Cowichan (meaning “the land warmed by the sun” in the local indigenous language) is made up of a number of unique communities with the City of Duncan being the hub.  The Cowichan Region stretches from Mill Bay in the South to Ladysmith in the North and reaches both the East and West coasts of Vancouver Island.  The more prominent communities in the region are Mill Bay, Shawnigan Lake, Cobble Hill, Cowichan Bay, Duncan, Maple Bay, Lake Cowichan, Crofton, Chemainus, Saltair and Ladysmith plus a number of smaller towns and communities scattered throughout the area.

Cowichan is on the Southern end of Vancouver Island on the West Coast of British Columbia, Canada, midway between the cities of Victoria and Naniamo (30 – 45 min drive to either).  The 49 th parallel runs through the Northern part of the Cowichan region making Cowichan relatively close to the major cities of Vancouver (B.C.) and Seattle (Washington, USA).

The people of Cowichan (about 75,000 in number and residing mainly in the Eastern part of the region) are as diverse as can be imagined and one of the area's greatest assets.  An eclectic mix of racial, ethnic, religious and philosophical backgrounds is prevalent throughout Cowichan, providing a worldly prospective to a relatively small corner of the planet.  

Cowichan enjoys the warmest mean annual temperature in Canada, 10.6 °C (51 °F), while the average July temperature is 18.3 °C (65 °F) and average January temperature is 2.7 °C (37 °F).  Average annual precipitation is 100cm (39in), most of which falls between October and March and we receive an average of 2,000 hours of sunshine annually.  Cowichan covers an area larger than many countries with significant variation in weather patterns and therefore precipitation and temperature is quite different from area to area, for example: the Eastern side has an average mean maximum July temp of around 25 °C (77 °F) and minimum of 12.5 °C (55 °F) and precipitation drops to approximately 90cm (35in).  The West coast can receive as much as 2.5 times as much precipitation as the East side sees (hence some of the worlds largest trees).

It would be hard to imagine an area with more recreational opportunity than Cowichan.  Virtually any outdoor activity you can think of is here, a partial list includes: world class scuba diving, endless hiking opportunities (including the famous West Coast Trail), world renowned kayaking, adventure tours, a wide range of golf courses, wild life galore and one of the best boating and fishing areas on Earth.  Many good RV parks and campgrounds can be found here as well as a variety of outdoor and indoor sports facilities.

By far the most common way to reach Vancouver Island is the B.C. Ferry system, which logs over 20,000,000 passenger trips per year and provides service to the mainland as well as the many Gulf Islands.  An international airport in Victoria and regional airport in Nanaimo serve Cowichan; scheduled floatplane service to Vancouver International Airport and downtown Vancouver is also available from Cowichan.  Local transportation is provided for with a good road system and bus service between most communities.

Cowichan has a wide range of educational opportunities for every age group, from kindergarten through college and beyond.  In addition to a strong public school system, the area boasts a number of world-class private schools including Brentwood Collage, Shawnigan School and Queen Margaret's School.  Alternative education choices such as The Waldorf School, Maxwell Baha'i School, Duncan Christian School etc. are also available in the area.  There is a Malaspina University College campus in Duncan, providing post secondary education for all ages.

Cowichan rests between the Pacific Ocean to the West and the numerous waterways among the Gulf Islands to the East.  Central and Eastern Cowichan is made up of essentially two Valleys (Cowichan and Chemainus) and the surrounding mountains.  Virtually all the agricultural land is in the Eastern portion with it's many fertile plains and low-lying deltas.  The Western part is more mountainous and rugged (access to this area is by logging road).  The West coast is battered by the Pacific Ocean and has a craggy irregular coastline broken by the occasional cove or bay.  Within the region are many lakes, streams and rivers, some easily accessed and some quite remote.

 
As in many parts of B.C., forestry figures prominently in Cowichan economy with agriculture and tourism following but gaining ground.  Also growing in the area are manufacturing, health care and telecommunications. Probably the most note-worthy growth would be in the manufacturing of value added wood products such as furniture, prefabricated homes, doors, windows and cabinets, and in niche market products like wine (gaining huge popularity and critical acclaim), cider, organic produce, and fruit.  Also worth mentioning is the fact that Cowichan is home to the highest concentration per capita of artists in Canada.

If you think that Cowichan sounds like a good place to own Real Estate (either residential, commercial or recreational) contact Brian through any of the means available on this site and have him go to work for you.

For more information please visit www.cowichan.com