FAQs

Boundary realignment means adjusting where the municipal boundary line is drawn between two municipalities. Both Duncan and North Cowichan would continue to exist as separate, self-governing communities. It is not amalgamation.

No. Amalgamation merges two municipalities into one. That question was asked in the 2018 referendum, and residents gave a clear answer. This is not that. Boundary realignment adjusts where the line is drawn between two municipalities that would continue to exist as separate, self-governing communities with their own councils, staff, budgets, and identities.

This study focuses on an option that isn't amalgamation. We've studied amalgamation twice, and residents firmly said no both times. The reasons we separated in 1912 have not disappeared. So instead of asking 'should we get back together' for a third time, we're asking a different question: does the boundary we drew in 1912 still make sense for the community we are today? Our residents asked us to study that and we are doing it.

Not at all. It is about collecting information about what boundary realignment could look like. Like with amalgamation, boundary realignment is not about an increased tax base. 

When a boundary moves, both the tax revenue and the cost of delivering services in that area move with it. It is expected that Duncan’s increased costs for things like roads, sidewalks, bylaw enforcement, and recreation would largely offset or exceed any additional tax revenue. Similarly, a decrease in North Cowichan’s tax revenue could be largely or entirely offset by decreased costs. A study is needed to understand the impacts and inform public discussion.

Residents have been telling council they want this explored. In the 2014 opinion referendum, Duncan voters supported studying boundary realignment as an alternative to amalgamation. A 2019 Duncan citizen survey confirmed continued interest: 38 per cent of respondents supported exploring boundary options, 31 per cent were unsure, and 31 per cent said no. The high number of undecided respondents told us more information was needed. 

The boundary between Duncan and North Cowichan was drawn in 1912 and has not changed significantly since. The south end of North Cowichan functions as part of Duncan in daily life but falls under a different jurisdiction for planning, bylaws, policing, and taxation. Many people living just outside Duncan already identify as being from Duncan. The City commissioned this study so that council and residents can have an informed conversation about whether boundary realignment is worth pursuing further.

No. This is a study, not a decision. The study will present illustrative scenarios for discussion purposes only. No decisions have been made, and no boundary change can happen without the support of both municipalities, local First Nations engagement, and the Province.

No. This study is about gathering information so residents and council can better understand the merits or drawbacks of the current boundary. The City is not building toward further expansion. If the information gathered does not support a case for boundary realignment, council will not take further action.

We listened. Residents asked council to look at this, and reviewing the municipal boundary has been a Duncan council priority across several terms and is identified in the 2023-2026 Council Strategic Plan. 

Council is responding to what residents have asked for. During the 2017 Citizens’ Assembly on amalgamation, a recurring theme from public roundtable meetings was whether Duncan and North Cowichan could explore an approach other than amalgamation. The 2019 citizen survey confirmed continued interest in exploring boundary options. This study is designed to gather the information residents need to form an informed opinion.

The study will examine illustrative boundary scenarios based on community identity, service areas, and natural features to help council and residents understand what boundary realignment could look like. They are not proposed boundaries. If boundary realignment were ever pursued further, the community would be engaged to share preferences about boundary options.

The technical study is being led by Sherry Hurst, M.Pl., MCIP, RPP, of Leftside Partners Inc., an independent consultant with no interest or preference in any particular outcome. The Terms of Reference establishes impartiality as a guiding principle: the analysis must be objective, and all assumptions will be documented and noted in the report.

A three-member advisory panel provides local knowledge and community input during the study. The panel reviews the sample boundaries, analysis assumptions, and the resulting report. It is not a decision-making body.

The panel is made up of three members selected by City Council. The City will issue a public call for volunteers to fill two seats on the advisory panel and has invited Cowichan Tribes to recommend the third panelist, if they choose to participate.

Panel meetings are closed to allow candid discussion of technical assumptions and scenarios without public pressure. The final report will be fully public and will be presented in an open council meeting.

Studying boundary realignment as an alternative to amalgamation has been a Council priority for over a decade, and we have tried several times to review this collaboratively with North Cowichan. 

In 2014, City residents voted in favour of studying both amalgamation and boundary realignment. The City asked North Cowichan to include the same two questions on their opinion referendum; however, they did not support asking their residents about studying boundary realignment, and only asked if there was support for amalgamation.

In 2017, the City asked North Cowichan to include boundary realignment in the options for the Citizens’ Assembly on amalgamation to consider; they said no. Yet through the process of the Citizens assembly, boundary realignment was a recurring theme during the public roundtables that took place. 

The City reached out to North Cowichan Council in January 2026 to ask if they would like to participate in a boundary realignment study. When the answer was no again, City Council decided to move forward with a smaller study on its own, to gather the information residents need to aid the discussion.

n January 2026, Duncan wrote to North Cowichan proposing a joint technical study and working group. North Cowichan's council declined, and Duncan is proceeding independently with its own study. Duncan respects that decision. Each municipality is responding to what its own residents have asked for.

Not exactly. The voting location breakdown of the 2018 referendum on amalgamation indicates that North Cowichan voters at the south end supported amalgamation. However, the vote did not pass in Duncan or at the voting locations in Chemainus and Crofton. This breakdown was similar to the breakdown in the 1978 amalgamation referendum. So it's not as simple as 'the region wanted it and Duncan blocked it’.

The cost of this three-month study and report is $50,000 including the communications support. As North Cowichan declined to participate, Council decided to move forward with a smaller scale study funded solely by the City, to provide the information people need to have informed discussions.

The study is funded by the City of Duncan. It is not funded by the Province or North Cowichan.

The project has two phases. Phase 1, the technical study, is now underway and is expected to be completed in August 2026. Phase 2 will begin upon completion of the study and will focus on sharing the results with the public and creating opportunities for community discussion and feedback.

The study will examine the financial implications of boundary realignment for both municipalities, considering a couple of different scenarios. The City has committed to a mutual benefit principle: any boundary change should not make either municipality worse off. Next steps will only be taken if it makes sense for the community and in collaboration with North Cowichan, the Province of BC, and local First Nations. Detailed tax information will be part of the study’s findings when they are released.

The study will examine what boundary realignment could mean for municipal services including bylaws, infrastructure, planning, and development regulation. In some cases, residents in the study area already use City of Duncan services, such as water. The study will look at how services could be affected for residents on both sides of any adjusted boundary.

At this stage, it means there is a study underway to understand what boundary realignment could look like and what the implications would be. No decisions have been made. If boundary realignment were ever pursued, it would require a vote by residents in both municipalities. During Phase 2 of the project, there will be opportunities for you to learn about the findings, ask questions, and share your feedback.

This is a study, not a decision. The study will present illustrative scenarios for discussion purposes only. No decisions have been made, and no boundary change can happen without a process that includes the support of both municipalities, local First Nations engagement, and the Province. 

This is like one property owner paying someone to draw up a sketch to show how they might be able to have a driveway easement from their neighbour. They don’t bother with getting pins set, they just draft up a concept so the neighbour can wrap their head around what it might look like. It doesn’t mean the driveway will be built. Nothing more happens unless the neighbour likes the idea, but it aids the discussion.

The study will help you understand what boundary realignment could mean for the City of Duncan, including potential changes to services, governance, and finances. During Phase 2, you will have the opportunity to review the findings and share your views.

The study is a preliminary, high-level analysis. It is not expected to have any direct effect on property values. If boundary realignment were pursued in the future, more detailed analysis would be needed, including consideration of property-level impacts.

Yes. A vote by residents in both Duncan and North Cowichan would be required under provincial legislation. Any future change would also require the engagement of local First Nations and support from the Province.

During Phase 1 (now underway), the City is accepting applications for the advisory panel. Visit duncan.ca or contact the City for details.

During Phase 2 (fall 2026), the study findings will be shared publicly and there will be opportunities for community engagement, discussion, and feedback. The City's Big Conversations online engagement platform will host a dedicated project page where residents can review findings, ask questions, and share feedback. Details will be posted on the City's website as they become available.

Visit bigconversations.duncan.ca/boundary for updates as the study progresses. The City will also share information through its Facebook page, the Beneath the Clocktower newsletter, and the Big Conversations online engagement platform. Follow the City of Duncan on Facebook for the latest updates.

The Terms of Reference for the Boundary Realignment Technical Study is available on the City’s Big Conversations page at bigconversations.duncan.ca/boundary.

Peter de Verteuil 

Chief Administrative Officer, City of Duncan 

(250) 746-6126 

boundary@duncan.ca