Dr Daniel Vigo at the premier’s announcement about involuntary care facilities, in Prince George, July 10, 2026. [livestream]
Friday July 10, 2026 | PRINCE GEORGE, BC
by Mary P Brooke | Island Social Trends
The Province is adding involuntary care facilities in Surrey and Prince George.
Premier David Eby made the announcement in Prince George today about the facilities for people with complex mental-health, addictions and brain-injury needs.
Premier David Eby announcing involuntary care for Surrey and Prince George, July 10, 2026. [livestream]
He opened his remarks with saying that some things have worked in dealing with the addictions and mental health crisis, and other things have not.
Renovated facilities for 132 new beds:
Renovated facilities will have 132 new beds for people with complex mental-health disorders.
Two new facilities will add 132 mental-health treatment beds for people requiring involuntary care
In Prince George, a 72-bed treatment centre will replace the former youth corrections facility
In Surrey, a site will be renovated to provide 60 new mental-health treatment beds
The creation of new designated mental-health services under the Mental Health Act is a key recommendation from Dr. Daniel Vigo, who was appointed B.C.’s first chief scientific adviser for psychiatry, toxic drugs and concurrent disorders in June 2024.
Dr Daniel Vigo at the premier’s announcement about involuntary care facilities, in Prince George, July 10, 2026. [livestream]
Turning point:
“After 10 years, the tide is finally turning on the opioid crisis,” Dr Vigo said.
“We have created new services, such as secure Spiritwood-approved homes and the mental-health beds at the Surrey Pretrial Services Centre,” he said.
“And today, we confirm more than 130 new beds offering the full continuum of voluntary and involuntary mental-health and substance-use treatment, with similar scale-ups to come until the whole province is covered with the required levels of integrated community and hospital care for mental health and substance use,” said Vigo.
Drug deaths:
Earlier this week, the May 2026 opioid/toxic drug death statistics were released. According to preliminary data, 109 people in British Columbia lost their lives to suspected unregulated drug toxicity in May 2026, equating to approximately 3.5 deaths per day.
The preliminary data from May is the lowest number of monthly deaths due to suspected unregulated drug toxicity reported by the Coroners Service since February 2020 (that tally was 79).
More details for Surrey and Prince George:
Local supports in Prince George
The site at 1211 Gunn Rd. will be redeveloped into a secure mental-health and addictions care facility. The facility will include 60 beds in existing buildings and 12 new purpose-built beds, supporting people requiring involuntary care and expanding access to specialized care closer to home.
Developed in collaboration with the Province, Northern Health and the Provincial Health Services Authority, in partnership with the Lheidli T’enneh First Nation, services will be informed through consultation with people with lived experience and northern First Nations. The project has received business-plan approval and has a budget of up to $92 million. Construction is anticipated to begin in September 2026, with the first phase (24 beds) expected to open by December 2027 and the remaining beds expected to open by the end of 2028.
Expanded care in Surrey
The new 60-bed care facility at 6833/6869 King George Blvd. in Surrey will provide involuntary care and a range of specialized services to support people with complex mental-health and addictions care needs.
Developed in collaboration with the Province, Fraser Health, the Provincial Health Services Authority and local partners, the facility will be renovated into a secure mental-health and addictions care facility. Government has approved the business plan for the project. It has a budget of up to $57 million and is anticipated to open in spring 2028.
See full news release – Adding Involuntary Care in Surrey, Prince George (July 10, 2026).
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NEWS SECTIONS: MENTAL HEALTH & ADDICTIONS