PavCo willing to operate ‘at net zero’ to keep Whitecaps at BC Place: Minister

By Canadian Press on February 3, 2026.

British Columbia’s minister of economic growth says the latest offer to keep the Vancouver Whitecaps playing at B.C. Place Stadium would see the Crown corporation that owns and operates the facility “operating at net zero.”

Ravi Kahlon says PavCo makes approximately $1 million to $1.5 million in profit each year from hosting the Major League Soccer team, and that the latest offer, which emerged from a meeting between the two sides on Monday, would return all of that revenue to the club.

The minister says the proposed deal would also provide “additional revenue opportunities” for the team, like options around naming rights or charging for parking.

The two sides have been negotiating a new lease for the 55,000-seat downtown stadium, while the team has also signed a memorandum of understanding with the City of Vancouver to explore building a new stadium on the city’s eastern edge.

Both the Whitecaps and MLS commissioner Don Garber have said continuing under the existing B.C. Place agreement isn’t sustainable because of limited scheduling flexibility and restricted revenue from food and beverage sales.

The team did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the latest offer.

The team’s current ownership group put the Whitecaps for sale at the end of 2024.

On Saturday, MLS executive vice president Dan Courtemanche issued a statement saying “operational constraints around scheduling and venue access have intensified in 2026, creating untenable conditions for a major league club, with no clear path forward to resolving these challenges in future years.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 3, 2026

The Canadian Press