The Cowichan Valley Regional Hospital District (CVRHD) is a separate entity from the Cowichan Valley Regional District (CVRD). The sole purpose of the CVRHD is to provide funding for Hospital Capital equipment which includes the land and physical structure of a new hospital.

As you may be aware, the 50 year old Cowichan District Hospital needs to be replaced.  Island Health has determined that the current 8 acre site on Gibbins Road is incapable of accommodating construction of a new hospital, nor the extensive renovations that would be required to meet the health care needs of the Valley over the next 50 years or more.  With that in mind, Island Health along with the CVRHD, have worked together over the past few years to identify and purchase a site suitable to accommodate a new hospital and, move our new hospital initiative forward.  The following is a chronology of some of the key dates in this process.

Early 2010 the CVRHD directs that a Reserve Budget be created for the purpose of saving money to meet the provincial requirement that local government pay 40% of the cost of a new hospital.

Late 2013 the CVRHD pass a resolution directing that a Site Selection Committee be formed to begin the search for an appropriately site to accommodate a new hospital.

August 2015 a preferred location is announced which is an approximately 22 acre site on Bell McKinnon Road comprised of three (3) properties located at 6751, 6771 and 6793 Bell McKinnon Road.  Purchase agreements are signed subject to rezoning approval from the Municipality of North Cowichan (MNC).

July, 2015 MNC Council unanimously approves final reading to Bylaw No. 3618 (Hospital Bylaw).  

September 2016 – B.C. Health Minister Terry Lake gave a verbal recommendation that he would like to see the new hospital move forward into the conceptual planning phase for a new hospital.  Although there is still no provincial budget for the approximately $400 million project, the CVRHD continues to move forward in the process and is very encouraged by the Minister’s support to move into this next phase.

October 2016 final possession of the three (3) properties that make up the future hospital site is completed.

January 2017 the Ministry of Health directed that Island Health proceed with the Concept Plan for the new hospital.  The Concept Plan should take approximately 8 – 12 months to complete.  The CVRHD has committed $500,000 towards the cost of the Concept Plan.  

March 2017 the Cowichan District Hospital Foundation has erected a sign on the future hospital site property to identify the property and promote their campaign for a new hospital. 

March 2017 work is proceeding with the job of clearing all buildings and structures from two (2) of the three (3) proposed new hospital properties.  The third property is rented back to the previous owner until such time as the property will be required.

July 2017 all structures are cleared from two (2) of the three (3) properties.

August 2017 work continues on the Concept Plan by Island Health with an expected completion date of December 31, 2017

August 2017 the CVRHD Reserve Budget achieves a balance of $35 million.

Updated August 2017