2024 Year-in-Review – A Message from Mayor Rob Douglas
2024 has been a year to remember in North Cowichan, filled with both hurdles and victories, and as a community, we have plenty to celebrate.
Over the last 12 months, we continued to focus our energies on delivering high-quality services to residents and businesses and investing in critical public infrastructure, while also responding to emerging issues and planning for the long-term future of our community.
Here are some of the major events and milestones from the past year:
January
- A large snowstorm saw more than 30 cm of snow fall in North Cowichan, and elsewhere on the south Vancouver Island. North Cowichan staff did a terrific job keeping our roads safe, which involved mobilizing 14 pieces of equipment including plows and sanders.
- www.northcowichan.ca got a much-needed update. The new website helps residents find the information they need quickly and complete many tasks online.
February
- We asked North Cowichan residents to pick the sizes of their new automated garbage and yard waste carts. The carts are now ordered and will be delivered in spring 2025, just ahead of the start of the new service. More information can be found at northcowichan.ca/automation
March
- We officially opened the new accessible washroom facility at Kin Beach Park in Chemainus. The rest of the park was also updated with an outdoor shower, new trees, a covered picnic shelter, and refreshed landscaping.
- A floating vegetation island in Quamichan Lake broke free from the shoreline and became a navigation hazard to Rowing Canada and other lake users. North Cowichan staff developed a plan to remove the 280 tons of vegetation in 28 truckloads.
April
- The new Agricultural Advisory Committee that includes farmers and other local experts, met for the first time. This committee is tasked with developing an Agriculture and Food Security Strategic Plan to support an increasingly and vibrant agriculture and food sector.
May
- We adopted the new Master Transportation Plan, which provides clear direction on how North Cowichan can improve transportation options for all people by investing in infrastructure for pedestrians and cyclists. The plan also recognizes the link between land use and transportation, and addresses our commitment to climate change by supporting reduced emissions.
- During May we also experienced an incredible rare northern light display, with fantastic photos of the skies flooding social media for days.
June
- The new RCMP detachment building officially opened, with state-of-the-art operations and policing technologies, as well as green building design elements. The $45.6 million building came in $3.5 million under budget.
- We replaced a 55-year-old watermain on Beaumont Avenue. The old 150mm pipe was replaced with a 200mm ductile iron pipe.
July
- The new fieldhouse opened at the Cowichan Sportsplex. The building includes much-needed community space and new washroom and changeroom facilities.
August
- Public engagement and outreach took place to help inform a new Safer Community Plan, which will outline how North Cowichan, Duncan, and Cowichan Tribes address the street disorder related to homelessness, mental health and addiction in the corridor area. A new plan is expected to be ready in early 2025.
- New specially designed adaptive mountain biking (aMTB) trails were opened on Maple Mountain. These trails are designed to accommodate special bikes that can be used by people with physical disabilities.
- We adopted the new Climate Risk Assessment and Adaptation Strategy that will help North Cowichan respond to the effects of extreme weather on our local infrastructure, natural environment, economy and community well-being.
September
- The new roundabout on Maple Bay Road at Kingsview was finished. The roundabout is part of the Kingsview Comprehensive Development Plan, and is intended to improve traffic management in that area due to growth and development
October
- A fall recruitment for paid on-call firefighters resulted in the largest new recruit cohort of North Cowichan firefighters, with 26 new members who are now being trained to serve our communities.
- We said goodbye to Councillor Toporowski, who resigned following her win in the provincial election to become MLA for the Cowichan Valley. A by-election is being held April 12, 2025.
- Canada Avenue roadworks were completed. This work included raising the roadbed up and installing new floodgates, which can be deployed to keep area properties safe during high water flooding events.
November
- Herd Road between Bell McKinnon Road and the Trans-Canada Highway opened after a few months of construction to install water and utility infrastructure and to widen the road and intersection. The work is related to construction of the new hospital. A roundabout at Bell McKinnon Road and Herd Road will begin construction in 2025.
- Art Mann Park improvements were completed that include a brand-new playground, accessible picnic tables, and a new rowing and paddling dock.
- The Cowichan Valley Regional District board took steps towards developing a Regional Growth Strategy, with a North Cowichan staff appointed to a steering committee to oversee this work.
December
- The draft Economic Development Action Plan was shared with Council, with the final plan expected early in 2025.
- We held community engagement meetings for Budget 2025 in Crofton, South End, and in Chemainus. You can still have your say by taking the survey at: www.connectnorthcowichan.ca/budget-2025
- The Crofton Fire Hall construction is now finished. The $4.8 million project provides dedicated training, administration and storage space for this important community service.
As we reflect on these accomplishments over the past year, I want to take a moment to express my gratitude to North Cowichan staff. Your dedication, professionalism and hard work are a big reason why our community is such a great place to live, and why our municipality has such a strong reputation for delivering excellent services. I also want to recognize the North Cowichan residents who serve on our advisory committees, actively participate in our public engagement efforts and volunteer for our local community groups. We are all better off because of your contributions to our municipality.
Looking ahead to 2025, this will be another eventful year for North Cowichan as we continue to focus on our core responsibilities as a municipality, while also responding to growing challenges affecting our community including homelessness and the opioid crisis, lack of affordable housing, escalating public infrastructure costs, continued downloading from the federal and provincial governments, and uncertainty with the future our major industrial taxpayers. We will work hard as a municipality to aggressively advocate to the senior levels of government to provide the necessary support for these and other issues than cannot be solved at the municipal level.
On behalf of North Cowichan Council, I want to wish you all a Merry Christmas and happy holidays, and a joyful and prosperous new year. It’s an honour to serve as your mayor, and despite all the challenges before us, this continues to be one of the most beautiful places in the world to live.
Sincerely,
Rob Douglas, Mayor
Municipality of North Cowichan