Lake Cowichan (Nitinaht: ʕaʔk̓ʷaq c̓uubaʕsaʔtx̣) (pop. 3,325) is a town located near the eastern end of Cowichan Lake and, by highway, is a little over one hour northwest of Victoria, British Columbia. The town of Lake Cowichan was incorporated in 1944 and serves as the focal point of the Cowichan Lake Area, home to the indigenous Tsuubaa-asatx (c̓uubaʕsaʔtx̣) people. The Cowichan River flows through the middle of the town.Town of Lake Cowichan Area Info The Cowichan River is designated as a Heritage River, and is also a popular location for tubing.British Columbia Heritage Rivers Program
Lake Cowichan is at the western end of the Trans Canada Trail, which is the longest trail network in the world, at over 28 000 kilometres.About the Trail: Learn about the Trans Canada Trail. The Vancouver Island Trail also passes through the community. Youbou, with a population of about 1 400 people; Honeymoon Bay, with a population of about 450 people, and Mesachie Lake, with a population of about 200 people, are nearby communities.
Climate
Demographics In the 2021 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada, Lake Cowichan had a population of 3,325 living in 1,491 of its 1,586 total private dwellings, a change of from its 2016 population of 3,226. With a land area of , it had a population density of in 2021.
Ethnicity Lake Cowichan is one of several towns in the Cowichan Valley with significant South Asian Canadian (primarily Sikh-Canadian) community history for over 130 years, gaining notoriety in the forestry industry at local sawmills from the early 20th century until the 1980s.
Panethnic groups in the Town of Lake Cowichan (1971−2021)Panethnic group2021201620112006200119961991198619811971 European 2,775 2,785 2,610 2,555 2,550 2,700 1,960 1,860 2,000 1,910 Indigenous 415 310 205 230 115 85 120 130 60 25 South Asian 55 80 90 85 120 15 105 160 310 330 African 30 0 10 0 0 0 15 10 5 East Asian 15 10 15 55 10 50 30 15 65 110 Latin American 15 10 0 0 10 0 0 0 0 Southeast Asian 0 20 0 0 10 10 0 10 Middle Eastern 0 0 0 0 0 0 10 0 0 5 Other/multiracial 0 10 0 0 15 0 30 Total responses 3,315 3,220 2,955 2,940 2,830 2,855 2,240 2,185 2,435 2,415 Total population 3,325 3,226 2,974 2,948 2,827 2,856 2,241 2,170 2,391 2,364
Religion According to the 2021 census, religious groups in Lake Cowichan included: Irreligion (2,290 persons or 69.1%) Christianity (965 persons or 29.1%) Sikhism (25 persons or 0.8%) Judaism (10 persons or 0.3%) Other (25 persons or 0.8%)
Politics In provincial politics, Lake Cowichan is part of the riding of Cowichan Valley. Its Member of the Legislative Assembly is Debra Toporowski of the British Columbia New Democratic Party. She has served in the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia since 2024.
In federal politics, Lake Cowichan is part of the riding of Cowichan—Malahat—Langford. Its Member of Parliament is Alistair MacGregor of the federal New Democratic Party. He has served in the House of Commons of Canada since 2015.
Notable residents See also :Category:People from Duncan, British Columbia Brad Palmer, former NHL player Brian Lundberg, former NHL player Steve Lingren, former AHL, ECHL hockey player Dan Boeckner, singer, songwriter Fritz Perls, co-founder of Gestalt therapy William Carpentier, flight surgeon for Apollo 11
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