Letter: Old Koksilah school site would not have been good place for services

Challenging this process via the premier looks like government overreach

Letter: Old Koksilah school site would not have been good place for services Published 12:41 pm Wednesday, July 15, 2026 I am writing to express my disagreement with the CVRD’s stance regarding the sale of the former Koksilah Elementary School property. Challenging this process via the premier looks like government overreach rather than a practical local solution. The Cowichan Valley School Board (SD79) followed all legally required steps for property disposal.

Selling surplus property to fund much-needed upgrades across active school facilities is entirely reasonable. Obstructing this sale jeopardizes crucial funding for public education. Furthermore, if the CVRD truly had a viable, budgeted plan or previous offer for this site, they should be transparent and produce those documents to the public.

Beyond procedural issues, the CVRD’s premise for wanting this site is deeply flawed. The Koksilah site sits directly within an industrial area, which is beyond unsuitable for housing initiatives or community services. This land should be utilized for expanding industry to drive economic growth, not to expand social services into an industrial sector.

This shows a complete lack of proper urban planning. Additionally, introducing a homeless shelter here would have severe economic consequences for the immediate neighbourhood. The financial value of surrounding businesses and residential properties would strictly decline, unfairly penalizing local stakeholders who have invested heavily in the area.

I urge the CVRD to focus on partnering with the province to identify suitable, safely zoned locations for housing initiatives. Concerned (and tired) citizen of Duncan K. Rose Duncan