In an Oct. 19 announcement from Cowichan Valley candidate Bert Chen, the B.C. Conservative Party has cast doubt on Crofton residents’ future water quality and promised funding to fix it. In his announcement, Chen promised to secure up $10 million to help revitalize the Crofton Mill site and provide critical support for the community if a Conservative government is elected on Oct. 24. The Domtar mill in Crofton was permanently shuttered in 2025. “With the lost property tax revenues from the mill, the local Municipality of North Cowichan is unable to provide the funding to invest in an independent, municipally-owned water system for Crofton,” said Chen. …“This site is ideal for provincial support due to the adjacent BC Ferries terminal.”