Bell McKinnon is an area in North Cowichan roughly along Bell McKinnon Road east of the Trans Canada Highway and north of Drinkwater Road on the west side of the highway. The community is being anchored by the development of the new Cowichan District Hospital that is currently under construction and is scheduled to open in 2027.
- Read more: Bell McKinnon Local Area Plan (PDF)
- Link: Cowichan District Hospital Replacement Project (Island Health)
The award-winning Bell McKinnon Local Area Plan (BMLAP) was adopted in 2018. The BMLAP envisions an urban, walkable, mixed-use community and sets the expectation that the infrastructure and community amenities will be paid for by development. At full build-out, the new community is ultimately expected to accommodate more than 6,000 residential units plus significant commercial development (in the area of the plan south of Herd Road).
Have your say
While much of the development and build-out is prescribed in the Local Area Plan, there will be some opportunities for the public to have a say.
- Visit connectnorthcowichan.ca/bell-mckinnon to learn more about these opportunities.
Implementation and next steps
Council has approved two policies specific to Bell McKinnon:
- Phasing Plan for the Bell McKinnon Local Area Plan Policy
- Bell McKinnon Local Area Plan Land Acquisition Community Amenity
Contribution Policy
Visit the storymap at to learn more about the phasing plan.