COAPCOAP + THE WESTWARD INDEPENDENT / TOPIC COLLECTION
North Cowichan council & community policy
Follow the local debates about North Cowichan council, community planning, taxes and the practical effects of municipal decisions.
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119 matching archived articles · Page 4 of 5 · Articles retain their original dates.
WESTWARD INDEPENDENT / 2023-12-14
Christmas Miracles or Regular Citizens
North Cowichan, Duncan, and the CVRD is full of caring citizens, who have decided to take care of many of the local community needs, while we ask where the other high paid NGOs and Local Governments seem to struggle being able to figure out…
Read the historical article →WESTWARD INDEPENDENT / 2023-12-14
Rethinking Climate Narrative: Expert Dissent
Have you ever heard the term “Trust The Experts”? This is where we find ourselves, listening to so-called experts that depend on grant money and acceptance into peer-reviewed papers as long as they go along with the narrative mostly based o…
Read the historical article →WESTWARD INDEPENDENT / 2023-12-14
Council Watch: December 2023
February 2023 Budget debate Cllr. Findlay brought forward an idea for councillors to forego their cost of living raise of ($175 per month) to be a good example to the constituents, especially when they were discussing a 17% increase in muni…
Read the historical article →WESTWARD INDEPENDENT / 2023-12-14
Saluting North Cowichan’s Boots-on-the-Ground Staff: Unseen Heroes of Our Community
In every community, there are unsung heroes working tirelessly to ensure the well-being of residents. In North Cowichan, we are fortunate to have a group of dedicated individuals, the Boots-on-the-Ground staff, who consistently go above and…
Read the historical article →WESTWARD INDEPENDENT / 2023-12-14
$507,000 Ghosts: Decade-Old Rejected Housing Project Yields No Progress
Mayor and Council, North Cowichan Municipality: This project requires a NEW PUBLIC MEETING / HEARING before any approvals! A Public Meeting was held at Mount Prevost School back in Feb 2017 with NO residents supporting the project for 64 un…
Read the historical article →WESTWARD INDEPENDENT / 2023-12-14
LtE - Where's the Elected Representatives For Injection Site?
Dear WWIND, North Cowichan and the Cowichan School Board are offering to help find another location for the injection site on York Street. But where were Rob Douglas, Mayor, and Cathy Schmidt, School Board Chair when 400 plus concerned pare…
Read the historical article →WESTWARD INDEPENDENT / 2023-11-08
Cowichan’s Middle Class at a Crossroads
In the Cowichan Valley, a stark divide shadows the sunlit streets: Climate policy’s burden on the middle class. As the community transitions into a preferred retirement haven, over half of its residents savour retirement’s leisure, many tur…
Read the historical article →WESTWARD INDEPENDENT / 2023-11-08
Edition 006 - November
Looking to advertise with WWIND? For sales and a rate sheet contact us at sales@wwind.caIf you’d like to submit an article for our next edition, contact us at editor@wwind.caView available packages and sizes here. Articles within this editi…
Read the historical article →WESTWARD INDEPENDENT / 2023-11-08
Community Input Undervalued
North Cowichan steams full-bore ahead on its climate agenda, public input appears to be a point of contention. As another council meeting went underway, Mayor Rob Douglas of North Cowichan decided to go off-script from the Mayor’s report, d…
Read the historical article →WESTWARD INDEPENDENT / 2023-11-08
Preservation of Elkington House
Maple Bay, North Cowichan - Elkington House, a historic gem dating back to 1894, holds the distinction of being North Cowichan’s only designated heritage house. Its preservation has become a matter of concern for the Oak Park Heritage Prese…
Read the historical article →WESTWARD INDEPENDENT / 2023-11-08
Green Policies Have Homeowners Seeing Red
Following North Cowichan’s decision to expedite the adoption of building step code 6 years earlier than the Province, with a vote of 4-3, we’ve contacted other communities to determine whether they are aligned with these so-called “local” i…
Read the historical article →WESTWARD INDEPENDENT / 2023-11-08
Climate Action and Global Responsibility
North Cowichan has recently utilized its ‘climate action and energy fund’ reserve to procure a fleet of electric vehicles, including an electric garbage truck. This decision has ignited much debate, prompting residents to question the fund’…
Read the historical article →WESTWARD INDEPENDENT / 2023-11-08
North Cowichan Developers Forum
Westward Independent recently had the privilege of attending the North Cowichan Developers’ Forum, a pivotal event held at Fuller Lake. This forum casts a spotlight on some pressing issues within the Canadian housing sector, offering insigh…
Read the historical article →WESTWARD INDEPENDENT / 2023-11-08
York St. Diner to Remain Open - Pending New Location
In our previous edition, we covered the closure of the York St. Diner. We’re happy to report since then, the business has preservered and will remain open, looking for a new location. The community of North Cowichan has been voicing worries…
Read the historical article →WESTWARD INDEPENDENT / 2023-10-15
LtE-Sept-20-My-Life-Changed
Last Sunday my family’s life changed dramatically. We were the target of a hate crime. My home was attacked, my property destroyed and my wife and children now live in fear that someone wishes them harm. This is not some faraway place, it h…
Read the historical article →WESTWARD INDEPENDENT / 2023-10-10
Tale of Dinsdale Farm
In the heart of Cowichan Bay, amidst the lush farmland and tranquil landscapes, a storm of controversy was brewing. Whispers and rumours swept through the community like wildfire, all centred on the contentious flooding of 70 hectares of pr…
Read the historical article →WESTWARD INDEPENDENT / 2023-10-10
Cowichan Updates Step Code for Construction
Step Code changes for construction Recently, North Cowichan voted to bring in Step Code 4 from the B.C. Building Step Code efficiency plan on their own volition even though it clearly states this on their website: “The BC Energy Step Code i…
Read the historical article →WESTWARD INDEPENDENT / 2023-10-10
Tax-Exemptions Held Hostage
North Cowichan Council, led by Councillors Istace, Toporowski, and Justice, with Mayor Douglas as the tie-breaker, rejected the tax exemption for The House of Grace pregnancy center. While generously granting tax breaks to multimillion-doll…
Read the historical article →WESTWARD INDEPENDENT / 2023-10-10
Natural Gas - Local Councils and Energy Choices
Across the island, local councils appear to be adopting a unified stance on the demonization and restriction of natural gas. This trend, observed in policies ranging from tree bylaws to natural gas restrictions, raises questions about wheth…
Read the historical article →WESTWARD INDEPENDENT / 2023-09-04
Edition 004 - September
Looking to advertise with WWIND? For sales and a rate sheet contact us at sales@wwind.caIf you’d like to submit an article for our next edition, contact us at editor@wwind.caView available packages and sizes here. Articles within this editi…
Read the historical article →WESTWARD INDEPENDENT / 2023-08-31
North Cowichan & The climate emergency
Last month a letter was sent asking to clarify the Climate Emergency, this is their response Good morning COAP team, Here are responses to your queries, in bold text: 1: We requested documentation and supporting information from North Cowic…
Read the historical article →WESTWARD INDEPENDENT / 2023-08-31
What will it take?
North Cowichan has quite the plan for our future mobility. Have you ever heard the phrase “Active Transportation”? This phrase refers to modes such as walking, rolling, and scootering. Words you will see often in many plans, federally, prov…
Read the historical article →WESTWARD INDEPENDENT / 2023-08-31
The illusion of public consultations
Municipalities often boast about their transparency and commitment to engaging with the public. However, recent events have sparked doubts regarding the efficacy of this process. Residents in the Cowichan Bay area have recently organized se…
Read the historical article →WESTWARD INDEPENDENT / 2023-08-31
Unmasking Greyhound Therapy - Navigating homeless conundrum
The issue of homelessness in North Cowichan has ignited a multifaceted dialogue, intensified by an article propagated by media powerhouse Black Press. While their narrative resonates across various platforms, a deeper exploration into the i…
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