Social Planning Cowichan is a non-profit organization with offices at 203-111 Station Street in downtown Duncan. It previously had offices at 203- 5878 York Road, North Cowichan, now the location of the Overdose Prevention site.

Social Planning Cowichan was formed in 2004 and has been very successful in getting its members elected to positions on local Municipal Councils, as CVRD Directors and, as of 20 October 2018, as Mayor of Duncan.

The current Mayor of Duncan, Michelle Staples, is the Executive Director of Social Planning Cowichan. North Cowichan Council member (and current candidate for Mayor of North Cowichan) Rosalie Sawrie is also on the Board of Social Planning Cowichan. North Cowichan Council member Chrisopher Justice has worked for Social Planning Cowichan in the past and may still work for the organization. But since Social Planning Cowichan has recently put up a new website design it has eliminated any public mention of its Executive members, Board members or workers on its new website.

Here is a link to a slide show displaying what Social Planning Cowichan considers its primary achievements between 2005 and 2014.

Here is a link to a Canada Revenue Agency page detailing the Form T3010 Registered Charity filings of Social Planning Cowichan under its full legal name, Cowichan Social Planning Society.

Social Planning Cowichan is definitely on the “progressive” side of the political spectrum. Here is a link to its “Vision”. In February 2015 Social Planning Cowichan created the Cowichan Housing Association.  As of 20 October 2018, as a result of the Yes vote on the CVRD Referendum on CVRD Bylaw 4201, the Cowichan Housing Association became the recipient of $765,000, or more, per year in taxpayer funds to be raised by new CVRD taxation.

Here is a map showing the location of 5878 York Road:


Here is a link showing the 2018 Staff and Directors of Social Planning Cowichan.

Here is a link to a Canada Revenue Agency page detailing the Form T3010 Registered Charity filings of Social Planning Cowichan under its full legal name, Cowichan Social Planning Society.

Notice that they include several people elected to Municipal Councils and the CVRD Board in the October 2018 Municipal elections:

The above list only reflects the Social Planning Cowichan members who are on record as being members. We suspect that other Councillors elected in the Municipal Elections of 20 October 2018 may also be members of Social Planning Cowichan. We will do more research on that and update this page with what we find.

Note also that Chris Hall, the current Executive Director of the Cowichan Housing Association, is also a Director of Social Planning Cowichan. Chris Hall is also the President of the Cowichan Green Community Foundation.

Here is some more information about Social Planning Cowichan:

Here is a YouTube video posted in 2017 by Michelle Staples, who was elected Mayor of Duncan on 20 October 2018. This video was apparently made by Social Planning Cowichan and the Cowichan Housing Association.

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