Chemainus Dollars program was conceived by Dr. Karl Shultz who recommended the establishment of the Chemainus Monetary Foundation, which was chartered in 2009. The purpose of the program, as with most local currency programs, is to promote and sustain local community business activity. This program is modeled after the nearby Salt Spring Island program with the added attraction of its internationally famous Murals, which are design features of its notes.

Chemainus, originally a logging town, now with a population of 4,000 is widely known for its annual Festival of Murals which began in 1987.  Its mural program has been instrumental in driving tourism and sustaining Chemainus. It earned Chemainus the prestigious New York Downtown Revitalization Award in 1983.

Unlike the Salt Spring Island local currency program, Chemainus does not have an expiration date on its CH$ issues. They are also backed 100% by their national currency, the Canadian dollar.

The Chemainus Dollar program looks like it has incorporated all of the important elements required for a successful local currency program. Their first issue features beautiful notes designed by Brad Grigor with Emily Carr on the obverse and various artists paintings on the reverse. Emily Carr was an important Canadian artist who was inspired by the indigenous people of the Pacific Northwest.

The reverse of the 1 Dollar CH$ note features the painting of "#1 Steam Donkey at Work" by Frank Lewis and Nancy Lagana done in 1982. The 2 Dollar CH$ back features  painting #14 H.M.S. Forward by Harry Heine 1984. The 5 Dollar CH$ note back has the "#6 Arrival of "Reindeer" in Horseshoe Bay" by Sandy Clark and Lea Goward from 1983.
  
The Chemainus Program also issued a silver medal featuring the Haida Totems painting Emily Carr did in 1912.                GSE 30.4.2015