North Cowichan is the oldest district municipality in British Columbia. As a long-established organization, we have grown exponentially—from our land base, to our physical and built assets, to the population we serve, and to the number of staff we employ.
We employ approximately 450 staff (including paid on call firefighters) across multiple worksites including Cowichan Aquatic Centre, Fuller Lake Arena, RCMP Detachment, four fire halls, the Municipal Hall, and the Operations and Public Works Yard.
North Cowichan provides a wide range of diverse programs and services to residents, while also delivering meaningful and rewarding career opportunities for our employees.
North Cowichan values
- Service excellence: We put a customer-first lens on everything we do
- Environmental stewardship and sustainability: We adapt our thinking to consider the environment in all of our decisions.
- Financial responsibility: We are dedicated to transparent financial management.
- Inclusion: We foster a culture where all staff feel accepted, welcome, and safe.
- Commitment: We are engaged and dedicated to our jobs and objectives.
- Continuous improvement: We display curiosity about what we could do better, plan for and implement change required.
- Collaboration: We work cooperatively to achieve organizational goals through honest and transparent communications.
Why work with us
Join a collaborative team with great people, a supportive environment, and a collective goal of providing the best possible services to our residents.
Whether you’re just starting out in your career or advancing to the next level, North Cowichan provides opportunities to learn, grow, and thrive in your current career path.
We value our employees and foster a culture of inclusivity with:
- Supportive working environments
- Collaborative teams
- Great social and wellness initiatives
- Staff appreciation events
“My favourite thing about working at North Cowichan is the people and it’s a great working environment.” - Nick, Operations Department
Ready to be part of the team?
What we offer
Learn about the benefits of working for the Municipality of North Cowichan
Employee benefits
- Competitive wages with regular compensation reviews.
- Great pension through the Municipal Pension Plan (MPP) and extended health benefits for full time and part time, permanent positions.
- Recognition and Awards Program to celebrate our long service employees and for the great work our staff do!
- Respectful workplace policy to ensure we have an inclusive workplace free of discrimination, bullying and harassment.
- Employee & Family Assistance Program (EFAP)—free counselling services through Vancouver Island Counselling.
- Employee wellness plan—employee discounts on passes to the Cowichan Aquatic Centre.
- Remote work options (for applicable positions).
- Social and Wellness Committee
Training, feedback, and career advancement opportunities
- Regular feedback discussions through our Employee Feedback and Development Policy.
Annual internal training and career advancement support through our Education and Tuition Financial Assistance Policy, our Promotion Policy, and internal CUPE job postings.
Our full-time CUPE positions are often filled internally. To be considered for future internal opportunities, you should consider applying for one of our casual or part-time CUPE positions. In addition, staff hired into temporary positions may be considered prior to an external posting.
CUPE Collective Agreement
The unionized employees of the Municipality of North Cowichan are represented by the Canadian Union of Public Employees, Local 358.