B.C. to launch two involuntary treatment centers as opioid crisis response

Premier David Eby announced that British Columbia will open 72-bed and 60-bed involuntary care facilities in Prince George and Surrey for patients with mental illness, severe addiction and related brain injuries.

In a press conference on July 10, Premier David Eby revealed plans for two involuntary care facilities—one with 72 beds in Prince George and another with 60 beds in Surrey—targeting individuals suffering from mental illness, serious opioid addiction and the brain injuries that often accompany it. The move mirrors Alberta's recent Compassionate Intervention Act, which is being shaped by an 11-member expert group convened by the Canadian Centre of Recovery Excellence.

Opposition from the Canadian Drug Policy Coalition cites limited proof of safety or effectiveness for forced treatment, yet supporters like former Vancouver mayor Larry Campbell and emergency doctor Louis Hugo Francescutti argue that current discharge practices leave patients vulnerable. Daniel Vigo, appointed as B.C.'s first chief scientific adviser for psychiatry, toxic drugs and concurrent disorders, emphasized that the province will not expand drug-distribution programs but will focus on treatment, ACT teams and decentralized housing.

He cautioned that involuntary care should only grow in proportion to voluntary options, and warned that inappropriate placements could raise overdose risk after release. The initiative reflects a shift from earlier harm-reduction strategies toward higher-intensity interventions for a small, highly vulnerable population.