North Cowichan (Canada 2021 Census population 31,990) is a
district municipality
A district municipality is a designation for a class of municipalities found in several locations, including Canada, Lithuania, and South Africa.
Canada British Columbia
Under provincial law, municipalities in British Columbia are to be desi ...
established in 1873 on
Vancouver Island
Vancouver Island is an island in the northeastern Pacific Ocean and part of the Canadian province of British Columbia. The island is in length, in width at its widest point, and in total area, while are of land. The island is the largest by ...
, in
British Columbia
British Columbia (commonly abbreviated as BC) is the westernmost province of Canada, situated between the Pacific Ocean and the Rocky Mountains. It has a diverse geography, with rugged landscapes that include rocky coastlines, sandy beaches, for ...
,
Canada
Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, covering over , making it the world's second-largest country by to ...
. The municipality is part of the
Cowichan Valley Regional District
The Cowichan Valley Regional District is a regional district in the Canadian province of British Columbia is on the southern part of Vancouver Island, bordered by the Nanaimo and Alberni-Clayoquot Regional Districts to the north and northwest, ...
. North Cowichan is noted for a landscape including forests, beaches, rivers, and lakes. The municipality encompasses the communities of
Chemainus
Chemainus is a community within the municipality of North Cowichan in the Chemainus Valley on the east coast of southern Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada.
Founded as an unincorporated logging town in 1858, Chemainus is now famou ...
; Westholme; Crofton; Maple Bay; and "the South End". The latter is an informal name for a built-up area which is essentially a suburb of the City of Duncan, a separate municipality.
Geography
Located on the east coast of southern Vancouver Island, North Cowichan is centrally located immediately north of and adjacent to the city of
Duncan
Duncan may refer to:
People
* Duncan (given name), various people
* Duncan (surname), various people
* Clan Duncan
* Justice Duncan (disambiguation)
Places
* Duncan Creek (disambiguation)
* Duncan River (disambiguation)
* Duncan Lake ...
and south of
Ladysmith Ladysmith may refer to:
* Ladysmith, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa
* Ladysmith, British Columbia, Canada
* Ladysmith, Wisconsin, United States
* Ladysmith, New South Wales, Australia
* Ladysmith, Virginia, United States
* Ladysmith Island, Queenslan ...
. Spanning 193.98 square kilometers, North Cowichan includes the communities of
Chemainus
Chemainus is a community within the municipality of North Cowichan in the Chemainus Valley on the east coast of southern Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada.
Founded as an unincorporated logging town in 1858, Chemainus is now famou ...
, Crofton, Westholme, Maple Bay and the so-called "South End" which is functionally a suburb of Duncan, a separate municipality.
Geology
The last glacial period, the Fraser Glaciation occurred between 29,000 and 15,000 years ago. The glaciers that formed carved out the Cowichan Valley and left behind glaciers up to 30 metres thick. These fertile lands and mild climate have led to a history rich in agriculture.
Climate
Sheltered by the mountains of the central Island and the Olympic Peninsula, North Cowichan has a temperate, Mediterranean-like climate, with mild, damp winters with little snowfall and warm, dry summers. North Cowichan is classified as a warm-summer
mediterranean climate
A Mediterranean climate (also called a dry summer temperate climate ''Cs'') is a temperate climate sub-type, generally characterized by warm, dry summers and mild, fairly wet winters; these weather conditions are typically experienced in the ...
2021 Census of Population
The 2021 Canadian census was a detailed enumeration of the Canadian population with a reference date of May 11, 2021. It follows the 2016 Canadian census, which recorded a population of 35,151,728. The overall response rate was 98%, which is sli ...
conducted by
Statistics Canada
Statistics Canada (StatCan; french: Statistique Canada), formed in 1971, is the agency of the Government of Canada commissioned with producing statistics to help better understand Canada, its population, resources, economy, society, and cultu ...
, North Cowichan had a population of 31,990 living in 13,741 of its 14,266 total private dwellings, a change of from its 2016 population of 29,696. With a land area of , it had a population density of in 2021.
The median family income in 2006 for North Cowichan was $62,125, which is below the British Columbia provincial average of $65,787.
Ethnicity
*Note: Totals greater than 100% due to multiple origin responses.
Religion
According to the 2021 census, religious groups in North Cowichan included:
*
Irreligion
Irreligion or nonreligion is the absence or rejection of religion, or indifference to it. Irreligion takes many forms, ranging from the casual and unaware to full-fledged philosophies such as atheism and agnosticism, secular humanism and ...
(18,180 persons or 57.9%)
*
Christianity
Christianity is an Abrahamic monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth. It is the world's largest and most widespread religion with roughly 2.38 billion followers representing one-third of the global popula ...
(11,885 persons or 37.8%)
*
Sikhism
Sikhism (), also known as Sikhi ( pa, ਸਿੱਖੀ ', , from pa, ਸਿੱਖ, lit=disciple', 'seeker', or 'learner, translit=Sikh, label=none),''Sikhism'' (commonly known as ''Sikhī'') originated from the word ''Sikh'', which comes fro ...
(385 persons or 1.2%)
*
Islam
Islam (; ar, ۘالِإسلَام, , ) is an Abrahamic monotheistic religion centred primarily around the Quran, a religious text considered by Muslims to be the direct word of God (or '' Allah'') as it was revealed to Muhammad, the ...
(160 persons or 0.5%)
*
Hinduism
Hinduism () is an Indian religion or '' dharma'', a religious and universal order or way of life by which followers abide. As a religion, it is the world's third-largest, with over 1.2–1.35 billion followers, or 15–16% of the global p ...
(150 persons or 0.5%)
*
Buddhism
Buddhism ( , ), also known as Buddha Dharma and Dharmavinaya (), is an Indian religion or philosophical tradition based on teachings attributed to the Buddha. It originated in northern India as a -movement in the 5th century BCE, and ...
Judaism
Judaism ( he, ''Yahăḏūṯ'') is an Abrahamic, monotheistic, and ethnic religion comprising the collective religious, cultural, and legal tradition and civilization of the Jewish people. It has its roots as an organized religion in th ...
(60 persons or 0.2%)
Communities
*Chemainus
*Crofton
*Maple Bay
*South End (adjacent to the City of Duncan)
Transportation
North Cowichan is serviced by the Maple Bay Airport (YAQ), which offers services to Vancouver Downtown, Vancouver Airport, Ganges on Salt Spring Island and Bedwell Harbour on Pender Island. Service is provided by
Saltspring Air
Salt Spring Air (also known as Saltspring AirSalt Spring Air - Retrieved on June 6, 2016) part of
Harbour Air
A harbor (American English), harbour (British English; see spelling differences), or haven is a sheltered body of water where ships, boats, and barges can be docked. The term ''harbor'' is often used interchangeably with ''port'', which is ...
.
The
British Columbia Highway 1
Highway 1 is a provincial highway in British Columbia, Canada, that carries the main route of the Trans-Canada Highway (TCH). The highway is long and connects Vancouver Island, the Greater Vancouver region in the Lower Mainland, and the In ...
traverses the municipality as a four lane arterial divided highway with signals at major intersections. The speed limit varies between 80 to 90 km/h.
British Columbia Highway 18
Highway 18 is a short main vehicle route in the Cowichan Valley Regional District on Vancouver Island, connecting the city of Duncan on the Trans-Canada Highway with the community of Lake Cowichan, on the shore of Cowichan Lake. The highway firs ...
connects North Cowichan to Lake Cowichan as a 2-lane facility with a speed limit as high as 100km/hr.
Bus service in the municipality is provided by the Cowichan Valley Regional District.
North Cowichan has embraced roundabouts at many intersections on its network of municipal roads. As of 2021 North Cowichan has 14 roundabouts.
Economy
The original economic drivers steamed from the abundance of natural resources, including the fur trade, fishing, mining, and the forest industry. Today, the forest industry, retail, construction, manufacturing, and health care are large contributors to the local economy.
Education
North Cowichan lies within the School District 79 Cowichan Valley. There are many elementary schools, and two secondary schools.
North Cowichan is served by one public post secondary educational institution,
Vancouver Island University
Vancouver Island University (abbreviated as VIU, formerly known as Malaspina University-College and earlier as Malaspina College) is a Canadian public university serving Vancouver Island and coastal British Columbia. Malaspina College began in 1 ...
BC Forest Discovery Centre
The BC Forest Discovery Centre, located in Duncan, chronicles the history of logging in British Columbia, Canada. It is a site with of operational narrow gauge railway.
History
G.E. (Gerry) Wellburn, a collector, was the founder of the Centre ...
, the Pacific Northwest Raptors Bird of Prey and Raptor Visitor Center, and the world famous Chemainus Murals.
Arts
The Cowichan Theatre hosts many performers and shows during the year. Th Chemainus Theatre Festival features classic and award winning comedies, musicals and dramas.
Recreation
North Cowichan is home to many recreation centres, including the Cowichan Aquatic Centre, cowichan community Centre, Fuller Lake Arena and the Cowichan Sportsplex. North Cowichan offers numerous parks and hiking trails.
Power supply
The Vancouver Island terminal of the
HVDC Vancouver-Island
HVDC Vancouver Island is a de-energized high-voltage direct current interconnection between Arnott Substation (ARN) in Delta, British Columbia at on the Canadian mainland, and the Vancouver Island Terminal (VIT) in Duncan, British Columbia on Va ...