Robert Barron

Costs at the new Cowichan District Hospital have skyrocketed to $1.45 billion. (Citizen file photo)

Costs of new Cowichan hospital increase to $1.45 billion

Government says cost increase related mostly to labour shortages and supply-chain challenges

Costs at the new Cowichan District Hospital have skyrocketed to $1.45 billion. (Citizen file photo)
Costs at the new Cowichan District Hospital have skyrocketed to $1.45 billion. (Citizen file photo)

Costs of new Cowichan hospital increase to $1.45 billion

Government says cost increase related mostly to labour shortages and supply-chain challenges

Costs at the new Cowichan District Hospital have skyrocketed to $1.45 billion. (Citizen file photo)
Jon Coleman (right) and other members of the Cowichan Tribes-owned Khowutzun Development Corporation are blocking work at the site of the new Cowichan District Hospital on Bell McKinnon Road over union issues. (Robert Barron/Citizen)

First Nation pickets continue to block construction of new Duncan hospital

Talks continue after Cowichan Tribes-owned company prevented from doing work over union issues

Jon Coleman (right) and other members of the Cowichan Tribes-owned Khowutzun Development Corporation are blocking work at the site of the new Cowichan District Hospital on Bell McKinnon Road over union issues. (Robert Barron/Citizen)
Lance DeBreé was presented with a Challenge Coin and certificate from the RCMP for his efforts to better himself and the community on Nov. 9. Pictured, from left, is Will Arnold, owner of Experience Cycling, Warren Kongas, a member of the North Cowichan/Duncan RCMP detachment, DeBreé and his mother Ro. (Robert Barron/Citizen)

Police and community celebrate achievements of a once-troubled Duncan man

Lance DeBreé awarded with a RCMP Challenge Coin

Lance DeBreé was presented with a Challenge Coin and certificate from the RCMP for his efforts to better himself and the community on Nov. 9. Pictured, from left, is Will Arnold, owner of Experience Cycling, Warren Kongas, a member of the North Cowichan/Duncan RCMP detachment, DeBreé and his mother Ro. (Robert Barron/Citizen)
Jon Coleman (right) and other members of the Cowichan Tribes-owned Khowutzun Development Corporation are blocking work at the site of the new Cowichan District Hospital on Bell McKinnon Road over union issues. (Robert Barron/Citizen)

Picket line stops work at new Duncan hospital in dispute over union requirements

Cowichan Tribes-owned company concerned over union issues

Jon Coleman (right) and other members of the Cowichan Tribes-owned Khowutzun Development Corporation are blocking work at the site of the new Cowichan District Hospital on Bell McKinnon Road over union issues. (Robert Barron/Citizen)
Jon Coleman (right) and other members of the Cowichan Tribes-owned Khowutzun Development Corporation are blocking work at the site of the new Cowichan District Hospital on Bell McKinnon Road over union issues. (Robert Barron/Citizen)

UPDATED: Picket line stops work at new Duncan hospital in dispute over union requirements

Cowichan Tribes-owned company concerned over union issues

Jon Coleman (right) and other members of the Cowichan Tribes-owned Khowutzun Development Corporation are blocking work at the site of the new Cowichan District Hospital on Bell McKinnon Road over union issues. (Robert Barron/Citizen)
War veteran Fernand Labrie (centre) was presented with France's highest award, The Legion of Honour, by Nicolas Baudouin (right) the Consul General of France in B.C., at a ceremony at Sunridge Place on Nov. 17. At left is Labrie's daughter Pierrette Morgan. (Robert Barron/Citizen)

Duncan veteran receives France’s highest honour

Fernand Labrie presented with The Legion of Honour for services during the war

War veteran Fernand Labrie (centre) was presented with France's highest award, The Legion of Honour, by Nicolas Baudouin (right) the Consul General of France in B.C., at a ceremony at Sunridge Place on Nov. 17. At left is Labrie's daughter Pierrette Morgan. (Robert Barron/Citizen)
Cowichan Valley MLA Sonia Furstenau and leader of the BC Greens wants to see the mask mandate reinstated in indoor public spaces. (Black Press Media file photo)

B.C. Green Party leader wants mask mandate in public places reinstated

Call comes as B.C.’s pediatric beds fill up

Cowichan Valley MLA Sonia Furstenau and leader of the BC Greens wants to see the mask mandate reinstated in indoor public spaces. (Black Press Media file photo)
Russ Hamilton is the location manager for the Hallmark Christmas series 'Holidazed'. Sections of the production are being filmed in downtown Duncan. (Robert Barron/Citizen)

Parts of a Hallmark Christmas series being filmed in downtown Duncan

‘Holidazed’ will be released next year

Russ Hamilton is the location manager for the Hallmark Christmas series 'Holidazed'. Sections of the production are being filmed in downtown Duncan. (Robert Barron/Citizen)
Sponsors and donations are being sought to bring members of the Faris family (pictured), who are refugees living in a camp in Jordan, to the Cowichan Valley. (Submitted photo)
Sponsors and donations are being sought to bring members of the Faris family (pictured), who are refugees living in a camp in Jordan, to the Cowichan Valley. (Submitted photo)
A concrete pumper truck struck a railway bridge on East Shawnigan Lake Road Monday morning, closing a section of the road. (Emcon Services photo)

Truck strikes railway bridge, closing section of East Shawnigan Lake Road

Traffic detoured through West Shawnigan Lake Road.

A concrete pumper truck struck a railway bridge on East Shawnigan Lake Road Monday morning, closing a section of the road. (Emcon Services photo)
A home is being sought for this large 360-kilogram Yorkshire pig that was stabbed multiple times near Victoria a week and a half ago. (Photo courtesy of A Home for Hooves Farm Sanctuary)

Duncan sanctuary looking for home for pig stabbed multiple times

Duncan’s A Home for Hooves Farm Sanctuary is taking animal in for now

A home is being sought for this large 360-kilogram Yorkshire pig that was stabbed multiple times near Victoria a week and a half ago. (Photo courtesy of A Home for Hooves Farm Sanctuary)
Land owners Janice and Ken Hiles have been trying since 2018 to donate Little Beach on the Cowichan River to the CVRD as parkland, but bureaucratic red tape has delayed the land transfer for years. (Robert Barron/Citizen)

Bureaucratic quagmire stalling gift of Vancouver Island riverfront property

Red tape ties up Little Beach land donation on the Cowichan River for almost 5 years

Land owners Janice and Ken Hiles have been trying since 2018 to donate Little Beach on the Cowichan River to the CVRD as parkland, but bureaucratic red tape has delayed the land transfer for years. (Robert Barron/Citizen)
File photo

Barron: Remembering when gun-toting elementary schoolkids said ‘enough’ to the rats

A half-century ago, school pest-control methods were a little bit different

File photo
Julie Scurr, Chamber president. (Citizen file photo)

Ongoing labour shortage expected to continue, says Vancouver Island business leader

Cowichan chamber of Commerce president Julie Scurr said situation a result of a perfect storm

Julie Scurr, Chamber president. (Citizen file photo)
There is still no word on when Allenby Road will reopen after a landslide last November saw the road closed between Miller and Boys Roads. (Emcon Services photo/Twitter)

Rural Duncan area road remains close one year after flood-caused landslide

Still no indication when Allenby Road will reopen

There is still no word on when Allenby Road will reopen after a landslide last November saw the road closed between Miller and Boys Roads. (Emcon Services photo/Twitter)
Oliver Blair Finlayson, an 11-year-old Grade 4 student at Lake Cowichan School who has Duchenne muscular dystrophy, sits in his wheelchair in front of the playground equipment at Lake Cowichan School, which is not accessible to many students with physical challenges. (Robert Barron/Citizen)

Mother wants accessible playground equipment installed at Lake Cowichan School

Her son has Duchenne muscular dystrophy and uses a wheelchair

Oliver Blair Finlayson, an 11-year-old Grade 4 student at Lake Cowichan School who has Duchenne muscular dystrophy, sits in his wheelchair in front of the playground equipment at Lake Cowichan School, which is not accessible to many students with physical challenges. (Robert Barron/Citizen)
North Cowichan is asking the province to help the tenants of the Magdalena apartment building who are expected to be evicted from the structurally deficient building sometime in the spring of 2023. (Citizen file)

Cowichan taxpayers buck up $20k to tenants ousted from faulty apartment complex

Money will come from Housing Trust Fund for looming Magdalena evictions due to structural defects

North Cowichan is asking the province to help the tenants of the Magdalena apartment building who are expected to be evicted from the structurally deficient building sometime in the spring of 2023. (Citizen file)
The power is out for approximately 1,300 BC Hydro customers in the Shawnigan Lake/Malahat area as of Thursday morning. (Screen shot)
The power is out for approximately 1,300 BC Hydro customers in the Shawnigan Lake/Malahat area as of Thursday morning. (Screen shot)
B.C.’s Electoral Boundaries Commission is recommending significant changes to the boundaries of the Cowichan Valley riding, including shifting Shawnigan Lake, Mill Bay and Cobble Hill to another electoral district. Shown if the riding's current boundaries. (Electoral Boundaries Commission map)

Juan de Fuca joins Shawnigan, Chemainus joins Duncan in proposed electoral boundary shift

Recommendations a response to growing population on Vancouver Island

B.C.’s Electoral Boundaries Commission is recommending significant changes to the boundaries of the Cowichan Valley riding, including shifting Shawnigan Lake, Mill Bay and Cobble Hill to another electoral district. Shown if the riding's current boundaries. (Electoral Boundaries Commission map)