Youbou, British Columbia

{{Use mdy dates|date=September 2023}}

{{Use Canadian English|date=January 2023}}

{{Infobox settlement

| official_name = Village of Youbou

| other_name =

| native_name =

| nickname =

| settlement_type = Village

| motto =

| image_skyline =

| image_caption =

| pushpin_map = Vancouver Island

| pushpin_label_position = none

| pushpin_map_caption = Location on Vancouver Island

| subdivision_type = Country

| subdivision_name = {{CAN}}

| subdivision_type1 = Province

| subdivision_name1 = {{BC}}

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| government_footnotes =

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| leader_title = Regional District Director

| leader_name = Pat Weaver

| established_title = Post office Founded

| established_date =

| established_title2 = Incorporated (Village)

| established_date2 =

| established_title3 = Incorporated (Town)

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| population_as_of = 2011

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| population_total = 966[http://www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-recensement/2011/dp-pd/prof/details/page.cfm?Lang=E&Geo1=DPL&Code1=590072&Geo2=PR&Code2=59&Data=Count&SearchText=Youbou&SearchType=Begins&SearchPR=01&B1=All&GeoLevel=PR&GeoCode=590072&TABID=1 Census Profile]

| population_density_km2 = auto

| timezone = PST

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| coordinates = {{coord|48|52|N|124|12|W|region:CA-BC|display=inline}}

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| postal_code_type = Postal code

| postal_code = V0R 3E1

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}}

File:Youbou's welcome sign.jpg

Youbou ({{IPAc-en|ˈ|j|uː|b|oʊ|}}, {{respell|YOO|boh}}) is a community located on the north shore of Cowichan Lake, west of Duncan and a 15-minute (13 km) drive west of the community of Lake Cowichan, Canada. The former mill town on Vancouver Island provides a public beach and extensive recreational opportunities, including fishing, boating, and hiking.

Youbou is named after two employees of the Empire Lumber Company which operated the first sawmill there. Mr. Yount was the general manager and Mr. Bouton was the president.{{Citation | last =Akrigg | first =G.P.V. | last2 =Akrigg | first2 =Helen B. | title =British Columbia Place Names | place =Vancouver | publisher =UBC Press | year =1986 | edition =3rd, 1997 | isbn =0-7748-0636-2 | url-access =registration | url =https://archive.org/details/britishcolumbiap0000akri_w1q9 }}{{rp|302}}

Youbou is one of several towns in the Cowichan Valley with a significant South Asian Canadian population (primarily Sikh-Canadian) community history for over 130 years, gaining significance in the forestry industry in local sawmills from the 1980s to the 20th century.{{Cite web|url=https://thediscourse.ca/cowichan-valley/sikh-history-in-cowichan-paldi |title=A glimpse into the rich Sikh history in Cowichan |quote=For more than 130 years, the Cowichan Valley has attracted Sikh immigrants, mostly from the Punjab region of Northern India. The Sikh history in Cowichan is rich, and goes well beyond the story of the former village of Paldi and its temple, which this year celebrated its centenarian. And the community remains strong today, though much has changed over the years... In the ‘70s and ‘80s, the Sikh community strongholds were at the mill towns around Cowichan Lake — Honeymoon Bay, Mesachie Lake and Youbou.}}