Construction Begins on 60-Bed Mental Health and Substance Use Treatment Facility in Surrey, B.C.
Construction began in September 2026 on a new 60-bed mental health and substance use treatment facility in Surrey, British Columbia. The provincial government has approved a budget of up to $57 million for the project, which aims to expand access to specialized care for people experiencing complex mental health, addiction and brain injury-related challenges.
The facility will be developed through renovations to the former John Volken Academy site at 6833–6869 King George Boulevard. It will provide treatment and rehabilitation services, including capacity for involuntary care under B.C.'s Mental Health Act.
The project comes as the province continues efforts to address gaps in mental health and substance use services amid the ongoing toxic drug crisis. In 2025, B.C. added 28 involuntary care beds, including 10 at the Surrey Pretrial Services Centre and 18 at Alouette Homes in Maple Ridge.
According to the provincial government, B.C. has more than 2,000 existing mental health beds that can accommodate people admitted voluntarily or involuntarily under the Mental Health Act. The new Surrey facility will add to this capacity.
Under Section 22 of the Mental Health Act, involuntary admission requires medical certification that a person meets specific criteria. These include having a mental disorder that seriously impairs their ability to respond appropriately to their environment or associate with others, requiring psychiatric treatment in or through a designated facility, needing care and supervision to prevent substantial mental or physical deterioration or for protection, and being unsuitable for voluntary admission.
The new facility is intended to support individuals with complex needs who require intensive treatment and rehabilitation. Its involuntary care capacity will allow eligible patients to receive treatment under the Mental Health Act.
"Specialized care and treatment for patients with the most complex needs is a vital part of their path to wellness," said B.C. Health Minister Ravi Kahlon in the province's September 4 announcement. "These new beds in Surrey mean more people will be able to access this care closer to home, building on the progress already made to create a system of care that meets people where they are."
The project is being developed in collaboration with the provincial government, Fraser Health, the Provincial Health Services Authority and local partners.
Dr. Daniel Vigo, B.C.'s chief scientific adviser for psychiatry, toxic drugs and concurrent disorders, has recommended expanding designated mental health services under the Mental Health Act as part of broader efforts to modernize the province's system of care.
The Surrey project is one of two new facilities announced by the province in July 2026. A separate treatment centre in Prince George is planned to provide 72 beds for people requiring involuntary care. Together, the two facilities are expected to add 132 beds to B.C.'s mental health treatment system.
The Surrey facility is expected to open in spring 2028. Once operational, it will expand the region's capacity to provide specialized mental health and substance use treatment and rehabilitation services.
The expansion forms part of the province's broader efforts to increase access to care, including voluntary treatment, involuntary services, early intervention and recovery supports.