Following last night's lively, overflow full-house OCP public hearing, I'm revisiting the Renovate the Public Hearing Initiative (RPHI) reports produced by Simon Fraser University's Morris J. Wosk Centre for Dialogue between 2022 and last year to get a better understanding of the dynamics that unfolded last night.

These reports identify the strengths and weaknesses of a public hearing system that was effectively unchanged since the 1920s until the Province's Bill 44 cut back dramatically on their requirement so as to speed application turnarounds.

Last night, the six of us (minus the absent Cllr. McMath) listened closely to likely 50+ individuals over the course of 4.5 hours. The majority, as at the Sept. 2022 OCP and the June 19, 2023 Commitee of the Whole dedicated to the OCP, were waterfront land owners unhappy for various reasons with the Development Permit Area Guidelines section of the OCP.  

Mayor and Council were required to remain attentive but entirely silent throughout the night  as per this note we received beforehand:  "With the Public Hearing for OCP Bylaw No. 800, 2022, now advertised ... some guidance on Council's role as required under the Local Government Act.

Before a Public Hearing, Council must not express opinions, debate the bylaw publicly, or encourage residents to support a particular outcome. Council is expected to come to the Public Hearing without pre-judgment, to listen to the public, and to keep an open mind. This expectation flows from section 465 of the Local Government Act, which requires that the public be given a fair opportunity to be heard before Council makes any decision. There is also established case law reinforcing that Council members must avoid pre-determination and the appearance of bias during statutory hearings.

It is, however, appropriate to encourage public participation in the Public Hearing and to let residents know that Council looks forward to listening to all perspectives.

Regarding public commentary, including posts on social media, interviews, newsletters, blogs or statements to residents, any communication that signals a fixed position or advocates for a specific vote may create the appearance of bias. This can undermine the integrity of the Public Hearing and may expose the District to procedural challenges.

Once the Public Hearing is closed, section 469(2) of the Local Government Act requires that Council must not receive or consider any further submissions from the public. This includes comments received through social media, email, or other channels. Decisions must be based solely on information presented during the Public Hearing, along with any technical clarification from staff that does not introduce new facts." 

I respect and have abided (even on this blog, where I have exhaustively held back nothing on this subject) by these terms the last few weeks. I must acknowledge, however, how truly unhelpful and frustrating it was last night to remain silent when any one of us could have stepped in to answer questions, clear up confusion, acknowledge legitimate concerns and points well made, and challenge misinformation. I tried to maintain a poker face throughout and likely failed a few times.

(My leading, repeatedly voiced beef around public input to this OCP since the first draft was published in 2022 is the fact that disappointingly few correspondents or speakers at the mic makes direct page and paragraph references to their concerns. This makes constructively addressing these concerns difficult.) 

Now over to the SFU team and its legal and municipal government partners for their expert perspective. I'll start with all the key links so you do your own depth dives. The screenshots below from the first of these links sum up the pros and cons neatly. 

​SFU and Related Reports
* The Future of Public Hearings In BC (May 2022) (starting point to understand up and downsides of public hearings) 
* Renovate The Public Hearing: Final Report and Recommendations (Dec. 2024)  + Abridged Report 
* Financial Analysis of Direct and Indirect Costs of Pubic Hearings (Sept. 2024) 
* Media Kit
* BC Law Institute Consultation Paper (2023)  + Study Paper on Public Hearings (March 2022) 
* Innovators' Forum Report (Sept. 2022) 
* Slide deck (includes history of public hearings) 

More on Public Hearings ... 
* Local Government Public Hearings - Province of BC (2025)
* Info Sheet on Public Hearings - Union of BC Municipalities (updated 2021) 
* Open Meetings in BC Local Governments 'Not Optional," says Omsbudsperson - CBC, Sept. 12, 2025 
* Public Hearings Curbed in Housing Bill 44 - Les Leyne, Times Colonist, Nov. 4, 2023  
* Public Hearings: A New Era - Young/Anderson Law, 2020 
* Open Meetings: Best Practices Guide for BC Governments - Office of the BC Ombudsperson, Sept. 2012 

All of what follows are direct clips from the RPHI reports ... 

"Why Renovate the Public Hearing?As municipalities explore better ways to gather feedback from communities and leaders are asked to make an increasing number of land use decisions, it has been demonstrated that BC's current public hearing process is not designed to support an inclusive practice for strong decision-making. Instead, public hearings are often viewed as performative exercises that exacerbate societal divisions and leave people angry or apathetic toward local government. All of this indicates a critical opportunity for change, and many voices are now asking to revisit the purpose and process of BC's public hearings.

"Following an initial exploratory research and consultation phase in spring 2022, RPHI collaborated with local governments and community organizations in 2023 to experiment with and evaluate more equitable approaches to public participation. In parallel, RPHI’s partner, the British Columbia Law Institute (BCLI), is leading a legal reform study to support potential legislative change to enable these reforms. Significant shifts in legislation around public hearing requirements in BC in the fall of 2023 added further weight to RPHI’s findings, especially in relation to models that can support robust upstream public participation in place of site-by-site public hearings.

"In response to the housing crisis and provincial calls for policy and legislative change in land use planning, the Centre for Dialogue formed the Renovate the Public Hearing Initiative (RPHI) in 2022, to evaluate British Columbia’s primary form of public participation in land use decision-making: the public hearing.

History of Public Hearings
Public hearings, also known as public meetings or public inquiries, are a type of open engagement process where a government or other decision-maker can gather public input on a particular topic or issue. Public hearings are a widespread form of public engagement throughout Canada and across the world, particularly in nations that fall under the association of the Commonwealth. Public hearings emerged as a result of the evolution of British legal practice, shifts in governing values and actions of individuals.

Gaps In Representation 
Public hearings tend to over-represent those who oppose a land use change, while those who may be positively impacted or neutral are less likely to attend. The considerations of future residents, including those with greater housing needs, are also less likely to be heard, encouraging “not-in-my-backyard” attitudes that impact sustainable growth.

Many members of the public face barriers that impede them from being aware of, accessing or participating meaningfully in engagement processes, such as time conflicts with work or caregiving responsibilities, mobility barriers, limited access to information or technology, lower levels of literacy, language differences and more.

Groups who face historical and ongoing marginalization, such as those with lived experience of housing needs or homelessness, are more likely to face barriers and remain underrepresented in traditional public participation opportunities, undermining the goal of using public participation as a tool to amplify their voices and advance their rights.

Conversely, groups who have been traditionally privileged with greater systemic access to resources, time, information and civic literacy are more likely to be over-represented, dominate discussions and have a disproportionate influence on outcomes. While public input in a public hearing is not binding and local governments retain the authority to make final decisions, in some cases, decision-makers are swayed by the majority opinion expressed during the hearing even when this directly contradicts evidence-based needs of other community members.

Challenges
Public hearings don’t typically establish the conditions for evidence-based deliberation among the public. The public receives limited information prior to the public hearing and information can be inaccessible for some residents who face language or literacy barriers. Only 23% of survey respondents felt that “public education” was a benefit of public
hearings.

Public hearings are designed for one-way communication, reducing participation to a binary of “for or against” instead of opening up a space for nuanced consideration of complex issues, and dialogue between decision-makers and the community.

Since public hearings are held late in a project’s approval process, it is often too late for community input to impact decision-makers. 65% of survey respondents felt that public hearings are too late to make a difference, and many other participants in RPHI’s workshops and interviews expressed that public hearings are not authentic avenues for public participation.

This was reinforced by RPHI’s jurisdictional scan, which demonstrated that the average amount of spoken and written correspondence at public hearings across BC typically represents significantly less than 1% of the total municipal population.

Public perceptions that the decision has been made prior to the public hearing can erode trust in local governments. Only 21% of survey respondents felt that “strengthening legitimacy of decisions” was a benefit of public hearings.
Public misunderstanding about the purpose and structure of a public hearing can lead to false expectations. The public may expect their submitted ideas will be adopted or acted upon or that the public hearing is a public referendum-style vote, leading to distrust in the outcomes.

Several interviewees suggested that holding a public hearing does not necessarily equate to a democratic process for land use planning, particularly due to the disproportionate influence certain members of the public can have on the outcomes.

Some aspects of the legislation for public hearings are vague, leading to great variation in how local governments across British Columbia govern their public hearings. Many of the procedures and requirements have been established through decades of court cases. This can lead to logistical obstacles or confusion for all those involved.
Additionally, participants in RPHI’s research expressed concerns around conflicts of interest or bias amongst those who chair public hearings that can influence their application of procedural norms.

Opportunities
Recent legislation now limits the use of site-by-site public hearings for housing developments that align with the OCP, increasing efficiencies and facilitating consideration of the community’s broader needs for sustainable growth.
Public hearings provide an established mechanism for public participation; providing municipalities with support to scale alternative and supplementary models of participation, such as online platforms or OCP engagement, could establish new norms for participation to support their sustained use.

Final Recommendations 
Three of nine... full list on pg. 128 of the final report 

Reorient Public Engagement to Official Community Plans (OCPs)
Our research and the British Columbia Law Institute (BCLI) consultation paper reveal that public hearings, as the most legislated form of land use public engagement, were originally designed to ensure procedural fairness, not to solicit input for improving land use bylaws. We recommend redirecting public engagement efforts to focus on the official community plan (OCP) at the earliest possible stage.

Our financial analysis on the direct and indirect costs of public hearings in land use planning also found that public engagement for affordable housing policy should be conducted at the comprehensive planning level, thereby obviating the need for costly and contentious site-by-site rezonings. This approach promotes consistency and efficiency in land use decision-making while fostering community input on broader housing strategies.

Implementing "Mini-Publics" for Inclusive and Robust Engagement
To address inherent limitations of traditional public hearings such as underrepresentation, polarization, time constraints and accessibility barriers, we recommend the adoption of mini-publics, including residents’ assemblies, as an upstreamed and structured public participation model for land use bylaw updates, particularly official community plan and zoning bylaw updates. These assemblies should occur in the earliest phase of a comprehensive plan update, not in phase 2 or 3 of the planning update, in order to incorporate design and strategic planning elements that build trust in the process, mitigate bias, enhance diversity, build consensus and promote deliberative, equitable dialogue. Given the growing role of OCPs in land use decision-making, local governments should prioritize these assemblies as part of a broader engagement strategy, complemented by open houses, town halls, “kitchen table dialogues,” digital online platforms, and youth and school outreach initiatives. This integrated approach would bolster the democratic legitimacy and public support of OCP outcomes.

Embedding Principle-Based Engagement in Land Use Planning
While waiving public hearings for site-by-site housing-focused rezonings and directing public engagement toward OCPs represents progress and an emerging best practice, we caution against any future legislative changes to waive public hearings for OCP bylaws without robust alternative participatory frameworks and public input mechanisms. This caution arises from concerns where traditional centralized planning has perpetuated practices of spatial and racial inequities, underscoring the need for principle-based public engagement measures.

We recommend that British Columbia’s government considers providing local governments with guidance to adopt and institutionalize principle-based frameworks—like the province of Victoria in Australia—that could include land use principles for engagement such as the REEDS (Reconciliation, Equitable Engagement, Evidence-Based Deliberation, Democratic Legitimacy and Sustainability) framework developed by the Renovate the Public Hearing Initiative, or other best practices from other jurisdictions. These principles would formalize and enhance land use bylaw engagement, ensuring transparency, equity and meaningful public participation while safeguarding against decisions contrary to the public interest." 

Images from ​The Future of Public Hearings In BC (May 2022)

Update - Fall 2025
The two committees have been up and running since the spring. The Land Use and Development Committee (LUDC) is serving as a planning advisory group, receiving land use, rezoning and Official Community Plan update reports from the planning department  and giving them a first-look vetting and vote before forwarding with recommendations to the full council. LUDC is necessarily focused on whatever staff brings forward on each successive agenda. 

Community Economic Development Committee has also received a steady flow of staff reports and direction from council while also trying to find its feet as a Standing Committee that features experienced members of the business community who wish to bring forward  motions independently in addition to overseeing and discussing staff initiatives. This earnest desire to be of service has created a few procedural issues that we're working through with the expert guidance of Acting Corporate Officer Nancy Owen. 

Council must be proactive in sending items to the committees, though as stated above is no shortage of content for the LUDC. You'll find agendas for both committees here. Council, as it can, should and must, is routinely cherrypicking committee recommendations from the consent agenda for discussion at regular council meetings. 

Both committees have less than a year remaining. The next council must determine whether these bodies or others are to be established in the 2026-2030 term. Logically, I'll argue, these two fundamental committees should be permanent fixtures whose casts will change as required by new councils ... thereby ensuring continuity over time. 

Community Economic Development Committee 
Focusing for now on this as I'm its chair and and all of us are eager to make the most of our limited time together while approving and cheering on the remarkable work being done by District staff led by CEDC Officer Gail Scott, i.e. Sooke adoption of the MRDT (Hotel Tax) program effective Nov. 1; Destination Canada work on the Juan de Fuca Cross-Border Tourism Strategy;  the Sooke Region Business Services Cooperative (a collaboration between the District, the Chamber and WorkLink BC set for launch in collaboration with consultant JP Ellson); and much else.

Agendas

* Dec. 1, 2025 ~ Review of the 2011 Sooke Region Cultural Plan and the 2022 study of it by the Sooke Program of the Arts Committee.

​* Nov. 3, 2025 ~ Presentation on The Pod Project food hub proposal (with recommendation that Council forward to the Sooke Region Food Systems Network for feedback); receipt of the District's new Recognition, Proclamation and Adornment Policy (recommended for Council approval); and discussion of the South Island Prosperity Project's new report titled Igniting Momentum: Recommendations for Greater Victoria to Overcome Economic Stagnation and Achieve Our Potential. 
- CED Coordinator Gail Scott provided updates on various projects of immediate focus:
* Her Rural Economic Diversification & Infrastructure Program grant application (up to $100k) to develop a "Local Employment Land Use Strategy"; 
* Implementation of the Municipal and Regional District Tax effective November 1
* Sooke Business Walk visits to 40+ town centre businesses led by the Chamber's Executive Director Deb Schenk with committee members to mark Small Business Month in Canada;
* A Royal Roads University student business case study exploring how a neighbourhood and downtown shuttle service could mitigate growing traffic and parking woes up-Sooke while boosting local business;
* Updates on the Sooke to Port Renfrew Business Services Cooperative (aka Shoreline) and Destination Canada's work on the JDF First Cross-Border Tourism Corridor Strategy. 
 
* Sept. 3, 2025 ~ Draft OCP update; CEDC Strategy and Action Plan update; potential collaboration with T'Sou-ke in writing the Ministry of Transportation and Transit re: beautification of the Sooke River bridge; committee designate to the Sooke Region Food Systems Network. 

* July 29, 2025 ~ Sooke Region Chamber of Commerce service agreement amendments (including administration of the proposed Community Vibrancy Microgrant and Town Centre Storefront Beautification Microgrant pilot programs, $10k in total); seasonal adornment in the town centre; and a request for a presentation re: the BC Outdoor Recreation for Community and Economic Development guidebook for rural communities. 

* June 2, 2025  - Community Data Portal introduction; strategic projects update; consideration of business beautification program 


Motions arising to date from the Committee as received and voted upon by Sooke council ... 

2025-231 THAT Council amend the Community Economic Development Committee Terms of Reference to update the Meeting Schedule from a bi-monthly to a monthly occurrence. CARRIED

2025-232 THAT Council direct staff to prepare a report regarding the Business Beautification Program concept for consideration and recommendation by the Community Economic Development Committee. CARRIED

2025-307 THAT Council direct Staff to apply to the Ministry of Jobs and Economic Growth (JEG) under the Rural Economic Diversification & Infrastructure Program (REDIP) for a grant to support the development and implementation of a Local Employment Land Use Strategy. CARRIED 

From the District draft RFP for this work received by the previous CEDC on Jan. 28, 2022 ... 

"What are Employment Lands? Employment lands refers to privately and publicly owned properties that support institutional, industrial, commercial, office and other land uses that employ people in a variety of jobs and a diversity of sectors (e.g. manufacturing, sales and service, research, technology, etc.) For the District of Sooke, Employment Lands are lands designated in the OCP where employment occurs or will occur. This can include industrial, light industrial, business parks, and other commercial activities.
 
What is Encompassed in a Employment Land Strategy? The Employment Land Strategy ensures that the District is well positioned to respond to Employment Land needs by considering future trends, projected demand, land supply, municipal services, incentives and other tools to support future growth and economic changes. 

Specifically, the Strategy focuses on: 
- key stakeholder input 
- employment land inventory 
- trends analysis 
- population and employment growth forecasts 
- employment land demand 
- gaps and constraints 
- development incentives feasibility 
- finance strategy and Return on Investment (ROI) calculator tool 
- competitive analysis 
- final report and recommendations"


2025-308 THAT Council direct Staff to post a 'Notice of Intent to Direct Award' the contract to 4Ever Strategies for the management and administration of the Municipal and Regional District Tax (MRDT). CARRIED
 
2025-321 That Council defer this item to an upcoming Council meeting (re: Sooke Chamber of Commerce service agreement changes and the beautification & event pilot microgrant programs) CARRIED 

2025-322 THAT Council direct staff to present options for expanded Christmas Decor in the Town Centre seasonal adornment service levels alongside budget deliberations; AND THAT Council refer the Recognition and Awareness Policy, including the 2026 Schedule of Recognized Activities, to the Committee for comment in advance of 2026 budget deliberations. CARRIED 

2025-323 THAT Council defer the beautification of Sooke River Bridge to an upcoming Council meeting for further discussion. CARRIED 

July 29 CEDC motion:
Sooke River Bridge – Letter of Support for Provincial Renewal and Cultural Partnership Opportunity  
MOVED by Councilor Tony St-Pierre, seconded by Katherine Strongwind: 

THAT the Community Economic Development Committee recommend that Council direct staff to write a letter to the Ministry of Transportation and Transit, acknowledging the Ministry’s responsibility for the Sooke River Bridge and: 

1.  Encouraging the Ministry to paint or renew the Sooke River Bridge; 
2.  Identifying the project as a meaningful opportunity to support truth and reconciliation, should the T’Sou-ke Nation wish to participate; and 
3.  Offering the District’s support for the project. 
 
2025-324 THAT Council direct staff to present options to update the District Community Economic Development Strategy and Action Plan as part of the 2026 budget deliberations. CARRIED 
 
  
 
Original Post - March 30, 2025
 Two new standing committees are being launched by the District of Sooke in the days ahead. The same four of us on council are on both committees, along with three public appointees selected from a stack of applications.  Cllr. McMath's career in emergency response prevents her participation. The Mayor has an ex-officio role with all District committees, including these two. We will likely shuffle the deck to accommodate a new councillor following the by-election. 

I'd headline this "relaunch" were these new committees to be "select" committees as were the 2020-22 CED and Land Use editions. The difference is that a standing committee is formed by the Mayor to deal with matters she considers would be more effectively explored first by a committee and then brought to council. Half the members of a standing committee must be council members (section 141, Community Charter).  A select committee requires just one council appointee and a broader range of public members. (section 142, CC). 

Both committees are mandated to work closely with the District's current Strategic Plan, which details ongoing, now and next objectives across multiple areas -- CED and land use included. Fresh ideas and asks will need to be packaged as motions that will need formal approval from the full council, who must necessarily weigh available resources (staff and financial) before any arising motions are greenlighted. 

As Sooke's Corporate Officer advises, each of the new standing committees ...   
* Acts as an advisory body to Council. 
* Reviews and considers staff reports and presentations, providing recommendations to Council.
* Reviews matters raised by members through formal motions and makes recommendations to Council.
* Committee recommendations and relevant materials are submitted for consideration at near-term council meetings.

DOS Committee Structure and Function Policy (2020) 

Almost goes without saying, but I'll do so regardless by noting that these are the latest in a substantial line of committees, commissions and task forces created since municipal incorporation in 1999. After roughly scanning the District's archived minutes, I've assembled a list of them at the end of this post. Respect, appreciation and sincere thanks to the hundreds of community members and elected representatives who've brought their best and brightest ideas, vision, experience, wisdom and practical actions forward in service to Sooke's evolution.

Community Economic Development Committee
Terms of Reference (adopted Dec. 9, 2024)
"The purpose of the Community Economic Development Committee is to provide recommendations and support to Council on matters that prioritize a resilient economy focused on health care, town centre revitalization and tourism and the attraction and retention of diverse businesses to stimulate economic diversity and growth. The Committee will work to provide recommendations that support the strategic goals of the District."

Foundational documents
* Council Strategic Priorities, 2024-2027
​* District of Sooke Community Economic Development Strategy and Action Plan (2021) 

Reference Material 
* Sooke Economic Analysis (Urbanics Consulting, Dec. 2019) 
* Sooke Chamber Economic Survey (2024) 

The Committee will first meet at 1:00 P.M. on Monday, March 31.
Meetings will follow every two months on first Mondays ~ June 2, July 29, Oct. 6, Dec. 1, 2025. 
​
Mandate (as per TOR) 
"• Strategic economic development initiatives that align with the municipality's Official Community Plan (OCP) and related policies.
• Support for business retention initiatives.
• Collaboration with the Sooke Region Business Cooperative to strengthen business partnerships and growth.
• Engagement with service organizations like the Sooke Chamber of Commerce, WorkLink BC, and other local groups to offer workshops, networking events, and programs that support business growth and development.
• Provision of resources and grants to local organizations that drive economic development through workforce training, business services, and volunteer initiatives and community events that boost the local economy.
• Implementation of the Municipal & Regional District Tax Program (MRDT).
• Development of long-term regenerative and community-led destination tourism planning.
• Enhancement of support for small businesses and startups.
• Advocacy for inclusion in the Island Coastal Economic Trust Area (ICETA) to gain access to community grant programs.
• Enhancement of community appeal and economic growth through aesthetics and functionality.
• Development of an employment lands strategy.
• Establishment of a Municipal Development Corporation.
• Public engagement recommendations aimed at strengthening the relationship between Council and the local business community, industry stakeholders, and residents to foster broad participation in economic initiatives.
• Items related to the Community Economic Development Strategy.
• Items related to the Low Carbon Resilience model.
• Any other items referred to the Committee by Council or the staff liaison."

Committee Members
In accordance with the Community Charter, Mayor Tait made the following appointments:
* Cllr. Bateman (Chair)
* Cllr. St-Pierre (Vice-Chair)
​* Cllr. Beddows
* Cllr. Pearson 
* Gwen Fisher, The Artisans Garden   
* Katherine Strongwind, Strongwind Solutions, Sooke Chamber of Commerce board member 
* Scot Taylor,  Westcoast Adventure College and Stickleback Oceanfront Alehouse 

Representatives from the following non-voting organizations will participate in an advisory capacity ...
* Sooke Arts Council (William [Gord] Wallace) 
* Sooke Region Chamber of Commerce (Vice President Marleen Kiral) 
* Sooke Region Tourism Association (new website launching April 2025) (TBD, Gwen Fisher and Kiral are on its board)
* WorkLink Westshore Employment Society (TBD, Peter Doukakis) 

Director of Planning and Development Chris Marshall and CED Officer Gail Scott will support the Committee as staff liaisons and will prepare reports and staff recommendations for the Committee's consideration.

Related from the 2024-2027 Strategic Plan 
Community Economic Development is one of five Strategic Areas of Focus. 
The Committee's mandate directly mirrors the Plan's ongoing, now and next priorities. 

"We provide essential local services and prioritize a resilient economy focused on health care, town centre revitalization and tourism. We attract diverse businesses to stimulate economic diversity and growth." 

Ongoing
• Collaborate with the Sooke Region Business Cooperative to strengthen business partnership and growth.
• Work with service organizations like the Sooke Chamber of Commerce, WorkLink BC, and other local groups to offer workshops, networking events, and programs that support business growth and development.
• Provide resources and grants to local organizations that drive economic development through workforce training, business services, and volunteer initiatives and community events that boost the local economy.

Now
• Implement the Municipal & Regional District Tax Program (MRDT)
• Develop long-term regenerative and community-led destination tourism planning.
• Update zoning to promote mixed-use zoning, enhancing community livability and economic vitality through residential-business integration and creating business-friendly environments for both new and existing businesses.
• Enhance support for small businesses and startups.
• Prioritize business retention initiatives.
• Advocate for inclusion in the Island Coastal Economic Trust Area (ICETA) to gain access to community grant programs.

Next
• Invest in infrastructure improvements for key transportation routes and corridors to support economic hubs.
• Enhance community appeal and economic growth through aesthetics and functionality.
• Create an employment lands strategy.
• Lead the establishment of a Municipal Development Corporation.

Sooke CED Key Performance Indicators 
 * Annual increase in business licenses issued by the DOS (+5% target) ~ 2020 (875 licenses issued); 2022 (912); 2023 (957); 2024 (1,023, or +6.9%).  

* CED Officer liaison with five Sooke organizations, attending approx. 50 meetings annually 

* Monetary value of new funding to support economic growth and diversification: 
- 2023: i) Destination BC ($100k for JDF Tourism Corridor Plan development); ii) Cooperatives First ($75k for Sooke Region Business Services Cooperative feasibility study)

- 2024: i) Destination Canada ($250k, JDF Cross Border Tourism Corridor Project development); ii) Cooperatives First ($50K, SRBSC investment plan). 

- 2025: Municipal Regional Destination Tax (if approved, possibly $350k in new tax revenue annually for destination marketing) 


CEDC Committee 2020-2022 
Feb. 26, 2021
- Announcement of hiring of Sue Welke, Sooke's first CED Officer 
- Master Plan updates - TMP & PTMP 
- Development processes - need to focus on protecting view from harbour and basin properties

March 26, 2021
- Small Business Grant Updates - Cheryl McLay, Province of BC
- Cultural Perspectives - Indigenous Perspectives Society (training proposed by Sooke Chamber)
- Community Inventory Mapping - Buildings, land, other assets in Sooke 

April 23, 2021 
- WorkLink presentation (Peter Doukakis)
- Home-based businesses in Sooke (presentation by Diane Bernard)
- Food security strategy presentation (Christine Bossi, SRCHN)
- CED Strategy Development (workshop in early May) 

May 21, 2021 
- Referral from Council: Farmstand business licensing 
- CED Strategy update 
- Recycling Depot (letter from Zero Waste Sooke) 

June 25, 2021 
- Climate Preparedness and Adaptation Strategy 
- CED Strategy preparation for presentation to council in fall 2021 + Business Walk 
- Funding Programs: ICET, Western Economic Diversification, Natural Resources Canada 
- Sooke Region Food Security Report (SRCHN) 
- Transition Sooke presentation: How To Grow A Local Economy 

Sept. 24, 2021 
- South Island Prosperity Partnership (presentation) 
- Draft Official Community Plan

Oct. 22, 2021
- Draft CED Strategy and Action Plan
- Boat Launch Parking 

Nov. 26, 2021 
- Victoria Foundation Vital Signs Report (presentation)
- Draft CED Strategy and Action Plan 

Jan. 28, 2022 
- Nanaimo Prosperity Corporation (presentation by Bill Corsan) 
- CED Committee Data and Measurement System 
- Draft RFP for Employment Lands Strategy  

Feb. 25, 2022
- Metrics and Tools for Green Businesses In Sooke (Climate Action Coordinator) 

March 25, 2022 
- SRCHN Elders' Complex (Mary Dunn presentation) 
​- Lot A update (Matthew Pawlow) 

April 22, 2022 
- Metrics for CED Strategy and 7% Solution 
- Vancouver Island Green Business Collective membership opportunity 
- Co-working hub opportunities in Sooke (CAC Coordinator report) 
- CED Committee End-of-Term Reporting to Council 

May 27, 2022 
- Speaker: Jeff Frank, T'Sou-ke Nation  
- Inclusion of Deconstruction Bylaw in Climate Action Plan 


RFP for Employment Lands Strategy 
"The work will include engagement with Employment Lands-designated land and property owners to understand the readiness and willingness for selling, leasing or renting property that will be used to set up business and create jobs in Sooke. An Economic Analysis was carried out for the District in 2019, and at this time the District would like to have an update and expansion to the Economic Analysis. The expansion would build out policy and recommendations following interviews/discussions with Sooke land/property owners. Further, geographical analysis is required of the District’s Employment Lands to determine feasible industrial or commercial operations. Policy options and recommendations will be developed by the successful proponent following engagement, geographical analysis and an updated economic analysis." 


Executive Summary - Sooke Economic Analysis 
(Urbanics Consulting, Dec. 2019) 

With regards to demographic and macroeconomic trends, the Consultant has the following findings:
- Provincial economy in BC remains strong and will likely continue outperforming the Canadian average.
- Southern tip of Vancouver Island remains an attractive place to live and work due to affordability and quality of life considerations.
- Population growth rates in neighboring markets (30-40 minutes drive) of Langford, Colwood and Saanich is some of the highest in Canada.
- Low education levels hold back the viability of attracting high pay high value add companies.
- Most workers (71%) commute out of town for employment opportunities.
- Median incomes are comparable to BC and CRD.

With regards to the employment lands inventory and commercial market dynamics, the Consultant has the following findings:
- Plentiful pre-zoned employment lands exist in Sooke.
- Significant public land reserves also exist.
- Significant portion of industrial and commercial lands are underdeveloped, and underutilized.
- Commercial rents are quite high for such a small community with small population and commercial services base.
- Vacancies are low.
- Property taxes are competitive.
- Regulatory environment is conducive to business development.
- DCC rates are higher than and uncompetitive with neighboring jurisdictions.

With regards to forecast of employment lands (both industrial and commercial retail/office) required by 2036, the Consultant has the following findings:
- Low scenario projects approximately 8 hectares of new employment lands required by 2036.
- Median scenario projects approximately 13 hectares of new employment lands required by 2036.
- High scenario projects approximately 23.5 hectares of new employment lands required by 2036.

In conclusion, the Consultant finds that:
- The demand for industrial land use out to 2036 ranges between as little as 4 hectares (low industrial employment capture, and high industrial job density) to as much as 13.4 hectares (representing high employment capture and low industrial job density). The median estimate is approximately 7 hectares.
- The demand for commercial land use out to 2036 ranges between as little as 4 hectares (low commercial employment capture, and high commercial job density) to as much as 10.1 hectares (representing high commercial employment capture and low commercial job density). The median estimate is approximately 6 hectares.
- There is 32 hectares of M2 zoned land that is under utilized. In total there is approximately 41 hectares of under-utilized industrial land with 12.39 hectares of vacant industrial land.
- There is 8.8 hectares of C2 zoned land that is under utilized, as well as 8.67 hectares of C4 “Commercial Recreation” underutilized. In total there is approximately 22 hectares of under-utilized commercial land as well as 7.2 hectares of vacant commercial land.
- There is no projected shortage of industrial or commercial land as the industrial and commercial land inventory indicates that there is more vacant employment land than total warranted demand by 2036 under a “median scenario” projection. In addition, there are significant employment land parcels that are host to limited levels of activity and are considered “under-utilized”. These parcels can be subject to intensification in the coming years as market conditions warrant it. That said, the Consultant estimates that the supply of vacant employment lands will be completely exhausted by 2036.
- Growth industries will be healthcare, warehousing and wholesale trade, filming, tourism and recreation.
- Short-term rentals comprise approximately 3-5% of rental housing stock, or 1-2% of total housing stock. It is most likely that they contribute in a small way to increasing rents and prices.


Miscellaneous re: Sooke Community Economic Development 

From this blog ... 
* Promise and Potential: Sooke Region Tourism (March 2, 2025) 
* Sparking Community Development (Aug. 31, 2022) - published prior to hiring of Gail Scott as Sooke's second-ever CED Officer and successor to our first, Sue Welke.  
* Sooke Committees Update (Jan. 2021). The then-active Sooke Program of the Arts (SPA) and Climate Action committees are effectively rolled into the new CED Committee -- which is asked to use the Low Carbon Resilience model in its decision-making and follow the recommendations of the CED Strategy. The District's formal adoption of LCR in Jan. 2021 and the subsequent Sooke 2030 Climate Action Plan ensures that a "green lens" is applied to all District of Sooke decision-making. The presence of a rep from the Sooke Arts Council in the new committee will ensure arts matters and issues are addressed. 

​
Action Points in the CED Strategic Plan  <direct quotes>

* Develop a Request for Proposals (RFP) for an Employment Lands Strategy

* Promote Sooke to investors/entrepreneurs/tourists.

* Develop a Marketing Strategy to promote Sooke and undertake a community branding initiative to develop a
new community brand.

* Develop Sooke business/investment attraction promotions materials

* To promote Sooke as a destination for tourists and a great place to live and work, actively pursue a world-class event (examples: sporting, arts and culture, engineering or scientific or skills competition) to be held in Sooke in 2023 or later.

* Explore a District grant program for new green, LCR entrepreneurs to set up businesses in Sooke.

* Complete the application to the Municipal and Regional Destination Tax (MRDT) program.

* Look into the possibility of a pilot project with Canada Border Services Agency to have a customs officer in Sooke at the government dock.

* Commission a hotel and tourism study to identify the viability of attracting a major recreation-oriented land use which can serve as a catalyst for expanded hospitality, tourism, hotel and conference facility investment by the private sector. The Study will review the natural and environmental impacts of increased tourism, and how Sooke can encourage tourism development that is low carbon resilient and of minimal impact to the environment and climate. The Study will include “culture and the arts” within the definition of “recreation-oriented”.

* The CED Strategy will be revisited, and may be revised based on the success of actions, and emerging needs and opportunities. The District invites community members and groups to be involved in the implementation and co-creation of this CED Strategy.

Sooke Chamber of Commerce 
Executive Director - Deb Schenk 
​President – Tracy Snow (Sooke Optometrist)
Vice President – Marleen Kiral (Almostronaut Creative)
Past President – Mike Menard (Menard Plumbing & Heating)
Director – Katherine Strongwind (Strongwind Solutions)
Director – Abbie Morris (Hive & Thrive Consulting)
Director – Britt Santowski (Author)
Director – Alexander Kingston (Gadget Tree Tech Services)
Director - Karen Stones (A Sea of Bloom)
Director – Les Haddad (Sooke Delivery Guy)
Director – Tim Ayres (Royal LePage Coast Capital Realty)
Secretary – Barb Dunn (Experior Financial Group)

* 2024 Annual Report
* Agendas and Minutes
* Chamber Directory 
* Business Excellence Awards 
* 25 Reasons To Join 

Chamber Publications 
* Everything Sooke guidebook 
* Investing in Sooke Brochure 
* Other investment attraction brochures ...
* Food and Drink 
* Culture 
* Commerce and Industry 
* Clean Energy 
* Tourism 
* Seniors Services

* Shop Sooke First campaign (launched January 2025) 
- Year of Local (monthly shop-local themes)
i.e., April: Sustainable Shopping Month; May: Local Art & Craft Showcase; June: Shop Local Food and Beverage Experience; July: Sooke Customer Appreciation Week; August: Sooke Style Fashion & Retail Week; September: Back to School Local Shopping Week; October: Halloween Local Shopping Spree; November: Holiday Gift Guide Launch; December: 12 Days of Sooke Giving. 

South Island Prosperity Project interview with CED Officer Gail Scott 
Think Globally, Act Locally: Lessons From Sooke's Economic Success (Aug. 23, 2024) 

Sooke Region Business Cooperative : "A partnership between the District of Sooke and WorkLink BC. "Worklink BC is one of the District of Sooke’s strongest economic development partners," says Gail Scott. "The Sooke Region has very few storefront business support programs that can be accessed locally. Our small and medium businesses are often frustrated by this. They don’t want to drive down to Victoria or up to Duncan to go to a Community Futures office. The solution was to create our own business services cooperative. We’ve just finished incorporating it with the support of Cooperatives First ... This solution addresses local business retention, business expansion, and identification of business opportunities.  The key objective here is to create more local jobs and to reduce people from having to spend way too much time on the road which will lead to a much improved quality of life for them and their families." 

30-Year Vision: "Vancouver Island is a vibrant, sustainable and economically prosperous region. Transformations will include advanced transportation infrastructure, green economy initiatives and a thriving Blue Marine economy. The region will be a hub for innovation and raise the bar to attract talent and investment worldwide. Our communities will be more connected, resilient, and inclusive, with a high quality of life that attracts families, businesses and visitors alike. The economic future will be characterized by sustainable growth, strong community partnerships and a robust entrepreneurial spirit that drives continuous improvement, adaptation and responsiveness to global changes.

Sooke, in particular, will have evolved from a bedroom community to a self-sustaining hub and a vibrant space that embraces a circular economy, strong arts community, local food systems and stunning natural environment that will continue to draw people who value this high quality of life and that deep connection to nature and sense of place, again in friendship and cooperation alongside Indigenous peoples, including the T’Sou-ke and Scia’new Nations."

Mayor's Advisory Committee on Economic Development (2013/14) 
Council minutes, Nov. 25, 2013:  "Dr. Steve Grundy, Chair of the Mayor’s Advisory Panel on Economic Development, provided a summary of the Panel‘s business and resident surveys. Dr. Grundy overviewed results from surveys that were completed by approximately 55 businesses. The survey showed that businesses had overall survived the economic downturn and were generally optimistic about the future, they loved the lifestyle in Sooke but expressed concerns such as taxes and rent. Dr. Grundy advised that the businesses felt they were more service orientated compared to other communities. People felt there was uncertainty about what Sooke was trying to be but were clear that they did not want a Langford (box stores). The survey showed that support for the Sooke Region Chamber of Commerce was mixed but overall was positive as there was a sense the Chamber was on a new course; similar comments were said about the Sooke Region Tourism Association.

Dr. Grundy reported that there was disappointment in comments around support of the Council for business. Dr. Grundy overviewed results from surveys completed by residents where residents echoed the business survey that there was good service in Sooke, a need for more business, and a need for more variety of business. There were comments around the town not being attractive, frustration with Council, and enthusiasm around making the town beautiful. Dr. Grundy summarized that he would like to see Council putting more money into economic development such as business licence fees and the Additional Hotel Room Tax (AHRT) and that town beautification be made a priority." 

Sooke Economic Development Commission 
- Launched by Mayor Macgregor in 2000 with first appointee Cllr. Lorna Barry
- Restructured into three public advisory panels on Oct. 9, 2012 
- Sooke EDC circa January, 2012: Chair Maja Tait, reps from Sooke Chamber, SRTA, Sooke Arts Council and Sooke CHI Volunteer Centre + appointees John Brohman, Steve Grundy, Michael Niykes, Brenda Parkinson and Edward Stipp 
- Feb. 27, 2012: "Council discussed the reporting expectations for the Sooke Economic Development Commission and stated that Council would like to receive the objectives, budget and timelines for the Commission so that Council can consider them in the Financial Plan. In addition, quarterly reports from the Sooke Economic Development Commission are required; including the deliverables of the member groups as to contracted services." 
- Motions from the EDC re: Sooke Starlight Cinema, membership in the Mountain Bike Tourism Association 


Land Use and Development Committee
Terms of Reference (adopted Dec. 9, 2025) 
The purpose of the Land Use and Development Committee is to provide support to Council on matters related to land use, development, and community planning to support sustainable land use planning to accommodate growth while minimizing environmental impact and maintaining Sooke’s West Coast aesthetic in alignment with the District of Sooke strategic plan.

The Committee will first meet at 1:00 P.M. on Tuesday, April 1. Meetings will follow monthly on first Tuesdays ... May 6, June 3, June 2, July 2, (summer break), then Sept. 2, Oct. 7, Nov. 4 and Dec. 3, 2025. 

The committee will serve as a planning advisory body from which Director of Planning Chris Marshall can seek input on various applications before they go to the full council. This year's finalization of the Official Community Plan (due by Dec. 31) will be a top priority. So too will a review of the forthcoming new Subdivision and Development Standards bylaw as well as the zoning bylaw that will follow OCP adoption. 

From this blog: 
- Building/Developing Sooke (April 2023) 
​- Sooke Selfie: Census 2021 Overview (Dec. 2022) 


​Mandate
The Committee is to consider land use and development matters that are to be considered by Council, including:
• Official Community Plan (OCP) amendments, rezonings, development permits, variance applications, strata title conversions, Temporary Use Permits, Agricultural Land Reserve Referrals, and the municipal regional context statement (for the Regional Growth Strategy).
• Updates to zoning to promote mixed-use zoning, enhancing community livability and economic vitality through residential-business integration and creating business-friendly environments for both new and existing businesses.
• Policies to support sustainable land use and community growth, integrating environmental stewardship, economic health, and socio-economic land use matters.
• Public engagement recommendations on land use topics aimed at strengthening the relationship between Council, stakeholders, and community members.
• Any other items referred to the committee by Council or the staff liaison.
* The Low Carbon Resilience Model should provide a lens for the decision making of this committee.

Mayor Tait made the following appointments: 
* Councillor St-Pierre (Chair) 
* Councillor Pearson (Vice-Chair)
* Councillor Bateman
* Councillor Beddows 
* Desiree Cumming - West Coast Design - life-long Sooke resident and new owner of Randy Clarkston and Laurie Wallace's long-standing Sooke company 
* Helen Ritts - Former Chair, OCP Committee and executive member with Friends of Sooke Parks Society 
* Rob Barry - Island Energy 

From the Council Strategic Plan 
Strategic Areas of Focus 
Sustainable Growth and Environmental Stewardship ~ "We promote sustainable land use planning to accommodate growth while minimizing environmental impact and maintaining Sooke’s West Coast aesthetic. We prioritize the protection of blue and green spaces and the implementation of the best environmental practices when planning for growth and development." 

Infrastructure Investments and Multi-Modal Transportation Networks ~ "We make significant investments in infrastructure to support our community’s growth for future generations. This involves upgrading existing infrastructure, building new infrastructure, and seeking funding that supports our growing community’s needs. By enhancing our connectivity and livability, we can reduce our carbon footprint." 

Ongoing
• Collaborate with the T’Sou-ke Nation on land use planning and decision-making. Foster ongoing collaboration with the T’Sou-ke Nation to support cultural revitalization and promote traditional ecological knowledge.
• Consider How We Move, How We Build, How We Grow, How We Relate and How We Lead to support a path to Sooke 2030 emission reduction.
• Increase community resilience through emergency management planning including mitigation, preparedness, response and recovery.
• Promote local food security and cultural preservation with a focus on community and indigenous gardens.
• Protect water quality and aquatic ecosystems.

Now
• Update Housing Needs Report.
• Update zoning bylaw following provincial regulations.
• Establish clear, consistent and equitable development policies and a process for streamlining applications.
• Integrate ecosystem protection into all stages of
development projects.
• Identify and map environmentally sensitive areas

Next
• Update Official Community Plan
• Develop more substantial, brand-relevant design guidelines to articulate a clear identity for Sooke.
• Create incentives to bring more commercial and industrial uses to the district.
• Create a municipal land acquisition strategy to support planned development and expand green spaces.
• Strengthen environmental protection through Environmental Development Permit Areas.

 
Previous Land Use and Development Committees
This will be the fourth time a Land Use Committee has been struck over the 15 years.

~ The most recent LUC Committee was formed in early 2021: Councillor Tony St-Pierre (chair), Susan Belford, Brian Butler, Paul Clarkston, Katarina Duke, Dave McClimon and Kyle Topelko. 

 Excerpts from end of term report to council (presented to COW on June 20, 2022) 
​"- climate action was not considered sufficiently during the committee's term;
- the community is well represented through a diverse and informed membership;
- members had hoped to contribute more to the OCP's final draft;
- the delay in the OCP’s adoption has slowed the committee’s productivity; and
- future iterations of the committee should consider innovative recommendations which support affordable housing and encourage balanced priorities.
- the committee's purpose was not clear at times and more specific requests for recommendations from Council would have been well received."

Subjects discussed and agendas, 2021-22
- May 2022: Inclusion of Deconstruction Bylaw in Sooke Climate Action Plan (agenda)
- April 2022: Sooke Lions and John Phillips Memorial Park (agenda) 
​- Feb. 2022: Tree management + building permit backlog and wait-times (agenda)
- Dec. 2021: Zoning bylaw updates (agenda) 
​- Nov. 2021: Bill 26 - Municipal Affairs Statue Act (agenda) 
- Oct. 2021: Draft Official Community Plan discussion (agenda)
- Sept. 2021: SRCHN Food Security Report (agenda)
- June 2021: DCC bylaw update + further discussion on secondary suites (agenda) 
​- May 2021: Secondary suites (agenda) 
- April 2021: Additional dwellings on ALR land + Low Carbon Resilience policy (agenda) 
- March 2021: OCP Engagement Draft Growth Scenarios (agenda) 
- February 2021: Inaugural meeting (agenda) 

~ Previous to this, the District organized a Development & Engagement Workshop in September, 2017 and it identified issues (many related to the notorious need to alleviate developer wait times for permits) that spurred the creation of a new Development & Land Use Committee in early 2018. It was chaired by Cllr. Berger and featured local building stalwarts Randy Clarkson and Herb Haldane along with former Sooke Region Food CHI treasurer Lynn Saur. 
 
At the first of a half-dozen meetings during its one-year term, the discussion covered much ground starting with the need for a new Transportation Masterplan. Four areas of focus were determined for future meetings: A new Sooke Building Code based on the Municipal Insurance Association of BC's model bylaw and aligned with the then-newly updated BC Building Act; the delegation of Development Permit approvals to staff (as opposed to council) to speed the process; the District's need to cover the costs of staff time by charging applicants for consultation meetings; and the integration of the BC Energy Step Code into a new building bylaw. 


~ The first Sooke Land Use & Environment Committee was established during Mayor Milne's term (2011-2014). A standing committee (like the Finance & Administration Committee of the time), it featured at least three council representatives (builder Herb Haldane included) and such appointees from the development community as Adrian Cownden and Geoff Steele. (I'm unable to find, at a first attempt, its Terms of Reference within the District's electronic archives, aka the Civic Portal. Easy access to the committee's minutes from 2012, 2013 and 2014, however.) '

The committee did cover a huge amount of ground, from ALR exclusions and cel phone tower applications to rezoning applications, strata title conversions, the community amenity contribution policy, social housing, development variance permits, etc.  Did all the groundwork before sending recommendations to council. Most councillors were involved in meetings. 

Priorities: 
"Need to provide clear timelines for applicants"
"Streamline planning process." 
"Reduce lead time for development starts" 
"Committee to vet preliminary development applications instead of pre-application meetings"
"Committee needs to be informed to make decisions; staff to provide legislative and technical advice"
"Committee to encourage development, rapid use of the process, but respect the process." 
"Need to determine how we can work together: committee, staff and applicant." 

"48-hour building permit process for registered builders" first raised as topic for discussion at meeting of March 19, 2012. "Two week turnaround is the norm in other municipalities." 

John Brohman, Bev Berger, Laurie Wallace (representing the Sooke Community Development Association) and Randy Clarkston were among the minuted speakers in early meetings -- all of which were given full staff support from Gerard LeBlanc (Municipal Planner), Elizabeth Nelson (Municipal Engineer) and Bonnie Sprinkling (CO). 

Main emphasis of committee was the new Subdivision & Standards Bylaw #404, a dramatic upgrade from Bylaw #65 (created following Sooke's first OCP in 2001). A promised staff report on the 48 Hour Building Permit process was seemingly not released prior to the Committee's final meeting in April 2014, and may never have been, but process is addressed repeatedly (and often by regular meeting attendee Clarkston). 


Extras
Current Sooke Committees 
* Standing Committee on Community Health Care established in Nov. 2023 and featuring three members of the Sooke Region Communities Health Network (SRCHN) + Council appointees Beddows, McMath and Pearson. 
* Board of Variance (re-established early 2025) 
* Capital West Accessibility Advisory Committee  

Previous Sooke Committees & Commissions 
* Official Community Plan Committee (2019-22)
* Climate Action Committee (2020-2022) 
* Land Use and Development Committee (2020-22)
* Community Economic Development Committee (2020-22) 
* Sooke Program of the Arts Committee (launched in 200?-2022) 
* Affordable Housing Committee
* Climate Change Action Committee
* Protective Services Committee
* Parks and Trails Committee
* Community Spaces Committee
* Te'Mexw Treaty Committee 
* Sooke Health and Wellness Planning Steering Committee 
* Community Grants Committee 
* Burning Regulation Review Committee (2012) 
* Emergency Planning Committee (2012) 
* Land Use and Environment Committee (2012-14)
* Liquid Waste Management Plan (Stormwater) Stage 2 and 3 Advisory Committee (2010) 
* Official Community Plan Review Committee (2008-10) 
* Tourism Alliance/Foundation Advisory Committee (2008-09) 
* Spirit of BC Community Committee (2007-10) under the Province's 2010 Legacies Now initiative 
* Sooke Economic Development Commission (2007-12) 
* Climate Action Change Committee (2008-2022) 
* Sign Bylaw Review Committee (2009) 
* Finance and Administration Committee (200?-2014)
* Measuring Up Advisory Committee (2008, accessibility issues)  
* Downtown Revitalization Committee (2006-08) 
* Focus Group Capital Plan Committee (2008, evolved into Community Grants Committee) 
* Spirit Bear Committee (2007)
* 2010 Winter Games Committee (2007) 
* Sooke Revitalization Committee (2003) 
* Boundary Restructure Study Committee (2002/03) 
* Liquid Waste Management Plan Advisory Committee (2003) 
* Bed and Breakfast Committee (2000, Councillor Ron Dumont, creation of Bylaw 22) 
* Emergency Planning Committee (2000) 
* Economic Development Commission (2000, Councillor Lorna Barry) 
* Traffic Study Steering Committee (2000, Councillor Evans & Marcus Farmer) 
* Sewerage Study Steering Committee (2000, Councillor Dumont & John Farmer)
* Land Acquisition/Harbour Access Committee (2000, Councillor Evans) 
* Logo and Signage Committee (2000)  

Task Forces 
* Lot A Northeast Quadrant re: The Gathering Place (established July 2019) 
* "Promote Sooke" Task Force (established March, 2013) 
* Mayor's Advisory Committee on Economic Development (2013/14, chaired by Steve Grundy)
* Mayor's Advisory Committee on Arts & Beautification (2013/14, chaired by Brenda Parkinson) 
* Mayor & Council compensation

Committees recommended by Mayor Tait in November 2016 
1. Protective Services & Community Safety Committee 
2. Community Development Committee
3. Arts & Culture Committee 

Committees as recommended in the current 2010 Sooke OCP ~ pg. 111 
1. Green Advisory or Community Sustainability (i.e., Climate Change Action Committee)
2. OCP Implementation and Monitoring
3. Sooke Agricultural Land Reserve Advisory
4. Sooke Housing Committee or Corporation (i.e., Housing Committee) 
5. DOS Economic Development Corp. (with staff ED officer)
6. Youth Council
7. Arts & Culture Committee (i.e, SPA Committee) 
8. Liquid Waste Water Plan Implementation Committee
 
If staffing resources were no object ... examples of committees formed in other BC local governments 
* Youth Council (or Youth Advisory Committee) 
* Seniors Council
* Health & Social Development
* Farmland Advisory Board
* Governance and Finance
* Liquid Waste Management Plan Implementation
* Advisory Planning Committee
* Advisory Design Panel
* Communities In Bloom
* Harbour Improvement Committee

British Columbia 

First legislative session in 2026 starts on Monday, Jan. 12 

Fall Legislative Session 
Oct. 6 to Nov. 27 

* UBCM Executive Advocacy With the Province - UBCM statement, Dec. 3
* Fall Session Focus - Province of BC, Oct. 6
* What To Expect from BC Legislature's Fall Session - The Narwhal, Oct. 6 


Bill 25 - Housing and Municipal Affairs Statutes Amendment Act, 2025 (Nov. 28) 
- Policy bulletin issued by the Ministry 
- Relatively minor changes to Small-Scale Multi-Unit Housing and Short-Term Rental regulations 
- Backgrounder 

Special Committee on Democratic & Electoral Reform (Nov. 26)
​- Committee home page 
- Report (first of two) Toward A Stronger Democracy in British Columbia (Nov. 26, 2025) 
"The Committee makes 36 recommendations to strengthen BC’s democracy by supporting British Columbians’ participation and engagement, examining the efficacy of legislation and policy, and enhancing the responsibilities of and resources for Elections BC, political parties, and MLAs."
​- submissions 

CleanBC Independent Review Panel (Nov. 26)
Rising To the Moment: Final Report 
"CleanBC is, for the most part, working. Its policies and programs are measurably reducing climate pollution while creating jobs, improving community health, and lowering everyday costs for British Columbians. Yet, despite these successes, the plan is not yet reaching its full potential. The government now has an opportunity to adjust and close gaps in CleanBC—improving outcomes for all—while acknowledging current challenges."

Priorities for Action
1. Accelerate clean electricity production and electrification as the foundation of energy security and economic growth
2. Make it easier for British Columbians to cut energy bills and climate pollution
3. Leverage B.C’s clean energy advantage to create more jobs in the energy transition
4. Support B.C.’s industries to become cleaner and more competitive
5. Increase production of clean, made-in-B.C biofuels and renewable natural gas
6. Deepen partnerships with First Nations and local governments
7. Focus on delivering effective, achievable and fiscally responsible outcomes

- engagement home page ~ "Over the course of the review we met with 157 organizations in 41 engagement sessions, received 279 written submissions from 232 different organizations and 47 members of the public and/or experts, and received 2,650 public engagement survey forms." 
- review led by Merran Smith from Clean Energy BC and Simon Fraser University's New Economy Canada; and Dan Woynillowicz from the consulting firm Polaris Strategy + Insight.  

DASH, Digitally Accelerated Standardized Housing online platform (Nov. 20) 
"A new BC Housing online platform called DASH is helping developers and non-profit organizations design and construct three- to six-storey buildings more quickly and at lower cost using products manufactured in B.C." 

Look West Workforce Development Strategy (Nov. 20) 
- Home page
"Look West is a targeted plan designed to deliver major projects, create good jobs and strengthen B.C.'s and Canada’s economic security in the face of economic threats." 
- Accelerating Maritime Industry's Shift to Clean Energy 
- COAST Innovation Challenge  
- Innovate BC + 2024/25 Impact Report 

​Proposed Bill M-216 - Professional Reliance Act (Oct. 27) 
- draft legislation introduced by MLA George Anderson 
- UBCM expresses concern with private member's bill (Nov. 7) 
​- Metro Vancouver Mayors Outraged (CBC) 
- The Quiet Revolution in BC Planning (City Hall Watch) 
- Professional Reliance Review (2019) 


Cowichan Tribes Decision 
* BC Supreme Court Decision - Aug. 7, 2025 (case first filed on Sept. 9, 2019) 
* Cowichan Tribes website statements on the decision + technical backgrounder 
* City of Richmond: Notice to Registered Owners - Oct. 2025 
* Legal Panel Discussion at UBCM Conference, Sept. 23, 2025
* Coverage of the UBCM discussion (Resource Works) <clip> ""The panel agreed on two points: the Cowichan case is measured, not catastrophic, and it is also massive in significance. Appeals are already underway, and the process could take seven years or more. In the meantime, municipalities, lenders, and governments will be navigating uncharted territory."
* ​The Cowichan Ruling Doesn't End Private Property, It Tests Our Honour - Vancouver Sun, Oct. 24
* Correcting Misconceptions: The Cowichan Tribes Decision - Kate Gunn, First Peoples' Law 
* "It's A Big Deal," says BC Premier - Les Lyne, Vancouver Sun, Oct. 20 
* Related: Rising Tide - Haida Land Title Agreement, April 14, 2024 

Miscellaneous
* Zero Emissions Vehicles Framework Update (Nov. 18) 
* North Coast Transmission Line - Oct. 20 + BC Hydro project map 
* 900 New Child Care Spaces (including Choo Choo, Let's Go/Sooke) - Oct. 17
* Clearer Short-Term Rental Rules - Oct. 9 
* Holding Vape Manufacturers Accountable for Public Health Costs - Oct. 8
* Province to make way for more child care at schools - Oct. 7 

Media Coverage
* Eby Stands Against Proposed Pipeline as First Nations Vow It Will Never Happen - Times Colonist, Nov. 28
* Carney's Energy Deal Went Down Differently Depending On Who You Ask - CBC, Nov. 27 
* David Eby Says He Will Not Support A Pipeline From Alberta. Can He Stop It? - Vancouver Sun, Oct. 7 
* Pipeline Push: Majority of Canadians, Including BC Residents, Support a North Coast Pipeline - Angus Reid, Oct. 9
* As Smith Pushes New Pipeline Plan, Eby Says No Way - The Tyee, Oct. 2 

* Eby Takes A Beating At Hostile Developer (UDI) Luncheon - Rob Shaw, Business In Vancouver (Oct. 7) 
* What Does David Eby Have To Be Thankful For? An Amateur Opposition in Utter Turmoil - Globe & Mail (Oct. 9) 


Spring Legislative Session 
* Press Release 
* Archive of New Legislation (Spring 2018 to Spring 2025) 
* Parliamentary Calendar 2025 - Next session - Oct. 6 to Nov. 27

Housing Legislation 
* Local Government Housing Initiatives - one stop overview 
* Inclusive Zoning and Density Bonusing Comprehensive Guidance
​(updated June 13) 
* New Local Government Tools 
* Housing and Municipal Affairs guide for local governments - Proactive Planning Guide 
* From the blog: Bill 44 Update + BC's New Housing Regulations
+ Housing 101 + X Homes + Y People + Z Cars = ?

Homelessness Point-In-Time Count Provincial Data Released 
* press release 
* homeless counts in the 20 communities in which BC Housing did the count 
* CRD conducted PIT counts in Greater Victoria in association with the Community Social Planning Council + results released on Sept. 24 + data + technical appendix <clip> "The 2025 PiT Count was conducted on March 25 and 26 and identified 1,749 people who were experiencing homelessness compared to 1,665 in March of 2023." + CRD Housing Data & Analysis 

Fiscal Plan Update (Sept. 15, 2025) 
* Report from the Ministry of Finance + press release

Infrastructure Project Acts (July 2025 to March 2026)
* Engagement process - three-part survey  

Heritage Conservation Act Transformation Project (July 9) 
* Home Page 
* Updating the Act 
* Ministry of Forests press release (July 9) 

* The Act applies to 64k sites listed in a provincial registry, 90% of them within First Nations territories 
"The Heritage Conservation Act (HCA) encourages and enables the protection and conservation of sites with historical, cultural and/or archaeological value in B.C. These sites hold physical evidence of how and where people lived. Many of these sites in B.C. are culturally sensitive, contain ancestral remains, and have important sacred and spiritual value to First Nations in B.C. Altering these protected sites without a permit is prohibited under the Act."

UBCM press release - Sept. 24   "“We want to be very clear, UBCM recognizes and supports the importance of archeological conservation, particularly as it relates to Indigenous values,” said UBCM President Trish Mandewo. “But while the Province took seriously its obligation to work with Indigenous groups in developing the legislation, engagement with local governments was largely disregarded.”

- "BC Pushes Heritage Act Reform Amid Concerns of Development Slowdowns" - Globe & Mail, Sept. 26
- "UBCM Blasts Province for Lack of Consultation on Heritage Conservation Act" - Vaughan Palmer, Vancouver Sun, Sept. 24 

Province of BC Responses to UBCM 2024 Resolutions (July 2) 
* Resolutions Reply Book (includes original resolutions adopted in Sept. 2024 and Provincial response) 

Development Cost Charge Amendments (July 2) 
* ​Housing and Municipal Affairs Press Release 
* About Development Cost Charges 
* DCC Best Practices Guide (April 2025)
* DCC Guide for Elected Officials (April 2025) 

* Amenity Cost Charges: Best Practices Guide (March, 2025) 
* Amenity Cost Charge Guide for Elected Officials (April, 2025) 

Times Colonist - "The British Columbia government is loosening the rules for payment of development fees in a bid to jump start home construction that has been hampered by upfront costs.

Housing Minister Ravi Kahlon says among the biggest changes will be more flexible and extended payment timelines for homebuilders, so instead of paying development fees up front, they will pay 25 per cent at permit approval and 75 per cent when the building is occupied.

Developers will also have four years, rather than two, to pay the charges, in rule changes that Kahlon says are needed because the current market conditions have stalled projects in the province.

While some municipalities want letters of credit from a bank as a promise the work will be done, that can restrict a developer's access to credit, so the government will also change the regulations provincewide to allow for the financial guarantee of on-demand surety bonds."  

Declaration On The Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act (June 25)
* Sixth Annual Declaration Report (June 25, 2025) 

BC Coroners' Service (June 24) 
​* 2025 summary to date as of April 30 (with 10-year trend charts) 
​* Ministry press release 
 
Municipal Liabilities Regulation Amendment (June 24) 
* Housing and Municipal Affairs Press Release 
* Municipal Liabilities Regulation (amended) 
* BC Municipalities Allowed To Take On More Debt For More Projects (CBC News) 
<clip> "On Tuesday, the province announced changes that will:

• Allow municipalities to borrow up to $150 per person without a referendum or AAP if the term of the borrowing is less than five years, up from $50.
• Raise the borrowing limit without a referendum or AAP from five per cent of annual general revenue to 10 per cent for projects with a longer repayment schedule.

The changes won't allow municipalities to bypass public input for their biggest projects, but will allow more small projects to be approved quickly, said Kahlon.
"This is something local governments have been asking for for more than 30 years and we believe it is time for them to be able to catch up," he said."

Innovative Clean Energy Fund 2025 Performance Report (June 24)
* June 2025 Update + Report .... "Since 2008, the ICE Fund has committed over $124 million to support pre-commercial clean energy technology projects, clean energy vehicles, research and development, and energy efficiency programs."

Ease of Doing Business Review (June 5) 
* Jobs, Economic Development & Innovation Press Release + Backgrounder 
“We are listening to B.C. businesses as we work to ensure our province is an easy place to do business,” said Diana Gibson, Minister of Jobs, Economic Development and Innovation. “This review will help us to continue to modernize our regulatory and permitting systems, as we secure B.C.’s position as the economic engine of Canada’s new economy.”

New Funding for Building BC: Community Housing Fund (May 30) 
* Press Release 
​* Community Housing Fund backgrounder 
* Homes For BC - Completed Projects Map 

Cooperation & Responsible Government Accord (CARGA) 
​* Quarterly report (Jan. 1 - April 30) on NDP and Green Party accord 
* Full CARGA agreement signed March 12, 2025

CleanBC Accountability Report 
* 2024 accountability report 
* CleanBC 2025 Review announced (May 7)  
* CleanBC review - survey/deadline Aug. 1

Provincial Forest Advisory Council (May 22) 
* Ministry press release 
"Members of the newly formed Provincial Forest Advisory Council are tasked with providing recommendations to government on advancing forest stewardship, while supporting communities and workers that rely on forests." 
​* Terms of Reference 
* A New Future For Old Forests: Strategic Review (2020) 

Clean Power Overview (May 5) 
* Energy and Climate Change Press Release 
* BC's Clean Energy Action Plan 2025
* Frequent Calls for Power to Be Expected (Bennett Jones Law Firm) 

Infrastructure Projects Act - Bill 15 (May 1) 
* Office of the Premier Press Release
* Legislation (assent on May 29) 
* Technical Briefing (slide deck) 

* UBCM Perspective ~ "UBCM notes that the process leading to the drafting of the legislation has been rushed, and did not include meaningful consultation with UBCM or member local governments. As has been proven in the past, a fast-tracked approach that skips over consultation is more likely to lead to unintended consequences." + May 21 update + UBCM and First Nations Leadership Council Call For Withdrawal 
* Kill The Bill: BC First Nations Leadership Council 
* Legislation Narrowly Passes (CBC News, May 28) 
* Legal perspective (Beale&Co, Toronto) + Clark Wilson Law, Vancouver 

Renewable Energy Projects (Streamlined Permitting) Act - Bill 14 (April 30) 
* Legislation in full 
* Press release 
* BC Energy Regulator 

Mental Health Act Review Announced (April 30) 
* BC premier announces review of mental health legislation (CBC News) 
​* Mental Health Act home page 

Carbon Tax Eliminated (March 31) 
​* BC Ministry Press Release 
* Federal government removes carbon tax (March 22) 
"Cancelling the tax and the credit will have an estimated impact of $1.99 billion in the coming fiscal year. The Province will restructure programs funded by carbon tax revenue to minimize the impact on B.C.’s budget, while supporting people in British Columbia in achieving climate goals. The Province will continue to ensure big polluters pay through the B.C. output-based carbon pricing system. The system supports decarbonization efforts, incentivizing industry to lower their emissions to avoid paying the tax." 

* BC Output-Based Pricing System (Province of BC guidelines) 
​
* BC Officially Kills Tax (CBC News) 
​* Statement from Fortis BC 
​* Clean Energy Canada response at federal level 
* Carbon Pricing and Consumer Myopia: Why Carbon Taxes Fell Short and What We Should Do Next (University of British Columbia) <clip> "Carbon pricing was poorly understood and poorly communicated. Although most of the revenue was returned to households—through rebates or tax cuts in places like B.C.—many people only noticed higher fuel prices and ignored the money coming back. The policy felt like a tax, and that made it unpopular. Ironically, now that it’s gone, many lower-income households will be worse off ... Yet the reality is, the consumer carbon tax wasn’t strong enough to meet our climate goals. So, scrapping it isn’t quite as damaging as it might seem. It opens the door to rethink climate policy in a way that’s both more effective and politically durable." 

BC Budget 2025 (March 4) 
* Ministry of Finance Home Page + slide deck 
* BC Budget Pushes Deficit to $10.9 Billion (CBC News) 
* Budget Highlights (KPMG) 
* What Do You Need to Know About the BC Budget (The Tyee) 

Speech From The Throne (Feb. 18) 
* Text of Lt. Governor Wendy Cocchia's speech 
* Release from Office of the Premier 

Ministerial Mandate Letters (January 17) 
* Cabinet and Parliamentary Secretary mandate letters in full 
* BC mandate letters focus on affordability, public safety, economic growth (CBC News) 
* Letters summarized (Capital Hill Group consultants) 
* Pembina Institute response - linking climate action and community economic development 
* Mandate Letters: Post-Secondary Institutions (June 2025) 



Other Provincial Parties

Conservative Party of BC 
* 2025 news and commentary portal

BC Green Party 
* Media releases  


​Federal Government 
TBA 
- Canada's Defence Industrial Strategy 
- Canada's Trade Diversification Strategy 

Federal Budget 2025 (Nov. 4) 
- Canada Strong: Budget 2025 + Our Plan infographics 
- What's In The Federal Budget For You (CBC) 
- Office of the Parliamentary Budget Officer 

Misc. 
​- Introduction of Colour-Coded Weather Alerts (Environment Canada, Nov. 26) 


Build Canada Homes (announced Sept. 14, 2025) 
"Build Canada Homes is a new federal agency that will build affordable housing at scale. It will leverage public lands, offer flexible financial incentives, attract private capital, facilitate large portfolio projects, and support modern manufacturers to build the homes that Canadians need ... A Special Operating Agency within Housing, Infrastructure and Communities Canada." 

- About Build Canada Homes 
- Prime Minister Carney's announcement 

"Build Canada Homes is ready to engage with partners who are committed to increasing the supply of affordable housing across Canada. We are especially interested in opportunities that can:  

• Deliver housing at scale 
• Expand non-market and community housing 
• Demonstrate financial viability and leverage other investments 
• Use innovative building methods and Canadian-made materials 

We will be releasing more details on our investment policies in the coming months." 

​- Investment Policy Framework (Nov. 22) 

Perspective: 
- Canadian Alliance to End Homelessness 
- "BC Builders Skeptical" - Business In Vancouver, Sept. 16 
- "Carney Unveils Plans to Double Pace of Home Building" - CBC, March 31 

Major Projects Office 
Mission: "To get nation-building projects built faster, accelerating sustainable growth, strengthening national unity, and putting Canada on a stronger path to long-term economic prosperity." 
- Home page 
- First set of five on-track projects (all well-advanced in their respective processes) 
​- Future "transformative strategies" 

- "BC Tapped for Two Nation-Building Projects" (Business In Vancouver) 

- Long list of 32 projects (internal document acquired by the Globe and Mail, Sept. 4) 
"The eight mining projects on the list include the Teck Strategic Minerals Initiative and the Red Chris Copper and Gold Mine expansion in B.C.; Saskatchewan’s Foran McIlvenna Bay and Rook Uranium projects; the Minago Nickel Project in Manitoba; the Crawford Nickel Project and the Ring of Fire in Ontario; and the Strange Lake Torngat Metals Ltd. rare earths mine in Quebec.

The 14 energy-related projects feature a heavy focus on Western Canada. The list includes a 750-kilometre transmission line linking Yukon and B.C. Other B.C. projects include LNG Canada Phase 2, which would expand the liquefied natural gas facility in Kitimat, B.C.; Ksi Lisims LNG, backed by the Nisga’a Nation; the North Coast Transmission Line that would help power critical-mineral mines; a dredging project at the Port of Vancouver that would accommodate fully loaded oil tankers in Burrard Inlet; and the Northwest Coast Oil Pipeline.

Five other projects are in Eastern Canada, including the Gull Island Power Plant that is part of the Quebec-Newfoundland and Labrador new energy partnership; Newfoundland’s Bay du Nord offshore oil and gas project; transmission lines linking Prince Edward Island to the New Brunswick-Nova Scotia power grid; and proposed wind energy projects off the coast of Nova Scotia.

The five ports projects on the list also include the construction of a deep-water port and all-season roads linking Yellowknife to the Arctic Ocean, and a new Roberts Bank Terminal 2 Project at the Port of Vancouver. 

Rounding out the list are five projects related to transportation. They include the Mackenzie Valley Highway project in NWT; various proposals to twin the Trans-Canada Highway; rehabbing the century-old New Westminster Rail Bridge in B.C.; the Alto High-Speed Rail project linking Toronto and Quebec City; and the proposed Western trade and economic corridor." 


Tariff Response 
- Full list of measures to be undertaken to address tariff impacts 
- Canada's Response to US Tariffs (Sept. 1, 2025) 
- List of US Products Subject to Counter-Tariffs (effective Sept 2025) 

- Support for Strategic Industries, including steel and softwood lumber 


The One Canadian Economy Act - Bill C-5
* Royal assent granted (June 26) 
* Intergovernmental Affairs backgrounder 
* Bill C-5 as adopted 

Perspective
* First Nations Opposition Draws Comparisons to Idle No More Movement (CBC News, July 1) 
* The Public Interest Need to Reconsider C-5 (Canadian Environmental Law Association, June 11) 
* What The One Canadian Economy Act Is All About (Globe & Mail, June 6) 


​Federal Government Mandate Letter - Office of the PM (May 21) 



​

Update: Nov. 7, 2025

* BC Issues Independent Reports On E-Comm Cost Management (Province of BC) 

* Report Says BC Needs Clearer Oversight of 911 System (CBC News, Nov. 7) 

​Two new reports released by the Province ... 

* Emergency Communications Service Delivery Model in British Columbia  ... "Conclusion: There is a criticality associated with defining the future of the Provincial role within the emergency communications sector to address current state challenges, optimize operations within the sector, and ultimately protect public safety. Moving to a model where the Province actively manages the sector, with a role defined in legislation, will mitigate the risks currently observed with a complex stakeholder environment without a unified, clear governance framework."

* Independent Review of E-Comm Emergency Services in British Columbia. Outlines 17 findings and 26 targeted recommendations across three workstreams - governance, finance and operations. 

"Within E-Comm, the current 23-member Board has become too large to facilitate effective strategic decision-making. Its size has led to slower decisions, reduced engagement on critical issues, and challenges in maintaining institutional continuity.

Additionally, the executive leadership approach has tended to focus on immediate operational demands, with infrequent updates to the strategic plan.Financially, rising costs, unpredictable levies, limited transparency, and short-term budgeting cycles create uncertainty for funding agencies and hinder long-term planning. Operationally, the absence of defined benchmarks or performance targets makes it difficult to assess service quality. Quality assurance processes are primarily reactive, triggered by complaints or incidents rather than ongoing monitoring, and resilience gaps have been identified during major incidents.

To address these challenges, this report outlines 26 recommendations. One key recommendation calls for the Province to clarify and define its role in emergency communications and align legislative mechanisms to support clarity in roles and responsibilities, effective governance, performance management, and the ability to influence impacts to public safety. The remaining recommendations focus on E-Comm, emphasizing the need to strengthen governance, enhance financial planning and transparency, introduce clear performance measurement and quality assurance frameworks, standardize contracting practices, and improve redundancy and resilience." 


District of Sooke Council resolution endorsed at the UBCM Conference, Sept. 2023 

Endorsed EB 31 - Funding for 911 Services 
"Whereas the existing funding structure of the 911 emergency communications system does not account for internet and cellular revenues flowing to telecommunications companies, meaning that cellular users do not pay for the 911 services available primarily through cell phones; 

THEREFORE be it resolved that UBCM ask the Province of BC to work with local governments and telecommunications service providers to implement a 911 levy on cellular devices, to address current and future financial challenges associated with the delivery of 911 services." 

"The Resolutions Committee notes that the UBCM membership has consistently endorsed resolutions seeking the creation of a call answer levy on cellular devices to fund 911 emergency services (2023-SR2, 2021-EB7, 2012-LR1, 2011-B13, 2009-B10).

The membership also endorsed a more wide-ranging resolution 2022-EB42 which asked the Province to work with UBCM to develop a new provincial mandate and structure for 911 service delivery, with a focus on improving the governance, funding and operations. As well, the membership endorsed 2024-EB40, which asked for a governance review “...with a goal to assure reliable, affordable, and sustainable services for all communities.”


Original Post: March 8, 2025 

Who you gonna call when emergency strikes? 9-1-1 of course. And who's going to pay for this essential service? Effective April 1, we in Sooke must pay our share to the tune of what amounts to a 3.5% tax increase once a full year of billings kick in next year. Ouch, especially given that this is a first-time cost for the municipality. Previously and traditionally, 9-1-1 costs have been covered by Ottawa (30%) and the Province (70%).  

Seemingly another classic download of senior government costs onto local taxpayers. The Province, however, argues that, under the Provincial Municipal Police Unit Agreements and the Provincial Policing Service Agreement, local governments are wholly responsible for 9-1-1 services.  

Impacted South Island mayors are riled. As much as they appreciate the critical work, unquestioned professionalism and essential nature of the emergency call service, they reached a breaking point yesterday and sent a letter to Premier Eby stating that "we will not sign the E-Comm agreements or make any payments to E-Comm." This because of their "profound frustration and disappointment with the Province's refusal to delay the implementation of police dispatch costs to our communities' taxpayers."  

This letter follows at least five years of lobbying, advocacy meetings and a welcomed but finite three-year deferral on costs (aka "transitional funding") that ends on April 1. Most recently the Mayors wrote Eby in late January this year seeking the following commitments, all replicated in their March 7 correspondence: 

1. Maintain 100% transitional funding until the E-Comm review is complete and actionable solutions are implemented.

2. Address the funding inequity between South Island municipalities and other jurisdictions, ensuring consistent and fair treatment across B.C.

3. Introduce a telecommunications levy to offset 9-1-1 dispatch costs and align with funding models in other provinces.

4. Engage in meaningful consultation with our 10 South Island municipalities on this issue.

Solicitor General Gary Begg replied on Feb . 20 with a firm no.  He notes that under the Provincial Municipal Police Unit Agreements and the Provincial Policing Service Agreement, local governments are responsible for 9-1-1 services and hence this is not another download.  

.<clip> "In accordance with the terms of your Municipal Policing Unit Agreements, your communities must assume responsibility for all police dispatch costs. I also encourage you to finalize and sign your service agreements with E-Comm as soon as possible."  In the meantime, "an independent review and investigation into the governance, financial and operational effectiveness of E-Comm and 9-11 service provision in the province" began in December. When complete it will include future funding recommendations that may deliver relief. 

The 10 local governments are Colwood, Duncan, Ladysmith, Langford, Metchosin, North Cowichan, North Saanich, Sidney, Sooke and View Royal. All face significant tax hikes this year in paying for area 9-1-1 service based out of the South Island 9-1-1 Police Dispatch Centre that opened in Saanich in March, 2019.  In Sooke's draft 2025 budget, E-Comm is pencilled in at $254,927 -- or a 2.5% tax increase. That's to cover the nine-month period after charges begin on April 1. A full year next year takes the price tag to near $325k.  

A 2021 UBCM resolution asking the Province to introduce a levy on cell phone bills so as to underwrite 9-1-1 service. In response, the Solicitor General of the day wrote: "Ministry staff will undertake further work to explore funding mechanisms to support 9-1-1 services, such as the establishment of a call answer levy on wireless phones and, in recognition that this is a cross-ministry issue, will work with colleagues at the Ministry of Municipal Affairs ... 9-1-1 is an optional service and is delegated to municipalities. The communities have an option to use E-Comm or provide an alternate service."

E-Comm 9-1-1 President and CEO Oliver Grüter-Andrew is an invited guest of Sooke council on Monday night, and so I'm preparing this explainer as necessary homework. Cllr. McMath, a 9-1-1 employee herself, asked that this invite be sent and so we're counting on her to be present in leading the questions with her unique perspective. I'm confident we'll treat the messenger kindly and not shoot him given that the costing decisions are entirely down to decisions made the Province through the Ministry of Public Safety and Solicitor General. 

Starter
This definitive Jan. 30 Capital Daily story by Sidney Coles. 

E-Comm 9-1-1
Website 
"E-Comm is the dispatch partner of more than 70 police and fire agencies. It owns and operates the largest multi-jurisdictional radio network of its kind in British Columbia, allowing first responders to communicate their essential messages effectively and securely. It provides a variety of secure, mission-critical technology services that support its own operations and those of its public safety partners."t + Public Education FAQ 

​Public Safety Answering Point 
"A call centre responsible for answering calls to 9-1-1 for police, firefighting, and ambulance services. The PSAP has trained 9-1-1 operators that are responsible for dispatching the appropriate emergency services or transferring calls to the appropriate emergency response agency for the dispatch of services." (CRTC)

Statistics 
​E-Comm is responsible for 99 per cent of the province’s 9-1-1 call volume. In 2024, E-Comm’s provincial 9-1-1 call volume was 2,049,856 calls. Of the 9-1-1 calls E-Comm directs to emergency services:

• 58 per cent of calls were for police
• 35 per cent of calls were for ambulance
• 7 per cent of calls were for fire

- Leadership Team (includes bios of the CEO and other management). Mr. Gruter-Andrew was hired in 2017 following positions with the Provincial Health Services Authority and the University of British Columbia. 

Legislation - E-Comm was established in 1997 through the BC Emergency Communications Corporations Act 

Strategic Plan (2025) + PDF 
"As an organization built literally from the ground up, E-Comm has achieved many milestones in the course of our 20 years of service. We have shown we can save lives and protect property through helping 9-1-1 callers and supporting our first responder partners. We have become leaders in emergency communications through our new digital radio system and other technical innovations. This leadership is grounded in our smart, capable people and their ongoing collaboration with our many partners, whom we respect and value. The dedication of those who work in emergency services cannot be overstated." 

Transformation Plan + 2024 update (released Feb. 28, 2025)
Highlights 
* 98% of 9-1-1 calls in 2024 were answered in 5 seconds or less,  the best service level since 2016.
* On behalf of the police agencies it serves, E-Comm exceeded service level targets for police emergency calls in the Lower Mainland, answering 90% of police emergency calls within 10 seconds and 91% on Vancouver Island.
* E-Comm also exceeded its service level for fire emergency, answering 94% of fire emergency calls within 15 seconds. 
* 80% of police non-emergency calls for Lower Mainland police agencies E-Comm serves were answered within 3 minutes or less (up from 63% in 2023 and 44% in 2022).

Short-Term Priorities
* Open and develop the Vancouver Island Operating Centre. Establish a second operating centre in the Lower Mainland to enhance overall operational resilience, including during a disaster." 

* Next Generation 9-1-1 Implementation: Deploy the technology upgrades associated with Next Generation 9-1-1. Review call-taking and dispatch practices at E-Comm. Provide province-wide thought leadership and change management to ensure a smooth transition to Next Generation 9-1-1."

NG911 
The new system – called Next Generation 9-1-1 – replaces decades-old analog technology in emergency communication centres with a digital network, allowing dispatchers to get to urgent calls faster and laying the groundwork for receiving texts, photos, and videos from callers in the future. (Global News) 

- About NextGen 911 
- CRTC role and oversight 
- NextGen 911 Backgrounder (Association of Public-Safety Communicators of Canada) 

- Updated timeline to March 2027 for NG911 implementation (CRTC decision, Feb. 28, 2025) 
"Telecommunications Service Providers have made the necessary upgrades and are prepared to move to NG9-1-1. However, the Commission has heard that most provincial, territorial, and municipal emergency service organizations will not be able to make the necessary upgrades in time.Accordingly, a majority of interveners in this proceeding have asked the Commission to extend the deadline to transition to NG9-1-1. These interveners include key 9-1-1 stakeholders, such as the Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police, the Canadian Association of Fire Chiefs, and the Paramedic Chiefs of Canada. These interveners noted that unless the deadline is extended, Canadians in areas that have not transitioned to NG9-1-1 could lose access to 9-1-1 when existing networks are decommissioned. This would cause an unacceptable risk to public safety." 

Province of BC Investment
- Investment in 911 Network Supports Safer Communities (BC funding announcement, March 1, 2023)
"E-Comm, which handles 99% of B.C.’s 911 call volume, is leading Next Generation 911’s implementation in most B.C. municipalities. Pending approval by the legislative assembly, the Province’s $150-million investment will help offset local governments’ costs for transitioning to Next Generation 911 and be divided into two parts: $90 million will be provided to E-Comm for technological upgrades; and $60 million will be provided to the Union of BC Municipalities (UBCM) to defray costs, such as staffing, training and quality assurance. 

South Island Call Centres 
E-Comm 9-1-1 South Island Call Centre
- opened on March 5, 2019 
- serves the Victoria, Saanich, Central Saanich and Oak Bay police departments as well as 11 RCMP detachments in CentralSouthern Vancouver Island, namely: Integrated Roadside Safety Unit, Ladysmith, Lake Cowichan, North Cowichan/Duncan, Outer Gulf Islands (includes Pender, Galiano and Mayne), Salt Spring Island, Shawnigan Lake, Sidney/North Saanich, Sooke, South Island Traffic Services, West Shore (includes City of Langford, City of Colwood, Town of View Royal, District of Metchosin, District of Highlands, Songhees First Nation and Esquimalt First Nation).
- calls for fire and ambulance are re-routed 

- At Saanich's BC 9-1-1 Centre, 'first-first responders' ready for anything (Times Colonist, Jan. 6, 2025) 
"The South Island 911 Police Dispatch Centre has 110 staff who handled about 100,000 police emergency calls and 160,000 non-emergency calls in 2024 alone. Since the $13.1-million facility was built by the Capital Regional District in October 2017 — and local police agencies consolidated their dispatching and emergency calls there — more than 1.4 million calls have come through" “We are often referred to as the first, first-responders,” operator Kuzi Mujakachi said. “Every second counts so we are trained thoroughly to navigate every situation and every call, whether it is de-escalating someone on the phone who is screaming to listening into the background noises and seeing what we can determine from this call, the nature of it, just from the audio that we’re hearing.” It is about being firm and compassionate at the same time, and getting the reason for the call and an address as quickly as possible to send help, she said. 

Vancouver Island Emergency Dispatch Centre, Langford 
BC Emergency Health Services oversight ... BC Ambulance Dispatch Centre 
Serving all of Vancouver Island, Powell River and the surrounding Gulf Islands, the Vancouver Island Dispatch Operations Centre in Langford receives on average 250-300 emergency calls per day.
​- Clinical Response Model 

Miscellaneous 
- Future Sooke taxpayer cost: Vancouver Island Integrated Major Crime Unit (VIIMCU). Implementation date TBD with Sooke responsible for the costs (though Mayor Tait and council have repeatedly lobbied the Solicitor General for relief or a break of some kind.)  Initial estimate is $350k per year, i.e. a 3% tax hike likely to start in 2026.   Joining VIIMCU is an insurance policy of sorts that protects Sooke from one-time, usually six-figure investigation costs associated with murders and other major crimes.
 
- Emergency Communications Service Public Emergency Delivery (Ministry of Justice, 2015) 
Funding Questions 
- How does local government in your community currently fund 911 PSAP?
- Will local governments be able to fund these and enhanced services such as NG911 in the future?
- What funding model options exist and would be successful? Why or why not?
- With respect to existing funding for emergency communications, what works well, needs improvement, or could be done differently?

- 911 Central Island: Study of Call Taking Alternatives (2015) 

- North Island 9-1-1 
The Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP) answers all 9-1-1 calls. PSAP is handled by E-Comm in Vancouver. The North Island 9-1-1 Corporation has an agreement with E-Comm to perform this function. E-Comm provides PSAP 9-1-1 call answering for the North Island 9-1-1 Corporation, the Metro Vancouver region and 25 other regional districts in B.C. E-Comm also provides dispatch services for 36 police and fire departments." 

​Images
- E-Comm 911 Strategic Plan Priorities 
- Ministry of Health Standardized Hospital Colour Codes policy (2011) 

The question mark is necessary since we are still several steps short of the finish line, with further council input ahead and a Andre De Grasse/Femke Bol-style lunge to the tape in the face of a persistent headwind ... 

November Updates
- Public hearing scheduled for Wednesday, Dec. 3 at 6 PM. 
- The District's Let's Talk, OCP site has been updated with the final updated version of Bylaw #800 (top of right-hand column) 
- Another package of OCP correspondence has been posted covering the period 

- Council made a series of approx. 30 changes at its meetings of Nov. 6 and Nov. 10. Second reading was given to the bylaw on Nov. 10, allowing the District to schedule the public hearing.

2025-417
MOVED by Councillor Jeff Bateman, seconded by Councillor Al Beddows:
THAT Council give second reading to the Official Community Plan Bylaw No. 800, 2022, as amended to incorporate the changes identified at the November 6 and 10, 2025 Committee of the Whole meetings, as outlined in the Summary of Proposed Edits; AND THAT Council direct staff to schedule a Public Hearing for the Official Community Plan Bylaw No. 800, 2022, as amended.
CARRIED
Opposed: Councillor Herb Haldane and Councillor Kevin Pearson
 

Morning-after (Oct. 28) update:  Council has opted to schedule a special council meeting in November (date TBA) at which we as a group of seven will ask questions and suggest final input that will be incorporated into the public hearing package. Community members will next be welcome to speak at the public hearing, again with no fixed date at this point but earlier scheduled tentatively for Monday, Dec. 8.

Another 30 minutes of public comment was presented last night, focused as a legislative requirement on the OCP process to date, not its content (as Deputy Mayor Pearson clearly articulated at the outset.)  Last night we did hear opposition from some on various themes expressed previously over the months and years, but we were also urged to move forward to a public hearing by the likes of  former CRD Director Diane Bernard and former Councillor/CRD Director Ron Dumont. Both noted the extended timeframe and the ample public input to date, with Dumont adding wisely that dissension is to be expected and that council cannot be expected to please everyone.

I sincerely hope supporters and critics alike take the time to read the refined and updated OCP. As I said last night, clarity has been added (in the Development Permit Area guidelines in particular) and I too believe the document is ready again for primetime consideration and final review.  

- District's OCP home page  
- District's Let's Talk OCP micro-site 
​
Tonight's Council meeting is another landmark in Sooke's pilgrim's progress towards a new Official Community Plan, the successor to the current 2010 model and the third since incorporation.

* A final round of public input is now complete and the latest What We Learned (see pp. 183-306) report has been received by the Land Use and Development Committee (Oct. 7) and Council (Oct. 14).

* This input joins the other thick stacks of feedback packaged in ...
* April 2021 - Phase Two What We Heard Report (see right-hand links column here) 
* November 2021 - Phase Three What We Heard Report (see right-hand links column here) 
* Sept. 27, 2022 public hearing (see meeting minutes at end of this post) 
* Committee of the Whole minutes of July 17, 2023 (pp. 183-188) 
​* Council minutes of July 10, 2023 

* Council  is receiving an updated "red-line" version of the draft bylaw and a companion Table of Changes tonight

* We can then act directly on the next step -- rescinding second reading of Bylaw #800 from Sept. 27, 2022 and scheduling a public hearing for later this year

* Additionally, we can redirect the document for feedback either to the Land Use & Development Committee or schedule a special meeting at which the updated version can be debated and discussed by council, with or without still further community input. 

* This timeline is necessitated by the following ... 
i) The Province's Bill 44 requires all BC municipalities to complete new OCPs that incorporate Bill 44's Small Scale Multi-Unit Housing regulations by its Dec. 31 deadline. (See its "Proactive Planning" requests in full.) 
ii) We are long past due to get this critical document updated and completed. 

Back on July 15, a majority of council voted 4-1 in moving ahead with a final opportunity for public engagement. Councillor Pearson voted against while Cllr. McMath was absent. The former would like the current OCP to remain in place with addition of the required new housing legislation.  

Newly elected Cllr Haldane was in the audience on July 15 and stated he will be voting with Pearson to either affix the Province's required new land-use legislation to the existing OCP and leave it as is for now ... or seek an exemption in the Dec. 31 deadline from the province. Both have held firm on this strategy in meetings between then and now. 

Worth noting that the version we're working with now does indeed include the required Provincial content. As you'll read in the following, this new OCP is also a significant and necessary modernized upgrade on the 2010 model. There are relatively few updates in the latest red-line edition of the draft bylaw (pp. 795-1043) outside of the Development Permit Area Guidelines.

The OCP's climate targets (pg. 46) are now aligned with those of the Sooke 2030 Climate Action Plan, i.e., a 50% reduction in community GHG emissions by 2030, a goal approved by council in 2021 as an aspirational yet admittedly impossible number exceeding the equally impossible -40% target mandated to all local governments by the Province of BC. The latest 2024 GHG stats for the region are to be released by the CRD next month, however Sooke's emissions in 2022 (see item 4.4, appendix B, pg. 61) were 64k tonnes of CO2e, up +22.6% from the 2007 baseline. This is a direct and unavoidable result of our doubled population growth. (The good news is that our per-capita emissions are down from 5.1 to 3.9 tonnes per person annually, a 20%+ decline since 2007. The Sooke Climate Action Plan identifies and urges continued personal action while requiring whole-of-organization climate leadership by the District.)  

Within the Community Policies - Housing section's "Enhance housing affordability" objectives, a new policy line (4.9.4.5, pg. 135) reads: "Streamline development application and permitting to improve efficiency and reduce cost that impact housing affordability." As Mr. Riley notes, this "reflects Council's commitment to streamlining permitting and approvals as a means of supporting attainable and affordable housing delivery, consistent with Bill 44 and the District's Housing Needs Report." 

On the recommendation of the BC Archeological Branch and given the rich First Nations heritage hidden in plain sight throughout this coastal community, a new policy statement and action item (#4, pg. 157)  asks this and future councils to consider development of a "Heritage Management Policy" in partnership with the Province and the T'Sou-ke Nation. (I'll ask whether this includes First Nations and settler heritage; Sooke has its small share of heritage buildings as documented by a Sheila Whincup-edited Sooke Region Museum team in their book 101 Historical Buildings of the Sooke Region (1985). The late Cllr. Brenda Parkinson was keen for the District to develop a heritage bylaw or community registry of such buildings. (Examples: Ladysmith, Town of Qualicum, District of Oak Bay.) 

The lion's share of changes and simple-language clarifications are focused in Part 7, Development Permit Areas (pg. 171 onwards). The District has listened carefully to the feedback of the building/development community  and made dozens of revisions to "improve clarity, legal defensibility, and administrative efficiency" as Director of Community Planning Jayden Riley states in tonight's report. These respond point-by-point to feedback provided in recent engagements with the development community and the Sooke Builders Association. The latter produced a table of recommended changes as part of this summer's community feedback. 

Kudos to both parties -- the building sector for itemizing its long-standing concerns with chapter-and-verse references to the draft OCP, and Mr. Riley for his precise, clearly communicated responses. This exchange has certainly helped me, for one, better understand the nature, purpose and limitations of the DPA guidelines, a required (Local Government Act) section of all OCPs.  

While I'm taking the following out of context, these replies to the SBA from Riley within the latest What We Learned report are useful in understanding that the DPAs are, as stated, guidelines to be check-listed by staff as future development plans are submitted for District approval: "Intent is to provide high-level guidance to encourage awareness and innovation, not add new technical requirements that would increase costs and extend timelines ... Policy intended as broad direction, not a mandate ... Not intended to create rigid requirements or to conflict with other guidelines with the BC Building Code or the Sooke Building Code ... Not intended as a requirement nor to override market preferences or Building Code standards ... Guidelines should provide direction for best practices, but cannot impose technical standards beyond the Building Code ... DPAs (must be) aspirational, practical and within the District’s authority."

Among the latest set of referral comments in tonight's agenda (pg. 1061-1091) from the CRD, the Department of Fisheries & Oceans Canada, the Archeological Branch and various DOS departments, I'm moved to share a clip from the District's Land Development Technician Nikki Zerr.  She notes that the current OCP's Development Permit Area guidelines have caused confusion: "Historically," she writes, "the existing DP process for subdivision proposals has proven to be redundant, resource intensive and lacking clear evaluative parameters. This has led to administrative inefficiencies and prolonged processing times, without adding demonstrative value to the subdivision approval process."  

The current set of three DPAs, in other words, are seemingly a root cause (among others) of the well-documented dysfunction we so routinely have heard about from the building community these last 15 years. The new proposed DPAs are set to stand with the modernized Development Procedures Bylaw #900 (2024) and Subdivision and Development Standards Bylaw #925 (2025) in ushering in a new era when implemented with recommendations of the Development Application Process Review (2024, see agenda pp. 117-174). To quote Riley,  Sooke is "open for business" while still honouring the OCP's community direction for our collective future.

As a layman on the outside looking in, I'm now near fully convinced that these new DPA guidelines will serve the everyday working relationship between developer/builders and District staff well. I deeply appreciate the care and close attention that both sides have paid to reforming and enhancing the ground rules underlying what is ideally a cooperative and co-dependent relationship. The guidelines will serve their professional interactions and, more importantly, the community as a whole well over the OCP's lifespan.

Final point: The Province has also mandated that all Official Community Plans be reviewed on a five-year cycle, and so in addition to the inevitable amendments, Sooke will be formally tweaking and refining its OCP again in 2030.


Quotes from the Planning Department's Oct. 27 OCP report
* Read Manager of Community Planning Jayden Riley's report in full on pp. 497-506 of the Oct. 27 Council agenda 
* I've cut-and-paste broad swathes of it below for my own work purposes and ready access in future  
* See pp. 795-1043 for the second set of "red-line" changes based on public input since July 2025
* See pp. 507- 794 for the first set of red-line changes based on public input since October 2022 
* See pp. 1045-1079 for the complete Table of Changes documenting all changes to the draft OCP 
* See pp. 1093-1327 for a "clean" version of the OCP as revised and minus red-line mark-ups 


Item 10.2 OCP Bylaw 800 
Recommendation: Rescind second reading of OCP Bylaw 800 and schedule a public hearing 
 
 "These refinements enhance clarity, usability and legal defensibility, producing a single, coherent framework to guide growth to 2050. 
 
The revised OCP maintains the community’s long-term vision of a vibrant, net-zero- emissions small town that balances growth, affordability, and environmental protection. It ensures consistency with provincial housing requirements and alignment with the District’s key supporting plans, including the Climate Action Plan, Transportation Master Plan, Parks and Trails Master Plan, and Housing Needs Report.
 
 In January 2025, Council endorsed the OCP Restart and Next Steps report and approved a focused work plan to complete the bylaw by year-end in accordance with Bill 44. Council directed staff to undertake a comprehensive update, incorporating amendments to satisfy Bill 44 within the OCP Bylaw No. 800.
 
This approach recognized that, while Bill 44 required all local governments to incorporate housing-needs reporting and provisions for Small-Scale Multi-Unit Housing (SSMUH), those updates alone would not address the broader clarity, usability, and alignment issues identified during the 2022–2023 review.
 
Phase I red-line: Edits clarified Development Permit Area intent, triggers, and exemptions; removed redundant or overly prescriptive language; and updated references and statistics. Cross-references were added to the Climate Action Plan (2022), Transportation Master Plan (2020), Parks and Trails Master Plan (2020), and Housing Needs Report
(2019/2024 update), reinforcing the OCP’s umbrella role.
 
Phase 2 red-line: integrated legislative updates under Bill 44 with refinements from engagement and internal review. Key changes included clearer Development Permit Area language and exemptions, refined Foreshore DPA wording, strengthened cross-references to major plans, and final mapping and formatting improvements.
 
Phase II produced a single, internally consistent, and legally defensible OCP reflecting five years of policy development, professional diligence, and community input – ready for second reading (as amended) and Public Hearing.
 
Proactive Planning aspects to be dealt with by all British Columbia OCPs as required by the Province: 
1. Enable SSMHU 
2. Housing Needs Report projections 
3. Seven classes of housing types
 
Updating the OCP solely to meet these requirements – without addressing structural inconsistencies, outdated references, and long-standing interpretation issues – would have perpetuated the same implementation challenges that have hindered the existing Bylaw 400.
 
Proceeding with the comprehensive OCP update allows the District to achieve compliance and create a modern, legally defensible framework that supports housing delivery, environmental protection, and climate resilience in a unified way.
 
This comprehensive approach fulfills all legislative requirements while reinforcing Sooke’s vision of a compact, connected, and sustainable community. It provides Council with a single, modern OCP – one that integrates provincial housing obligations, environmental stewardship, and local priorities into a unified and implementable framework, avoiding the risks of piecemeal amendments or interim policy fixes. 

Development Permit Area Framework
 A key focus of the OCP review has been modernizing the Development Permit Area (DPA) framework to improve clarity, legal defensibility, and administrative efficiency. The updated OCP establishes nine DPAs that address environmental protection, energy and water conservation, and the form and character of new development. 
 
Under OCP Bylaw 400 (2010), only three broad DPAs were designated. These covered wide objectives with limited guidance, leading to interpretation gaps, inconsistent application, and uncertainty for both staff and applicants. 
 
The new framework corrects these issues by providing clear intent statements, defined boundaries, plain-language objectives, and well-structured exemptions, ensuring stronger alignment with Section 488 of the Local Government Act.
 
A single Development Permit (DP) application will continue to apply, even when multiple DPAs overlap. Staff and applicants simply confirm that designs or environmental management plans meet all applicable guidelines or qualify for exemptions. This structure promotes a more transparent, consistent, and efficient review process without adding procedural burden.
 
By expanding the number of DPAs while refining their scope and clarity, the District has improved predictability, accountability, and confidence in implementation. The framework better reflects community values, provides clear expectations for applicants, and supports staff in delivering consistent, legally sound permitting decisions.
 
DPA 1 – Energy and Water Conservation / GHG Reduction
 Legal advice: staff confirmed that municipalities cannot regulate or require the use of specific building materials, internal systems, or components covered by the BC Building Code through Development Permits.
 
Accordingly, all references to internal building materials or embodied-carbon metrics
were removed. The focus has shifted toward building siting, orientation, landscaping, and exterior design — aspects that directly influence energy performance and are clearly within local jurisdiction.
 
To preserve the District’s climate leadership role, an “informational guidance” note was added to encourage voluntary best practices in lifecycle carbon accounting and GHG reduction. This guidance is explicitly non-regulatory; a Development Permit cannot be refused on this basis. This approach balances statutory compliance with continued
climate action ambition.
 
 DPA 3 – Foreshore Area
 The revised DPA 3 now applies only to land‐altering activities within roughly 15 metres of the natural boundary of the sea that could affect slope stability, drainage, or shoreline habitat.
 
The intent statement has been rewritten in plain language to clarify that the DPA’s purpose is to protect environmental and geotechnical stability – not to regulate routine property maintenance. 
 
Activities such as gardening, lawn care, pruning, invasive‐species removal, and hazardous‐tree work are explicitly exempt when completed in a way that maintains slope and shoreline integrity.
 
Existing single‐family dwellings are not affected, and foreshore property owners can continue normal use and maintenance. Only new or substantial development involving land alteration within the buffer may require a permit.
 
A proportionate approach applies ~ minor works, such as removal of a single hazardous tree, may be supported through a brief memo from a Qualified Environmental Professional (QEP) or Arborist, while larger projects – such as shoreline stabilization or retaining wall construction – require more detailed professional input. 
 
The 15‐metre buffer functions as a guideline rather than a fixed limit, allowing site‐specific adjustments where a QEP or geotechnical professional confirms that stability and habitat values are maintained. The updated guidelines also clarify coordination with archaeological assessments, DFO authorizations, and other regulatory approvals.
 
Collectively, these refinements make DPA 3 a clear, balanced, and defensible tool that safeguards shoreline ecosystems and public safety while maintaining practical flexibility for landowners.
 
 
Structure, Clarity & Accessibility
 - The updated OCP improves clarity, tone, and usability while maintaining the overall structure and policy direction established through earlier engagement. 
 
- Prescriptive or technical language has been softened to guide decision-making and avoid unintended regulatory barriers.
 
- Development Permit Area guidelines now clearly distinguish between requirements and encouraged best practices
 
- Housing policies more directly support small-scale multi-unit and infill development in alignment with Bill 44. 
 
- Supportive language around housing diversity and affordability ensures the plan reflects both community values and emerging provincial priorities.
 
- The two previous Town Centre DPAs (“Core” and “Waterfront”) have been consolidated into a single, unified DPA. This reduces duplication and provides one set of form and character guidelines for the Town Centre, Sooke’s primary growth area.
 
- New images, infographics, and updated statistics enhance readability and engagement
without altering policy intent. 
 
- Following adoption, an updated OCP webpage will make the document easier to navigate by topic, such as DPAs, growth management, or land use designations – consistent with modern municipal best practices.
 
These improvements ensure the OCP is visually clear, accessible, and user-friendly for residents, applicants, and staff, reflecting the District’s commitment to transparency and continuous improvement in communicating planning information. 
 
Implementation and Costing 
- Implementation will occur gradually through Council’s Strategic Plan, Five-Year Financial Plan, and annual work programs. 
 
- Each action will be advanced as resources, grant opportunities, and Council priorities allow.
 
- In this way, the OCP serves as a “roadmap” toward community goals such as achieving net-zero emissions, expanding housing diversity, and improving mobility – recognizing that progress will occur incrementally over the 25-year horizon.
 
- Public questions about cost were addressed directly: adoption of the OCP does not create new or immediate financial obligations. The plan functions as a strategic framework that informs budgeting and helps prioritize actions when funding or capacity becomes available.
 
- Some policies, such as promoting net-zero buildings or low-carbon infrastructure, are aspirational, setting a direction consistent with the Climate Action Plan (2022) and other master plans. Implementation will depend on evolving technology, resources, and partnerships.
 
- By maintaining this forward-looking but flexible approach, the OCP provides clear direction without adding fiscal pressure, allowing the District to advance its long-term vision responsibly within Council’s established means and priorities.
 
 
Alignment with Council Direction and Community Values
 - The updated OCP strikes a balance between long-term community vision and day-to- day practicality, ensuring Sooke remains both a desirable place to live and a community that welcomes responsible investment.
 
- Looking ahead to 2050, the plan emphasizes compact growth, environmental protection, and climate resilience while maintaining a predictable and supportive development environment.
 
- Throughout its evolution, the OCP has upheld its core vision of managing growth efficiently, protecting natural assets and rural character, and advancing a transition toward a low-carbon future. 
 
- Refinements made through the Phase I and II processes strengthen this vision and improve clarity for applicants, residents, and staff – guiding development without adding unnecessary procedural or financial barriers.
 
- The OCP recognizes that public interest is multifaceted: protecting the environment, improving housing choice, and supporting economic opportunity are interdependent goals. 
 
- A well-planned community requires both strong environmental standards and a transparent, consistent development review process. The updated plan achieves this through clear policies and proportionate regulatory tools, such as refined DPA guidelines and exemptions, that maintain environmental integrity while providing confidence and predictability for applicants.
 
- In this way, Sooke remains “open for business” in alignment with community expectations. The OCP balances aspirational vision with practical implementation, ensuring growth contributes to, rather than conflicts with, Sooke’s environmental and social values. 
 
- It is a forward-thinking yet grounded plan that reflects community input, supports sustainable development and responsible fiscal management, and fosters an investment climate that is both welcoming and well-defined.
 
Final Frame Public Engagement 
 - Public feedback expressed general support for the revised OCP. Residents emphasized the importance of environmental protection, greenspace access, and compact growth centred on the Town Centre, while encouraging implementation that remains fiscally responsible. 
 
- Feedback from the development community was more mixed, focusing on potential implications for housing delivery and interpretation of certain policies. However, input was detailed and constructive. Staff met with development representatives, provided written clarifications, and incorporated appropriate refinements into the Phase II red-line version now before Council.
 
Next Steps and Legislative Procedure 
- Because OCP Bylaw No. 800 has been substantially amended since its original readings in 2022, staff recommend that Council rescind the previous second reading and re-read the bylaw as amended prior to scheduling a new Public Hearing. 
 
- This approach ensures that the version before Council is the clean, consolidated bylaw, reflecting all refinements made through the 2025 engagement process, technical review, and legislative updates under Bill 44.
 
Conclusion
- The revised Official Community Plan Bylaw No. 800 is the culmination of five years of community dialogue, technical work, and Council direction. 
 
- The two phases of red-line updates demonstrate a methodical, transparent approach to policy development, balancing public feedback with legal and legislative requirements.
 
- The document before Council now provides a clear, forward-looking, and implementable framework for managing Sooke’s growth to 2050. 
 
- Giving second reading (as amended) will enable the District to move confidently toward Public Hearing and final adoption before year-end, ensuring a modern, legally sound, and community-supported plan for Sooke’s future."
 

Further Reading 

Foundations 
- District's OCP home page  
- District's Let's Talk OCP micro-site 

From this blog
* Patience and Process: Back to the OCP (June 18, 2023)
* OCP Public Hearing Preview (Sept. 27, 2022) 
* Next Step for the Official Community Plan (Sept. 7, 2022) 
* Draft OCP: My Appreciative Inquiry (Oct. 20, 2021)
* OCP Update - Fall 2021 (Sept. 4, 2021)
* Team OCP: Introducing the Advisory Committee (Aug. 8, 2020) 
* Masterplanning Sooke's Smart Growth: OCP Preview (Dec. 20, 2019) 

OCP Advisory Committee's six-point summary of the final draft document
1. The strong desire to maintain and enhance the unique character of Sooke
2. The importance of protecting our natural environment
3. The need for focused growth and support for infrastructure enhancements in the Town Centre
4. The importance of building upon and enhancing Sooke's historic and productive relationship with the T'Sou-ke
5. The need for improved transportation infrastructure and strategies to address vehicular congestion
6. Our community's united support for collective efforts to address climate change. ​

​Minutes from the Sept. 27, 2022 OCP Public Hearing

"Official Community Plan Bylaw No. 800, 2022: The Mayor provided an overview of the proceedings for the meeting and reviewed the steps that have led to the Official Community Plan Bylaw No. 800, 2022, arriving at this public hearing.

Public Input (35 speakers):
- William Wallace, a Sooke resident, spoke in favour, specifically supporting the protection of parks and agricultural lands.
- Alan Dolan, a Sooke resident, spoke in favour, acknowledging the importance of development, and the need to improve safe pedestrian connectivity, noting that resistance to the approval of the OCP seemingly comes from those reluctant to view the effect of climate change.
- Susan Clarke, a Sooke resident, spoke in favour of encouraging the approval of the OCP to assist the future Council with solid steps towards a commitment to action climate change initiatives.
- Kief Elliott, a Sooke resident, spoke in favour noting that he participated in most of the engagement opportunities and advised that bylaws would be reviewed to harmonize with the OCP once adopted, providing additional opportunities for discussion and debate on the effects of individual issues.
- Malcolm McNaughton, a Langford resident, spoke in opposition as the document is missing feasibility and cost impacts, suggesting that further analysis and consultation are required in advance of approval.
- Patrick Marsden, a Saanich resident, spoke in opposition as the bylaw will negatively impact the building and development community.
- Lily Ma-Sen, a Sooke resident, spoke in favour offering appreciation for the committees' work on the document and supporting the land use policies, as they will encourage town core growth.
- Keith Rimstad, a Sooke resident, spoke in favour suggesting there are details that can be finalized once a guide has been created and that no plan will address all concerns for the community.
- Chris Moss, an Otter Point resident, spoke in favour advising that no one document can accurately predict or plan the future and that the guidelines included in the current version are more than adequate to support the community.
- Michael Thorton, a developer in the community, spoke in opposition to the bylaw, specifically the financial impacts on developers.
- Roland Alcock, a Sooke resident, spoke in favour of providing support for adoption as the plan displays a commitment to climate change mitigation and addressing transportation challenges.
- Brian Butler, a Sooke resident, spoke in opposition to restrictive land use designations, impacts on development, and a requirement for further consultation.
- Susan Belford, a Sooke resident, spoke in favour of supporting the culmination and careful consultation undertaken with a broad spectrum of the community, the clear and concise policies, advising that the OCP needs to be for the people who live in the community, not just those who build in it.
- Jeff Zigay, a Sooke resident, spoke in opposition citing concerns related to the lack of cost impact estimates associated with implementation and the lack of current town core development, even though the previous OCP also encouraged core growth.
- Karine Bordua, a Langford resident, spoke in opposition to the costs associated with the implementation of the plan and concerns with several areas which seemingly limit resiliency.
- Doug Bexson, a Sooke resident, spoke in opposition as the document goes beyond guidance offering limited flexibility through prohibiting language.
- Gisela Kumar, a Sooke resident (via written submission read aloud by Ellen Lewers), expressed opposition as the community does not require an increase in high-density housing but rather should encourage residents to consider limiting their impact on the area.
- Ellen Lewers, a Sooke resident, spoke in opposition encouraging reduced development to maintain a small-town appeal.
- Steve Anderson, a Sooke resident, spoke in opposition, suggesting public engagement was not adequate and the plan is an unbalanced representation of the community’s vision.
- Ramsay Milne, a Sooke resident, spoke in opposition, citing difficulty in the general understanding of language utilized in the document and the associated delays and cost impacts of the proposed Development Permit process.
- Rob Anderson, an Otter Point resident, spoke in opposition, reiterating previous comments and concerns about the consequences associated with the proposed policies.
- Ryan Chamberland, a Sooke resident, spoke in opposition, suggesting a delay in approval and reinvesting in conversations with the community on the plan.
- Herb Haldane, an Otter Point resident, spoke in opposition, stating that the document is idealistic and radical, and will create divisiveness.
- Mick Rhodes, an Otter Point resident, spoke in opposition, noting there is no mention of waterfront access.
- Helen Ritts, a Sooke resident, spoke in favour, providing an overview of the comprehensive public engagement undertaken by the committee, consultants, and staff, to ensure community voices were heard and encouraged Council to move the plan forward.
- Jay Ryan, a Sooke resident, spoke in opposition, citing the lack of quality consultation due to the pandemic.
- Scot Taylor, a Sooke resident, spoke in opposition, suggesting additional public input be undertaken in advance of approval and that there was not enough consultation with the First Nations.
- Dave Saunders, a Colwood resident, spoke in opposition, with concerns about density and that the unintended consequences of implementing this plan should be examined.
- Don Brown, a Sooke resident, spoke in opposition, stating that implementation will mean applying rules rather than principles and as they are written will create an adversarial process rather than a collaborative approach.
- Eliane Hamel, a Sooke resident, spoke in opposition, with concerns with the consultation being undertaken during the pandemic, and questioned the deliverables and cost impacts.
- Anna Russell, an Otter Point resident, spoke in favour, noting that the current OCP does not meet the needs of the community and a new plan is required.
- Robin Holm, a Sooke resident, spoke in favour, supporting the new plan and advising that changes can be made along the way if required, it's not set in stone.
- Cindy Ross, a Sooke resident, spoke in opposition, suggesting additional consultation is required and expressing concerns with Development Permit Areas.
- Natalia Saddington, a Sooke resident, spoke in opposition highlighting the cost impacts associated with the heavy climate action initiatives.
- Lorraine Pawlivsky-Love, a Sooke resident, spoke in opposition suggesting further community consultation and cautioned rushing to the adoption with a divide in the community." 

Council Discussion
* Clarity regarding cost impacts associated with climate goals and proposed initiatives.
* The Master Plans, adopted by Council and in use for planning the community, are in place and utilized for projects such as traffic and parks.
* Concern that the OCP is a significantly large document with a multitude of layers, which is not easily read cover to cover, and that this has led to some confusion among readers.
* Desire to conduct further engagement with enhanced communication to the public, to ensure all affected parties are afforded the opportunity to fully discuss the impacts and enhancements the document contains.
& Reminder that the OCP is a visionary document, and the removal of the Development Permit Areas (DPA) will not be a quality revision worth consideration.
* Concerns with the financial impacts of implementation are unknown.
* More time is needed to provide education on the development processes, to ensure everyone fully understands the requirements and associated outcomes.
* Appreciation was offered to the members of the public who attended and provided their comments.
​
2022-267
MOVED by Councillor Al Beddows, seconded by Councillor Tony St-Pierre: THAT Council close the public hearing and do not consider 3rd reading of the bylaw; AND THAT the bylaw, public input, and minutes from all meetings will be presented to the new Council for their consideration.
​
CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY In Favour: Mayor Maja Tait, Councillor Jeff Bateman, Councillor Al Beddows, Councillor Ebony Logins, Councillor Megan McMath, Councillor Tony St-Pierre, and Councillor Dana Lajeunesse

Update - Nov. 2025

- SD #62 Strategic Plan 2025-2029 (adopted Sept. 23) 
- Strategic Plan 2021-2025 Final Report

- Financial Statement 2024/25 and Analysis Discussion paper (board meeting, Sept. 23, pp. 50-110) 
- 2025-28 Financial Plan + slidedeck (pp. 32-23, June 24) 

- Anticipated growth in 2025/2026: 400 new student registrations for total student count of 13,700. 
- 2025/26 Operational Plan (pp. 83-99, June 24) 

- Summer 2025 construction update (pg. 14, Aug. 26 board agenda). Includes mechanical upgrades ($585k) and parking lot expansion ($707k) at John Muir; exterior painting ($65k) at Poirier; re-roofing ($470k) and field remediation ($200k) at Saseenos Elementary; and inclusive washrooms ($790k) and new gym bleachers & gym floor improvements ($150k) at EMCS. 

- Land disposal agreement for portion of Saseenos Elementary property to enable the Ministry of Transportation and Transit's Idlemore intersection project (pp. 74-78, June 24 board agenda)  
<clip> "The project aims to improve safety and traffic flow, enhance pedestrian infrastructure and add vehicle access to the community north of Saseenos Elementary School. To achieve requested access, a portion of the Saseenos Elementary School site totalling .489 acres (.198 hectares) would need to be disposed to MoTT to build highway infrastructure. The Ministry of Transportation and Transit project will include making significant improvements to parking and school site access supporting enhanced safety for the school community." 

- North Langford Secondary announcement + slide deck (pp. 6-13). Built for 2,000 new students on 12-acre property near Costco, construction to begin in 2027 
- Design principles for future school builds + Ministry of Education "simplified design guidelines" (pp. 29/30, Oct. 28)

- SD #62 District Literacy Framework 2025-2029 (pp. 6-21, Oct. 7 agenda) 
"The Sooke School District is committed to facilitating comprehensive, responsive, and evidence-aligned instructional approaches, in alignment with and striving for the BC Ministry of Education and Child Care’s definition of literacy: the ability to understand, critically analyze, and create a variety of communication forms, including oral, written, visual, digital, and multimedia, to accomplish one’s goals." 

- Enhancing Student Learning Report 2024/25 (pp. 143-197) 
"The Framework for Enhancing Student Learning (FESL) is a Ministry policy that formalizes the province’s commitment to continuous improvement in BC’s public education. The Enhancing Student Learning Reporting Order (ESLR) requires each district to report annually on student learning outcomes and publicly provide evidence and analysis on strategies that enhance student learning and success."

- NA’TSA’MAHT Enhancement Agreement  (pp. 17-37, May 27 board agenda) 
"A five-year working agreement developed by our school District, all local Indigenous communities and partners, and the Ministry of Education. The goal of the agreement is to maintain and enhance our collective ownership to improve the success of Indigenous students, create safe, welcoming and inclusive learning environments, and provide learning opportunities based on the First Peoples Principles of Learning for all students, staff, and communities. There are two goals:

 One Mind Goal: To progress individual Indigenous student success K to 12, leading to a Dogwood diploma and supporting pathways to employment beyond graduation that reflect student choice and voice.

 One Spirit Goal: To build understanding of Indigenous histories, cultures, and ways of knowing and being, for the purpose of creating safe, welcoming and inclusive learning environments K to 12." 

- Flourish! School Food Society 
"Operates a comprehensive school food program in Sooke School District (SD62). The program prepares home cooked meals and aggregates and distributes grocery items from a central food distribution centre and delivers them to participating schools each day ... Their kitchen prepares and distributes over 1,100 meals daily to 22 schools. Their grocery program provides an additional 2800 snack servings of food each day to 30 schools." 
​- Ministry of Education - Delivery Models for School Food Programs (July 2025) 


Original Post - March 12, 2025
Council and CAO Gray are set for Sooke's fourth Memorandum of Understanding meeting with the trustees of School District #62 this evening. Preparing myself by gathering this homework, diving deep into the SD62 website in learning more about its remarkable range of programs and services, and following up on my March, 2021 State of Sooke's Youth Nation blog post. 

BC Education Legislation 
- School Act (1996)
- Teachers Act (2024 updated) 
​- Independent School Act (1996) 
- First Nations Education Act (2007) 
- Glossary 

BC Ministry of Education and Child Care 
"The purpose of the British Columbia school system is to enable the more than 570,000 public school students, 89,000 independent school students, and more than 4,500 home-schooled children enrolled each school year, to develop their individual potential and to acquire the knowledge, skills and abilities needed to contribute to a healthy society and a prosperous and sustainable economy."  + January, 2025 mandate letter to Hon. Lisa Beare, Minister of Education and Child Care 

​- home page 
- BC Course Curriculum
​- References for curriculum transformation in BC 
- Learning Pathways (literacy and numeracy skills) 

- Core Competencies K-12 curriculum
"The Core Competencies are sets of intellectual, personal, and social and emotional proficiencies that all students need in order to engage in deep, lifelong learning. Along with literacy and numeracy foundations, they are central to British Columbia’s K-12 curriculum and assessment system and directly support students in their growth as educated citizens." 
1. Communicating and Collaborating 
2. Thinking (Creative, Critical, Reflective) 
3. Personal and Social (Awareness, Responsibility, and Positive Personal and Cultural Identity) 

BC School Trustees Association
- BCSTA advocacy focus areas cited on its website: i) Recruitment and Retention of Staff; ii) 
Capital and Deferred Maintenance Funding; and iii) Inclusive Education and Student Success.
- 2022-2025 Strategic Plan  

- Excerpt from Election 2024 advocacy template: "Capital and Deferred Maintenance Funding: Schools are more than mere buildings; they are the environments where future generations embark on their educational journeys. Many of BC’s schools are in urgent need of repairs, updates and seismic upgrades. To ensure that our learning environments are safe and reflect the needs of 21st century learning, adequate capital and deferred maintenance funding is needed. There is a need for recognition of these challenges and adjustments to budgeting for school districts." 


Memorandum of Understanding between SD62 and District of Sooke signed in early 2022 
Subsequent meetings held on Feb. 15, 2022; Jan. 30, 2023; and June 29, 2023 

* Collaborative advocacy with the Province on shared priorities
* Sooke's population increases and need for new schools
* Explosive population growth in Langford and Colwood requiring new schools 
* Traffic and safety issues at schools on Hwy #14
* Sooke Elementary's future
* Future for school land purchased in Sunriver 
* Expansion of Edward Milne Community School 
* Safety and parking issues at John Muir in particular 
* Impacts of planned MOTT roadwork on Hwy #14, including Idlemore and Church
* Saseenos Elementary's future  
* Promise and potential of The Village Initiative and The Foundry 
* Playground expansion - new facility at John Muir in 2024
* Sport court box utilization at Sunriver
* School crossing guard program 
* Safe Routes to Schools and the walking school-bus initiative
* Finite funding available from Ministry of Education & Child Care given its province-wide mandate  


Sooke School District #62
(website homepage) 
School Stats
Enrolment (as of Sept. 2024)
Approx. 4.3% annual growth, or 400 new students annually (enough for a new elementary school)  

- Elementary: 6,083
- Middle: 2,974
- Secondary: 4,241
- Special needs students: 1,387
- International students: 260

- Teachers: 670
- Principles & Vice-Principles: 71
- Educational Assistants: 449 in 2023
- Support staff: 273 

Executive Team
- Superintendent: Paul Block 
- Secretary Treasurer: Brian Jonker
- Deputy Superintendent: Monica Braniff 
- Associate Superintendents: Dave Strange & D'Arcy Deacon 
- Executive Director, Human Resources: Fred Hibbs 

Board of Education 2022-2026
Cendra Beaton (Chair) 
Allison Watson (Vice Chair)
Amanda Dowhy (Past Chair) 
Russ Chips
Christine Lervold
Ebony Logins 
Trudy Spiller 

​Archive of board meeting agendas and minutes 

Strategic Plan 2021-2025
* Draft Strategic Plan for 2025-2029 included in the Feb. 25 agenda pp. 100-113. Quarterly reports are tabled at meetings in November (Quarter 1: July- September), February (Quarter 2: October-December), May (Quarter 3: January - March) and September (Annual Report including Quarter 4: April to June).

Operational Plan 2024-2025 
- Includes Engagement, Learning and Growth priority areas. 
- Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) is a leading cross-category priority 
- Implementation of the K-12 Literacy Framework in middle and secondary schools 
- Student participation and voice 
- Collaborate with Sc’ianew, T’Sou-ke and Pacheedaht Nations and with Na’tsa’maht Indigenous Education to establish a new Indigenous Education Council (re: Bill 40, School Amendment Act, 2023) 
- Develop an asset management plan 
- Make progress towards CleanBC 2030 targets 
- Introduce SD62 Ethical Framework to board decision-making 
​- BC Digital Literacy Framework 

Budget Planning 
See amended annual budget in the Feb. 25 agenda pp. 79-96 
​- Current and past budgets 
- 2025 Financial Plan 

2024/25 Budget
- Total Expenses: $231,779,556 
- Total Revenue:  $257,308,544 
- Ministry of Education funding: $227,630,702 
- MOE funding based on a per-student allocation of $8,915

Capital Funding 2024/25
"The Capital Fund includes capital expenditures for land, buildings, buses and other tangible capital assets. The 2024/25 budget includes $29.6 million in anticipated total capital additions. Significant capital projects include:
~ Expansion Program (EXP) – $22.3 million for the prefabricated classrooms at David Cameron Elementary and Ruth King Elementary
~ School Enhancement Program (SEP) – $0.85 million for a HVAC upgrade at Willway Elementary and $0.45 million for roofing upgrades at Crystal View Elementary
~ Carbon Neutral Capital Program (CNCP) – $0.5 million for energy upgrades at John Muir Elementary
~ Playground Equipment Program (PEP) – $0.195 million for a new playground at John Muir Elementary
~ Childcare Centre - $5.1 million for a new childcare centre at Colwood Elementary. 

School Inventory 
- 26 schools
- 20 in Langford and Colwood
- All mapped on the School Locator 

Schools in Milnes Landing (Sooke Region) Zone 
- Edward Milne Community School + staff (Principal Mike Bullock) 
- Journey Middle School + staff (Principal Darren Russell) 
- Sooke Elementary School + staff (Principal Krista Leakey) 
- John Muir Elementary School + staff (Principal Tamara Deleenheer) 
- Ecole Poirier Elementary + staff (Principal Tess Vally) 
​- Saseenos Elementary + staff (Principal Gordon Johnson) 
- future Port Renfrew Elementary ($12m funding announced in March, 2024) 

- SD #62 Healthy Schools, Healthy People program + sample newsletter 
- SD #62 Mental Health resources 
- Sooke Schools International Students Program 

Long-Range Facilities Plan 2023 
Executive summary: "SD62 is at a tipping point: The School District encompasses the municipalities: District of Sooke, City of Colwood, City of Langford, District of Metchosin, District of Highlands, Township of View Royal and the Juan de Fuca Electoral Area. In BC, in the last two census cycles, Langford has been the fastest growing mid-size municipality. As a result, for the past several years SD62 has been one of the fastest growing school districts in the Province, and the construction of new seats in the District has not been able to keep up with the enrolment growth.

With an average utilization rate across the District of 112%, the District is now at a point where either new capital construction or temporary accommodation is the only remaining tool to alleviate pressure on its schools. Currently, SD62 has one of the highest numbers of portables, when compared to enrolment, in the Province, and approximately 11% of its students are being taught in portables, many of which are past their expected useful life, instead of in permanent facilities.

If no additional capital projects are approved over the next 5 years, the overall District utilization rate is projected to grow to over 120% by 2027, and to over 130% by 2032, and SD62 will have to add over 50 additional portables to alleviate the seat shortfall. This is estimated to cost the District a present day value of approximately $20 million. 
Recently, the District has been awarded pilot projects at two schools for prefabricated additions of 8 classrooms each. These two projects are scheduled to open in the fall of 2024, and will present significant cost savings to the District, as the additions will replace portables.

SD62 is in desperate need of more, immediate, enrolling space in permanent facilities, and is committed to prioritizing simplified repeat designs and prefabricated solutions to reduce the time line for the delivery of major capital projects." 

Replaces the 2018 Long Range Facilities Plan 

Future Priorities
Milnes Landing (Sooke) 

In Development
- Sooke Elementary seismic upgrade/replacement with an additional 150-200 seats 
- Seismic replacement for Port Renfrew Elementary (50 students) 

Short Term (up to 5 years) 
- Addition to EMCS of new modular section for 300 more students 

Mid-Term (up to 10 years) 
- Seismic upgrades at John Muir Elementary and Saseenos Elementary 

Long-Term (10 years+) 
- "New elementary school: based on projected community growth, Sooke will require a new elementary school. It can be investigated whether the existing land holding is the best location for a new school site, or if this land can be used in a sale or land swap, for a location on the west side of Sooke."


North Langford & North Colwood
- Recent: Centre Mountain Lellum Middle School (700 seats; opened in Nov. 2022) 
- Recent: PEXSISEN Elementary (500 seats; opened Sept. 2022) 
- Expansion of Ruth King and David Cameron elementary schools (+190 seats each) 
- Short-term: New North Langford elementary (480 students) and secondary (1200 students) schools  
- Mid-Term: Seismic replacements at various schools 

South Langford & South Colwood 
- Recent: Royal Bay Secondary expansion (+600 seats; opened in Sept. 2020)
- In Development: New South Langford elementary school (480 students)
- Short-term: New South Colwood elementary school (480 students) 
- Mid-Term: Sangster Elementary replacement (300 students) 

Future School Sites 
"The District owns all of its school sites, the Board office site, as well as five additional vacant sites for future new schools. With development progressing on the south of the island, limited properties remain that can be acquired by the District to meet future needs. Vacant sites that the District owns for future development, are:

~ Skirt Mountain Site 1380 Flint Ave, Langford - 6 acres
~ City Gate High School Site 2382 City Gate Blvd, Langford - 12 acres
~ Latoria Road Site 678 Latoria Rd, Colwood - 11 acres
~ South Colwood Site Royal Bay - 7 acres
~ Sooke River Site 2438 Phillips Rd. - 5 acres

Seismic Upgrade Priorities
~ Sooke Elementary (Medium priority, latest upgrades in 1967 to BC's oldest, still operating elementary school - 1911) 
~ Port Renfrew Elementary (Medium, built in 1970)
~ John Muir Elementary (Medium, 1970)
~ Saseenos Elementary (Medium, 1959)
~ Willway Elementary (H3, 1977)
~ Millstream Elementary (Medium, 1959)
~ Savory Elementary (Medium, 1965)

Sooke Analysis within the Facilities Plan
"Looking at the census data, we can see that the population of Sooke has grown from 8,238 in 2011 to 15,583 in 2021. Even though the population has grown, we also see that the average age is going up, as is the % of the population over 65 years of age. The population of Sooke is aging: where the median age in 2016 was around 40, in 2021 it has gone up to 42.6, and the % of people over 65 in that time increased from 15 to over 19%. The overall population growth therefore does not translate equally into more school aged children: the population between 2016 and 2021 grew by 2,314, or 25%, however the population of children between the ages of 5-19 only grew by 175, or 10%."

Colwood Analysis
"Colwood has a younger population than the regional average, however the overall population is slowly aging. In 2016, the median age in Colwood was 40.9 years, and in 2021 this had gone up to 42.3. The population of school-age kids, however grew by 10.10% in those years, compared to the overall population growth of 12.5%. Colwood 2038 projects a 35% population increase by 2028 and an additional 16% increase by 2038 where it is anticipated the majority of growth will be in the Seaside, Royal Bay, Colwood Corners and Latoria neighbourhoods. It is expected that the number of apartments will grow and by 2038 will account for 39% of the housing mix." + 2018 Jack Knox article on Royal Bay Secondary. <clip> "The West Shore continues to boom. The Sooke district’s enrolment, which was 8,272 a decade ago, hit 10,800 this year and is projected to increase by a further 1,800 over five years." 

Langford Analysis 
"One of the fastest growing communities in BC and the largest of the municipalities that SD62 operates in. It has seen explosive growth over the past 10 years: With its 2021 census population of 46,584, it was the fastest growing municipality in BC over 5000 residents, and the third fastest in Canada, with a 31.8% growth compared to 2016. 
Of the communities that SD62 operates in, Langford has the youngest population, with an average age of 39.1 (2021 census). The pace of both residential and commercial development and the relative affordability of housing compared to surrounding communities, will continue to attract a younger population. Approximately 12% of the population is older than 65. The Central and North Langford areas are where the School District will see the most explosive growth over the next 10-20 years: with the population of Langford projected to grow by over 60,000 people over the next 30 years, and its relative affordability, the area is an attractive location for young families and newcomers."


District of Sooke Advocacy 
- Meeting with Minister of Education and Child Care Rachna Singh at the Sept. 2024 UBCM Conference
i) Request information on the plan for schools in the Sooke School District's Milnes Landing (aka Sooke) region; and 
ii) Advocate for efforts to secure fair funding and new school developments for Sooke, such as the new Sooke Elementary and Sunriver Elementary, in response to the area's fast-growing population and given the current focus on Langford and Colwood in SD #62’s five-year capital plan. 

- UBCM meetings with former Education Ministers Whiteside and Fleming, 2018-2023 


Miscellaneous 
- SD #62 Safe Schools 
- resources for mental and sexual health, traumatic events, online safety, substance use. 

- ERASE Reporting Tool ~ "The ERASE Report It tool is an online, anonymous reporting tool where students can report anything they find worrisome or concerning directly to their school/school district’s safe school coordinators. Examples of behaviours or incidents to report include: Bullying/Cyberbullying; Harassment; Social Media; Sexting; Inappropriate Sexual Behaviour; Concerns about Adults; Concerns about a school; Racism/Discrimination; Drugs or Alcohol; Weapons or Gang Activity; Threats; Violence or Fighting; Mental Health Concern; Suicide; Vandalism or Property Damage; School Attack/Shooting; Or anything else that is worrisome or concerning." 

- Student behaviour patterns:  2019 infographic produced by SD62's Healthy Schools, Healthy People program 

- McCreary Centre Society - 2023 BC Adolescent Heath Survey + South Island results 

- The Youth Engagement Project: A Youth Perspective on Developing a Youth-Friendly Sooke (2014, see file attached to this 2021 blog entry) 

- Statistics Canada reports in the 2016 census that there are 3,085 residents under the age of 19 in Sooke ~ 775 of them aged 10-14 and 760 aged 15-19.  Boys outnumber girls marginally (as is the case nationally and internationally for sound evolutionary reasons.)  (update) 

-  Human Early Learning Partnership EDI Wave 7 Sooke School District #62 Report - "an overview of patterns and trends in early child development for Wave 7 (2016-2019) and explores change over time from Wave 2 (2004-2007)" + PDF
- Early Development Instrument (EDI) report - 2023/24 
- questionnaire issued to kindergarten students since 2001 (i.e., Wave 1) 
- focuses on physical health & wellbeing, social competence, emotional maturity, language & cognitive development, communications skills and general knowledge 
- critical for early intervention strategies 

- UBC researcher Bill Warburton’s report (2023) on the importance of upstream intervention in keeping youth out of the justice system (shared on from the Victoria Family Court and Youth Justice Committee) 

– Youth Justice Services: Strengthening Abilities and Journeys of Empowerment ~ presentation by the Hon. Grace Lore, Minister of Children and Family Development (June 2024) 

- Parent Advisory Council (PAC) is the official recognized voice of parents at the school level.  Every parent of a child registered in a school has a right, under the School Act, to belong to the PAC. The PAC meets monthly to consider school and community issues of interest and concerns of parents and our kids.  Parents who are informed and are committed to their children’s education can and do enhance the quality of learning.

- Edward Milne Community School Society + archive of annual reports, 2010 to present 

​- Safe Paths to Schools: Sooke Report (2016) 

- Sooke Soccer Youth Programs + other local sports leagues 

* SEAPARC
* Sooke Family Resource Society
* T'Sou-ke Nation Youth Centre
* Rotary Club of Sooke
* Junior Youth Spiritual Empowerment Program
* Westshore Centre for Learning and Training
* Sooke Transition House Society

Youth Engagement 
- UBCM Best Practices + Youth Engagement Toolkit Guide (2012) 
- FCM Municipal Youth Engagement Handbook
- UVic/Province of BC Toolkit 
- Ontario Centre of Excellence for Child and Youth Mental Heath - Youth Engagement 
- Pan-Canadian Joint Symposium for School Health - Youth Engagement Toolkit 
- 100 To Zero: Age-Friendly Planning (Plassurban, Victoria) 
- Maple Ridge Youth Development Wheel 
- BC Chamber of Commerce: A Focus On Youth Entrepreneurship (2020) 
- A Seat At The Table: A Review of Youth Engagement in Vancouver (McCreay Centre Society, 2009) ​
​- National League of Cities (US): Promoting Youth Participation 

​- Local Government Awareness Week (third week of May annually) 
- City of Calgary Mayor's Youth Council 
- City of Victoria Youth Council
- City of Duncan Junior Council + Terms of Reference + Article + sample minutes 
- Squamish Youth Strategy 

Miscellaneous
- Screen Time and Activity Among Canadian Youth (Stats Can, 2017) 
​- Exercise and Screen Time During the COVID-19 Pandemic (Stats Can, 2020) 

- ParticipACTION Impact Report (2024) 
- Children and Youth Report Card (2024) 

- Family Influence: The ParticipACTION Report Card For Children and Youth (2020) 
- Better With Age: The ParticipACTION Report Card for Adults (2019) 

- Canada's Youth Policy (2020) + Young Canadians resource page
- UN International Youth Day (annually on Aug. 12 since 2000) 
- UN Youth 2030: Youth Strategy 

- A Pathway To Hope: A Roadmap For Mental Health and Addictions Care (Province of BC) 
- Mental Health Commission of Canada: Mental Health Strategy for Youth (2016) 
- BC Children's Hospital Kelty Mental Health Centre: Youth and Young Adults 
​- CMHA BC: Youth Helping Youth (Peer Support) 

The Village Initiative: Sooke/Westshore 
The Village Initiative (TVI) "is an inter-disciplinary network of more than 60 organizations sharing a commitment to the vision of healthy and thriving children, youth, and families across the Sooke and West Shore communities ... TVI took root when the Sooke School District and Island Health started a conversation with community partners, recognizing that the health and wellbeing of children, youth, and families are best supported through an all-hands-on-deck approach – a Village. The urgency of our mission has only been underscored by the global pandemic and its impact on children, youth, and families." 

- Project Plan for Sooke-Westshore Shared Space Network and System (March, 2022)
- Space survey results (2021)
​- Sooke/Westshore Community Health Profile (2022) 

The Village Initiative member organizations
(stewardship committee organizations in green) 

Beacon Community Services
BGC South Vancouver Island
Canadian Mental Health Association, BC Division
Capital Region Food & Agriculture Initiatives Roundtable
Children’s Health Foundation
Citizen’s Environment Network in Colwood
City of Colwood
City of Langford
Community Social Planning Council of Greater Victoria
District of Sooke
Family Services of Greater Victoria
First Nations Health Authority
Food Share Network
Goldstream Food Bank
Greater Victoria Local Immigration Partnership
Greater Victoria Public Library
Hulitan Family and Community Services Society
Inter-Cultural Association of Greater Victoria
Island Health – Mental Health and Substance Use, Children, Youth and Families, Public Health, Priority Populations
Island Health – Public Health
Island Métis Family & Community Services Society
John Howard Society of Victoria
Juan de Fuca Performing Arts Centre Society
KidSport Greater Victoria
Langford Residents Association Society
Learning through Loss
MCFD Child & Youth Mental Health
Mennonite Central Committee
Military Family Resource Centre
Mustard Seed Food Bank
OneAbility
Pacific Centre Family Services
PISE (Pacific Institute for Sport Excellence)
RCMP
ReImagine West Shore Community Society
Rotary Club of Sooke
Royal Roads University
Salvation Army
Saunders Family Foundation
SEAPARC Leisure Complex
Sea To Tree Health & Wellness
Society of Saint Vincent de Paul Vancouver Island
Sooke Family Resource Society
Sooke Food Bank
Sooke Region Communities Health Network
Sooke School District
Sooke Shelter Society
Story Studio
Threshold Housing
Thrive Social Services
United Way of Greater Victoria
United Way Southern Vancouver Island
​University of Victoria Centre for Youth & Society
Vancouver Island Regional Library
Vancouver Island Counselling Centre for Immigrants and Refugees
Victoria Immigrant and Refugee Centre Society
West Shore Arts Council
West Shore Chamber of Commerce
West Shore Parks & Recreation
Westshore Town Centre
WorkLink Employment Society
YMCA-YWCA of Vancouver Island
Youth Hope Haven Foundation

Reverse order by date. I've found that organizing my thoughts with related links for further reference is essential for this aging, routinely distracted, rather overloaded mind (yes, I did my Wordle this morning, got it in three.). It's also something of a community service, I believe, as I'm doing my learning in public and hopefully providing something of value for my colleagues and our successors. My views and perspective keep evolving (as with us all I was so encouraged to discover years ago when first learning about neuroplasticity.) Please dive in if and as you wish. 

(Local Government 101 education and refresh here and here.) 

* Supporting #Sooke Community Organizations (Oct. 19, 2025)
​* Update: Economic Development and Land Use Committees (Oct. 6, 2025) 
* Rx for Ever-Improving Sooke Health Care (Oct. 1, 2025) 
* Union of BC Municipalities 2025 Convention Prep and Follow-Up (Sept. 20, 2025) 
​* #Sooke Gathering Places and Spaces (Sept. 19, 2025) 
* BC Legislation and Report Tracker 2025 (July 2, 2025) 
* AVICC Convention 2025 (April 10, 2025) 
* Arts File - CRD, West Shore, Sooke (March 20, 2025) 
* School District #62 (March 12, 2025)
​* Calling 911 On (Seeming) Provincial Downloads (March 8, 2025) 
​* Promise and Potential: Sooke Region Tourism (March 2, 2025) 
​* The Road to Referendum (Feb. 23, 2025) 
​* Bill 44 Update: SSMHU Redux (Feb. 17, 2025) 
* Budget 2025 (Jan. 19, 2025) 
​* Twenty Five Years: District Anniversary (Dec. 7, 2024) 
​* Vote! (Oct. 8, 2024) 
* Preparing for the UBCM 2024 Convention (Aug. 28, 2024) 
* Hwy 14: Condensed & Updated (June 13, 2024) 
* Hwy 14 Revisited: Congestion & Safety Edition (March-June, 2024) 
* CRD’s Proposed Transportation Authority (May 23, 2024) 
* Budget 2024 (Feb. 28, 2024) 
* Living With BC’s New Housing Regulations (Feb. 27, 2024)
​* Responding to Homelessness In Sooke (Feb. 2, 2024) 
* Dealing With Our Own Biosolids in the CRD (Jan. 31, 2024) 
* Sooke Food Security (Oct. 25, 2023)
* UBCM 2023 Convention (Sept. 14, 2023)
* Wildfire Season and Disaster Preparedness (Aug. 22, 2023)
​* Council's Last Call This Summer (July 24, 2023)
​* Patience and Process: Back to the OCP (June 18, 2023)
​* Building/Developing Sooke (May 30, 2023)
* CRD Overview 2023 (May 12, 2023)
​* Housing 101: Preparing for the UBCM Housing Summit (March 31, 2023)
* Budget 2023 Starter: Police, Fire, Climate Action (March 15, 2023)
* Sooke Policing Overview (Jan. 12, 2023) 
* Sooke Selfie: Census 2021 Snapshot (Dec. 21, 2022) 
* Service Agreements: Supporting Sooke Community Organizations (Dec. 12, 2022) 
* #Sooke Gathering Places & Spaces (Dec. 2, 2022) 
* R/x for Sooke Health Care (Nov. 28, 2022) 
* Sooke Lions Centre: Paws & Reflect (Nov. 26, 2022) 
* Years In Review: 2018-22 (Oct. 13, 2022)
* All Candidates Meeting Speaking Notes (Oct. 12, 2022)
* Bathroom Reading: Sooke Sewers (updated: Oct. 8, 2022 & March 29, 2023) 
* Campaign 2022 Q&A Responses (Oct. 5, 2022) 
* OCP Public Hearing Preview (Sept. 27, 2022) 
* Next Step for the Official Community Plan (Sept. 7, 2022) 
* Sparking #Sooke Community Development (Aug. 31, 2022)
* Our Up-Sooke-Sized Building Boom (Aug. 26, 2022)
* Highway 14 Revisited: Summer 2022 Edition (Jul. 22, 2022) 
* BYOB (Bring Your Own Bag) Sooke (May 12, 2022)
* Opening Day + Saga of the Sooke Library (Feb. 25, 2022)
* District 101: Facts & Figures from the Citizen Budget Survey (Nov. 30, 2021)
* Budget 2022 (Nov. 25, 2021)
* Draft OCP: My Appreciative Inquiry (Oct. 20, 2021)
* Addressing Homelessness (Visible, Invisible, Pending) in the Sooke Region (Oct. 15, 2021)
* Help Wanted: Interim Climate Action Coordinator (Oct. 12, 2021)
* OCP Update - Fall 2021 (Sept. 4, 2021)
* Paws In Ponds Corridor (July 26, 2021)
* Proposal: Sooke Lions Community Centre in the Park (July 9, 2021)
* Sooke Elder's Complex (aka Gathering Place) Update (June 21, 2021)
* Back to Basics: Food & Shelter Essentials (June 15, 2021)
* State of Sooke's Youth Nation (March 15, 2021) 
* Climate Action: Link Frenzy! - Sooke, Regional, Provincial, National, Global (Feb. 24, 2021)
* Context for Sooke Climate Action (Feb. 19, 2021)
* Help Wanted: Sooke Committees Update (Jan. 24, 2021) 
* What's Next for Sooke's Evolving Road, Sidewalk and Roundabout Network (Jan. 20, 2021)
* Sooke Fiscal 2021 and the BC Restart Fund (Nov. 22, 2020)
* Team OCP: Introducing the Advisory Committee (Aug. 8, 2020) 
* Parks & Transportation Masterplans (July 13, 2020) 
* Burning Issue: Fire Protection Services Bylaw (May 19, 2020)
* Masterplanning Sooke's Smart Growth: OCP Preview (Dec. 20, 2019) 
* The CRD Share of Your #Sooke Tax Bill (Nov. 13, 2019)
* $$$ (Start of a New Five-Year Financial Plan Cycle) (July 29, 2019)
* Climate Cha-Changes (May 17, 2019)
* Notes from Local Government Leadership Academy Seminars (April 10, 2019)
* Climate Change, Pot Shops and Four Lanes (April 7, 2019)
* Highway 14 Revisited: Spring 2019 Edition (March 29, 2019)
* Timbites Sooke (March 26, 2019) 
* Calling All Monopines: Cell Phone Towers (Jan. 27, 2019)
* Seeking Solutions in Saseenos: Lewers/Driver 2 (Jan. 16, 2019)
* X homes + Y people + Z cars = ? (Dec. 18, 2018)
* Council Report: 5 Hours, 47 Minutes Later (Dec. 6, 2018)
* Fresh Paint, Familiar Refrain for Sooke Road (Nov. 17, 2018)
* Learning Curve: Council Dynamics & Respectful Workplaces: Orientation Session (Nov. 6, 2018)
* Proposal: A Forest and the Trees Bylaw (Oct. 16, 2018)
* Verbateman Answers to the Voice News (Oct. 15, 2018)
* Fire Department Overview (Oct. 15, 2018)
* Me & Ms. Reay (Oct. 14, 2018)
* Quoting Myself: All Candidates Debate (Oct. 12, 2018)
* Lemons = Non-Conforming Lemonade: Lewers/Driver 1 (Oct. 11, 2018)
* Thoughts on the Arts (Oct. 10, 2018)
* Zero Waste Version of My 2018 Brochure (Oct. 8, 2018)
* Campaign 2018: Back to the Blog (Oct. 8, 2018)
* No More Tankers: A National Energy Board Submission (Oct. 4, 2018)
* Tonight @ Council (April 13, 2015)
* My CGI Dreams for Sooke (April 13, 2015)
* It Takes A Community (Nov. 11, 2014)
* Looking Glass: Sooke News Mirror Q&A (Nov. 6, 2014)
* Cycling Forward (Nov. 3, 2014)
* Sooke Voice News Questionnaire (Oct. 29, 2014)
* CFAX Candidates Survey: My Responses (Oct. 20, 2014)
* More on the Subjective Sooke News (Oct. 13, 2014)
* The Good (Oct. 9, 2014)
​* First Thoughts (Oct. 6, 2014) 
​

Update: October 2025
The District is introducing a first Community Service Agreement Policy at the Oct. 20 Committee of the Whole meeting. 
All existing service agreements will continue for their current terms (most through 2027) and then be up for renewal as per the terms of this new policy. See pp. 107-117 in the agenda. 

The policy is part of a new Community Investment Program that will also see updates to the Community Grant and Sponsorship programs.

Traditionally, service agreements as listed below have been awarded over time to the key organizations doing heavy lifting in areas of community life beyond  the scope of legislated municipal responsibility.  

As per a forward-looking organization dedicated to transparency and equitable access to public funds, the proposed new policy  "supports accountability to taxpayers while ensuring community organizations have ample time to adapt to reporting and evaluation approaches, and also work collaboratively with District staff to optimize applications to other funding streams (e.g., Provincial Gaming Grants). This support is intended to balance the operational realities of community organizations with potential adjustments to District service delivery, ensuring a coordinated, sustainable approach to meeting community needs." 

Key features of the draft policy include ... 
* Clear purpose and scope: Applies to service delivery partnerships, not procurement of goods or capital works.
* Defined process: Outlines how service delivery needs are identified and how agreements may be established through either a Call to Fill Services process or a Direct Award when applicable.
* Principles of accountability: Ensures agreements align with Council’s strategic priorities, promote community wellbeing, and uphold fiscal responsibility.
* Transparency and fairness: Establishes criteria for identifying and evaluating potential partners, while providing flexibility to respond to community needs. 

​How will the transition to the new policy be managed? 
The District is looking to take a phased, change-management approach: 
* 2025–2026: Introduce the policy, and update reporting templates. 
* Early 2026: Invite current partners to present annual updates to Council at a Committee of the Whole meeting to highlight outcomes and impacts. 
* 2026 Budget Process: Identify any emerging service needs under the policy. 
* 2027: Transition existing agreements to align with the new policy upon renewal or re-tender." 

September 8, 2025 - New Permissive Tax Exemption Bylaw #930 adopted. See council agenda pp. 151-203
 MOVED by Councillor Megan McMath, seconded by Councillor Tony St-Pierre:
THAT Council give the District of Sooke Permissive Tax Exemption Bylaw No.
930, 2025, first, second and third reading, as outlined in Option 5 of the staff
report, with the exception that the permissive tax exemptions for Below-Market
Rental Housing will be phased out over five years as follows: 100% in 2026;
75% in 2027; 50% in 2028; 25% in 2029; and 0% in 2030. CARRIED

New Sooke Permissive Tax Exemption Policy adopted in May, 2025 (press release) dictates that below-market rental buildings in Sooke are no longer eligible for these exemptions. This applies to the Knox Vision Centre on Church, the M'akola buildings on Drennan and Charters, and any future non-profit housing.

The logic is that the District is facing increasingly heavy costs to deliver services to all of Sooke, these buildings included. This was a tough decision that attempts to address the soaring costs of police and fire services. Non-profit developers will still be attracted through cost-savings measures under Sooke Town Centre Revitalization Bylaw #408 – 2014 which provides a phased tax exemptions from full in year one, increasing to a full assessment in year four and subsequent years. Local governments can waive or lower Development Fees and Charges for non-market housing - Vancouver Island Non-Profit Housing Providers – “implement financial exemptions for non-profit developers – including exemptions from property taxes, development cost charges and municipal improvement obligations.” 


Rough estimate of impacts (my own, unconfirmed): 
* Knox -  $8,616 in 2025 muni taxes ... 42 units at monthly rate = $17 per month extra (prov. taxes of $9k are waived) 
* M'akola - $96,176 in 2025 muni taxes ... 250 units = $32 per month per unit (prov. taxes of $108k are waived) 

* Permissive Tax Exemptions explained (Province of BC, March 2025) 

May 26, 2025 - Community Investment Plan discussion by staff and council. 
See staff report starting on pp. 247 of the regular council agenda 

"What’s Working:
* Strong financial and in-kind support for a wide range of community-led programs.
*Reflects the District’s commitment to building partnerships and supporting local organizations.
​* Responsive to community needs and evolving priorities.

What’s Not Working:
* Fragmented and ad-hoc approach lacks coordination and consistency.
* Administrative burden on staff exceeds the scope of a single full-time role.
* Absence of a unifying policy framework makes it difficult to evaluate impact or align with strategic planning."


2025 Community Grant recipients - District press release, May 16, 2025 
"Twenty-six organizations will receive a total of $106,650 to support a wide range of programs and services."

Funded from the Community Grant Budget

• 1st Sooke Scouts – $3,000
• Circular Farm and Food Society – $1,000
• EMCS Community Cultural Kitchen Program – $3,500
• Friends of the Sooke Parks Society – $4,000
• Royal Canadian Marine Search and Rescue – $2,000
• Sheringham Point Lighthouse Preservation Society – $5,900
• Sooke Basketball Club – $4,000
• Sooke Bike Club – $4,000
• Sooke Community Choir – $2,500
• Sooke Community Radio – $7,000
• Sooke Fall Fair – $7,000
• Sooke Minor Fastball Association – $4,500
• Sooke Region Food Community Health Initiative – $7,000
• Sooke Soccer Club – $2,000
• South Vancouver Island Farmers Institute – $500
• Victoria Native Friendship Centre – $3,000

Funded from the COVID-19 Safe Restart Reserve Fund

• EMCS – Play & Learn Summer Camp – $2,000
• EMCS – Youth for Sooke Engagement Program – $2,000
• Sooke Autism Support Society – $1,000
• Sooke Hospice Society – $7,000
• Sooke Meals on Wheels – $7,000
• Sooke Region Communities Health Network – $2,650
• Sooke Transition House Society – $7,000
• T’Sou-ke First Nation – $2,000
• Wear2Start Society – $2,000

Funded from the Climate Action Initiatives Fund

• Fireweed Learning Commons – $2,000

Funded from Council Contingency

• Fred Milne Park Society – $7,000

Updates: Spring 2024
The District will this year dedicate fully 7.5% ($924k) of the annual municipal budget to Service Agreements ($367k), Community Grants ($101k) and Permissive Tax Exemptions ($457k).

- Sooke Food Bank new service agreement (to be discussed at May 13, 2024 Council meeting; see agenda pp. 271. 

Local data from Food Banks Canada's 2024 Hunger Count
- 8,676 distinct visits made to the Sooke Food Bank in 2023 
- 608 adults and 240 children in Sooke were clients in the March 2024 
- 59 new clients registered in March, 2024 

- Food Bank provides services to ... 
The Sooke Shelter
Meals on Wheels 
Vital Vittles
EMCS school fruit program
Saseenoos Elementary fruit program
Sooke Elementary fruit program
John Muir Elementary fruit program
Journey breakfast and snack programs
Amber Academy snack program

From the minutes of that meeting: 
Kim Kaldal of the Sooke Food Bank presented a request for continued/renewal of their funding for their program. The Presentation/Report included information on: Sooke Food Bank - Community Service Agreement Renewal: Kim Kaldal of the Sooke Food Bank presented a request for continued/renewal of their funding for their program. The Presentation/Report included information on: 
* Requesting new 5 year service agreement; 
* Requesting increase in funding; and 
* General updates including updates on increases in services. 

2024-164 MOVED by Councillor Jeff Bateman, seconded by Councillor Megan McMath: 
THAT Council provide a new agreement for the Sooke Food Bank with a service fee of $50,000 starting in 2024 with the increase in funding from the COVID Restart Reserve until 2027 with annual CPI increases based on the December annual average in Victoria.  CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY


-  2024 Community Grant recipients

- Sooke Permissive Tax Exemptions (see pg. 87 onward in the Annual Report for full list) 

- Sooke Family Resource Society three-year service agreement ($45k annually) focused on youth navigator services and pre-natal counselling - March 11, 2024 (see agenda pp. 19-24)




Original Post: Dec. 12, 2022 
Municipal Monday last week was reserved for a council review and renewal of the District's Community Service Agreements (example), signed for multi-year terms that expire this month. The agenda guided us through reports from seven stalwart organizations who secure a share of their annual budgets from property-owning residents via council.

In 2022, council has responsibility for $574,853 in District funds (from a $31 million operational budget). Service agreements represent about 40% of our annual discretionary cash.

The following were the service agreement participants up for renewal: 

1. Sooke Food Bank 
2. Sooke Region Communities Health Network 
3. Sooke Community Association 
4. Sooke Tourism Association
5. Visitor Information Centre 
6. Sooke Lions Club - Canada Day + Santa Parade 
7. Sooke Region Chamber of Commerce 

One other service agreement not reviewed was a three-year agreement ($30k per year) we approved in the spring with the Sooke Family Resource Society. This supports its Youth Navigator and Adult Counselling programs for vulnerable individuals in need who otherwise could not afford these critical services. Funds for this agreement come from the District's Covid Relief Reserve Fund. 

Staff recommended that a 6.4% CPI index increase based on year-to-year inflation be considered for all service agreements. 

Also under council's budget purview are ... 

* Community Grants Program ($65k, annual application deadline is March 15)
* Permission Tax Exemptions 
* Council contingency fund to cover arising requests and our own initiatives ($60k)
* Funds for our own travel to and attendance at regional, provincial and national conventions ($15k)
* Salary contributions for our valued/vital corporate service support ($126k)
* Line-item annual funding for the Sooke Fine Arts Society, Sooke Philharmonic Society, Sooke Community Arts Council and the Wild Wise (Sooke) Society ($7k each).
* Support for the Primary Health Care Services Working Group ($5k)
* Smaller amounts for Sooke School District's Safe and Healthy Schools program, the Vancouver Island South Film Commission, Need2 Suicide Prevention and Education Support, the Intermunicipal Advisory Committee on Disability Issues (IACDI) and Communities in Bloom
*Funding for special events, namely the Santa parade and Canada Day fireworks and logger-sport events.


​Sooke Food Bank
Council added cost-of-living increase, taking the Food Bank's funding to $27,132. This was for the one-year term the organization requested.  A 12-month renewal will allow the Food Bank to better understand the impacts of both inflation on already vulnerable Sooke families as well as the new town centre BC Housing projects, which are sure to add some new clients. 

Significant news: We learned that the Baptist Church wishes to donate land at the front of its ALR property adjacent to Grace Garden as a new home for the Food Bank. Local builder Roy Anderson is part of the steering committee project team along with Food Bank ED Kim Kaldal and the Baptist Church's Rick Eby and Andy Schell. Council is promised more specifics in the new year.  

- In 2021, as per the Sooke Food Bank Annual Report ... 
- Gave out 3,263 hampers in helping 133 adults and 56 children weekly
- Distributed 134,000 pounds of food at total cost of $257k (stats from 2021 annual report) 
- Donations increased by 29.58% to $240k
- 14% raise in requests for  hampers, anecdotally demand has continued to climb

- Funding sources: Community donations, Food Banks BC ($25k), Food Banks Canada ($35k), the District of Sooke ($35k), BC Gaming grants ($45k). 

- Community initiatives: Christmas Bureau, Santa Run (Sooke Firefighters Association and IAFF Local 4841), the 10,000 Tonight Food Drive (EMCS leadership students), the Meanwhile In Sooke Holiday Food Bank Challenge and multiple others over the years. 

- Community partners/donors/sweet-deal cutters: Parkland Poultry, Grace Gardens at the Baptist Church, Western Foods, Village Foods, Sooke Home Hardware, Fields, Bosleys, Pharmasave, Pemberton Holmes, Coast Capital, CIBC, Kelz Bakery, Sooke 2 For 1 Pizza, Guided Films, Meanwhile in Sooke, the Stick in the Mud, Haldane Homes, Sooke Fax and Coppy, the 17 Mile Pub and other businesses. 

- Good and long overdue news: Food Banks BC now pays (or did?) honorariums to Kim Kaldal Metzger ($12k per year) and Gerry St. Laurent ($3,600 to cover his travel expenses on behalf of the organization)

Cost of Living Realities 
- "Living Wage Jumps 20% in Greater Victoria" - Capital Daily, Nov. 17, 2022 ("The hourly pay necessary for two people to support themselves and two children in Greater Victoria has risen to $24.29 this year") 
- The cost of feeding a family of four has risen by 20% since pandemic according to a survey conducted by Ottawa Public Health  
- Statistics Canada: Since late 2021, price increases for food sold in stores, measured on a year-over-year basis, have outpaced headline consumer inflation, growing faster than 10% in August, September and October 2022. In September 2022, yearly price increases for food purchased in stores (11.4%) rose at the fastest pace since 1981, remaining elevated in October (+11.0%).


Sooke Region Communities Health Network
SRCHN will return in January with a revised request in seeking an increase to $50k (from $24,355).  This would cover a demonstrated need for increased staffing (currently 1.4 FTE) and rental costs for office space at the Knox Centre. (Staffing and operational costs are typically not covered by third-party grants, which SRCHN is a proven master at securing.) To date, the District has matched funds granted through Island Health. 

SRCHN is doing intense heavy lifting for the District while taking the lead on major #Sooke needs: 

- Planning and coordination for a Community Health & Urgent Care Centre in southeast quadrant of Lot A
- Fundraising, project management for the Gathering Place intergenerational centre and seniors housing on Lot A
- Volunteer education and engagement with assistance available to all Sooke volunteer groups
- Delivery of services (i.e., Better At Home) to Sooke's most vulnerable populations, including youth and isolated seniors. 

SRCHN's primary budget items:
- Programs ($152k per year) 
- Seniors Bus ($110k per year) 

Visit the agenda for its Sept. 2022 annual report (pp. 43-61). It cites ongoing work on the above plus ... 
- Sooke region volunteers and resources
- Better At Home program
- Seasonal Free Tax Clinic
- Sooke Region Lifelong Learning
- Seniors Centre Without Walls 
- Sooke Region Women's Cancer Group
- Age-Friendly, Mental Health & Addictions, Fundraising and Executive/Finance committees 


Sooke Community Association 
Council approved a $5k increase in the five-year agreement. Community Hall operating costs have increased in recent years re: custodial services and heat/hydro as the SCA continues to offer no-or-low cost rentals to multiple groups using the space. (See agenda pp. 15-17 for a summary provided by SCA President Dean Haldane.) 

- Annual operating costs of the hall paid by the SCA are $60k. Community Hall improvements in recent years: new carpeting in lower hall areas; repainting of interior walls; refinishing of non-carpeted flooring; new chairs for facility users; upgrades to fire-suppression equipment in downstairs kitchen.  

- Future upgrades: renovation of washrooms, replacement of elevator, exterior siding and windows.

-  Schedule A requirement: "Provide several local non-profit community groups, including the District of Sooke, witih the space, either rent-free or below market value, at the Commuity Hall located at 2039 Shields Road."  SCA provides space at no charge or reduced rental rate to Meals On Wheels, Contact Loan Cupboard, Sooke Food Bank, Sooke Lions Club, Sooke Harbourside Lions, Amber Academy, Sooke Salmon Enhancement, Seniors Bridge and Bus Club, Sooke Fall Fair, Sooke Soccer Club, Sooke Martial Arts and community organizations booking the hall.


Sooke Region Tourism Association 
Council renewed SRTA's five-year service agreement with a cost-of-living bump to $26,614 per year.

SRTA's Vice-President Daniel Baker of Sooke-based Guided Films shared that he has met recently with the District's Community Economic Development Officer with the goal of fast-tracking Sooke participation in the Municipal and Regional District Tax program. A per-night stipend (2% or 3% of the bill) on hotel and Air B&B visitors would, it's said, provide Sooke with a low six-figure annual budget for tourism destination marketing.

Mayor Milne's "Promote Sooke" Task Force, chaired by then-Councillor Tait, first prioritized what was then known as the Additional Hotel Room Tax (AHRT) as a top wish when it began meeting in April, 2013.  The 2021/22 Community Economic Development Committee was mandated to, among other objectives, "complete Municipal and Regional Destination Tax (MRDT) application" and "develop a tourism strategy for Sooke." These objectives have been rolled into the Sooke Community Economic Development Strategy and Action Plan (2021). 

SRTA's 2022 membership list features 55 local businesses, accommodation providers, restaurants and local organizations, the District included. Membership dues ($7,300) are SRTA's one revenue source apart from the District grant. 

SRTA produces the regional flat map distributed at the Visitor Information Centre and local accommodations. It also produces a Visitor Guide, does social media promotion of the region and enters into co-op partnerships with other regional tourism groups. In 2023, it plans to rebrand itself from the current "Sooke to Port Renfrew" to a more on-point "Sooke Tourism" and will proceed with events and promotional activities over the year. 


Visitor Information Centre 
Council approved the request to add $20k to the VC's service agreement, taking it to $53k annually.  This funding will increase staffing hours; enable a mobile info service that can be rolled out to community events, the Potholes, the town centre and elsewhere; and deliver enhanced social media and online services (live chat, virtual assistants).  Successful pursuit of the Municipal Regional Destination Tax will provide future funding for the VC as a full-scale destination marketing office for the region. 

- Operated by the Sooke Region Historical Society. Staffed and based out of the Sooke Region Museum since the early 1980s and recognized by Destination BC as Sooke's official visitor information centre. 

- States the VC report: "The District of Sooke receives significant added value and benefits operating the VC from the Museum. There would be a much higher cost to operate a VC as a stand-alone operation, or from within the DOS."


​Sooke Region Chamber of Commerce
Council approved request for $30,698.00 for 2023, with annual increases to adjust for inflation.

The revitalized Chamber renewed a service agreement with the District in 2019 and has been active ever since in remarkably creative, productive fashion while delivering member services and helping businesses ride out the pandemic.  In meeting its Schedule A obligations, the Chamber ...  

1. Relaunched the Newcomer's Club, a minimum of 5 meetings per year with groups of up to 35 participants. 

2. Free and affordable business courses. The monthly Chamber Newsletter lists low-cost and free online courses. The Chamber also offers in-person courses, including an Indigenous Cultural Training last year and a Dis/Misinformation course recently. 

3. Annual business survey (2022 edition) to gather #Sooke business perspectives and metrics 

4. Continued networking and support services available to all Sooke businesses regardless of membership status. 

5. Promotion of District initiatives, meetings, survey call-outs, etc. 

6. Alliance with other Sooke community groups, including SRTA, WorkLink BC and the South island Prosperity Project. 

Combined, the tangible services result in about 900 hours of effort and include the work from our single staff person, our team of volunteers (four), and our Board of Directors (8 in 2022, and may increase to 12 in 2023). The hourly cost for these services would amount to $34.11, and would include human effort, office space, materials, equipment, and more.

Updates - October 2025

Integrated Health Care Centre on Lot A
Progress reported in this Aug. 11  press release from the District.  <clip> "Catalyst Community Developments Society is the successful proponent to develop the proposed health centre and housing project at 6651 Wadams Way. Catalyst is a BC-based non-profit developer and operator of rental housing and community servicing spaces. Catalyst has a proven track record of delivering high-quality health care spaces and housing co-located together in one building. The proposed six-storey, mixed-use building will include 80 rental apartment homes (30% of which will be rented at 20% below market rates), a health centre and additional medical services space. This innovative project will integrate rental housing affordable for middle-income households with integrated health services to support the needs of the Sooke community." 

* Now patiently awaiting word from the BC Ministry of Health re: annual operational funding and staffing for the health centre. (Example: Aug. 2024 announcement of the Cowichan Urgent Primary Care Centre in Duncan, a 10k sq. ft space for family physicians, nurse practitioners, registered nurses, social workers, mental-health clinicians and clinical support staff.)  Scroll down this page for details as announced by the Province on March 16, 2023. Since then, of course, a disruptive new us president is waging a trade war, BC's debt has ballooned, and the Province is tightening staffing and its financial belt in the face of "fiscal headwinds" and a possible recession. 

* Most UPCCs operate from 8 AM to 8 PM year-round. Guidelines as per our nearest UPCC at 582 Goldstream Ave. in Langford: 

"Do you have a health concern that needs attention but isn’t an emergency? You can visit this clinic with these conditions, which should be seen within 12 to 24 hours:
​
Common Illnesses

• Coughs, colds, sore throat
• Ear infections
• Urinary tract infections (also available through pharmacy)
• Allergic reactions or asthma (if you have trouble breathing, call 911)
• Skin conditions (rashes, skin irritation, minor wounds or itchy spots)
• Stomach pain, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and constipation
• Minor illnesses, fevers or infections in children
• Infections or abscesses
• Mental health concerns such as low mood, anxiety and depression

Minor Injuries

• Sprains and strains
• Stitches for cuts
• Suture removal
• Stabilizing you for hospital transport if needed

Reproductive and Sexual Health

• Pregnancy testing and options
• STI testing and treatment
• Support and care after sexual assault" 

* Seven UPCCs currently operate in the Island Health region: Westshore, Nanaimo, North Quadra (Victoria), James Bay, Downtown Victoria, Esquimalt and Gorge Road. 

The Gathering Place 
- Included here since shared spaces are critical for personal and collective health and wellbeing ...
 Update from Sooke Region Communities Health Network, July 2025 

<clip> "SRCHN originally envisioned a project that included 75 subsidized rental apartments for seniors with an integrated seniors’ drop-in centre to be built on Wadams Way’s Lot A, which is owned by the District of Sooke.  BC Housing was to provide the funding for the housing part of the project as well as provide a contribution to partially fund the seniors’ centre portion of the project. Unfortunately, prior to project approval BC Housing changed the project funding rules. This meant the seniors’ centre portion would cost an estimated $5.1 million. The SRCHN Board realized raising that amount of money for the seniors’ centre was not realistic.

SRCHN presented the District of Sooke with a more cost-effective option for the seniors’ centre to be built on Lot A. We proposed a stand-alone single story seniors’ centre with a threshold target for fundraising at $2 million. We requested that Sooke council approve in principle the construction of a Seniors Drop-In Centre as a stand-alone building on Lot A. Having land on which to build the centre is a critical component of our fund-raising strategy." 

Council received this request in-camera and it remains a priority now that the approved Development Permit for SRCHN's original proposal has lapsed and the full $250k in public funding for the project has been spent.

One critical mitigating factor is the size of the footprint on Lot A that will be required for the health centre. As stated above, the District provided an update on this BC Builds project in a press release dated Aug. 11, 2025. 

Foundry BC
* A Sooke satellite office of The Foundry West Shore to be based in Langford is on track for 2027. Led by Thrive Social Services, it will offer mental health and addiction counselling, physical and sexual health care, and peer support to youth and young adults aged 12-24. Foundries are a proven model already established in 16 communities across BC.

An exceptionally good application and the realities of a growing West Shore population ensured we were part of the next wave of these centres announced by the Province in March, 2024. Sooke's office (location TBD) will be a "spoke" of the Langford HQ, currently planned to be a 10,000 square foot space ideally near the new RRU Langford/John Horgan Campus and with adjoining office space for other youth-serving non-profits. Also in the plan is an affiliated Port Renfrew office.

The development team is led by former Island Health veteran Kathy Easton in collaboration with Thrive's Scott Bradford.  Thrive's Leadership Advisory Circle includes reps from Island Health, the Ministry of Child and Family Development, indigenous nations and local governments, The Village Initiative, two individuals with lived experience as youth with mental health or substance use issues, one individual as a parent/guardian of an impacted young person, and a representative from Foundry BC. I've been representing Sooke at these meetings, moved and highly impressed by the vision and work of all involved in their dedication to helping vulnerable young people meet their challenges and find their feet in these frankly insane times. 

* Foundry West Shore-Sooke Briefing Document + FAQ 
* Foundry Impact Report 2023/24 
* Foundry Service Model Guide (2024) 
* Thrive Resource Page 
* Foundry BC Virtual Services

* "Celebrating a decade of youth health care at Foundry" - St. Paul's Foundation, Vancouver 2025 

SKA'PEȽ I'SOT ALEṈ T'Sou-ke Community Complex and Health Centre
- T'Sou-ke Nation announcement upon centre's Sept. 15 opening. <clip> "The CCHC serves as a cornerstone for community life with a spacious hall for large gatherings and community events, a fully equipped kitchen for providing meals and training opportunities, and several meeting and community rooms to conduct business and host community activities. The building is home to the Nation’s administration, children and families, health, and lands and environment departments. A key highlight of the CCHC features brand new doctors’ offices and laboratory and medical equipment required to provide holistic health services to T’Sou-ke community members. It provides a well-equipped space to deliver programs to address the physical, emotional, spiritual, and mental health needs of the community ... The Community Complex and Health Centre stands as a powerful testament to the T’Sou-ke Nation’s strength, resilience, and vision. It will serve not only as a place for governance and health, but also as a vibrant heart of culture, learning, and connection for generations to come." 

- News Mirror coverage of opening
​- T'Sou-ke website health centre page 
- "$14m T'Sou-ke Nation Centre Takes Inspiration From Sooke River" - Journal of Commerce 


Ayre Manor Seniors' Housing 
Expansion Plans for a new 56-bed wing (2012) at Ayre Manor stalled in 2017 but Island Health recognizes that Sooke needs more long-term care beds. Sooke currently provides 40 beds per thousand people over the age of 75 in our community. This ratio is well below the current provincial average of 58 beds/thousand (and well short of the 77 beds/thousand in 2015).  

[As of the 2021 census, there are 2,215 individuals aged 65+ in Sooke, with 880 of them aged 75+.  Ayre Manor operates 31 long-term (complex care) rooms in addition to its 25 assisted living units and 18 independent living cottages. It's recommended that future residents file applications at least two years prior to anticipated occupancy.]
 
In recent years Colwood, Nanaimo/Lantzville and Campbell River have had the lowest such ratios on Vancouver Island, and it was those three communities that received funding in 2023 for new long-term care facilities due to open in 2027. We're among the communities next on the list for new beds, Island Health's VP of Community Clinical Operations & Support Programs James Hanson acknowledged at a UBCM meeting arranged by Sooke council. He intends to work with Ayre Manor to develop a business plan that could logically be based on the shovel-ready plans developed a decade ago. 

Ayre Manor qualifies as a "campus of care" given that it "provides a range of housing, meals, support and care options, including independent living, assisted living and residential care." (see Ministry of Health page on residential care options). The website Senior Care Access explores why these "continuing care retirement communities" or "continuum-of-care environments" are so effective.  

BC's Seniors' Advocate Dan Levitt pointed out the urgent future needs for new beds provincially in a report titled From Shortfall to Crisis: Growing Demand for Long-Term Care Beds In BC that his office released this summer. <clip> "Over the past ten years, the waitlist for long-term care in B.C. has ballooned. Between 2016 and 2025, the number of people waiting to be admitted to long-term care rose from 2,381 to 7,212, an increase of 200%. The provincial average wait time has grown by 98% over the past eight years, from 146 days in 2018, the first year data was collected, to 290 days in 2025." Levitt renewed his concerns in a recent Times Colonist article. ​

- Seniors' Advocate: Long-Term Care and Assisted Living Directory 2024
<clip> "The British Columbia Long-Term Care and Assisted Living Directory contains information on 298 long-term care facilities that have 28,364 publicly-subsidized beds, 112 facilities (9,250 beds) are operated directly by a health authority and 186 facilities (19,114 beds) are operated by a contractor (for profit or not-for-profit) with funding from a health authority."  Includes data on wait times and quality-of-care indicators. 

Advocate's report page includes ... 
* Annual Report 2024/25 
* Aging Matters: Listening to BC Seniors (June 2024) + PDF 
* Reframing Ageing: British Columbians' Thoughts on Ageism (March 2025) + PDF 
* Resourceful and Resilient: Challenges Facing BC's Rural Seniors (Feb. 2024) + PDF 

[Following council's meeting with Levitt at the 2024 UBCM convention, I invited him on a Sooke tour this spring that featured stops at the Food Bank, Meals on Wheels, the Contact Loan Cupboard, Ayre Manor and the library, where SRCHN reps shared their work on the Gathering Place and Community Health Centre. Cllrs. Pearson and St-Pierre attended alongside reps from all these organizations.  Levitt expressed strong support for these grassroots, largely volunteer-driven initiatives. Writing after the fact, he said: "I was very impressed with the array of services offered for seniors and the dedication of many people involved in serving older persons. Sooke is exemplary in offering seniors with the supports needed to age with dignity in a community that truly values older adults."]


The Village Initiative: Sooke/Westshore 
Launched by SD 62's tireless and inspiring Healthy Schools, Healthy Communities Coordinator Cindy Andrew in 2020, The Village Initiative (TVI)  is "is an inter-disciplinary network of more than 70 organizations sharing a commitment to the vision of healthy and thriving children, youth, and families across the Sooke and West Shore communities ... it recognizes that their health and wellbeing is best supported through an all-hands-on-deck approach – a Village."  

* 2024 Annual Report and Looking Ahead to 2025
- Current priority: Securing stable, three-year or more funding for a full-time TVI coordinator from regional local governments and other partners as recommended by the organization's Municipal Leaders Advisory Team. This team includes elected reps from Sooke, Langford, Colwood, Metchosin, the JDF Electoral Area, SD #62, Island Health and the Community Social Planning Council, among others. (I'm Sooke's representative on behalf of Mayor Tait.) 

Sooke-based TVI members include the District of Sooke, Rotary Club of Sooke, SEAPARC, Sea to Tree Health and Wellness, Sooke Family Resource Society, Sooke Food Bank, Sooke Region Communities Health Network, Sooke School District, Sooke Shelter Society, Vancouver Island Regional Library and WorkLink Employment Society. See the complete list here. 

Upcoming events
- Third Annual Child and Youth Service Providers Networking Event (speed-date format, Oct. 16, 2 PM at City Centre Park in Langford + participating organizations include EMCS Society, Sea to Tree, SEAPARC and Sooke Family Resource Society. 
- Child & Youth Mental Health Conference - Nov. 20/21 at Royal Roads University + conference program 

A recent TVI membership survey revealed the following results that align with TVI's priorities: 

"What’s Working … 
~ Cross-sectoral networking and relationship development that involves the public, private and non-profit sectors.
~ Convening events like the Art of the Possible, annual gathering of Child & Youth Service Providers, Youth Health Symposium (Adolescent Health Survey) enable members to come together to learn about the latest data impacting their work, exchange views and share solutions which benefit community.
~ Community of Practice for frontline service providers.
~ Serving as a catalyst in helping to develop a Foundry model to serve our unique region.
 
What’s Not … 
~ Whether it’s enabling cross-sectoral collaborations or finding more affordable, accessible and appropriate programming spaces, Village network members need help to move from ideas to concrete actions. 
~ Most network organizations lack the extra leadership bandwidth to coordinate new opportunities, so work needs to be done to provide the organizational capacity to support meaningful action.
~ 61% of survey respondents are concerned about the financial sustainability of their community service organizations."

- Project Plan for Sooke-Westshore Shared Space Network and System (March, 2022)
- Space survey results (2021)
- See full list with links of member organizations at end of this post 
​- Sooke/Westshore Community Health Profile (2022) 

​
Saunders Family Foundation 
Work is underway to develop a Sooke Region Resilience Plan as coordinated by Dave Saunders, health care consultant Valerie Nicol (South Island Division of Family Practice, South Island Primary Care Network) and West Plan Consulting Group's Mark Holland following an initial community meeting in December, 2024. This is being done independently of the District. I was invited to sit in on a small group online meeting in the spring and await word about what's next. 

- Recruiting and Retaining Healthcare Workers - Island Social Trends, June 12, 2024
- Developing a Sooke Region Resilience Plan - Sooke News Mirror, Dec. 10, 2024

- The Foundation's Healthy West Shore initiative has led to publication of its Playbook and Toolkit encouraging municipalities to support healthcare and emergency workers in BC communities. BC Health Minister Josie Osborne noted at the UBCM conference this year that the Ministry is endorsing this work and will be urging local governments to explore its recommendations. 
- Local Government Community Healthcare Support Policies for Consideration 
- Creating a Municipal Healthcare Committee 
- Community Healthcare Support Pilot Project (2022) 


Miscellaneous 
* Carol Fenton has been appointed Chief Medical Officer for Island Health's South Island region, replacing retiree Dr. Murray Fyfe + Medical officers across province (listing as of June 2024)

* Minister of Health Josie Osborne appointed Nov. 18, 2024 + mandate letter from Premier Eby​

* Bill 19 introduced in legislature on Oct. 7 
- Legislation Would Let School District's Provide Child Care - Times Colonist (Oct. 8) 

* Sooke is part of the Western Communities Primary Care Network ~ "a community-based network of health care professionals and clinics who plan and deliver the health care needs of a community." + listing of associated clinics (includes West Coast Family Medical Clinic) 

* Better At Home website, Sooke region services through SRCHN  ~ "Helping older adults with simple non-medical, day-to-day tasks so that they can continue to live independently in their own homes and remain connected to their communities. United Way British Columbia Healthy Aging administers the Better at Home program throughout BC, supporting over 85 non-profit organizations who deliver Better at Home in over 260 communities. This community-based approach ensures that local agencies are responding to local needs." 

* Trendsetting first: City of Colwood's municipally funded The Colwood Clinic at 346 Latoria Dr. opened in Feb. 2025 with family physicians recruited and employed by the City itself + CBC news story + Victoria News update, June 2025 + CBC interview with Mayor Doug Kobayashi 

* Province of BC international doctor recruitment program through the Provincial Health Services Authority + Province secures 780 applications in two months from qualified US physicians (July 2025 Ministry press release) 

* Emergency room closures across the Province remain a top concern. Between 2023 and mid-April 2025, BC ERs were closed for over 16,453 hours, with 29 of the province's 77 ERs experiencing at least one unplanned closure. Encouraging news from the Minister of Health: There's been a 37% reduction in closures this year compared with 2024. Keeping ERs open is a top provincial priority. 

* Island Health, as directed by Province, has reducing its expenditures by 1% while cutting 117 non-contract jobs from its roster of 2,500 such employees - Times Colonist, July, 29, 2025 

* United Nations: "More than 1 billion people are living with mental health disorders, according to new data released by the World Health Organization (WHO), with conditions such as anxiety and depression inflicting immense human and economic tolls." (Not sure if these reports was released before or after a certain malevolent, blowhard us president’s toxic address to the assembly).  + World Health Today annual report + Mental Health Atlas 2024 

* The BC Ministry of Mental Health and Addictions updated its resource page on Sept. 25 ... links to emergency call lines and counselling services for youth and adults. 

Recent Reports 
Healthy Aging CORE BC resource page (updated frequently) 

* The Real Face of Men's Health - UBC and Movember Institute of Men's Health (Sept. 25, 2025) + PDF 
* National Volunteer Action Strategy - Volunteer Canada (July 2025) 
* Understanding the Factors Driving the Epidemic of Social Isolation - Canadian National Institute of Aging 
* Elements for the Successful Community Engagement with Older Adults - Healthcare Excellence Canada (2025) 
* Navigating Home Care and Seniors Housing - Seniors First BC (Aug. 2025) 
* Aging In Place Toolkit - United Way British Columbia (July 2025) 
* From Loneliness to Social Connection - World Health Organization (June 30, 2025) + Plain Language Summary 
* Elder's Guide 2nd Edition - BC First Nations Health Authority (Aug. 2024) 
* Benefits Wayfinder: A Tool for Low and Modest-Income Citizens - Prosper Canada (2025) 
* Greater Victoria Hoarding Education and Action Team Infographic - Island Health (June, 2025) 
​* Changemaker Wellbeing Index - Future For Good (2025) 
* World Happiness Report 2025 - Oxford University 
* BC Summit on Aging 2024 Final Report - United Way BC (Nov. 2024) 
* Enabling Aging In Place - Better At Home Program Promising Practices - United Way 
* Malnutrition in Canada - Canadian Malnutrition Task Force (Oct. 2024) 
* Sharing Our Space: A Toolkit for Developing Intergenerational Spaces - Generations United (2024) + Toolkit
* United Way Healthy Aging Reports Archive

Mental Health 
* The Attention Economy - Centre for Humane Technology 
* My Social Truth - website with youth submissions detailing "the biggest challenges young people are facing on social media platforms that profit from our outrage, confusion, addiction and depression." 
​* United Nations report on the Attention Economy 
​* Information Overload - The Decision Laboratory biggest challenges young people are facing on social media platforms that profit from our outrage, confusion, addiction, and depressio



Updates - October 2024
* BC Health Coalition ~ BC Election 2024 -  A Platform for Public Health Care
- Primary issues: anti-privatization, primary health care reform, seniors’ care. 
- “Six Solutions” infographic (Oct. 2024) 
​
April 29, 2024 - BC Builds program to pair CHC/UPCC with middle-income affordable (CMHC definition) housing
- SRCHN announcement + District of Sooke press release 
- Public Opportunity Notice – Sooke
- Video of the May 9, 2024 BC Builds Housing Development Opportunity presentation led by Lisa Helps 
​
November 1, 2023 District press release re: new Standing Committee on Community Health Care featuring three members of the Sooke Region Communities Health Network (SRCHN) and Council appointees Beddows, McMath and Pearson. 
 
May 2023: SRCHN releases its Mental Health, Substance Use and Addictions report authored by consultant Hermione Jefferis. See the four-page summary and the full report. Conclusions and recommendations on pp. 51-53. One disturbing finding: "Sooke Region’s community members, youth especially, are experiencing higher rates of depression and mood and anxiety disorders than the rest of BC.” 


March 16, 2023: Red letter day!  
New Integrated Health Care Centre Coming to Sooke (BC Ministry of Health press release) 

"Improving access to health-care services for people in B.C. is a key priority for our government. This centre will be critical to meeting the health-care needs of people living in Sooke and surrounding areas, now and in the future, and I am proud that people in the region will soon benefit from being able to access the care they need, close to home." - Premier John Horgan, MLA, Langford-Juan de Fuca  

“Approval of the proposed community health centre/urgent primary care centre is fantastic news for Sooke! The proposed health centre will undoubtedly increase access to primary-care services for people living in Sooke and the surrounding communities. A big thanks to Mayor Maja Tait for initiating discussions between the District of Sooke, Island Health, the Sooke Region Communities Health Network, and the Sooke family physicians that ultimately led to the development of this proposal; to the volunteers of the Sooke Region Communities Health Network who did all the hard work in drafting the proposal; and to the Honourable John Horgan, who was willing to listen to our concerns and advocate on our behalf for improving the delivery of primary health services in Sooke.” - Dr. Anton Rabien, West Coast Family Medical Clinic

"Today’s announcement is a culmination of the work of many people who remained steadfast to ensure the residents of Sooke have access to the health-care services they deserve. Thank you to all project partners, including the Province of British Columbia, Island Health, the Sooke Region Communities Health Network, the Primary Health Care Service Working Group, and the doctors and care providers of the West Coast Family Medical Clinic, who, through collaboration and innovation, are working together to ensure our residents have access to medical services closer to home.” - Mayor Maja Tait 


Original post: Nov. 28, 2022
The Mayor will be in Ottawa for Federation of Canadian Municipalities meetings next week, and I've been enlisted to be her stand-in at a meeting involving the Island Health Board of Directors and representatives from the Sooke Region Communities Health Network, Sooke Shelter Society and West Coast Family Medical Clinic, among others. 

This will be followed by an Island Health public information session at the Community Hall from 2:30 to 4 PM on Thurs. Dec. 8. All are welcome as per this invitation: 

- Get an update on health and care delivery from Island Health President & CEO Kathy MacNeil and meet local Island Health leaders.
- Meet your local Medical Health Officer, Dr. Murray Fyfe, for an update on public health and wellness.
- Enjoy a presentation from local Island Health staff and community organizations.
- Have your questions answered. Questions can be submitted in advance by emailing [email protected] or asked by those attending the in-person event.

At time likes this, of necessity, interest and the fact that I'm a relative know-nothing on the subject, I do what I always do: Pull all that's health-themed from my groaning file cabinets, pepper Google with inquiries and trust I'll reach some fake-it/make-it degree of armchair knowledge by the time I'm required to say a few words on behalf of the boss next week. 

The critical need identified long ago and very much front-and-centre now: A hybrid Community Health Centre/Urgent Primary Care Centre for the Sooke region. Outside of limited weekday hours, residents without their own local doctors and sometimes even so must trek a half-hour to the west shore when emergencies strike, braving unpredictable traffic in the process. CHC's continue to open in BC, including this clinic in Colwood. Ours would provide significantly expanded quarters for the West Coast Family Medical Clinic team of physicians, nurses and nurse practitioners now operating from its current Evergreen Mall location. They'd be joined by an additional cohort of health-care professionals who'd provide emergency services. 

The District has reserved the southeast quadrant of the nearby Lot A for this purpose (as per this paragraph from the 2019 Lot A Charette final report: "5-or-6-storey Health Centre with limited-size independent commercial retail units on the base and market housing units on the upper floors. This quadrant would include an underground parking component  ... conceived as a wood-frame building with a total floor area of approximately 7,000m2.")  That's the concept, which would be subject to variation based on real-world negotiations as the Sooke-owned property is integrated with the rest of Evergreen Mall (owned by Guelph-based Skyline Group of Companies.) 

Dedicated planning and advocacy work by the District's Primary Health Care Services Working Group (PHCSWG) has kept this vision on the front-burner with Island Health and the Ministry, and there it remains. Meeting routinely, the group pairs the Mayor, local physicians, reps from the Sooke Region Communities Health Network (SRCHN) and other health professionals. 

The CHC/UPCC project on Lot A is being coordinated by SRCHN's Mary Dunn, Rick Robinson and Annemieke Holthuis  with Island Health, BC Association of Community Health Centres, West Coast Family Medical Clinic and West Communities Patient Care Network. West Coast Family Medical Clinic would be based in this space, which would be governed by SRCHN, a registered charity.  

No wonder our MLA John Horgan is reputed to have said: "There is no community better prepared for this than Sooke." May it be so! 

More on the proposed facility ... 

"SRCHN’s work with West Coast Family Medical Clinic, the District of Sooke, Island Health, and the BC Association of Community Health Centres resulted in successful approval of our preliminary proposal for a Community Health Centre/Urgent Primary Care Centre in Sooke. We are currently working on the final proposal. The success of this proposal will allow us to work with a developer to build a new CHC/UPCC. The transitioning of West Coast Family Medical Clinic and addition of more staff will allow more access to urgent and ongoing medical care for Sooke residents." ~ SRCHN President Mary Dunn in the organization's 2022 Annual Report 

"In contrast to solo practitioner models, Community Health Centres offer high-quality primary care through a collaborative team approach. Social workers, family physicians, nurse practitioners, nurses, dietitians, chiropodists, dental hygienists, therapists and other clinicians provide services in a team environment, based on patient needs. Community Health Centres integrate team-based primary care with health promotion programs, illness prevention programs, community health initiatives and social services focused on housing, food security and other inputs for health. This reduces silos and makes services more accessible. CHCs exemplify the World Health Organization’s definition and recommendations for “primary health care”. A SRCHN working group has been established to explore partnerships to advance the build of a much needed CHC in our semi-rural community." 

The BC Association of Community Health Centre's defines a CHC as "multi-sector health and healthcare organizations that deliver integrated, people-centred services and programs that reflect the needs and priorities of the diverse communities they serve. CHCs are created by not-for-profit organizations and co-operatives that are committed to providing comprehensive, accessible, affordable, and culturally-appropriate services through a collaborative team approach."

***************************************************************
​
The following is another hodge-podge of live links and direct quotations compiled for my education and reference. It's been a particularly useful and revealing exercise to chronicle the many, if by no means all, steps, forums, reports, motions and day-long workshops undertaken by so many in Sooke since incorporation who've organized and advocated for improved local health care.  

And yes, this subject doesn't vie with housing as the public's leading concern without good reason. This recent CBC town hall is as good a context-setter as any. Or read The Tyee's 2022 reporting here, here and here. 

Province of BC  
BC Ministry of Health 
"The Ministry of Health has overall responsibility for ensuring that quality, appropriate, cost effective and timely health services are available for all British Columbians."
- Medical Services Plan 
- Pharmacare 
- HealthLink BC (Call 811 for 24/7 health advice) 

- Primary and Community Care in BC: A Strategic Policy Framework (2015) 

BC Ministry of Mental Health & Addictions 
"The Ministry of Mental Health and Addictions was created in 2017 to build a seamless, coordinated network of mental health and addictions services that works for everyone in B.C., as well as lead the response to the toxic drug crisis."
​- A Pathway to Hope: 2018-28 ~ "This new strategy lays out government’s 10-year vision for mental health and substance use care, in which people living in B.C.’s mental health and well-being are supported from youth to adulthood and programs and services are available to tackle challenges early on."
- 2020 Update/Progress Report 
- Canadian Mental Health Association BC 2020-21 Annual Report 

BC Ministry of Children and Family Development
"The Ministry of Children and Family Development’s primary focus is to support all children and youth in British Columbia to live in safe, healthy and nurturing families and be strongly connected to their communities and culture. The ministry supports the well-being of children, youth and families in British Columbia by providing services that are accessible, inclusive, and culturally respectful."
- Annual Service Plan Report 2022 
- Mandate Letter 

Age-Friendly BC Program 
- Tools and Resources
- Becoming An Age-Friendly Community (2014, PDF) 
- Age-Friendly BC: Lessons Learned (2007-2010)

Federal Government
"The federal Minister of Health is responsible for maintaining and improving the health of Canadians. This is supported by the Health Portfolio which comprises Health Canada, the Public Health Agency of Canada, the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, the Patented Medicine Prices Review Board and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency." 
​- Wikipedia 

First Nations Health Authority
"The FNHA is the health and wellness partner to over 200 diverse First Nations communities and citizens across BC.​ In 2013, the FNHA began a new era in BC First Nations health governance and health care delivery by taking responsibility for the programs and services formerly delivered by Health Canada."
- Governance model 
- 2020/21 Annual Report 


Vancouver Island: South Island 
Island Health 
"Through a network of hospitals, clinics, centres, health units, and residential facilities, Island Health provides health care to people on Vancouver Island, on the islands of the Georgia Strait, and in the mainland communities between Powell River and Rivers Inlet."  The authority covers four overall regions on Vancouver Island and the mainland. 

- Services offered and specialty clinic locations 
- Island Health President & CEO Kathy MacNeil
- Island Health Board of Directors
- Island Health ED, Clinical Service Delivery Sarah Crawford-Bohl 
- Medical Health Officer (Population & Public Health) Dr. Murray Fyfe 
- Medical staff website portal 
- Clinical Operations org chart (region including Sooke) 

- Local Health Area Profile: The Western Communities (2019 profile) are one of 14 health areas under Island Health's watch as defined by the Ministry of Health. Ours is comprised of Sooke, Langford, Colwood, Metchosin and Highlands. 
- Community Health Facts: Westshore and Sooke (2013) 

- Island Health Facebook page (notable at the moment for the chain of messages about temporary service disruptions at clinics in Port Hardy, Ladysmith and Chemainus due to a lack of physicians.)

Primary Care Network Steering Committee
(co-chaired by Sooke's Dr. Robin Saunders, who also co-chairs Partners for Better Health) 

South Island Division of Family Practice
- West shore and Sooke recruitment page 
- FETCH (For Everything That's Community Health) online listing of 2,200 resources in Greater Victoria (physicians, medical specialists, substance use/addiction, seniors, mental health counselling, low-income support, etc.) 


Sooke and Region 
(scan down for an overview of past initiatives and events leading to the present situation) 

T'Sou-ke Nation Health Care Centre 
- T'Sou-ke Nation Health
- New Community Care Centre Will Deliver Better Health Care to the T'Sou-ke Nation (Ministry of Municipal Affairs)
- T'Sou-ke Community Hall and Health Centre (Urban Arts Architecture) + TC article 

West Coast Family Medical Clinic, Sooke  
The busy Evergreen Mall base for medical care in Sooke. Created in the 2011 merger of Evergreen Medical Clinic and Harbour Medical Clinic. It is home to ten doctors, one nurse practitioner, a social worker, a dietitian and three registered nurses. Together they deliver family practice basics and collectively cover a diverse range of specialities: Maternity care, neurology, chronic pain management, oncology, cancer care, addictions, chronic pain, palliative care, chronic disease management and primary health care included. You'll find bios and individual skill sets/responsibilities for the 16-person-strong team here. 

- "Sooke's Creative Approach to Health Care" (Black Press, May 5, 2022)

* Vacancy notice: Nurse Practitioner (shared here since it explains the position) 
"West Coast Family Medical is looking for a Nurse Practitioner to fill a temporary one year term. In this sub-contracted position the nurse practitioner works within a Primary Care Network and, together with other members of an interprofessional care team, provides full scope team-based primary care for a panel of patients.

The nurse practitioner is responsible and accountable for the comprehensive assessment of patients/ clients/ residents including diagnosing diseases, disorders and conditions. The Nurse practitioner initiates treatment including health care management, therapeutic interventions and prescribes medications in accordance with the statutory and regulatory standards, limits and conditions, policy and guidelines. The Nurse Practitioner provides professional guidance to students and other health professionals and practices autonomously and interdependently within the context of an interdisciplinary health care team, making referrals to physicians and others as appropriate.

This position collaborates with patients/ clients/ residents and other members of the interdisciplinary team to identify and assess trends and patterns that have implications for patients/ clients/ residents, families and communities; develops and implement population and evidence based strategies to improve health and participates in policy-making and quality activities that influence health services and practices. The position participates in peer review and self-review to evaluate the outcome of services at the patient/client/resident, community and population level and to continuously improve quality and safety." 

LifeLabs Sooke (laboratory services)

West Coast Medical Imaging + Greater Victoria locations 

Ayre Manor Seniors' Housing 
Independent and assisted living, complex care and hospice beds. Opened in Jan. 2008. Owned by the Sooke Elderly Citizens' Housing Society (SECHS), a local non-profit charitable society formed in 1968 by the Old Age Pensioners Organization. Ayre Manor is supported by Island Health and the District of Sooke in association with SECHS. 
- Construction begins on Ayre Manor (March 2007)
- Expansion Plans for a new 56-bed wing (2012) 
- Expansion Plans Stalled (2017)
- Accreditation Canada acknowledgement (March 2021) 

Sooke Shelter Society 
Hope Centre Supportive Housing and Shelter (BC Housing website) 
- Who To Call infographic 
- BC Housing inquiry form and phone contact: "We welcome questions and feedback on this project through the Q&A tool on this page or to [email protected]. We look forward to welcoming the community to tour the building once renovations are complete (1Q 2023) and encourage you to contact us about a tour." 

​Sooke Homelessness Coalition 
A satellite working group of the Greater Victoria Coalition to End Homelessness 

Sooke Family Resources Society 

• Sooke Early Years Programs
• West Shore Early Years Programs
• Child Care Resource and Referral (CCRR)
• Counselling
• Youth Services
• Family Services
• Adults with Disabilities
• Bridging the Digital Divide

- Island Health Sooke Health Unit at Sooke Family Resources Society 

Sooke Region Communities Health Network 
"Since 2003, the Sooke Co-operative Association of Service Agencies (CASA) and the grassroots Sooke Region Community Health Initiative (CHI) have worked together to benefit the Sooke Region from Port Renfrew to Beecher Bay.  In 2016, the two merged their resources and officially became Sooke Region Communities Health Network (SRCHN). It operates as a cooperative non-profit organization with charitable status, which allows it to manage its own grant funding and to act as an umbrella organization for other voluntary groups." 

​SRCHN annual service agreement since 2014 with the District of Sooke. Island Health provides matching funds for a part-time coordinator position filled by SRCHN Executive Director Christine Bossi. The DOS agreement requires ... 
- Sooke Region Resource website
- Sooke Age Friendly Committee (meets monthly under the direction of chair Roy Brown and guided by Christine) 
- Achievement of BC Age-Friendly Committee status 
- Planning for Seniors/Youth Community Activity Centre (aka The Gathering Place) 
- Identify community needs, facilitate community activities 
- Create collaborations and partnerships
- Address issues identified by the Primary Health Care Working Group
- Maintain/develop relationships at regional and provincial levels
- Promote and bolster volunteer activities  

SRCHN Reports and Studies  
​* Youth Activities Report (2021)
* Sooke Region Homelessness Consultation (2021)
​* Sooke Region Food Security Report (2021) 

BC Healthy Communities Age-Friendly Action Guide (2020)

Sooke and Juan de Fuca Health Foundation 
Founded in 2018 to "make funding available to local charities who are working hard to provide health-related services to our local communities." Grants from its general fund have been used to purchase equipment for Ayre Manor and the West Coast Family Medical Clinic and Ayre Manor. The Mary Brown Memorial Fund was established last year specifically to address mental health and disability needs; to date its grants have funded counselling services at the Sooke Shelter Society and the Sooke Family Resources Society. A long-time Shirley resident, Mary Brown was a psychiatric social worker who supported people with disabilities and mental health challenges in Canada, UK, and Australia.

- Purpose
- Board of Directors
- How to Give donations options  + Canada Helps direct link 

Sooke Food Bank
Nov. 2022: "Sooke Residents Are Super Generous" (CTV News) 
- Canada Helps donation page 
- EMCS Leadership students' 10,000 Tonight food drives 
- Christmas Bureau 
- Sooke Fire Services campaign + Santa Run
- Grace Garden at the Sooke Baptist Church 

2018 Statistics (most recent on the website): 
Number of Hampers: 3,270
Average 96 families per week
Average 78 children per week
Average 143 adults per week
Cost to date: $229,069.70
Total Pounds: 118,947
Total Kilograms: 53,953

Sooke Transition House Society 
"Provides emergency shelter for women and their children who are in crisis resulting from family violence. Counselling, education, prevention and advocacy."

Sooke Hospice Society 
"The Sooke Hospice Society is a team of trained volunteers and professionals dedicated to the physical, emotional and spiritual care of individuals who are palliative, as well as their families and loved ones, within the community of Sooke." 

CONTACT: Community Assistance Society 
Low-cost loans of medical equipment (canes, crutches, wheelchairs)

ElderConnect
Sooke Region Community Portal data base for seniors. 

District of Sooke 
- Service agreements with annual funding to ...
* Sooke Region Communities Health Network
* Sooke Family Resource Society
* Sooke Food Bank 

- District grant-hosting for the Sooke Shelter Society's Strengthening Communities grant (2021/22)
 
- District support, council liaison and ongoing engagement via Sooke Bylaw, Sooke Fire Services and Sooke RCMP with the Sooke Homelessness Coalition and local homelessness. 
​
- Community Grants Program support for miscellaneous health-related organizations, including (in 2022) ... 
* SFRS Pre-Natal Program ($7k from the Covid-19 Safe Restart reserve fund)
* Sooke Shelter Society ($7k from the Covid-19 Safe Restart reserve fund)
* Steps to the Future Childcare Society ($5k from the Covid-19 Safe Restart reserve fund)
* KidSport Greater Victoria ($7k) 
* Take A Hike Foundation ($5k) 
* Victoria Brain Injury Society ($1k)


Sooke Service Gaps
Leading Service Gap: Community Health Centre/Urgent Primary Care Centre 
Sooke currently lacks and has long lobbied for a dedicated Urgent Primary Care Centre (UPCC) operating with sufficient staffing and hours common to other UPCCs in British Columbia. District land for this centre is reserved on Lot A.

Patients with doctors in Sooke can drop-in to the West Coast Family Medical Clinic during urgent care hours (M-F, Noon to 4:30 PM). Outside those hours (and for all those without local doctors), individuals are advised to book appointments at the Westshore Urgent Primary Care Centre in Langford. 

• Urgent care (same day) services are for people who need care within 12-24 hours but do not require an emergency department and who do not have access to a family doctor, nurse practitioner or walk-in clinic in a suitable time frame.
• Patients experiencing chest pains, severe head injuries or broken bones and any concerns requiring immediate blood testing, x-rays or other diagnostic tests cannot be treated at the UPCC and should attend their local hospital’s emergency department or call 9-1-1 during a health emergency.
• Patients will be assessed at the Westshore UPCC upon arrival and registered to be seen as capacity allows. 
• Please note that due to patient volumes, appointments are not guaranteed. Please check medimap.ca for wait times and capacity.

As the West Coast Family Medical Clinic website states: "Please note that the Westshore Urgent Primary Care Centre is the designated clinic for local residents without a Primary Care Provider ... We recognize that many residents of Sooke do not have access to a Primary Care Provider. West Coast Family Medical Clinic does provide limited, same-day access to a Primary Care Provider for local residents (Sooke to Port Renfrew) through our Urgent Care Clinic [open M-F, Noon to 4:30 PM]. Please note that demand for this service usually exceeds our capacity ... To help us better serve those in our community with urgent medical issues or without a Primary Care Provider, please make every effort to see your own Family Physician or Nurse Practitioner for your medical concerns whenever possible. Same-day appointments in the Urgent Care Clinic can be booked online (online booking only available to patients who already have a chart at our office) or by calling our office at 250-642-4233. Phones are answered from 8:30-12:00, and from 1:00-4:30 (3:30 on Fridays). Please note that it can be difficult to get through by telephone at times due to high call volumes." 

- New UPCC Will Deliver Better Health Care to the West Shore (Ministry of Health press release, Oct. 26, 2018) 
- West Shore Clinic Busiest in the Province, Health Minister Says (Times Colonist, Nov. 26, 2019)

Other Urgent and Primary Care Centres in Greater Victoria 

• James Bay Urgent Primary Care Centre – Victoria
• Esquimalt Urgent Primary Care Centre – Esquimalt
• Downtown Victoria Urgent and Primary Care Centre - Victoria 
• North Quadra Urgent Primary Care Centre – Saanich
• Gorge Urgent and Primary Care Centre – Victoria  

Community Health Centres

• Island Sexual Health Community Health Centre – Victoria 

X-Ray Services in Sooke 
- West Coast Medical Imaging Services (M to F, 11 to 4 PM) 
- "Sooke Mayor Pushing for Beter X-Ray Services" - Sooke News Mirror (Nov. 2015) 
- Advocacy statement 
- "In late 2017, West Coast Medical Imaging improved the X-Ray technology available in Sooke" 

Speech therapist? SRCH advocacy in 2017

More on CHCs: BC Association of Community Health Centres
"BCACHC exists to support and advance the Community Health Centre (CHC) model and engage, advocate for, and support CHCs as an integral part of health and social service delivery in BC communities." 
- What Is a Community Health Centre? 
- The Importance of Community Health Centres in BC's Medical Care Reforms (Canadian Centre Policy Alternatives, 2019) 
- Building Ties With The Health System (CARES, 2020) 
- Roadmap to a CHC 

"Sooke has very little capacity to support the growing needs for Island Health Mental Health and Substance Use (MHSU) services for our community. There is one free service -- Urgent Short Term Assessment and Treatment (USTAT) -- with capacity or  capacity to serve 16 sessions a week. As small as the free service is, it is currently (October 2022) experiencing challenges with a staffing shortage. The USTAT position has been understaffed for several months … There is no equitable access to MHSU services for people with low income or who lack insurance. There is not enough support available for people who have a low capacity to navigate complex access systems. We have to do better.”

Back Story: Sooke Health & Preventative Care Initiatives 

* Way Back: I'll browse the Sooke Story for clues when i get a chance. 

* Pre-2000: "Becoming an Age Friendly Community, a place where seniors, and all ages, are respected and supported has been the goal of community members long before the term was coined. As our community grew its members identified a need for seniors’ supports. As early as 1945 a Sooke Over 60’s Club was formed, which was the forerunner to the Old Age Pensioners Organization, Branch#88. From that group sprung the Sooke Elderly Citizens Housing Society and the Contact Community Assistance Society (Loan Cupboard and Contact Drivers). By 1975 another group was providing a ‘Meals on Wheels’ program as well as inexpensive lunches. This eventually developed into the Sooke Senior Drop-In Centre. The Sooke Elderly Citizens Housing Society worked tirelessly for over 40 years to acquire land and build an assisted living and extended care building in Sooke. The New Horizons Activity Society was formed in the 1980’s and later became the Sooke Seniors Activity Society which raised funds to purchase and operate a bus to assist with seniors’ transportation to events and shopping excursions." - from the Executive Summary of the Sooke Age-Friendly Action Plan (2015)

* 2005: The Sooke Youth & Adult Navigator Project, Dr. Ellen Anderson and Susan Larke. <clip> "In our rural and remote communities, challenged by MHA service access issues, a community-supported Navigator model was designed to increase access to comprehensive, strengths-based assessment, planning and referral facilitation ... Our model utilised the service of two navigators with complementary skills in social work and psychiatric rehabilitation. One navigator focused primarily on youth under age 19 years and one navigator worked primarily with adults. One navigator was female and one was male. However, it was very important for both of them to be able to work with clients of any age and either sex." 

* 2006/2007: Mayor Evans and her council continue advocacy with the Vancouver Island Health Authority, MLA John Horgan and others for improved health care, notably collaboration with the Sooke Elderly Citizens Housing Society re: the future Ayre Manor Lodge. Other health-oriented work included attendance at the Premier's Council on Seniors and Aging Forum, the Victoria Community Task Force on Cystal Meth, a BC Healthy Community Initiatives workshop, and a Planning Institute of British Columbia workshop.  

* Sept. 23, 2006: Sooke Community Health Initiative Forum at the Community Hall 

* Oct. 10, 2006: Announcement that VIHA had signed a $16.1 million contract to construct Ayre Manor. 

* Sept. 8, 2008: "What will it take to create a more age-friendly Sooke?" - day-long conference hosted by Sooke Economic Development Commission in partnership with Sooke Harbour Chamber of Commerce. Participants explored ideas on topics including Community Infrastructure, Safety & Security, Health Services, Active Aging, Lifelong Learning, Communication, and Transportation.

* 2009: Launch of Sooke Region Food CHI 

* 2013: Sooke Region Community Health Initiative (CHI) designated by the Province as the official Age-Friendly Committee for the District of Sooke

* Fall, 2013: The Primary Health Care Services Working Group (PHCSWG) was formed based on input from the community through Mayor Milne's Advisory Panel on Community Health and Social Initiatives. The working group included members from Sooke Region CHI, Sooke Volunteer Centre, the West Coast Family Medical Clinic, the South Island Division of Family Practice, Island Health and the District of Sooke. 

* Dec. 2013: "A GP for Me" forum. (Britt Santowski's Sooke News Mirror story linked here notes that the BC Liberals made a “2010 Government commitment to provide a family physician for any BC resident who wants one by 2015.”)

* 2014: District Service agreement with SRCHN to fund Age Friendly work and meet senior and volunteer goals outlined in the Official Community Plan. (hence the first service agreement; see details at end of this post)

* Highlights of 2013/14 work by PHCSWG
(Nicky Logins, Marlene Barry, Dr. Ellen Anderson, Emma Isaac, Linda Nehra, Wendal Milne)
- Joined Island-wide initiative for a "physician recruitment navigator" position 
- Highlighted gap in X-ray and ultrasound servcies in Sooke. Four UVic Master of Business Administration students develop a business plan for diagnostic services in Sooke
- "Managing At Home: Support Needs for Sooke Seniors" study funded through BC Age-Friendly grant to assess needs of seniors who are medically at risk and facing social isolation.  
- Worked with Island Health to fund two additional hospice beds for Ayre Manor 
- Advocate for support of the Integrated Health Network in Sooke 

* Nov. 2014: Island Health Board of Directors meetings in Sooke hosted by Mayor Tait and the District 

*  Dec. 15, 2014: Sooke council appoints a liaison (Mayor Tait) to the PHCSWG. States the Committee of the Whole report: "By focusing on buiding not just the physical infrastructure of our community but also the social infrastructure, local elected officials work hand-in-hand with health care professionals to contribute to citizen's health and social needs." At this time, 74% of Sooke residents do not have doctors in Sooke. Waiting list of 800 for new patient uptake at West Coast Family Medical Clinic. 

* October 2015: Release of District of Sooke Age-Friendly Action Plan 
"A strong commitment to supporting our seniors, volunteering and caring for others has helped Sooke to become the place it is now. Sooke is an Age Friendly community with a vision and many citizens have the desire to make it more so. We’ve come together to make things happen in the past and will continue to do so far into the future. We understand that when we build to ‘Age Friendly’ we build to accommodate all ages and abilities." 

- 2015: The Province and BC Healthy Communities recognized the District of Sooke as a community that has demonstrated "incredible commitment to supporting older residents to remain healthy and active in their communities." 

* May 28, 2016: Sooke Region Health Summit at the Community Hall hosted by Mayor Tait. Organized around four topics: Healthy Food Accessibility; Special Populations; Medical Services & Infrastructure; Social and Physical Activities. Gaps that were identified in these areas informed the ongoing work of the PHCSWG and the District of Sooke. Read the final report here. 
 
* Nov. 2016: "No Easy Fix for Doctor Shortage" - Kevin Laird, Sooke News Mirror 

* April, 2017:  The CRD Hospitals and Housing Committee endorsed Mayor Tait’s motion entitled, “Support for Pilot Project: A Regional Health Care Facility in Sooke”. Discussion ensued regarding:
"- the similar challenges regarding healthcare for residents of Victoria and Sooke and if they are more acute in Sooke,
- the different needs perceived by the public versus healthcare professionals, 
​- being a part of the CRD means that residents of Sooke are requested to use the facilities in the region that are not necessarily local,
- any facility would be open to residents of Victoria and reduce the load on services in Victoria, and
- the challenges of the highway to Sooke."

MOVED by Director Tait, SECONDED by Director Helps, That the Hospitals and Housing Committee recommends to the Capital Regional District Board that: The District of Sooke and the Sooke Region Primary Health Care Services Working Group calls on the Capital Regional Hospital District, the Province of British Columbia, Island Health, and all levels of government to support a regional health care facility in Sooke. CARRIED

* Summer/Fall 2017: The Sooke Planning Steering Committee was subsequently formed. Committee members include Mayor Tait as well as representatives from the CRD, Sooke Family Physicians, SIDFP, Island Health and the CHN.  See agenda package for: 1. Sooke Region Health Summit – Final Report (Draft); 2. Sooke Fire Rescue Department – Emergency Call Statistics; 3. Correspondence regarding Health Care Services in Sooke; 4. Island Health – 2014 Sooke Local Health Area Profile; 5. Sooke Pocket News survey – Medical Services in Sooke, April, 2017. 

* Nov. 2017: Sooke Community Heath Care Stakeholders Consultation. Five identified needs: 

Quote: "1. Improved Access to Primary Care: Participants identified the desire for more primary care providers (GPs and Nurse Practitioners), citing limited clinic space and incentives to attract more GPs as barriers. The desire for access to longer primary care hours in the evenings and on weekends, including Sundays and holidays, was expressed. Same-day access to primary care in urgent circumstances was also desired. Many participants indicated that co-located space would be desirable with all-primary health services integrated (virtually or by physical co-location).
2. Care provided by a team of health care providers (team-based care): Participants indicated that having a care team focused on seniors would be valuable. Also, having Nurse Practitioners or Registered Nurses attached to the Physician clinic would be desired to improve access to primary care.
3. Access to more specialized, locally accessible services: Participants identified the need for more access to Mental Health and Substance Use services, including walk-in services. Also, increased services for isolated seniors were suggested, along with the idea of having a drop-in seniors’ activity centre.
4. Improved access to other key enablers: Currently x-ray services in Sooke are available 7.5 hours/week (Tuesday 8:30am-11:00 am, Wednesdays and Thursdays from 9am-11:30am) and laboratory services are available on weekdays (8am-4pm Mondays to Fridays). The community identified more service hours are desirable to improve access and reduce the need to travel outside the community for these services. Maximizing the use of electronic medical/health records was also cited as a key enabler to bolster service provision.
5. Supporting population wellness: Improved health literacy (access to information on wellbeing and how/where to access services) was deemed a priority for participants. Improved transportation (both within Sooke and to destinations outside Sooke) was also cited by participants as needed, particularly on weekends (note: transportation issues are considered out of scope for this plan). Road improvement needs were also identified."

* May 18, 2018: Aging With Grace: Sooke Region Age 55+ Summit 
Keynote speech by Dr. David Docherty, School of Exercise Science, Physical and Health Education, University of Victoria + Overview of the 2018 Provincial Seniors' Summit by Doni Eve, Senior Manager, Healthy Aging, for the Population and Public Health Division of the BC Ministry of Health + talk by Sooke Registered Clinical Counsellor Janet Raynor Thorn titled "The Croning Years: The Later Life Transformations" + break-out groups re: ElderConnect Seniors' Info Hub. 

* June 16, 2018:  Sooke Community Health Service Engagement with stakeholders at Community Hall 

* Aug. 2018: Sooke Community Health Service Planning Report (Island Health/District of Sooke) 

* Winter/Spring 2018/19: Lot A Charette Concept Plan identifies best possible uses of the town-centre, District-owned property's southeast quadrant as a "5-6-storey Health Centre with limited size independent commercial retail units on the base and market housing units on the upper floors. Second floor office space is also appropriate. This quadrant would include an underground parking component ... conceived as a wood-frame building with a total floor area of approximately 7,000m2." 

-  April 26, 2019:  "Expanded Primary Care Coming to Sooke" (Ministry of Health press release) 

- June, 12, 2020: Official opening of expanded West Coast Family Medical Clinic; "Sooke Clinic Aims to Connect More Patients With Doctors" (Times Colonist)

- 2020/21/22: Advocacy continues with the Ministry of Health for a hybrid Community Heath Centre/Urgent Primary Care Centre on the southeast quadrant of Lot A. 


Miscellaneous 
Media Coverage: BC Health Care Issues 
~ "BC's Health-Care Crisis Is Unrelenting: What Can Be Done To Fix It?" (CBC, Sept. 19, 2022;  includes link to the Situation Critical town hall with Minister Dix and others) 
~ "BC Liberals Call for Audit of Urgent and Primary Care Centres" (Times Colonist, July 27, 2022) 
~ "BC Health Care System Strengthened by New Payment Model for Doctors" (Ministry of Health, Oct. 31, 2022)
​~ "BC Health Minister Calls for Trudeau to Engage on Health Funding" (CBC, Nov. 6, 2022) 

Reports 
- Family Doctors Care: The Role and Value of Family Physicians in BC (BC College of Family Physicians, 2020) 

* BC 211
Free, confidential hot-line consultation 24/7 in 150 languages 

* BC Centre For Disease Control 
- Covid 19 page 
- Business protocols 
- Link to current Province-wide regulations 

* Canadian Mental Health Association: BC Division

* Doctors of BC website + Advocating for family physicians 


Greater Victoria Hospitals 

Capital Regional Hospital District 
This CRD corporation "partners with Island Health and community stakeholder agencies to develop and improve healthcare facilities in the region and provide capital funding for infrastructure such as acute care, residential care and hospital equipment.
- 10-Year Capital Plan (through 2032) 

Victoria General Hospital 
"Victoria General started as St. Joseph’s Hospital in 1876. The name was changed when the Sisters of St. Ann gave it to the province in 1972.t The new VGH opened in 1983 on Hospital Way off Helmcken. A 368-bed community-based acute- care facility, it provides general adult & pediatric surgery including orthopedics, endoscopy, maternity & neo-natal ser- vices, sexual assault nurse examiner, as well as mammography, asthma, dia- betes, & respiratory clinics, cancer care, icu, rehabilitation, and much more."

Royal Jubilee Hospital 
Founded in the 1860s and now featuring 500 beds. It offers critical care, surgery, diagnostics, emergency facilities, with a special focus on cardiac medicine. 

Victoria Hospital Foundation 
Supporting care teams at Royal Jubilee, VGH and Gorge Road hospitals.  


Third United Way of British Columbia Provincial Aging Summit (2022) 


"The District of Sooke has entered into a Service Agreement with the SRCHN to provide the following services:
 
• Sooke Region Resource website:
o website improvements, updates and maintenance;

• Age Friendly Committee for Sooke:
o develop planning and/or activities to achieve official provincial status for Sooke as an Age Friendly Community

• Seniors/Youth/Community Activity Centre:
o Identify the needs of the community
o Initiate and facilitate community forum/s or other opportunities to discuss development of a community activity centre, and to inform Council on this initiative
o Solicit partnerships and engage support from interested potential partner organizations
o Goal of September 30 2014 completion date for these services

• Primary Health:
o address issues identified through the Primary Health Care Working Group and Mayor‘s Panel, Community Health and Social Initiatives
o maintain and further develop relationships at regional and provincial levels for community health initiatives
• Volunteer Initiatives:
o Explore funding opportunities to implement OCP identified Volunteer initiatives and activities that promote Sooke‘s claim as the Volunteer Capital of Canada

VIHA has been an avid supporter of SRCHN, matching funds provided by the District of Sooke to fund our activites. As of 2014, VIHA has provided funding for a part-time coordinator's position to futher collaboration and increase opportunities for the region. This was very appreciated by SRCHN as grants often do not provide the possibility to pay indirect costs such as services rendered."

Addendum
Here's an excerpt (shared by permission) of the speaking notes read by Roy Brown at a memorial concert for his late wife Mary Brown held at the Anglican Church in December, 2022. The concert was a Sooke and Juan de Fuca Health Foundation fundraiser for Mary Brown Memorial Fund, which supports local charities delivering services to people with mental health and/or disability needs.  A social scientist and practitioner, Roy is Chair of the Sooke Age-Friendly Committee and recipient of the Dr Robert E; Cooke Lifetime achievement award-American Academy of Developmental Medicine and Dentistry. 

"The following are some of the challenges faced by the relevant families where there are challenging and serious life issues.  If one compares life satisfaction characteristics between families with disability issues with a random sample of the population of the same age without mental health and disability concerns, there are great discrepancies in the following:

- Health issues
- Financial wellbeing
- Family relations
- Support from other people 
- Support from Disability related services - Over 50% of those responding are dissatisfied or very dissatisfied.
- Spiritual and cultural needs.
- Careers and preparation for careers.
- Leisure and enjoyment of life. 
- Community and civic involvement.

The more severe the conditions the greater the discrepancy between the control group (no major mental health or disability issues) and those with disabilities. This data was collected in BC and is consistent with other studies. 

I want to make such concerns more concrete and exemplify one simple technique that can be introduced. In one sense light hearted but serious. My mom was celebrating her 100th birthday and was at a party with care staff from the day program she attended. She had severe Alzheimer’s. She brought  along a book of photos representing her life. Staff asked to look at it. Mom wanted to know what the staff were talking about.  Well Mom, the staff say you were a beautiful woman.  Yes,I was She said!  banging her walking stick on the ground!

Then  I realised: The staff did not know the broad details of her life and were learning it for the first time. I now recommend that end of life programs should ensure that families have a book of their loved one’s life. It broadens staff knowledge of the person they are caring for. It is also a visual aid for their patient or client. Remember one is more likely to lose recall skills and retain recognition for longer." 

I wanted to point you to today's Times Colonist article in case you've not seen it  - https://www.timescolonist.com/local-news/seniors-advocate-says-province-has-no-action-plan-to-increase-long-term-care-beds-11297464

"The seniors advocate’s report found the long-term care system has gone from providing 77 beds per 1,000 people a decade ago to 58 beds today. Levitt said that number will fall to 41 beds by 2035/36 if beds continue to be built and replaced at the current rate."  


Interestingly in re-reading my notes from the meeting, Mr. Hanson noted that Sooke's per capita ratio is currently 40 beds per 1,000 people. He said that, minimally, 50 to 60 beds are required for a community our size.

 Week in Review
- UBCM President Trish Madewo speech highlights (Sept. 24) 
- Premier David Eby speech and Q&A in full (Sept. 26) 
- Opposition leader John Rustead speech excerpt (Sept. 25) 
- Green Party BC leader Emily Lowen speech in full (Sept. 24) 
- OneBC leader Dallas Brodie (no clips available) (Sept. 24) <her opening words: "The BC we once knew is gone and the condition is dire" ... OneBC will end "mass enabling," "defund the addictions industry" and "re-stigmatize the use of illicit drugs." 

- Replay of panel discussion on the BC Supreme Court's Aug. 2025 decision viz. Cowichan Tribes vs. Canada (Attorney General) decision. Featured speakers are David Rosenberg (Rosenberg Law and the Cowichan Tribes legal representative), Robin Junger (McMillan Law) and Reece Harding (Young, Anderson).  <clip> 1:26:31 Harding:  "I don't think we should be candy coating this circumstance. We should be straight up with people on how important this case is ... people need to be told that there there are systems and a lot of smart people in place that are going to deal with this, but that the outcome is uncertain. There's very likely to be some jurisdictional change in the province of British Columbia as a result of this decision. And exactly where that's going to land, I don't think anybody up here or in this room can predict at this point ...  It only has direct application on the ground to a small area and there's probably several years till we have the final word." 

* Young/Anderson explainer 
* Cowichan Tribes - 2023 press release 

* CBC News - Oct. 21, 2025 
"In her ruling, Justice Barbara Young emphasized several times that the granting of Aboriginal title does not “displace private owners on the land.” “The Cowichan do not seek recovery of the private fee simple lands but rather a mechanism for negotiating the reconciliation of their Aboriginal title,” she wrote.

It's a point underscored by David Rosenberg, lead counsel for the Cowichan Nation in their case.  "This case was never about challenging the fee simple with respect to privately owned lands. The case was brought against the Crown for return of public lands that were wrongfully taken from the Cowichan,” Rosenberg said at the Union of B.C. Municipalities (UBCM) convention last month. “We have a decision that now recognizes that Aboriginal title and fee simple interest can and do coexist.”

At the same time, Young said it’s up to governments to determine what that means going forward.  “These interests may be resolved through negotiation, challenged in subsequent litigation, purchased, or remain on the Cowichan Title Lands. That is not a matter for this Court to address. B.C. and the Cowichan should be afforded space to reconcile these competing interests,” she wrote. 


News Clippings 
- "BC Premier: 'A Tough Time to Govern'" - Vancouver Sun, Sept. 26 
- "Premier David Eby Announces New Involuntary Care Beds, North Island Power Line" - Times Colonist, Sept. 26
- UBCM 2025 Coverage by Island Social Trends - Archive 
- "Housing Minister Gregor Robertson Announces Development Charge Reform" - Castanet, Sept. 26 
- "Opposition Leaders Offer Very Different Visions for BC" - CBC, Sept. 25
- "BC Pushes Heritage Act Reform Amid Concerns of Development Slowdowns" - Globe & Mail, Sept. 26
- "UBCM Blasts Province for Lack of Consultation on Heritage Conservation Act" - Vaughan Palmer, Vancouver Sun, Sept. 24 
- "BC Local Leaders Call for Bail Reform, Involuntary Care" - Times Colonist, Sept. 24
- "Crime Destroying BC Downtowns, Municipal Leaders Warn" - Vancouver Sun, Sept. 22 
- "BC NDP Avoids Timelines as Deficit Crisis Deepens" - Times Colonist, Sept. 24 
- "Codes of Conduct and Transit" - CBC, Sept. 24 
- "UBCM Resolutions Show Downtown Distress is BC Wide" - Les Leyne, Times Colonist, Sept. 23
- "UBCM Leaders Call On BC To Fill Housing Gaps That Lead to Homelessness" - Times Colonist, Sept. 22 
- "Pressurized BC Communities Want Province to Bring Them Along" - Victoria News, Sept. 19
- "Ferry System Overstressed, Under-Funded" - Times Colonist, Sept. 26
- "OneBC Will Re-Stigmatize Drug Use If Elected" - Times Colonist, Sept. 25
- "UBCM Accepting Oil and Gas Sponsorships Called 'Unethical" - Times Colonist, Sept. 22 
- "Street Disorder, Homelessness Key Issues As BC Civic Leaders Meet" - Globe and Mail, Sept. 20 

​- Global TV UBCM coverage: Richard Zussman Wrap-Up + Conservatives In Chaos 

- "Drift from Compassion Fatigue to Concerns Over Crime and Disorder" - Justin McElroy, CBC, Sept. 23
<clip> "In our desire to be compassionate, we have sometimes lost the balance with accountability. And when anything goes, it really does," said Julien Daly, CEO of Our Place, a prominent Victoria shelter and outreach centre. He said it to a packed ballroom of hundreds of delegates, at the start of the most anticipated session of the first day, entitled "Disordered Downtown" ...Increasingly, the overlapping crises of homelessness, mental health supports, crime, safety and housing affordability have dominated the discussion at this conference, reflecting the fact that in B.C., they increasingly show no geographic boundary."   + Julian Daley's remarks in full 

- Sooke Council Attends UBCM 2025 - District of Sooke press release, Sept. 22 

Resolutions Summary 
* Listing of the 176 resolutions that reached the floor and were voted upon 
* Sooke's EB31 (911 services) and EB61 (taxation on utility companies) were passed along with all others in the Endorsed Block
* Sooke's NR 120 re: funding for the Human Rights Tribunal (which I was to speak to) was among 55 other resolutions that were not heard due to time constraints; all of these will be forwarded to the UBCM Executive and its relevant committees for decisions.  


Pre-Convention Preparation 
This year's Union of British Columbia Municipalities annual convention will be in Victoria the week of Sept. 22. Mayor Tait, CAO Gray and all of us on council will be attending in continuing a busy month highlighted by the Official Community Plan public re-engagement. 

* Convention home page
- Schedule of workshops and events 

* UBCM 2025 Annual Report 
- 2024/25 Highlights
i) Provincial Election - advocacy with all parties via the Stretched to the Limit report, which focused on housing and homelessness; infrastructure needs; and climate action in the context of emergency management.  
ii) Trade war implications documented in Macroeconomic Impacts of the Canada-US Trade War 
iii) Pushback on centralization of powers by the Province of BC and Government of Canada (i.e., BC Bill 15 - Infrastructure Projects Act) 
iv) Relationship protocol signed with First Nations Leadership Council, fall 2024
v) Launch of the Strategic Priorities Fund + program guidelines 

Ministerial and Other Meeting Requests from Sooke Council  
(Note: Local governments have requested more than 1,000 meetings with Provincial ministries and senior staff over four days, so no guarantees these will requests will be accepted.) 

1. Minister of Transportation and Transit Mike Farnworth to discuss ...
i) future phased improvements to Highway 14 (i.e. westbound right-turn lanes off Sooke Road at Phillips, Charters and Church; the Idlemore intersection project; crosswalk upgrades; and sidewalks west of Ed Macgregor Park to Whiffin Spit Rd.) 
ii) request letters of support for the District's federal grant applications re: the Throup/Phillips connector route (pending a successful referendum vote in October 2026.)  (no confirmation) 

2. Ministry of Health staff  re: status report on operational funding for the Lot A Community Health Centre. (See Aug. 11 Sooke press release detailing plans for the five-storey building with 80 units of middle-income rental housing above the ground-floor health centre -- a project that partners the District with the BC Builds program and the non-profit Catalyst Community Development.)  (confirmed: Tue. 1:20 PM)  Result: Patience! The Ministry remains fully committed and a funding announcement is to be expected in due course. (no promised timeline.)  

3. Island Health staff re: the expansion of vitally needed long-term independent living and complex care rooms via funding for a new wing at Ayre Manor as supported by BC's Seniors' Advocate Dan Levitt following his Sooke visit in March, 2025. (confirmed: Mon. 2 PM)  Result: Ayre Manor expansion is on Island Health's "radar," said VP of Community Clinical Operations & Support Programs James Hanson, and discussions will focus on business-case development. The three most recent (2023) approvals for long-term care facilities in Royal Bay, Lantzville and Campbell River were based on the low number of  per-capita care beds available in these communities, and Sooke is among the next wave of priorities for this same reason. 

4. Minister of Agriculture and Food Lana Popham re: the progress and further development of the Sooke-initiated "farm hamlet" model and its evolution into a "farm complex/food hub" model. (See pp. 91-210 of the March 28, 2022 council agenda, featuring staff report, slide deck and the Sooke Region Communities Health Network report Putting Healthy Food On Our Tables.) (confirmed: Tues. 8 AM) 

5. Agricultural Land Commission Chairperson Jennifer Dyson re: how Sooke's "farm complex/food hub" model aligns with the ALC's mandate + support for SEAPARC's new skatepark on ALR land (confirmed: Thurs. 11:10 AM) 


What I Plan to Attend ... 
M - 9:30 AM - Heath Care - The Heart of Community (study session led by Health Minister Josie Osborne)
M - 2 PM - Island Health CEO Kathy MacNeil - Sooke request re: Ayre Manor expansion (Fairmont, Lwr Lvl. Shaunessy) 
M - 2:30 PM - Delivering Affordable Housing: Challenges and Opportunities (study session) 
M - 4:30 PM - Resilient Local Leaders workshop with keynote speaker Corey Hirsch 
M - 5:30 PM - Truck Loggers Association film presentation (BC Is Burning) + Ravi Parmar keynote - Laurel Point Inn 

T- 7:30 AM - Tiny Homes For Rural Housing (options for regulating tiny homes on wheels via islands Trust) 
Alternate: Compassionate Municipal Actions Amidst Community Crisis (Walk With Me, Comox Valley) 
T - 8 AM - Minister of Agriculture & Food Lana Popham - Sooke meeting request (Birch - Rm. 339, Parliament Building) 
T - 9:30 AM - Smart Governance: Leveraging AI To Serve Communities Better 
T - 10:30 AM - Manufacturing Jobs and Prosperous Communities. Alternate: Filling Gaps: Transportation Options for Local Governments (w/s - BC Transit, Mobility Foresight, Modo) 
T - Noon - Mid-Sized Communities Forum Lunch 
T - 1:20 PM - Ministry of Health Deputy Minister Ally Butler re: Sooke Urgent Primary Care Centre update 
T -1:45 PM - The Road Ahead for BC's Economy (w. Minister of Finance Brenda Bailey + BC deficit explainer) 
T - 3:15 PM - Address by FCM President Rebecca Bligh 
T - 5:30 PM - Community Excellence Awards - no list of finalists yet made public; Sooke nominations in two categories

W - 7:30 AM - Province of BC "Ease of Doing Business Review" update + overview 
Alternate: Acting Early For Stronger Communities - BC Rep for Children and Youth Jennifer Charlesworth 
W - 8:30 AM - Convention Opening Session
W - 9:25 AM - Keynote Address: Marcy Grossman, former Cdn. Ambassador to UAE,  Invest In Canada website 
W - 10:30 AM - Policy Session: Resolutions #1 
W - 11:50 AM - Address by Dallas Brodie, Interim Leader, One BC  + Conservative BC caucus + update 
​Noon - AVICC Luncheon 
W - 2 PM - Minister of State for Local Governments & Rural Communities Brittny Anderson 
W - 3 PM - Cabinet Town Hall: Strong Communities (Boyle, Osborne, Farnworth) 
W - 3 PM - Cabinet Town Hall: Tariffs & Growing BC's Economy (Kahlon, Bailey, Popham, Dix) 
W - 4:15 PM - Climate & Energy Action Awards 2025

T - 7:30 AM - Building Social Consensus Through Community Assemblies + Victoria Saanich + Burnaby + Elect Reform
Alternate: Local Watershed Boards - BC Watershed Security Coalition's Coree Tull 
T - 8:25 AM - Address by Jeremy Valeriote, Interim Leader,  Green Party BC  + leadership race (details TBA on Wed.)
T - 8:50 AM - Policy Session: Resolutions #2 (to 11:10 AM) 
T - 11:10 AM - Agricultural Land Commission Chair Jennifer Dyson - Sooke meeting request (Fairmont)
T - 11:10 AM - Address by John Rustad, Leader of the Opposition 
T - 2:30 PM -  Cowichan Tribes Aboriginal Title Decision -  The Conversation + Young, Anderson + overview 
T - 7:30 PM - UBCM Annual Banquet

F - 8 AM - Policy Session: Resolutions #3 
F - 9 AM - Address by Gregor Robertson, Minister of Housing & Infrastructure + PacifiCan + Build Canada Homes 
F - 9:30 AM - Resolutions continue until 10:30
F - 11 AM close 


* 2025 Resolutions Book 
- 276 resolutions in total from BC local governments 
- 1 Extraordinary Resolution (UBCM Executive) 
- 5 Special Resolutions (UBCM Executive) 
- 95 resolutions in the Endorsed Block 
- 3 resolutions in the Non-Endorsed Block 
- 122 resolutions given No Recommendation (to be considered individually during the convention) 
- 50 "Referred Resolutions" (which echo others and hence not admitted) 

- Three Sooke resolutions this year
Endorsed EB 31 - Funding for 911 Services 
"Whereas the existing funding structure of the 911 emergency communications system does not account for internet and cellular revenues flowing to telecommunications companies, meaning that cellular users do not pay for the 911 services available primarily through cell phones:Therefore be it resolved that UBCM ask the Province of BC to work with local governments and telecommunications service providers to implement a 911 levy on cellular devices, to address current and future financial challenges associated with the delivery of 911 services." 

"The Resolutions Committee notes that the UBCM membership has consistently endorsed resolutions seeking the creation of a call answer levy on cellular devices to fund 911 emergency services (2023-SR2, 2021-EB7, 2012-LR1, 2011-B13, 2009-B10).

The membership also endorsed a more wide-ranging resolution 2022-EB42 which asked the Province to work with UBCM to develop a new provincial mandate and structure for 911 service delivery, with a focus on improving the governance, funding and operations. As well, the membership endorsed 2024-EB40, which asked for a governance review “...with a goal to assure reliable, affordable, and sustainable services for all communities.”

Endorsed EB 61 - Taxation of Utility Companies
"Whereas the Local Government Act, Section 644 2(a), specifies that a utility company (defined as “an electric light, electric power, telephone, water, gas or closed-circuit television company”) is to be taxed annually by municipalities (not including Regional Districts or First Nations) at the rate of 1 percent of its revenue from subscribers;And whereas the legislation does not account for internet and cellular revenues flowing to telecommunications companies:
Therefore be it resolved that UBCM ask the Province that this outdated section of the Local Government Act be updated to better reflect contemporary consumer choices by adding internet and cellular services to the definition of utility companies, and reverse the trend of declining municipal revenues from the 1 percent in-lieu-of utilities tax."

"The Resolutions Committee notes that the UBCM membership endorsed resolution 2019-B122 calling on the Province to update section 644(2) of the Local Government Act to add internet and cellular services to utility companies to be taxed at 1 percent.

The Province responded they have examined this issue on a case-by-case basis and, in most cases, determined that the revenue generated from the 1percent Utility Tax was NOT greater than the potential revenue generated from a property tax on a utility’s linear assets located within the municipality. As such, the Province was not considering legislative changes to taxation of linear assets in response to the 2019 resolution."

No Recommendation NR 120 - BC Human Rights Tribunal
"Whereas the BC Human Rights Tribunal plays a critical role in upholding and addressing human rights by delivering the “just and timely resolution of discrimination complaints under the British Columbia Human Rights Code” (Tribunal Annual Report, 2023/24, pg. 3);

And whereas a large backlog of complaints and a growing volume of new submissions has led to extensive adjudication delays that exacerbate the harm experienced by complainants, leaving British Columbians without timely support or closure;

And whereas additional provincial funding committed in 2023 has improved timelines but is nonetheless proving insufficient in effectively processing existing and new case files;

Therefore be it resolved that UBCM ask that the Province of British Columbia act immediately on Recommendation #12a of the BC Office of the Human Rights Commissioner’s From Hate to Hope report, namely that “The Attorney General should take steps to enable the BC Human Rights Tribunal to be more responsive to hate, including by: a. Ensuring adequate funding to the Tribunal to effectively process complaints.”

​"The Resolutions Committee advises that the UBCM membership has not previously considered a resolution
calling on the Province to implement recommendation #12a of the report “From Hate to Hope”, by ensuring
'adequate funding to the [BC Human Rights] Tribunal to effectively process complaints.'"

2024 - 258 resolutions + Provincial Responses 
2023 - 202 resolutions + Provincial Responses 
Archive - 2019 to date 

Resolution Highlights 
ER1 - Streamline the Resolution Process
As the numbers above indicate, UBCM is swamped annually with entirely meaningful and needed resolutions from local governments, so much so that it is always a drama to get them all heard as allocated time dwindles (Sooke's NR 120 may well be left on the table given its late position in the queue.) The aim here is to remove from consideration any resolutions that align with existing UBCM policy (i.e., most of those in the Endorsed Block, effectively), are regionally focused or fall outside the scope of BC local government and First Nations. Any LG that wishes to renew UBCM attention to an already aligned policy matter can formally request consideration for a floor vote. (The entire Endorsed Block is traditionally passed with a single vote.) 


Special Resolutions
SR1 Regional Approach to Homelessness
"Whereas homelessness is a complex and multifaceted challenge that affects communities across BC, rural and urban, and there is a lack of a coordinated regional strategy and insufficient resources worsen this issue, leaving many vulnerable populations without adequate housing, and shelter;

And whereas concentration of shelter beds and supportive housing can create unsustainable pressure on local resources and services in some communities while leaving other communities underserviced;

Therefore, be it resolved that UBCM advocate that the provincial government coordinate a regional approach to homelessness by increasing funding and resources for supportive housing and shelter initiatives across the province, and foster collaboration and coordination among local governments, provincial agencies, First Nation governments, Indigenous organizations, nonprofits, housing authorities, and community members."

The Alliance to End Homelessness in the Capital Region, RIP, was a model of what I imagine is intended, perhaps with the addition of direct Provincial involvement through BC Housing (which, logically in our regional case, would ensure establishment of a shelter at some place between Sooke and downtown Victoria). 

SR2 Negotiation of New RCMP Police Services Agreement 
"Whereas BC local governments over 5,000 in population that receive RCMP policing services are bound by the 20-year Municipal Police Unit Agreement, which expires in 2032;And whereas the process to negotiate new RCMP police services agreements is expected to begin soon, at a time when local governments are struggling to absorb rapidly increasing policing costs, placing significant pressure on local budgets:
Therefore be it resolved that UBCM request that the Province of BC and federal government directly involve UBCM and BC local governments as part of the process to negotiate new RCMP police services agreements, including the Municipal Police Unit Agreement;
And be it further resolved that as part of this process, local government priorities are thoroughly considered and incorporated into a new Municipal Police Unit Agreement for BC local governments."

"BC local governments over 5,000 in population that wish to receive RCMP policing services must sign the 20- year Municipal Police Unit Agreement (MPUA) with the Province of BC ... The MPUA outlines the terms and conditions under which the RCMP will provide policing services in a community, including the cost-share rate to be paid by the local government ... Policing is the most financially significant budget item for many local governments. It is crucial that BC local governments, who are part of the largest RCMP contract jurisdiction in Canada, be directly involved in discussions that could lead to significant financial impacts. The federal government has recently shown a reluctance to consider local governments as equal RCMP policing partners, demonstrated by the lack of direct engagement during RCMP collective bargaining and the 2022 Federal Assessment of RCMP Contract Policing.

The Province of BC is also considering recommendations made by the all-party Special Committee on Reforming the Police Act, including whether to implement a new provincial police service to replace the RCMP. UBCM continues to oppose this option, citing a lack of evidence to support such a significant change" 

SR3 Increased Library Funding from the Province is Overdue 
"Whereas libraries in BC are primarily (more than 90 percent) funded by local governments, and the provincial government’s share of library funding has been decreasing – from 21 percent of total revenue collected by libraries in 1986 to 6 percent in 2022;
And whereas the $14 million of core funding from the Province that covers all 71 library systems in BC has not increased since 2010 while the population of BC grew by 29 percent and overall inflation went up 36 percent;

Therefore ... increase the annual core provincial funding for libraries to $30 million in keeping with the long-standing request made by the BC Public Library Partners and the recommendation of the Province’s Select Standing Committee on Finance and Government Services." 

"The Province did not support any increased funding for public libraries as requested in the 2024 resolutions. They also did not support resolution 2024-NR67’s call to establish an Advisory Body under the Library Act to review core sustainable funding. The ministry indicated they value the contributions of local governments and library partners, and are willing to continue to engage in dialogue ... In 2023 the Province replied that they had heard the need for increased funding to supplement core local library funding from communities across the province and provided additional one-off funding of 45 million for public libraries, service partners and library federations in March 2023 in addition to the regular annual grants of 14 million. The funding was not repeated in 2024 or 2025." 

SR4 Support for UN Declaration on the Rights of Tla’amin First Nation
"Therefore be it resolved that UBCM requests that the Province support local governments to transform their approach to reconciliation with the development of a distinctions-based toolkit for UNDRIP implementation and associated funding."

All three member organizations of the First Nations Leadership Council – BC Assembly of First Nations, First Nations Summit and the Union of BC Indian Chiefs – have passed resolutions calling on the provincial and federal governments to explicitly legislate requirements for municipalities to implement UNDRIP. 

Specifically, UBCM is exploring ways that the Province can improve engagement with local governments during the negotiation of agreements with First Nations in a way that promotes reconciliation at the local level, support positive relationships, and advance collaboration. The outcome of this work will be an engagement guide for Ministry of Indigenous Relations negotiators to support strengthening local government engagement as an organizational practice."


SR5 Infrastructure Funding
"​Whereas BC local governments are facing increasing challenges in meeting their infrastructure needs including:
legislated housing growth and densification, existing and emerging environmental regulatory requirements, and
addressing the existing infrastructure deficit;

And whereas local governments do not have financial tools linked to population and economic growth that could
fund the capital renewal, expansion, and ongoing maintenance required;

And whereas delays in provincial permitting processes have significant consequences to the viability and ultimate
costs of infrastructure projects;

And whereas local governments are increasingly taking on tasks that have historically been the responsibility of
the provincial and federal government including providing lands and other financial supports for non-market and
supportive housing, while also bearing costs related to medical emergency response, and managing
encampments for growing numbers of unhoused British Columbians:

Therefore be it resolved that the Province invest in a long-term, predictable, allocation-based funding program to
support local government infrastructure servicing needs and stimulate growth of the provincial economy;

And be it further resolved that the Province invest in its own areas of responsibility including provincial
infrastructure investments and provincial permitting processes required to support housing-related population
growth."

"The UBCM Executive is bringing forward this Special Resolution as a means to consolidate recent UBCM resolutions and advocacy on the need for funding to support the infrastructure and services required for provincially-mandated housing growth, meeting existing and emerging environmental regulations, addressing climate resiliency, as well as seeking the provincial government to adequately fund services they are responsible for and improve provincial permitting processes. 

Asset Management: UBCM estimates that $24 billion in core infrastructure has to be replaced within the next 10 years. This includes things like water, wastewater, stormwater, transportation systems, parks and recreation – services that are essential for supporting housing growth. Further, public investment in local infrastructure is a proven tool for economic growth. Every dollar spent on infrastructure results in $1.14 in gross domestic product growth; generates new business spin-offs; and creates well-paying jobs across multiple sectors.

Downloads: On top of these challenges, local governments increasingly provide services that have historically been the responsibility of the provincial and federal government. Members care deeply about their communities and have felt the need to step up and help address service deficiencies in areas ranging from emergency medical response to subsidized housing to community health centres. This support has significant financial costs that take property tax dollars away from the core local government services they were intended to pay for. The provincially mandated housing growth further increases costs for local governments without providing the necessary financial support.
​
Services that are provincial responsibilities need to catch up and keep up with the population increases that will go along with the housing growth the Province has legislated. The membership has previously supported resolutions calling on the Province to respond to the health care crisis service-deficiencies that exist at current population levels. Specifically, resolution 2022-SR1 cited the critical need for additional family physicians, emergency room doctors, specialists, paramedics, and nurses across the province so that all residents of British Columbia can access an appropriate and necessary level of care. Local governments do not have the financial means to take on these responsibilities."


Lobbying 
Letters from Sooke Citizens
NR69 Legislating the BC Coastal Marine Strategy 
"A key challenge to coastal management is the absence of a legal framework specifically designed to govern and manage coastal marine areas in British Columbia. This strategy must be backed by law, not left to change." 

NR75 Mobile Live Animal Programs + Port Moody report backing this resolution 
In favour:  "Mobile petting zoos and exotic pet expos subject animals to stress and compromise their welfare ... protecting animal welfare, public health and the environment requires coordinated provincial action, and your endorsement is a key step."  + Vancouver Humane Society 

Against: NR75 Mobile Live Animal Programs - "This would remove long established categories of pet ownership, disrupt lawful trade and damage small businesses." + Pets Canada

Rick Hanson Foundation and Access West Shore Society 
Resolution NR41, sponsored by the District of Saanich, calls on the Province of British Columbia to strengthen the BC Building Code by incorporating the latest CSA accessibility standards, and to commit to RHFAC Gold certification on all new provincial buildings. Accessibility embedded into design costs very little, but makes a lifetime of difference to people with disabilities. BC will spend $248b on new buildings in the next three years." 

BC SPCA 
"We strongly encourage you to support the following resolutions that would significantly improve animal welfare in BC: 
- NR39 Advocating for Pet-Friendly Housing
- NR75 Mobile Live Animal Programs 
- NR76 Hybrid Wolfdogs 
- NR77 Provincial Support for Addressing Feral Rabbits 
- NR104 Priority Ferry Boarding for Livestock and Agricultural Products 
- EB04 BC SPCA Representation in Rural BC Communities 
Rationale on each of above from SPCA here. 

South Island Climate Action Network 
"We are reaching out to you to request your support for a set of resolutions that climate allies and progressives have selected from this year’s UBCM Resolutions Book.  

Sustainable - more government funding for cleaner cheaper renewable energy from wind and solar, solar batteries, distributed district energy systems
Vote YES:
EB47 Incentives to Invest in Low-Carbon Power Generation

Affordable - lower energy bills using high efficiency electric heat pump which are 300 - 400 % more efficient than gas furnaces and boilers, much cheaper to install, great rebates; double as air conditioners so no need to install a separate expensive cooling system; save on health care costs
Vote YES:
EB46 Tackling Energy Poverty and Increasing Workforce Capacity by Working with Youth Climate Corps
EB50 Supporting Rural Contractors for Effective Home Retrofits

Fossil Fuel Free - much better for personal and planetary health, cut down on deadly methane pollution; cut down on deadly heatwaves, fire weather, drought, floods, atmospheric rivers, wind storms
Vote NO: 
NR66 Balanced Emissions Policies
NR68 BC Building Code Amendment to Include Natural Gas
​NR106 Balanced Approach to Building Code Updates
NR111 Natural Gas and Liquified Natural Gas Strategy

Environmentally protected land, air, and water - we need nature in order to survive and thrive, need biodiversity for birds and pollinators for our food security, need 40% urban tree canopy to protect us from heat islands, need Natural Asset Management to mitigate and adapt to the impacts of climate change
Vote YES: 
EB45 Biodiverse Climate Resilient Ecosystems
EB54 Provincial Oversight of Water, Streams, Wetlands and Riparian Areas
NR69 Legislating the BC Coastal Marine Strategy 
NR74 Support for Natural Asset Inventory Development 
ER Defend the North Coast Tanker Ban 

Resilient - need adaptations to cope with climate impact ie heat pumps for cooling, cooling centres and warming shelters for emergency weather response; no building in high risk areas like flood plains, support for water and food security
Vote YES:
NR30 Supporting Climate-Resilient and Infrastructure-Ready Housing Targets 
NR31 Preventing Deaths from Extreme Heat by Amending Small-Scale Multi-Unit Housing Legislation
NR32 Response to Extreme Heat Events
NR52 Interim Diking Policy Updates



From this blog: 
* AVICC 2025 Convention 
​* UBCM 2024 Convention 
* UBCM 2023 Convention