(Halalt Chief James Thomas)
Planned subdivision posing ‘grave’ fire threat to Municipal Forest Reserve returns for second vote
Halalt Chief also fears ecological impact on Bonsall Creek watershed
(UPDATE: At the March 4 meeting, the same four councillors reiterated their support for moving the Hidden Hills development proposal along to the next stage in the approval process.)
A planned 21-lot subdivision in rural North Cowichan that is raising environmental and wildfire concerns is returning to council for a second vote.
In a letter to council, Halalt Chief James Thomas (Sulsimutstun) says he has “grave” and “significant” issues with the Hidden Hills development, which has no fire hydrants and is located about 10 kilometres from the nearest fire department, in Crofton.
The development poses a fire risk due to lack of accessible water for fire fighting, said Thomas, echoing concerns of the North Cowichan fire department. The water issue could result in the fire department draining Halalt groundwater supplies, he added.
Thomas also said the “stream running through the project area is part of the Bonsall Creek watershed and Aquifer 172, which is integral” to the Chemainus watershed.
“The floodplain, estuary and aquifer are immensely valuable to Halalt for hunting, fishing, trapping, harvesting, and other cultural and sacred purposes, and important village and residential sites are located across the watershed.”
( E&N rail trestle over lower Bonsall Creek. Special thanks to Mike Bonkowski.)
On January 21, councillors Bruce Findlay, Tek Manhas, Mike Caljouw and Becky Hogg voted to proceed with processing the application and draft an amendment to the Official Community Plan for council’s consideration.
In doing so, they went against the strong advice of the fire department and planning staff.
Deputy fire chief Chris Jancowski noted that the Municipal Forest Reserve on Little Sicker Mountain is adjacent to the planned subdivision, representing a “grave concern, especially with the changing climate we have.”
Mayor Rob Douglas and councillors Christopher Justice and Chris Istace voted against. https://www.sixmountains.ca/article/b4a16982-08ff-4e81-95e3-d78716e83ef4 )
On March 4, Douglas will exercise his mayoral privilege and ask council to reconsider that controversial decision.
Thomas plans to address council at that meeting.
Jordan Noble, on behalf of Hidden Hills property owners Eddie Paul and Myrna Pokiak, also plans to speak.
Paul and Pokiak operate “several Indigenous-led businesses on Vancouver Island, including Gordon Homes,” a modular and manufactured home company based in Nanaimo.
Pokiak is also an artist, originally from Tuktoyaktuk in the Northwest Territories. Her work has appeared on Royal Canadian Mint collection coins: https://www.inuitartfoundation.org/profiles/artist/Myrna-Pokiak .
She did not respond to a request for comment.
The strata development involves a consolidation of properties totalling 48 hectares on the west side of Trans Canada Highway, south of Mount Sicker Road and within Bonsall Creek watershed.
(North Cowichan map of Hidden Hills development)
The application to rezone the property from Agriculture, Forestry, and Conservation to Rural Residential would require an OCP amendment. The site is outside the Urban Containment Boundary.
The 21 two-hectare strata lots could potentially translate into 42 residential units.
(Have a comment for council? Write council@northcowichan.ca.)
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— Larry Pynn, Mar. 1, 2026
