As 2023 draws to a close, the big question looming for 2024 is whether Rob Douglas will serve out his term as North Cowichan’s mayor or run provincially for the NDP in Cowichan Valley.

“I’ve definitely been giving it some thought,” Douglas told sixmountains.ca. “I anticipate making a formal decision pretty soon, early in the new year.”

He added: “I’m pretty happy in the mayor’s position. It’s a real privilege to serve this community.”

As a councillor, Douglas ran for the NDP in Cowichan Valley in 2020, losing by four percentage points to Green Party leader Sonia Furstenau.

Douglas was then elected mayor of North Cowichan in 2022 for a four-year term, gaining 41 percent of the vote.

Furstenau has said she plans to run in the new riding of Juan de Fuca-Malahat, which includes Shawnigan Lake, her home.

That would leave Cowichan Valley up for grabs.

The 2024 BC general election will be held on or before October 19.

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— Larry Pynn, Dec. 26, 2023