Skip to content

North Cowichan/Duncan amalgamation voted down in referendum

North Cowichan says yes but Duncan says no
12451679_web1_20180627-CCI-amalgamation-referendum_1
Residents of North Cowichan and Duncan voted in a referendum on Saturday to decide on an amalgamation proposal. (Kevin Rothbauer/Citizen)

The bid to amalgamate North Cowichan and Duncan failed on Saturday.

Residents of North Cowichan voted in favour of amalgamation, but residents of Duncan voted strongly against it.

Under provincial legislation, 50 per cent of the votes in both municipalities needed to favour amalgamation in order for a single new municipality to be created.

Votes were 3,051 for to 2,140 against in North Cowichan and 835 against to 395 for in Duncan.

Polling stations in North Cowichan where amalgamation was favoured included École Mount Prevost (531 for, 353 against), Maple Bay Elementary (674 for, 338 against), North Cowichan Municipal Hall (207 for, 168 against), the Quamichan Campus of Cowichan Secondary School (629 for, 297 against) and advance voting (587 for, 283 against).

Voters in Chemainus (495 against, 273 for) and Crofton (206 against, 150 for) were largely opposed.

In Duncan, voters were against amalgamation on Saturday (590 against, 196 for) and in advance opportunities (211 against, 121 for), although mobile voting on found voters in favour (78 for, 34 against).

Formerly part of the Municipality of North Cowichan, Duncan split off to become a separate city in 1912.

More to come



Kevin Rothbauer

About the Author: Kevin Rothbauer

Kevin Rothbauer is the sports reporter for the Cowichan Valley Citizen
Read more