Chemainus Bay is located on southeastern Vancouver Island, just outside of the coastal town of Chemainus. According to this 1863 letter, colonial officials used Chemainus Bay as a base for launching military operations
against Indigenous nations, specifically those nations that comprise the Hul'qumi'num
Treaty Group (Stz'uminus (Chemainus), Halalt, Lyackson, Ts'uubaa-asatx, and Penelakut).1
The bay, along with the river, town and district, was named in the 1850s after the
Chemainus First Nation.2 Recently, however, the Chemainus have become the Stz'uminus First Nation, to reflect
their original Hul'qumi'num name.3