British Columbia has announced two new involuntary care facilities to help patients with severe mental illness. Premier David Eby revealed that Prince George and Surrey will host the facilities, which will provide 100 new beds. These new units build on two existing facilities in the province. One is located at the Surrey pretrial centre and the other at the Alouette correctional centre. Together, the first two units currently house up to 28 patients.
“We are working to do this in every region of the province, so people get treatment and care and dignity close at home in ways that make them safer, in ways that make the broader community safer as well,” Eby said.
Eby made the announcement during a speech at the Union of B.C. Municipalities (UBCM) conference on September 26. The move follows recommendations from Dr. Daniel Vigo, appointed last year as a special advisor on psychiatry and toxic drugs. Dr. Vigo’s work focuses on improving care for those facing severe mental illness and addiction challenges. Many individuals in this group also suffer brain injuries caused by repeated overdoses.
“There’s a growing group of people with serious mental health issues, addiction issues, and brain injury that renders them incapable to care for themselves or to ask for help,” Eby said. “They’re suffering in public, in our streets, and dying in our streets.”
During the UBCM conference, community leaders, including Dr. Vigo and the CEO of a major Victoria shelter, voiced support for expanding involuntary care options. The decision comes amid growing concern over street disorder in B.C. communities. Mayors from across the province gathered at the legislature, urging stronger measures to address public safety and mental health challenges.
While Eby did not release exact locations for the new units, he noted that the province seeks to integrate them into existing facilities. This approach allows for faster implementation, with staffing identified as the primary remaining hurdle. “The focus has been on trying to identify communities and sites where there’s an existing building, where there are existing facilities that we can use, that our only barrier to opening is hiring the staff that are required,” Eby said. With these additions, the province will have three involuntary care units in the Lower Mainland and one in northern B.C.
Prince George is a natural choice for a facility. As a regional hub, it has experienced street disorder, including the recent downtown CrossRoads brewery fire, suspected to be arson. The announcement came shortly after Prince George Coun. Cori Ramsay became president of UBCM. She expressed relief at the news, noting that the community has been struggling. “I cannot say enough how relieved I am,” Ramsay said. “Our community has been struggling.”
Ramsay recalled that when Eby announced the first two units last year, Prince George officials immediately began lobbying for a local facility. “We had a meeting immediately the next day or later that day with the premier’s office,” she added. Ramsay emphasized that while this step is positive, more work is needed. Other communities in B.C. also require access to involuntary care facilities to ensure equitable treatment across the province. “This isn’t going to fully solve the problem until there is equity with all of our government members on this issue,” she said.
The new Prince George and Surrey units signal a broader commitment by B.C. to expand involuntary care facilities. The goal is to provide safe, dignified care for those with severe mental illness while improving public safety in communities.
