When the World Arrives

I would like to thank Jenna Breuer, Atira Indigenous Relations and Practice Integration Advisor for her leadership and contribution to this statement.

2026-06-11 

Today, Vancouver welcomes the world. 

For many, FIFA will be a celebration. The city will be filled with visitors, excitement, energy, and opportunities to come together in ways that only global events can create. 

And while we celebrate that moment, we must also remember that not everyone experiences it the same way. 

At Atira, we work alongside women and children navigating violence, homelessness, poverty, trauma, and systemic barriers. We know that large-scale events can create additional challenges for people who are already vulnerable. Increased pressure on public spaces, transportation systems, emergency services, and community supports can have real impacts on those who rely on them every day. 

This is why preparation matters. 

Over the past months, organizations across Vancouver have been working together to prepare for the arrival of FIFA. Community organizations, Indigenous leaders, outreach teams, first responders, municipalities, health partners, volunteers, and frontline workers have spent countless hours planning, coordinating, and problem-solving. 

I want to acknowledge that work.

No single organization can respond to a moment like this alone. The strength of our response comes from collaboration. It comes from people bringing their expertise, their relationships, and their commitment to community safety to a shared table. 

What we learned during COVID remains true today: when communities face complex challenges, the best outcomes happen when we work together toward a common goal. 

Atira is proud to be part of that collective effort. 

Throughout the tournament, our teams will be present in community. Alongside other service providers, we will have outreach workers in key locations, connecting with women and gender-diverse people who may need support, resources, safety planning, or simply someone to walk alongside them. Information and resources will be available in multiple languages, and teams are prepared to help connect people to services when needed.  

Click here for more information about Atira Women’s Safety Outreach Support and Resources  

At the same time, we should be honest about something. 

Preparing for an event is not the same as solving the underlying challenges that existed before it arrived. 

Women are still experiencing violence. Indigenous women continue to face disproportionate risks. People continue to live without stable housing. Community services remain stretched. These realities do not pause because a major event is underway. 

There has been important work done to prepare for FIFA, and many people have worked incredibly hard to strengthen community safety. We are grateful for the support that has made these efforts possible. But moments like this also remind us how important it is to continue investing in the systems, services, housing, and relationships that people rely on long after the final game is played. 

Because community safety is not an event-based responsibility. 

It is a year-round commitment. 

As Vancouver welcomes visitors from around the world, my hope is that we also demonstrate something deeper about who we are as a city: that we care for one another, that we pay attention to those who are most vulnerable, and that we understand the measure of a community is not only how it hosts a celebration, but how it supports the people who call it home. 

The world may be watching Vancouver today. 

What matters most is how we show up for each other while they are here. 

Sarah McIntosh, Atira CEO