June 6, 2025
RED FM News Desk
The opposition BC Conservatives are raising concerns about the NDP government’s $1 million contract with its top adviser on mental illness and the drug crisis.
It has been a year since the B.C. government appointed Dr. Daniel Vigo as its chief scientific adviser for psychiatry, toxic drugs, and concurrent disorders. Vigo is responsible for developing solutions for individuals suffering from mental illness, addiction, and brain injuries caused by toxic drugs.
According to his contract, Vigo is eligible to receive $250,000 per quarter—up to $1 million annually. In addition, he is eligible to claim 12% of his salary for administrative fees or expenses.
Claire Rattée, the BC Conservative MLA for Skeena, said “During the election, it was very clear that there was a need for involuntary care within this system. I believe the government already knew this, and I think because they were facing pushback from some of their ideological supporters, they decided to spend a million dollars to appoint a doctor as an adviser.”
“In the end, that’s a million dollars that could have gone toward actual treatment,” she added.
Rattée also expressed concern about the “lack of deliverables” in the contract.
She said that according to the document, Vigo should have already submitted three quarterly reports, none of which have been made public.
“We’re talking about a government that has spent well over $1 billion on addictions and the overdose emergency that we have here, but where are the measurable outcomes? What are the outcomes of any of the things that they have done?” added BC Conservative public safety critic Elenore Sturko.
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