Mill Bay is a
commuter town
A commuter town is a populated area that is primarily residential rather than commercial or industrial. Routine travel from home to work and back is called commuting, which is where the term comes from. A commuter town may be called by many o ...
of about 7,200 people located on
Vancouver Island
Vancouver Island is an island in the northeastern Pacific Ocean and part of the Canadian province of British Columbia. The island is in length, in width at its widest point, and in total area, while are of land. The island is the largest ...
,
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada. Situated in the Pacific Northwest between the Pacific Ocean and the Rocky Mountains, the province has a diverse geography, with rugged landscapes that ...
,
Canada
Canada is a country in North America. Its Provinces and territories of Canada, ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, making it the world's List of coun ...
, about north of
Victoria, the capital. It is part of the
Cowichan Valley Regional District.
Mill Bay was founded in the 1860s with lumber and milling as its primary industries, done at the mill on the bay. It was named for the sawmill built in the area in 1861 by Henry S. Shepherd soon purchased by William Sayward.
It is known for its ferry to
Brentwood Bay on the
Saanich Peninsula and the historic
Malahat Drive, which is also a source of criticism due to frequent closures from either automobile accidents or weather conditions. Numerous suggestions have been made by various groups regarding a 'bypass' route (possibly a bridge), though as of 2007, the Brentwood-Mill Bay Ferry and the Malahat remain the best routes to Greater Victoria from the rest of Vancouver Island (a third route goes south from
Lake Cowichan via
Port Renfrew to Victoria). The
MV ''Mill Bay'' that has served the ferry route since 1956 is named for the town but was taken out of service in 2011 and is now served by the
MV Klitsa.
Mill Bay schools
Brentwood College is a private high school located in Mill Bay.
Frances Kelsey Secondary School is a local public high school named after pharmacologist
Frances Oldham Kelsey.
Neighbouring communities
The village of
Shawnigan Lake is a ten-minute drive from Mill Bay.
Cobble Hill,
Cowichan Bay, and
Duncan are also part of the
Cowichan Valley.
Community organizations
The Mill Bay Freemasons Hall meets on the third Thursday of the month and also offers room to other community organizations.
References
External links
VancouverIsland.com
{{authority control
Unincorporated settlements in British Columbia
Populated places in the Cowichan Valley Regional District
Designated places in British Columbia