He'll sign for Burnley in the next transfer window following the end of the current MLS season.
The 28-year-old international is in his first season with Vancouver, having previously played for New York Red Bulls and has scored twice for them in six appearances. He'd been with the Red Bulls for five and a half years before moving to the Canadian club.
He's certainly got some international experience with over 40 caps for his country and manager Eddie Howe, who has been searching for a quick player, said: "We are delighted to have signed Dane, who is a player we have been tracking for a while.
"I watched him at New York where he played for a number of years, and he is someone who has all the attributes we are looking for to add to our squad. He is quick and direct, has a real turn of pace and I think he will be joining us at a good time in January, hopefully to give us a push in the second half of the season.
"He has good international experience, he is a good dage and we're looking forward to adding Dane to the squad."
Whitecaps have also confirmed the transfer with coach Martin Rennie adding: "“Dane is in the final year of his MLS contract, so we knew there was a strong possibility he might get offers from Europe for next season.
"When we traded for Dane we received allocation money which is a valuable asset in our league. Dane will continue to be an important part of our squad as we push for a playoff spot, and we look forward to his contributions throughout the rest of the season before he starts with his new club Burnley FC.”
And RIchards himself said: "Burnley FC presented a good opportunity for me to play in Europe for the first time in my career. At the same time, I am really enjoying my time with Whitecaps FC and will continue to work hard to contribute to the team's success as we move towards the post-season."