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Families travelling for children’s medical treatment to receive free Airbnb stays
Airbnb.org is partnering with Northern B.C. Friends of Children to provide free temporary accommodation for families travelling to B.C. for a child’s medical treatment. The group will be the program’s first Canadian partner, but its share of projected funding is unclear.
Families travelling to B.C. for a child’s medical treatment will soon be able to access free temporary accommodation through a partnership described as the first of its kind in Canada. Airbnb.org, the company’s independent non-profit arm, is partnering with Northern B.C. Friends of Children as it expands its medical stays program, which launched in Mexico last fall.
Airbnb announced a new funding model on Wednesday that will direct 10 U.S. cents from every booking on its platform to Airbnb.org. The company says the model is expected to generate US$500 million and provide one million nights of free temporary housing over the next five years. Airbnb.org expects the program to operate in 20 countries by the end of 2026, including Australia, Brazil, Spain, the United States and Canada.
Emily Kanter, Airbnb’s communications manager for Canada, told CTV News that Friends of Children would be the medical stays program’s first Canadian partner. It is unclear how much of the projected US$500 million will go to the organization, which helps families cover non-medical expenses associated with a child’s illness or treatment, including travel and accommodation.
“Medical care is covered, but the trip isn’t,” Friends of Children president Patricia Whalen told CTV News. The organization served 336 families in 2025, nearly a third of whom had received support before. Whalen said Airbnb’s support would ease pressure on other areas the organization funds. It has received several requests for medical equipment, braces and therapy.
Whalen said many families prefer an Airbnb to a hotel room. Such stays can include bedrooms and a kitchen, space for siblings, and room for wheelchairs or medical equipment. She said a quieter place can suit children recovering from treatment and help families feel more relaxed, easing pressure so they can focus on their child’s care and recovery.
There was no application process for the Airbnb.org partnership. Friends of Children reached out about the opportunity and was determined to be a match.
Airbnb.org has helped British Columbians in times of need before. Since launching in 2020, the non-profit has provided 2,500 nights of free temporary housing in B.C. in response to disasters such as floods and wildfires.