The Cowichan Watershed Board

Co-Chairs Chief Lydia Hwitsum and CVRD Chair Lori Iannidinardo at River Cleanup 2022

 The Cowichan Watershed Board is co-Chaired by its founding partners, Cowichan Tribes, represented by the Elected Chief, and the Cowichan Valley Regional District, represented by the CVRD Chair, who is elected from among the CVRD Board members.  The other Board members are appointed by the Co-chairs, guided by the seat allocation below as described in the CWB Governance Manual. 

CWB Organizational Structure Diagram (click image to download)

[Excerpted from the Cowichan Watershed Board Governance Manual , September 2018 revision]

Current Board Members: 

• Appointed by Cowichan Tribes
  • Co-Chair Lydia Hwitsum, Chief of Cowichan Tribes,
  • Stuart Pagaduan, Councillor of Cowichan Tribes
  • Darin George, Councillor of Cowichan Tribes (medical leave)
• Appointed by CVRD 
  • Co-Chair Mayor Aaron Stone, Chair of CVRD, Mayor of Ladysmith
  • Alison Nicholson, Director for CVRD Area E
  • Mayor Michelle Staples, Mayor of Duncan
• Appointed at Large
  • The Honourable David Anderson, Former Federal Fisheries Minister, Former Federal Environment Minister
  • Tim Kulchyski, Natural Resource Consultant, Cowichan Tribes
  • Dr. Shannon Waters, Medical Health Officer for the Cowichan Valley, Vancouver Island Health Authority
  • Kristine Sandhu, Councillor for Town of Lake Cowichan
• Nominated by Provincial Government
  • Dr. David Froese, former fisheries biologist, medical doctor
  • David Slade, former President of the BC Groundwater Association
• Nominated by Federal Government
  • Linda Higgins, South Coast Area Director, Fisheries and Oceans Canada

Read Board Member bios here.

Advisors and Committees

The CWB is assisted in its work by five Working Groups that work to achieve the CWB's Targets for Watershed Health, tangible but aspirational goals rooted in the objectives of the Cowichan Basin Water Management Plan.  The members of the Working Groups are invited to serve based on their expertise in the target area, and as representatives of the many stewardship organizations actively working towards these collective goals.  The Working Group members are listed in the back of the Annual Plan each year. (see below) 

The Board is also grateful to be supported by Advisor Oliver Brandes, economist, lawyer and Co-Director of the POLIS Project on Ecological Governance (UVic) and Director of the POLIS Water Sustainability Project.  

Meetings

Board meetings are normally the last Monday of every month. The public is welcome to attend all meetings. Check the agenda to see if the meeting is in person or online, and request login links/help if needed. Agendas, minutes, and materials for Board meetings are posted by date here. https://cowichanwatershedboard.ca/meetings

Governance Documents

CWB Governance Manual Version 3 - 24 Sep 2018

Pathways and Partnerships: A Framework for Collaboration and Reconciliation in the Cowichan Watershed, September 2018