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Malahat, British Columbia

Populated places in the Cowichan Valley Regional DistrictSouthern Vancouver IslandUnincorporated settlements in British ColumbiaUse Canadian English from January 2023Use mdy dates from September 2023
Vague or ambiguous time from December 2021

Malahat () is an unincorporated area in the Cowichan Valley, with municipal-type services delivered by the Cowichan Valley Regional District (Area A). What could be considered the hub of the community is a small collection of businesses that includes the Malahat Gas station (which also serves as the Malahat Post Office) and the Malahat Chalet and the Moon Water Lodge. A steep and rugged terrain has in the past precluded any significant residential development but new subdivisions are being built around the northern end of the area around the old Bamberton cement works and in the area adjoining Elkington Forest. Most area residents live in isolated homes located off the highway. In this context "Malahat" primarily refers to the Canada Post delivery district. Fire protection to the Malahat area is provided by Malahat Fire Rescue. "The Malahat" is a term commonly applied to the Malahat Drive, a 25 km (15.5 mi) portion of Trans Canada Highway 1 running along the west side of Saanich Inlet and to the region surrounding it. The road was first cut as a cattle trail in 1861 and was then upgraded to wagon road standards in 1884. It became a paved road in 1911. Its name comes from the Malahat First Nation, whose ancestors used the caves for spiritual enhancement. The Malahat Drive climbs to a summit of 356 m (1,168 ft), and the mountain is considered one of the most sacred sites on southern Vancouver Island. The roadway has a mix of 2, 3 and 4 lane cross-sections. The highway through the narrow Goldstream Provincial Park canyon section is 2 lanes. The Malahat portion of Highway 1 has been the location of a number of fatal traffic accidents, caused largely by vehicles crossing the centre line. These accidents have led to lengthy road closures. Closure of Malahat Drive causes disruption to travel and commerce on Vancouver Island as portions of the highway are a single point of failure if closed. Detour routes around the Malahat Drive are available via the Brentwood Bay-Mill Bay ferry and the Pacific Marine Circle Route. As a result of these crashes, the Ministry of Transportation has begun a program to add centre concrete medians to separate north and southbound traffic. Since the section between Finlayson Arm Road to Summit has had a median added, 65% of Malahat Drive is divided with a concrete median.The speed limit of this highway segment is 80 km/h (50 mph) except for a short section of Tunnel Hill where the speed limit is 70 km/h (43 mph).

Excerpt from the Wikipedia article Malahat, British Columbia (License: CC BY-SA 3.0, Authors).

Malahat, British Columbia
Juan de Fuca Electoral Area

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N 48.533333333333 ° E -123.55 °
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Juan de Fuca Electoral Area


Juan de Fuca Electoral Area
British Columbia, Canada
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Elkington Forest

Elkington Forest is a 950-acre (3.8 km2) privately managed forest located at the southern boundary of the Cowichan Valley Regional District on Vancouver Island in British Columbia, Canada. Sustainable development is intended for this property. In 2011, the entire parcel land was rezoned from F1 - Forestry to CLS - Community Land Stewardship zone, through which 85% of the land is designated for eco-forestry and conservation use, and 15% of the land is designated for a mix of agricultural uses and residential development. Under this zoning a majority of the residential density and agricultural uses were located on the southern or upland portions of the land. In 2011, Living Forest Communities, in partnership with the Canadian registered charity, the Trust for Sustainable Forestry purchased the southern half of the lands, and began to develop the lands. The installation of light-on-the-land services; roads, sewers, water lines, and power lines began in the summer of 2013. The residential hamlets have been designed in a more European manner, with densely clustered homes located around a community green space with a community centre and coffee shop. In April of 2017, the ownership of the southern portion of the Elkington lands transferred to the first mortgage holders and development of the community has been slow. The new owners of the land have renamed the project to Malahat Forest Estates, and as of the summer of 2022, have sold off the first 18 residential lots to third party owners. The Land Conservancy of BC continues to hold a restrictive covenant over the protected forest lands, and The Trust for Sustainable Forestry continues to own the timber rights on the portions of the covenanted lands that were designated for eco-forestry. While the new owners of the Malahat Forest Estates do not advertise this development as a conservation community, the original concept has been retained through the initial design, the use of covenants and the assignment of timber right to a registered environmental charity.