Exhibit 5.1

November 22, 2017

Vista Gold Corp.

Suite 5, 7961 Shaffer Parkway

Littleton, Colorado

Dear Sirs/Mesdames

Re: Registration Statement on Form S-3 (the “Registration Statement”)

We have acted as British Columbia counsel to Vista Gold Corp., a British Columbia corporation (the “Company”), with respect to certain legal matters in connection with the registration by the Company, under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), of the offer and sale by the Company in the United States of its common shares (the “Shares”), having an aggregate offering price of up to US$10,000,000 (the “Offering”), pursuant to an At the Market Offering Agreement dated November 22, 2017 (the “ATM Agreement”) by and between the Company and H.C. Wainwright & Co., LLC (the “Manager”).

We have examined such documents and have reviewed such questions of law as we have considered necessary and appropriate for the purposes of our opinions set forth below. In rendering our opinions set forth below, we have assumed the authenticity of all documents submitted to us as originals, the genuineness of all signatures and the conformity to authentic originals of all documents submitted to us as copies or facsimile transmissions. We have also assumed the legal capacity for all purposes relevant hereto of all natural persons and, with respect to all parties to agreements or instruments relevant hereto other than the Company, that such parties had the requisite power and authority (corporate or otherwise) to execute, deliver and perform such agreements or instruments, that such agreements or instruments have been duly authorized by all requisite action (corporate or otherwise), executed and delivered by such parties and that such agreements or instruments are the legal, valid, binding and enforceable obligations of such parties. As to questions of fact material to our opinions, we have relied upon certificates of officers of the Company and of public officials. We have not undertaken any independent investigation to verify the accuracy or completeness of any of the foregoing assumptions.

        For purposes of this opinion letter, we have also assumed that (a) the Registration Statement, and any amendments thereto (including post-effective amendments), will have become effective and such effectiveness will not have been terminated or rescinded, (b) all Securities will be offered, issued and sold in compliance with applicable United States federal and state securities laws and in the manner stated in the Registration Statement and the prospectus supplement filed in the United States, (c) at the time of the issuance of Common Shares there will be sufficient common shares authorized and unissued under the Company’s then operative notice of articles (the “Notice of Articles”) and not otherwise reserved for issuance, (d) at the time of issuance of the Common Shares, the Company validly exists and is duly qualified and in good standing under the laws of its jurisdiction of incorporation, and has the necessary corporate power for such issuance, (e) at the time of issuance of the Common Shares the Notice of Articles and then operative articles of the Company (the “Articles” and collectively with the Notice of Articles, the “Charter Documents”) are in full force and effect and have not been amended, restated, supplemented or otherwise altered, and there has been no authorization of any such amendment, restatement, supplement or other alteration, in either case since the date hereof, (f) that the issuance, terms, execution and delivery of the Common Shares (A) do not result in breaches of, or defaults under, agreements or instruments to which the Company is bound or violations of applicable statutes, rules, regulations or court or governmental orders, and (B) comply with any applicable requirement or restriction imposed by any court or governmental body having jurisdiction over the Company. We have not undertaken any independent investigation to verify the accuracy or completeness of any of the foregoing assumptions.

Based upon and subject to the foregoing, we are of the opinion that:

The Common Shares will be duly authorized, validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable when certificates representing the Common Shares have been duly executed, countersigned, registered and delivered, or if uncertificated, valid book-entry notations have been made in the share register of the Company, in each case in accordance with the Charter Documents against payment therefor in an amount determined in accordance with the ATM Agreement for each Common Share.

Our opinions expressed herein are subject to the following qualifications:

The foregoing opinions are limited to the laws of the Province of British Columbia and the federal laws of Canada applicable therein on the date of this opinion, and we are expressing no opinion as to the effect of the laws of any other jurisdiction, domestic or foreign.

The opinion expressed in this letter is for the sole benefit of the Company in connection with the Registration Statement. This opinion may not be relied upon by, disclosed to, or filed with, any other person without our prior written consent.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, we hereby consent to the filing of this opinion with the Securities Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) as an exhibit to the Current Report on Form 8-K to be filed by the Company in connection with the offering. We also hereby consent to the use of our name under the heading “Legal Matters” in the Base Prospectus and Prospectus Supplement which forms part of the Registration Statement. In giving this consent, we do not thereby admit that we are within the category of persons whose consent is required under Section 7 of the Act or the rules and regulations of the SEC promulgated thereunder.

This opinion is expressed as of the date hereof and unless otherwise expressly stated, and we disclaim any undertaking to advise you of any subsequent changes in the facts stated or assumed herein or of any subsequent changes in applicable laws.

Very truly yours,

/s/ Borden Ladner Gervais LLP