The Comox Valley is a region on the east coast of Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada, that includes the city of Courtenay, the town of Comox, the village of Cumberland, and the unincorporated settlements of Royston, Union Bay, Fanny Bay, Black Creek, and Merville.

[1] There are mountains to the west, and the Comox Glacier overlooks the valley,[2][3] On the east, beaches stretch along the shore of the Strait of Georgia.

[7]: 45–48  At that time, Governor James Douglas was encouraging settlers arriving in the Colony of Vancouver Island to establish themselves in the Cowichan Valley and the Comox Valley rather than the gold fields of the mainland as these were the two areas that had agricultural potential on the island.

In 1862, Surveyor General Pemberton secured funding from the colonial government in Victoria to construct the first road into the Comox area from Nanaimo.

When it became clear that a 15-foot (4.6 m) wide wagon road would be too expensive, a bridle path with some bridges was built instead.

It was also the headquarters of Comox Logging, which owned Block 29, a valuable stand of Douglas Fir timber, stretching from south of Courtenay well to the north of Campbell River.

At that time the region was one of the fastest growing in British Columbia, although the growth rate between 2001 and 2006 has averaged just 2.0% annually.

[citation needed] The lumber resources of Comox Logging are now owned by TimberWest and are being cut for the second time.

The remaining forest resources in Comox Valley are scattered amongst small woodlots on individual farms, or in isolated parks.

[citation needed] The community also has a number of volunteer and non-profit organizations devoted to cultural pursuits.