear accountability, and a practical readiness plan that protects access during predictable surge periods. The Canada Health Act promise of reasonable access should matter most when families are under financial strain, not least.
Open letter attached. Please read and share if you can.
bcruralhealth.org/when-canad…