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Voting From First Nations Reserve Land

Residents Living On First Nations Reserve Land

Within the boundaries of the Cowichan Valley Regional District, there are 34 First Nations Reservations (all listed below). Residents living on these reserve lands are entitled to vote in Local Government Elections for Electoral Area Director, School Trustee, and Assent Voting (Referendum).

Voting in the Cowichan Valley is based on a ward system of defined Electoral Areas, therefore people living on First Nations Reserve Land must vote in the Electoral Area that overlaps the boundaries of the reserve where they live. For example, Hatch Point Reserve No. 12 is located within the boundaries of Electoral Area C – Cobble Hill. As a result, Hatch Point residents vote in the Cobble Hill election.

Most of the 34 First Nations Reserves are located entirely within the boundaries of a single Electoral Area. However, there are a few where either two Electoral Area boundaries divide the Reserve or the boundaries of the Reserve are specifically excluded from municipal boundaries. These specific instances are:

  • Cowichan Reserve No. 1: The boundary between Electoral Area D – Cowichan Bay and Electoral Area E – Cowichan Station/Sahtlam/Glenora is the Trans-Canada Highway. Cowichan Reserve No. 1 is located on both sides of the Trans-Canada Highway. Therefore, residents living east of the Trans-Canada Highway vote in Electoral Area D – Cowichan Bay. Residents living west of the Trans-Canada Highway vote in Electoral Area E – Cowichan Station/Sahtlam/Glenora.
  • Halalt Reserve No. 1; Halalt Reserve No. 2; Tussie Reserve No. 6; Say-Las-Quas Reserve No. 10, and Squaw-Hay-One Reserve No. 11: Although totally surrounded by the District of North Cowichan, the municipal boundaries of North Cowichan specifically exclude these five Reserves. As a result, residents are not able to vote in the North Cowichan municipal election. However, these five Reserves are included within the boundaries of the Cowichan Valley Regional District. The boundaries of Electoral Area D – Cowichan Bay take in these five Reserves.

Electoral Areas and First Nations Reserve Land Locations

Listed below, by Electoral Area, are all the First Nations Reserve Lands located within the boundaries of the CVRD. To view where these Reserve Lands are located within the Electoral Areas, click on the following maps:

Map #1 – South End CVRD

Map #2 – Nitinat Lake, Cowichan Lake, North Oyster, Valdes Island

Map #3 – Municipality of North Cowichan and Islands

Electoral Area A – Mill Bay/Malahat

Malahat Reserve No. 11

Voting normally takes place at George Bonner Middle School, 3060 Cobble Hill Road, Mill Bay

Electoral Area B – Shawnigan Lake

No First Nations Reserve Land in Electoral Area B – Shawnigan LakeElectoral Area C – Cobble Hill

Est-Patrolas Reserve No. 4

Hatch Point Reserve No. 12

Voting normally takes place at Cobble Hill Hall, 3550 Watson Road, Cobble Hill

Electoral Area D – Cowichan Bay

Kil-Pah-Las Reserve No. 3

Theik Reserve No. 2

Squaw-Hay-One Reserve No. 11

Say-Las-Quas Reserve No. 10

Tussie Reserve No. 6

Halalt Reserve No. 1

Halalt Reserve No. 2

Cowichan Reserve No. 1 (***Residents Living East of the Trans-Canada Highway Only***)

Voting normally takes place at Bench Elementary School, 1501 Cowichan Bay Road, Cowichan Bay

Electoral Area E – Cowichan Station/Sahtlam/Glenora

Cowichan Reserve No. 1 (***Residents Living West of the Trans-Canada Highway Only***)

Tzart-Lam Reserve No. 5

Voting normally takes place at Eagles Hall, 2965 Jacob Road, Duncan

Electoral Area F – Cowichan Lake South/Skutz Falls

Skutz Reserve No. 7

Skutz Reserve No. 8

Kakalatza Reserve No. 6

Chuckummisapo Reserve No. 15

Opatseeah Reserve No. 13

Malachan Reserve No. 11

Doobah Reserve No. 10

Oyees Reserve No. 9

Sarque Reserve No. 5

Wyah Reserve No. 3

Claoose Reserve No. 4

Cheewat Reserve No. 4A

Carmanah Reserve No. 6

Cullite Reserve No. 3

Voting normally takes place at Cowichan Lake Sports Arena, 311 South Shore Road, Lake Cowichan

Electoral Area G – Saltair/Gulf Islands

Tent Island Reserve No. 8

Penelakut Island Reserve No. 7

Lyacksun Reserve No. 3

Shingle Point Reserve No. 4

Portier Pass Reserve No. 5

Voting normally takes place at Chemainus Elementary Community School, 3172 Garner Street
and/or at Forbes Community Hall, 292 Mission Road, Thetis Island 


Electoral Area H – North Oyster/Diamond

Oyster Bay Reserve No. 12

Chemainus Reserve No. 13

Voting normally takes place at North Oyster Elementary School, 13270 Cedar Road, North Oyster

Electoral Area I – Youbou/Meade Creek

Cowichan Lake Reserve

Voting normally takes place at Youbou Community Hall, 8550 Hemlock Street, Youbou

For further information regarding voting from First Nations Reserve Lands, please contact the Chief Election Officer through the Legislative Services Division reception line at 250.746.2503 or 1.800.665.3955.

Land Acknowledgement
The CVRD is in the ancestral and unceded territories of First Nations including (but not limited to) Quw'utsun (Cowichan Tribes), MÁLEXEŁ (Malahat), BOḰEĆEN (Pauquachin), c̓uubaʕsaʔtx̣ (Ts'uubaa-asatx), xeláltxw (Halalt), Spune’luxutth (Penelakut), Stz'uminus, Leey’qsun (Lyackson), Diitiidʔaaʔtx̣ (Ditidaht) and P’a:chi:da?aht (Pacheedaht) Peoples. Local First Nations Peoples have stewarded the lands of this region since time immemorial. The CVRD is committed to the ongoing journey of reconciliation between Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples in the region by strengthening cooperation, collaboration, and relationship building.