Conservative candidate Bert Chen commits to $10 million for Crofton mill site water system
Bert Chen, the Conservative Party of BC candidate for Cowichan Valley, says he will work to secure up to $10 million to support revitalization of the former Crofton mill site, including a water system for the town.
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The Conservative Party of BC published a release on October 19, 2026 saying its candidate for Cowichan Valley, Bert Chen, committed to working to secure a funding commitment of up to $10 million to support the revitalization of the former Domtar mill site in Crofton. The party says the commitment is focused on building a municipally-owned water system for the town before the current water supply arrangement expires.
The party says the town of Crofton has been built around the mill since 1956, and that the infrastructure delivering drinking water to residents is part of the mill site and remains owned by Domtar. Domtar closed the mill in 2025, and the party says that closure has created uncertainty about whether residents will continue to receive clean drinking water. The party says Domtar's commitment to supply water to the community ends December 31, 2026.
The party says the Municipality of North Cowichan cannot fund a replacement water system on its own. According to the release, the municipality lost property tax revenue when the mill closed, and that loss means it cannot pay for an independent, municipally-owned system. Those figures come from the party's release, and it has not published a financial breakdown or cited a municipal budget document.
The release also says Chen committed to working to expand the BC Ferries terminal in Crofton to add waiting lanes. The party gives no dollar figure for that part of the commitment and does not name a funding source.
The $10 million figure is the upper end of a range the party describes as "up to $10 million." The release does not say what level of government would provide the funds, which BC ministry would administer them, or what the revitalization of the mill site would involve beyond the water system and the ferry terminal.
There is no response from the Municipality of North Cowichan or from Domtar in the party's release, and none was reported by an outlet at the time of writing.
Voters in Cowichan Valley can find advance voting and voting place information at the Cowichan Valley district page. Voting day is October 24, 2026.
Questions this story answers
What did Bert Chen commit to for Crofton?
The Conservative Party of BC published a release on October 19, 2026 saying that Bert Chen, its candidate for Cowichan Valley, committed to working to secure a funding commitment of up to $10 million to support the revitalization of the mill site in Crofton. The party says that funding would help the community after Domtar closed the mill in 2025.
Why does Crofton need a new water system?
According to the Conservative Party of BC, the infrastructure that delivers drinking water to Crofton is part of the mill site and is owned by Domtar. After Domtar closed the mill in 2025, the party says there is uncertainty about whether residents will continue to have clean drinking water beyond Domtar's existing commitment, which ends December 31, 2026. The party says the town has been built around the mill since 1956.
Why can the Municipality of North Cowichan not pay for this itself?
The Conservative Party of BC says the municipality lost property tax revenue when the Domtar mill closed in 2025, and that loss means it cannot fund an independent, municipally-owned water system for Crofton on its own. Those are the party's own figures and the party has not published a financial breakdown. The municipality itself has not responded to the party's statement in the release.
What is the deadline for Crofton's water supply?
The Conservative Party of BC says Domtar's commitment to supply drinking water to Crofton ends on December 31, 2026. The party's release does not say what happens to water service after that date if no replacement system is in place, but describes the situation as creating uncertainty for residents.
What else did Bert Chen announce for Crofton?
The Conservative Party of BC release also mentions a commitment to work to expand the BC Ferries terminal in Crofton to add waiting lanes. The release does not give a dollar figure for that commitment or say who would fund it.
Who is Bert Chen?
Bert Chen is the Conservative Party of BC candidate running in the Cowichan Valley district in the provincial election on October 24, 2026. You can find his candidate page at /bc/provincial-2026/candidates/bert-chen.
Where can I find the Conservative Party of BC's full platform?
The Conservative Party of BC publishes its platform and announcements on its own website. The release about the Crofton commitment was published on October 19, 2026 at conservativebc.ca. The party's page on this site is at /bc/provincial-2026/parties/conservative-party-of-bc.
When is voting day in Cowichan Valley?
Voting day for the BC provincial election is October 24, 2026. Advance voting ran from October 16 to 21. You can find your voting place and other Elections BC information at /bc/provincial-2026/races/mla/cowichan-valley.
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