COAPCOAP + THE WESTWARD INDEPENDENT / TOPIC COLLECTION
Cowichan planning, OCPs & bylaws
Explore how community plans, zoning and bylaws became subjects of debate in Cowichan, then follow the OCP documentary into the decisions and costs behind a plan.
Follow the North Cowichan OCP documentary →
65 matching archived articles · Page 1 of 3 · Articles retain their original dates.
COAP / 2025-06-27
Let Us Keep Our Hens: A Fair Crack at Food Security in North Cowichan
Support the Right to Backyard Hens for All North Cowichan Residents We, the undersigned, urge the North Cowichan Council to amend Section 48.1 of the Zoning Bylaw, which restricts poultry ownership to properties larger than 1675 m² (0.41 ac…
Read the historical article →WESTWARD INDEPENDENT / 2025-02-07
North Cowichan’s Spending Spree: Because Who Needs Groceries When You Can Have Electric cars?
In North Cowichan, a significant disconnect has emerged between municipal priorities and residents’ concerns. From the last poll we could find (before the last election and with a very poor number of participants), the data indicated that o…
Read the historical article →WESTWARD INDEPENDENT / 2025-02-07
The Sherman Road Housing Project: 10 Years of Bureaucratic Backroom Deals and Ignoring the Public
How a Small, Contaminated Lot Became North Cowichan’s Latest High-Density Social Experiment Let’s take a walk down memory lane. It’s 2016. The world is worried about Brexit, Trump is shaking up U.S. politics (how ironic), and in North Cowic…
Read the historical article →WESTWARD INDEPENDENT / 2024-11-26
Local Outcry and Legal Battles: CVRD’s Controversial Waste Disposal Takeover
This past year, we wrote a story about two gentlemen in the CVRD who, frustrated by the public’s voice being ignored in a strong pushback against the CVRD’s waste disposal takeover, decided to sue the regional district. Earlier in the year,…
Read the historical article →WESTWARD INDEPENDENT / 2024-11-26
North Cowichan’s Controversial 30-Second Rule: Quick Queries or Civic Curtailment?
After writing an article about the insulting 30-second rule North Cowichan was looking into for question period that you can read below and sending an email to council regarding the displeasure of many residents, we received more informatio…
Read the historical article →WESTWARD INDEPENDENT / 2024-11-26
Proactive Enforcement of Short-Term Rentals: A Shift in Strategy - CVRD
The board has announced a new approach to the enforcement of non-permitted short-term rentals in electoral areas. The proposed resolution aims to provide clear guidance to staff, stakeholders, and the public regarding the initiation of inve…
Read the historical article →WESTWARD INDEPENDENT / 2024-11-20
West Vista Terrace Project Gets Green Light in North Cowichan
WestWard Independent In a Nutshell! Crack open the day's highlights with quick, bite-sized articles that get straight to the point. Perfect for when you need the scoop without the fluff. In a thrilling turn of events at tonight's council me…
Read the historical article →WESTWARD INDEPENDENT / 2024-10-04
Election Update: Candidate Question & Answer
With election day fast approaching, we’ve been eagerly awaiting responses from candidates in our local ridings. Weeks ago, we sent out questions to all the candidates in both the Cowichan-Malahat and Juan de Fuca-Malahat ridings. True to fo…
Read the historical article →WESTWARD INDEPENDENT / 2024-10-04
All Aboard: Vancouver Island’s Rail Revival Promises Prosperity and Progress
Restoring the Vancouver Island Railroad is a topic on the minds of most Island residents. The dormant rail line runs across my backyard and I have waited for this time to come since the last train passed by many years ago. People are curren…
Read the historical article →WESTWARD INDEPENDENT / 2024-09-04
Picking Apart North Cowichan's Climate Change Risk Assessment and Adaptation Strategy
The recent "Climate Change Risk Assessment and Adaptation Strategy" put forth by the Municipality of North Cowichan reads like a manifesto for radical change, with little room for debate or dissent. At a glance, it's clear that the report i…
Read the historical article →WESTWARD INDEPENDENT / 2024-08-29
North Cowichan’s New Civic Engagement: Speed Dating for Questions
Hold onto your stopwatches, North Cowichan residents, because the latest council bylaw has turned public participation into an Olympic event. With just 30 seconds on the clock to ask a question during council meetings, it’s a mad dash to th…
Read the historical article →WESTWARD INDEPENDENT / 2024-08-29
Understanding Agenda 21 Locally: A Call to Awareness and Action
Two years ago, Agenda 2030 was called a conspiracy by many, and even used to shame some citizens running for local government who indicated that local policy was driven by the United Nations Sustainability Goals and Agenda 2030 (previously …
Read the historical article →WESTWARD INDEPENDENT / 2024-08-29
CVRD Discusses Public Input
In a July meeting, the discussion on public input and its role in decision-making processes brought forth a multitude of perspectives from various directors. As the meeting unfolded, the directors shared their insights, revealing both the c…
Read the historical article →WESTWARD INDEPENDENT / 2024-08-29
Sticks And Stones….But Words Can Never Hurt Me!
As a child, I was taught the saying, “Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me,” as were most children in the Western world. It was a lesson in resilience, helping us navigate through life’s harsh words and insults…
Read the historical article →WESTWARD INDEPENDENT / 2024-08-29
LtE: Are We Funding a Shadow Police Force in the Name of 'Bylaw Enforcement'?
Dear WWIND, I was having coffee with friends and watching the world go by when I noticed a brand new Ford pickup truck with full police type lights on it and two brand new, very expensive Mountain Bikes, racked by the tailgate. Two people i…
Read the historical article →WESTWARD INDEPENDENT / 2024-07-10
Council Watch - July
Duncan: June 3 CAO: “Staff are reviewing the timing of the scramble crosswalk” Canada – Ingram Scramble Crossing Replacement with Protected Southbound Left Turn Signal. That Council direct staff to amend the Financial Plan to re-allocate th…
Read the historical article →WESTWARD INDEPENDENT / 2024-07-10
CVRD’s Questionable Dealings with Nature’s Trust and Ducks Unlimited
I am the Chair of the Landkeepers Society and am responding to your recent article about the presentation to the CVRD Committee of the Whole by Reed Bailey. Mr. Bailey is a highly respected Land Use Planner from the Ministry of Agriculture …
Read the historical article →WESTWARD INDEPENDENT / 2024-07-10
Thin-Skinned Leadership: Why Our Elected Officials Need to Toughen Up
Dear CVRD Elected Officials, It appears that our local elected have taken a page from the manual of “How to Muzzle Citizens 101.” Any time someone dares to raise a concern or voice their frustrations, the conversation is promptly shut down.…
Read the historical article →WESTWARD INDEPENDENT / 2024-06-14
Safe Spaces or Stifling Freedoms? CVRD's New Bylaw Raises Concerns
Our Rights Are Safe Enough, No Need for 'Thought Police' Duncan, BC – The Cowichan Valley Regional District (CVRD) is stirring the pot once again. Just when you thought we had enough rules and regulations to ensure everyone is nice and poli…
Read the historical article →WESTWARD INDEPENDENT / 2024-05-24
Citizens Challenge UN Integration in Local Policies
As we see municipalities, cities, and Regional Districts sign on to United Nations declarations, in fact the new Duncan OCP has integrated it right into it as policy, councils start feeling pushback all over the country from regular concern…
Read the historical article →WESTWARD INDEPENDENT / 2024-05-24
The Slow Creep To Censorship- All levels of Government
At the CVRD meeting May 1st, there was discussion about adding a fine of $50k for undefined “extreme” circumstances where people do not report to the altering of their buildings on their land. They also added more divisions within the CVRD …
Read the historical article →WESTWARD INDEPENDENT / 2024-05-01
Cowichan Valley's "Safe Spaces": Censorship Masquerading as Civility?
Cowichan Valley's "Safe Spaces": Censorship Masquerading as Civility? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oad6Z0hn4jA In a turn of events that feels ripped from the pages of a dystopian playbook, the Cowichan Valley Regional District (CVRD) has…
Read the historical article →WESTWARD INDEPENDENT / 2024-04-21
Cowichan Valley's Housing Crisis: A Study in Contradiction and Call to Action
Desperate Voices in a Mounting Crisis Public input is needed to help address bylaw issues with temporary homes, RV's, and tiny homes. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TiKf_2oaS_c COWICHAN VALLEY, April 17, 2024 — "There's nowhere to go and I…
Read the historical article →WESTWARD INDEPENDENT / 2024-04-18
Bus Shelters To be Removed Amidst Public Safety Concerns
The CVRD board of directors appeared distressed and frustrated while voting to remove two bus shelters, one on James St. and the other next to London Drugs at the Village Green Mall in Duncan, during the CVRD meeting on March 27th. During t…
Read the historical article →