New Name

Learn how to pronounce 
Quw'utsun Hulitun-ew't-hw

The story of the Hul'q'umi'num' name

Elders chose this name to reflect the warmth and care that hospital staff provide to patients and each other.

“Quw'utsun” is a verb describing the act of warming one’s back from a heat source and is based on the story of a frog warming its back by the sun after a historic flood.

The name, and the permission to use the language of the Quw'utsun people, reflects a deep cultural and linguistic revitalization effort led by the Project’s Hul'q'umi'num' Language and Snuw'uy'ulh Advisory group, in partnership with Island Health.

Integration of the traditional spelling for Cowichan honours the land, language and holistic healing traditions of the Quw'utsun People, on whose traditional territory the hospital is located.

Special thanks:
With great gratitude, Island Health would like to thank the Cowichan Tribes S-ul'wheen Language Committee for their blessing and support of the new hospital name. 

Share this news with your colleagues and community.
Read the media release on the BC Ministry of Infrastructure news feed. 

Download a virtual background for MS Teams here:

Frequently Asked Questions 

Why is it important to include Indigenous language, culture and perspectives in the new hospital?  

Island Health is walking alongside Indigenous communities to create safer, more welcoming healthcare experiences and address racism and discrimination. Guided by ongoing conversations, we are taking actions to listen, learn and make changes together. The dual name of the new hospital honours the people, teachings, language and relationships that guide our shared journey toward reconciliation. 

Our actions to improve healthcare experiences reflect what we have heard through ongoing dialogue with Indigenous Peoples and recommendations outlined in the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada: Calls to Action, the In Plain Sight report, the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP), the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act (DRIPA) and other guiding acts and frameworks.

Will the name of the current hospital on Gibbins Road be changing?  

No. The current hospital name will remain Cowichan District Hospital, to differentiate it from the future site as we establish the new worksite name, systems and processes in preparation for opening day in spring 2027. 

Will new hospital have a new site acronym?  

Yes. The site acronym for the new hospital will be QVH (Quw'utsun Valley Hospital). Each Island Health facility has a unique site acronym. The site acronym for the current hospital will remain CDH.