Chemainus Foods
Food in Chemainus

Chemainus, is a little town snuggled in between a mountain range and the ocean, on Vancouver Island's east shore, isolated with a river cutting it off from the south and a major highway to the north. This vision has earned Chemainus worldwide fame as a memorable tourist venue. That vision was to encompass the idea of giant outdoor wall murals in a revitalization strategy. When the lands' natural resources failed to provide all the necessities of life, a new vision for the future evolved with the inventive people of Chemainus. And the beautiful Cowichan Valley has been the home of The Original First Nations peoples and their ancestors for countless generations, whose history and lives have been interwoven since those first white settlers came to the area. Japanese, and later, east Indians blended their cultures with Scots and Germans looking for riches in the mines and staying to work in the forests and on fishing boats. Such is the condensed recent history of "The Little Town that Did." Mining, fishing and forestry were the original industries that gave work to many Chinese who worked in "bull gangs" struggling to move huge lumber planks to the ships in the late 1800's, and who arrived to work on the trans Canada Railroad later. A town that was born of the hands of labourers, Chemainus showed the world its true spirit and determination, with its only industry failing, and was to achieve fame through the hands of artists. Such is the incredible story of "The Little Town That Did" and the "magic" it has created for all who come here.