Lake Cowichan (Nitinaht: ʕaʔk̓ʷaq c̓uubaʕsaʔtx̣) (pop. 2,974) is a town located on the east end of Cowichan Lake and, by highway, is 27 kilometres (17 mi) west of Duncan, British Columbia. The town of Lake Cowichan was incorporated in 1944. The Cowichan River flows through the middle of the town.[2] Cowichan River is designated as a Heritage River.[3]
Lake Cowichan | |
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Town | |
Town of Lake Cowichan[1] | |
Location of Lake Cowichan in British Columbia | |
Coordinates: 48°49′33″N 124°03′15″W | |
Country | Canada |
Province | British Columbia |
Regional District | Cowichan Valley |
Incorporated | 1944 |
Government | |
• Mayor | Bob Day |
Area | |
• Total | 8.05 km2 (3.11 sq mi) |
Elevation | 180 m (590 ft) |
Population (2016) | |
• Total | 3,226 |
• Density | 369.6/km2 (957/sq mi) |
Time zone | UTC-8 (Pacific Time Zone) |
• Summer (DST) | UTC-7 (Pacific Daylight Time) |
Postal code span | V0R 2G0 |
Area code | +1-250 |
Website | Town of Lake Cowichan |
Lake Cowichan is at the western end of the Trans Canada Trail, which, when completed, will be one of the longest trail networks in the world, almost 24,000 kilometres (15,000 mi) long.[4] Youbou, with a population of about 1,000 people; Mesachie Lake, with a population of about 800 people; and Honeymoon Bay with a population of about 600 people, are nearby communities.
Lake Cowichan is surrounded on all sides by the Pacific Northwest Temperate rainforest, containing the largest, tallest, and oldest trees in the world outside of California.
Lake Cowichan has an oceanic climate (Cfb) with warm summers and cool winters.
Climate data for Lake Cowichan | |||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
Record high °C (°F) | 14.5 (58.1) |
20.0 (68.0) |
22.0 (71.6) |
28.0 (82.4) |
35.0 (95.0) |
39.0 (102.2) |
40.0 (104.0) |
38.0 (100.4) |
39.0 (102.2) |
29.5 (85.1) |
19.4 (66.9) |
15.0 (59.0) |
40.0 (104.0) |
Average high °C (°F) | 6.4 (43.5) |
7.8 (46.0) |
10.6 (51.1) |
13.5 (56.3) |
17.5 (63.5) |
20.6 (69.1) |
24.4 (75.9) |
24.9 (76.8) |
21.8 (71.2) |
14.4 (57.9) |
8.4 (47.1) |
5.2 (41.4) |
14.6 (58.3) |
Daily mean °C (°F) | 3.5 (38.3) |
4.0 (39.2) |
6.2 (43.2) |
8.6 (47.5) |
12.1 (53.8) |
15.0 (59.0) |
17.8 (64.0) |
18.1 (64.6) |
15.2 (59.4) |
9.8 (49.6) |
5.4 (41.7) |
2.5 (36.5) |
9.8 (49.6) |
Average low °C (°F) | 0.5 (32.9) |
0.2 (32.4) |
1.8 (35.2) |
3.6 (38.5) |
6.6 (43.9) |
9.3 (48.7) |
11.2 (52.2) |
11.2 (52.2) |
8.5 (47.3) |
5.1 (41.2) |
2.4 (36.3) |
−0.2 (31.6) |
5.3 (41.5) |
Record low °C (°F) | −15.0 (5.0) |
−16.0 (3.2) |
−9.4 (15.1) |
−7.0 (19.4) |
−1.5 (29.3) |
1.1 (34.0) |
3.0 (37.4) |
2.8 (37.0) |
−1.7 (28.9) |
−7.0 (19.4) |
−17.0 (1.4) |
−16.0 (3.2) |
−17.0 (1.4) |
Average precipitation mm (inches) | 347.0 (13.66) |
226.0 (8.90) |
216.2 (8.51) |
137.4 (5.41) |
85.4 (3.36) |
57.2 (2.25) |
34.7 (1.37) |
40.2 (1.58) |
51.7 (2.04) |
213.3 (8.40) |
343.2 (13.51) |
295.3 (11.63) |
2,047.5 (80.61) |
Average rainfall mm (inches) | 327.3 (12.89) |
206.2 (8.12) |
209.2 (8.24) |
135.9 (5.35) |
85.2 (3.35) |
57.2 (2.25) |
34.7 (1.37) |
40.2 (1.58) |
51.7 (2.04) |
212.5 (8.37) |
334.8 (13.18) |
280.9 (11.06) |
1,975.6 (77.78) |
Average snowfall cm (inches) | 19.8 (7.8) |
19.8 (7.8) |
7.0 (2.8) |
1.5 (0.6) |
0.3 (0.1) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.8 (0.3) |
8.4 (3.3) |
14.4 (5.7) |
72.0 (28.3) |
Average precipitation days (≥ 0.2 mm) | 17.1 | 14.0 | 17.0 | 15.8 | 13.2 | 11.0 | 6.6 | 6.1 | 8.0 | 15.0 | 18.0 | 15.3 | 157.1 |
Average rainy days (≥ 0.2 mm) | 15.4 | 12.5 | 16.8 | 15.7 | 13.2 | 11.0 | 6.6 | 6.1 | 8.0 | 14.9 | 17.4 | 14.1 | 151.7 |
Average snowy days (≥ 0.2 cm) | 3.1 | 2.8 | 1.6 | 0.3 | 0.08 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.08 | 1.4 | 2.6 | 12.1 |
Mean monthly sunshine hours | 47.3 | 75.2 | 106.1 | 141.5 | 173.6 | 177.9 | 233.1 | 226.7 | 182.8 | 112.4 | 49.1 | 39.3 | 1,564.9 |
Percent possible sunshine | 17.4 | 26.3 | 28.8 | 34.5 | 36.7 | 36.9 | 47.8 | 50.9 | 48.2 | 33.4 | 17.8 | 15.2 | 32.8 |
Source: Environment Canada[5][6](sunshine) |
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 3.1% from its 2016 population of 3,226. With a land area of 8.24 km2 (3.18 sq mi), it had a population density of 403.5/km2 (1,045.1/sq mi) in 2021.[7]
In the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia, Lake Cowichan is represented by Sonia Furstenau -Green Party of British Columbia, representing the riding of Cowichan Valley. In the House of Commons of Canada, Lake Cowichan is represented by Alistair MacGregor-New Democratic Party, representing the riding of Cowichan-Malahat-Langford.
The election results for the town of Lake Cowichan for the past five Federal General Elections were:
43rd Federal General Election of 2019: New Democratic Party 40.4%, Conservative Party 24.4%, Green Party 19.5%, Liberal Party 13.0%, People's Party 2.3%, Christian Heritage Party 0.4%.
42nd Federal General Election of 2015: New Democratic Party 35.94%, Liberal Party 23.77%, Conservative Party 22.81%, Green Party 16.93%, and Marxist-Leninist Party 0.55%.
41st Federal General Election of 2011: New Democratic Party 53.9%, Conservative Party 34.2%, Green Party 7.2%, Liberal Party 3.7% and Marxist-Leninist Party 0.6%.
40th Federal General Election of 2008: New Democratic Party 52.1%, Conservative Party 32.8%, Green Party 7.9%, Liberal Party 6.5% and Marxist-Leninist Party 0.6%.
39th Federal General Election of 2006: New Democratic Party 57.5%, Conservative Party 25.8%, Liberal Party 11.7%, Green Party 3.9%, Marxist-Leninist Party 0.5% and Canadian Action Party 0.4%.[8]
See also Category:People from Duncan, British Columbia
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