Cowichan--Malahat--Langford

Cowichan--Malahat--Langford is a federal electoral district on south-central Vancouver Island that stretches from the rapidly growing city of Langford, just west of Victoria, northward over the winding Malahat highway to the agricultural heartland of the Cowichan Valley and the town of Chemainus. The riding was created through the 2012 federal redistribution from portions of the former Nanaimo--Cowichan and Esquimalt--Juan de Fuca districts and was first contested in 2015. As of the 2021 census, the riding had a population of approximately 124,247, with English reported as the mother tongue by over 90% of residents -- the highest proportion in the province.

Candidates

Alistair MacGregor (NDP) has represented Cowichan--Malahat--Langford since his first election in 2015. Born in 1979, MacGregor has called the Cowichan Valley home for over 35 years. He holds an undergraduate degree from the University of Victoria and a master's degree from Royal Roads University. Before entering Parliament, he worked as a tree-planting supervisor, a millworker, and a constituency assistant to former NDP MP Jean Crowder. He lives on a small farming property in the Cowichan Valley.

Alana DeLong (Conservative) is a former four-term Alberta MLA who served in the Calgary-area legislature for more than 14 years. Born in Nelson and raised in the Okanagan and Victoria, DeLong also ran as a BC Liberal candidate in the 2017 provincial election in Nanaimo--North Cowichan. She first contested this federal riding in 2019, finishing second.

Blair Herbert (Liberal) is a farmer, beekeeper, realtor, and former RCMP officer who ran in this riding for a second time, having placed fourth in 2019. His campaign focused on affordable housing and economic recovery from the pandemic.

Mark Hecht (PPC) is a Canadian writer, former university instructor, and business owner. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Geography from the University of Victoria and a Master's Degree in City Planning from the University of Manitoba. Hecht worked with The Nature Trust of BC before spending a decade teaching undergraduate geography courses at Mount Royal University in Calgary.

About the Riding

The riding is defined by a dramatic contrast between its two major population centres. Langford, in the south, has been one of the fastest-growing municipalities in British Columbia, transforming over the past two decades from a semi-rural bedroom community into a bustling suburban city with big-box retail, new residential developments, and a growing sports and recreation sector anchored by Starlight Stadium. The Cowichan Valley, in the north, retains a more rural and agricultural character, with the town of Duncan serving as its commercial centre.

The Malahat -- the steep, winding stretch of the Trans-Canada Highway that climbs over the Malahat Summit between Langford and the Cowichan Valley -- physically and psychologically divides the riding. The drive over the Malahat, with its elevation gains and ocean views of the Saanich Inlet, marks the transition from Greater Victoria's suburban orbit into the island's mid-section. The riding also extends west to the remote community of Port Renfrew on the Pacific coast, the southern trailhead of the West Coast Trail.

First Nations communities are deeply woven into the riding's identity. The Cowichan Tribes, one of the largest First Nations bands in British Columbia with over 5,000 members, are based near Duncan. The riding also includes the territories of the Malahat Nation, the Stz'uminus First Nation near Chemainus, and several other Coast Salish communities. Agriculture -- particularly in the warm Cowichan Valley, known as one of the few regions on Vancouver Island with a climate suitable for wine grapes -- along with forestry, tourism, and public-sector employment form the backbone of the local economy.