Ever wonder where the new residents to your region actually come from? Many assume it’s the folks from back east or Canada’s more northern areas coming for the (comparatively) milder winters.
It turns out, according to Statistics Canada’s recently released inter-and intra-provincial migration statics, that’s not the case at all.
For example, the more recent census references the period around 2019/2020 and the data shows that vast majority of newcomers to the Duncan area (which actually includes North Cowichan and parts of the Cowichan Valley Regional District, according to their map) come from elsewhere within the province, and in fact, more come from elsewhere on Vancouver Island than any other place in the country.
An easy commute to Nanaimo or Victoria and to the airports and ferry terminals in both of those cities add to the appeal.
“Cowichan is a beautiful place to live and ideal for outdoor activities including hiking, mountain biking and water sports to name a few,” said Kirsty Grant of the Cowichan Regional Visitor Centre. Plus, “year round we are one of the warmest places in Canada.”
The census reports just 525 moved to the region from other provinces with the majority from Alberta (228) and Ontario (136), followed by another 66 from the the Ottawa/Gatineau area specifically, and 40 from all of Saskatchewan.
That’s compared to 919 from elsewhere on Vancouver Island including 564 from Victoria alone, along with 211 from Nanaimo. Newcomers to greater Duncan also totalled 42 from Port Alberni, 41 from Courtney, 34 from Parksville, and 27 from Campbell River.
Of course, Mainlanders also flocked to the Island during the census period, with Vancouver’s 321 leading the way and B.C.’s rural regions providing 849 of Duncan’s new residents and 161 from its bigger centres.
“I think people are getting priced out of bigger cities like Victoria and Vancouver,” said Cowichan Valley real estate agent Renee Russell. “They are cashing out there and moving here. Plus, the Cowichan Valley has so much to offer in terms of lifestyle, weather, etc.”
To learn more abut Duncan’s inter-and intra-provincial migration statics, visit www.150.statscan.gc.ca