Today in the digest: an unusual real estate offer — a resort for the price of a Vancouver apartment; experts warn of a measles outbreak risk during the FIFA World Cup; and government, First Nations and business leaders unite to keep the Whitecaps from moving to Las Vegas.
A whole resort in Canada is for sale for the price of an old Vancouver apartment
An unusual listing has appeared on British Columbia’s real estate market: for $1.1 million you can buy not just a house but a fully operating remote resort on Batnuni Lake, located in the Central Cariboo region. That sum is roughly equivalent to the price of a modest house or even an apartment in Vancouver, where average housing prices remain among the highest in Canada. While in the metropolis that money might only buy an old townhouse or a small condo, a few hours’ drive from the city you could become the owner of an entire tourist complex that includes seven separate cabins, a spacious lobby with a commercial kitchen and a dining room with panoramic lake views.
According to an article on Vancouver Is Awesome, the resort sits on a 7.55-acre parcel that is the only private land on all of Batnuni Lake. Realtors describe this as giving the property the status of a unique “heritage holding.” The current owner is a professional chef, guide and pilot who operates the site as an ongoing business. A new owner could use the property not only as a tourism venture but also as a private retreat for those seeking full isolation from urban life. The grounds also include a separate workshop for servicing boats, ATVs and other vehicles, making it a paradise for fishing, mountain biking and off-road enthusiasts.
The appeal of the listing lies not only in the price but also in its historical context. The Central Cariboo region is known from the books of cowboy writer Rich Hobson, notably Grass Beyond the Mountains, and is closely tied to the heritage of Indigenous peoples — the Nuxalk carriers who once guided explorer Alexander Mackenzie to the Pacific. Potential buyers should, however, realistically assess the logistics: the nearest settlement, the village of Hexson with a population of about 240, is roughly 95 kilometres away as the crow flies, but there is effectively no road. The nearest larger towns — Prince George (about three hours’ drive) and Quesnel (around two hours and forty minutes) — are connected to the resort mainly by dirt tracks. A full trip from Vancouver will take about ten hours. Thus, the buyer gets not just property but a way of life that requires a readiness for the stark romance of the Canadian hinterland.
Experts raise alarm: the World Cup could trigger a measles outbreak in Vancouver
The upcoming FIFA World Cup, which will take place next month in Vancouver, is causing serious concern among Canadian epidemiologists. According to a recent risk assessment by the federal public health agency, there is a “high likelihood” that measles could be brought into the country during the tournament. The reason is the virus’s wide circulation globally and its exceptional ability to spread via respiratory droplets. While Ontario has already published a detailed report on infectious disease risks, warning that packed stadiums, international flights and declining vaccination rates could lead to outbreaks, British Columbia has not yet released its action plan. Local experts are particularly worried by this gap.
Dr. Brian Conway, medical director of the Vancouver Infectious Diseases Centre, told reporters that the lack of visible public messaging from authorities is alarming. “We need to plan. It looks like there is no plan,” he said. Conway insists that health authorities should immediately begin urging people to check their vaccination status before crowds of visitors arrive in the city. He notes that the key task is public information: “People should check their measles vaccination status and update it... warn incoming visitors that we are in an active measles transmission zone.” The situation is complicated by an ongoing provincial outbreak: according to the latest figures, 470 measles cases were recorded in British Columbia in 2025–26, with 80% concentrated in the northeast of the province where immunization rates are among the lowest.
The context is worrying: Canada has reported more than 900 measles cases this year across seven jurisdictions, with most cases in Alberta and Manitoba. A large outbreak that affected the country last year and involved more than 5,000 people is believed to have started from an imported case from New Brunswick in autumn 2024. History is instructive: after the 2010 Vancouver Olympics, 82 measles cases were confirmed in the province. Dr. Conway urges taking major sporting events seriously, especially now as vaccination coverage falls. “In some parts of the world where athletes and tourists will be coming from, vaccination rates are even lower, which increases the risk of importation,” he explains.
At the same time, Vancouver Coastal Health (VCH) says it has been preparing for the World Cup for years and, together with the BC Centre for Disease Control, completed a public health risk assessment, though the results of that document have not been published. Dr. Mark Lysychyn, deputy provincial health officer with VCH, calls the risk of measles spread during the tournament “medium.” He says the authority has already seen “dozens” of imported measles cases from other countries during the current outbreak, but there are no active cases in the region right now. “They did not lead to onward transmission because the region has very good vaccination coverage,” he asserts, adding that he does not expect “anything more complicated” to arise because of the FIFA games. Vancouver City Hall also says it has “comprehensive operational and emergency management plans” in place.
Dr. Monica Naug, a professor at the School of Population and Public Health at the University of British Columbia, agrees that large international gatherings always carry infection risks. However, she believes the overall risk to the general public is limited, since most adults have measles immunity. The main threat, she says, is the possibility of the virus entering communities with low vaccination coverage. “The primary vulnerabilities in British Columbia will be geographically concentrated pockets of under-vaccinated populations,” she emphasizes. Recall that last year the Pan American Health Organization notified Canada that the country had lost its measles-free status. That status can only be restored if transmission is halted for a full year. The situation around the World Cup could be a decisive test of Canada’s public health system’s ability to control this dangerous infection.
In their report for CBC, journalists question how effective preventive measures will be amid an influx of visitors and weakened herd immunity.
Vancouver joins forces: government, First Nations and business aim to keep the Whitecaps in the city
A drama is unfolding in Vancouver over the future of the Vancouver Whitecaps, which were put up for sale in December 2024. The threat of the team relocating to Las Vegas, where an investor group has already submitted an application to MLS, has forced multiple levels of government and community stakeholders to band together to save the club. Negotiations that were previously informal have finally moved into a practical phase. Notably, key roles in this process are being played not only by municipal and provincial politicians but also by three local First Nations — Musqueam, Squamish and Tsleil-Waututh — which see soccer as a unifying force for their communities.
A recent meeting that included Whitecaps representatives, Major League Soccer, federal and provincial governments, Vancouver city officials, PavCo (the crown corporation that owns BC Place) and First Nations leaders was a turning point. As Musqueam Indian Band Chief Wayne Sparrow told Global News, “it was a good, positive conversation. We finally got everyone in one room and discussed both short-term and long-term prospects, and what each of us can do to help keep the club here.” He added that the parties were able to review new financial details about the club and that many questions remain. The main outcome was a joint statement in which the city, the province, First Nations and unnamed “private partners” affirmed their commitment to “keeping the Whitecaps in Vancouver for future generations.”
The statement lists three concrete workstreams: improving the “game-day economic model” at BC Place, advancing a potential new stadium project and seeking additional sponsorship opportunities. This is a direct acknowledgement of a problem the club has previously cited: limited revenues from BC Place hinder the attraction of local buyers. While Canadian businesses look for solutions, a U.S. investor group led by Grant Gustafson (the grandson of a Public Storage co-founder) has already offered to have MLS buy the club and move it to Las Vegas, promising to build a private soccer stadium there. That scenario particularly alarms local business leaders: the Greater Vancouver Board of Trade published an open letter noting that the club draws hundreds of thousands of fans into the downtown and generates tens of millions of dollars in economic activity.
Notably, Prime Minister Mark Carney distanced himself from direct negotiations, saying, “As for the Whitecaps specifically, I am not personally involved. I would like them to stay, but I have nothing more to add at this time.” He preferred to focus on the upcoming 2026 FIFA World Cup, assuring that Canada will welcome guests. Local officials, including BC’s Minister of Jobs Ravi Kahlon, have said the government received an inquiry from a local group seeking to buy the club and that parties are “building a shared vision” for the team’s future.
In this context, the role of the First Nations takes on special significance. Chief Sparrow said the communities have been negotiating for months and are considering “potential lands and investments” to support the club. “I think all three of our nations are soccer communities,” he noted, emphasizing the cultural and social connection. Asked whether his community would be prepared to be a direct investor, Sparrow replied cautiously: “If that opportunity arises, the nations will discuss it. We’re like governments: we need to consult our communities.” It remains unclear whether the consortium of interested parties can raise enough money and political will to outbid the Las Vegas offer, but the sheer breadth of the alliance — from business circles to Indigenous nations — gives hope that the Whitecaps will remain part of Vancouver’s sporting landscape for years to come.
