Mill Bay is a commuter town of about 7,200 people located on Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada, about 30 km north of Victoria, the capital. It is part of the Cowichan Valley Regional District. Mill Bay was founded in the 1860s with lumber and milling as its primary industries, done at the mill on the bay. It was named for the sawmill built in the area in 1861 by Henry S. Shepherd soon purchased by William Sayward.: 174  It is known for its ferry to Brentwood Bay on the Saanich Peninsula and the historic Malahat Drive, which is also a source of criticism due to frequent closures from either automobile accidents or weather conditions.