Preparing for the Union of British Columbia Municipalities annual convention, Sept. 18-23 at the Vancouver Convention Centre. I came home last year from Whistler, the first in-person convention since 2019, with the very reason the events in 2020 and 2021 were conducted online. Well, I'm triple-vaxxed and ready to chance my luck again alongside a near-full compliment of Sooke councillors/colleagues, Acting CAO Raechel Gray and 1800 other delegates. It's another opportunity to explore my capacities as an "ambivert" (a new-to-me term describing the introvert/extrovert spectrum upon which we can all claim our unique personal places) while attending as many info-rich sessions and lively meet-and-greets as my nervous system can handle.  My own personal balancing act, in other words, at a conference that uses that theme this year: "We aim to balance the priorities ahead and craft plans that create impact in our communities." A UBCM "wellness" component will help with its daily 7 AM group yoga stretches -- suitable indeed in a progressive province in which Canada's first-ever Ministry of Mental Health & Addictions is championing mindfulness and social/emotional/physical wellbeing for us all. 

- - - UBCM convention 2023 homepage
​- Pocket program at a glance 
- Full program schedule (five busy days)
- 2023 annual report (definitive; see pp. 21- 46 for advocacy & policy progress with the province on multiple fronts)  
- 2023 resolutions book (202 resolutions this year; 93 in the "No Recommendation" category will spur debate) 
- UBCM e-newsletter The Compass (archive) 

- "A State of Overlapping Crises: BC Municipalities Have Much On Their Agendas for Annual Convention" - Justin McElroy, CBC Vancouver 


Sooke Advocacy Priorities
The Province invites municipal Mayors and councils to meet with Ministers for a limited number of 15-minute pitch sessions during UBCM week. This year Sooke requested the following five meetings, four of which are confirmed. Mayor Tait will again lead the presentations, and MLA Ravi Parmar will be joining us.  

* Minister of Municipal Affairs Anne Kang. Topic: Infrastructure Grants.
Sooke is grateful for its $5.9 million share of the $1 billion Growing Communities Fund -- a "one-time direct grant" distributed fairly across BC and made possible by the budget surplus. (It's essential for critical infrastructure needs given, as the Minister noted, the traditional go-to Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program Community Culture and Recreation grant stream was oversubscribed by a factor of six this year.) We'll be pitching the need for sewer expansion funding across the Sooke River to service T'Sou-ke Nation Reserve #1 and the residential, industrial and Sooke School District lands east to Kaltasin Road. While the District received a hugely welcome $4.6 million towards Wastewater Treatment Plant capacity (doubled), the ambitious follow-up bid for Kaltasin/Whiffin Spit expansion was flatly denied in March. Since then, the District and the T'Sou-ke have been working to get the Kaltasin portion of the plan back on the front burner. We also reached out to Minister of Indigenous Relations Murray Rankin; his office has recommended council speak to Minister Kang. (Monday, 10 AM, Rm. 20, East Building, VCC)

* Minister of Education and Child Care Rachna Singh. Topic: Seismic Upgrade to Sooke Elementary 
BC's oldest elementary school is set to undergo seismic upgrades concurrently with John Muir and Sasseenos Elementary, quite possibly within the next two years. All three schools are situated on Hwy. 14, and safety improvements must also be considered whether students travel by foot, bicycle or vehicle. Also to be raised are questions from recent council/trustee MOU meetings: Is it time to rebuild Sooke Elementary at the back of the property instead of investing in shoring up the existing site? And how would this impact the timeline for what is intended to be the next new school in Sooke -- Sunriver Elementary? (Monday, 3 PM, Rm. 18) 

​* Minister of Public Safety and Solicitor General/Deputy Premier Mike Farnworth. Topic: Vancouver Island Integrated Major Crime Unit (VIIMCU). VIIMCU is the RCMP division that investigates "homicides, suspicious deaths, missing persons where foul play is suspected, in-custody deaths and police-involved serious injuries." Current Greater Victoria participants are West Shore RCMP, Victoria Police, Saanich Police, Oak Bay Police, and Central Saanich Police Departments. Other CRD municipalities are on the unbudgeted hook for investigation costs (which can reach into the hundreds of thousands of dollars). Major crimes out here are infrequent, but one such example occurred in March ... another in May 2022 ... and another in May 2018.  For our financial part, Sooke is addressing long-term RCMP staff shortfalls by adding five new officers within three years.  (Thursday, 9 AM, Rm. 19)

* Minister of Health Adrian Dix. Topic: Health Services Planning.  Fabulous and hugely welcome news, of course, that Sooke will get a Community Health Centre/Urgent-and-Primary Care Centre within three years on Lot A near the library and the planned Gathering Place. This new build behind Western Foods will consolidate local primary-care services from West Coast Family Medical Clinic and other local providers (BC Ambulance included, it's hoped) into a single location. Further aligning ducks and getting it funded and built is the challenge for Sooke's Community Health working group as they continue their decade-plus of work on this file led by Mayor Tait and SRCHN's Mary Dunn. (Thursday, 1:20 PM, Rm. 16)

* Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure Rob Fleming. Topic: Alternative Route. Agreed all the more after this traffic-heavy summer: The demands on Highway 14 are becoming "untenable," stated the District's meeting request, even with the $65 million in safety improvements near 17 Mile House.  Council wishes to thank the Minister for the highway upgrades thus far (and there have been many) ... while also voicing need for essential future work, notably a second bridge crossing and funding support for the Throup-Grant Road connector route. (We're told the Minister is barraged with meeting requests, and Sooke is advised to book a date with senior staff in Victoria later this year.) 

At the 2022 convention in Whistler, Mayor Tait and several of we councillors met with Health Minister Dix,  then-Minister of Education Jennifer Whiteside (re: timeline for a new Sooke elementary school and upgrades to existing ones); and Solicitor General Farnworth (VIIMCU). In Dix's case, the Mayor focused yet again on her long-term campaign for expanding health-care facilities in Sooke, the happy news about which emerged this spring. My first such UBCM experiences were as a mostly silent witness to Mayor Tait's online meetings in 2020 with then-Education Minister Rob Fleming and then-Minister of Mental Health & Addictions Sheila Malcolmson.  
 
UBCM Priorities 
On behalf of the 193 local, regional and First Nations governments in BC that it represents, UBCM strategically works year-round on hot-button issues requiring attention, policy tweaks, legislative amendments and/or funding from the Province. It does so during annual Advocacy Days meetings with MLAs and cabinet Ministers in Victoria each spring (Mayor Tait was one of a half-dozen UBCM reps who attended this year) ... and ongoing year-round via a set of standing committees represented in joint working groups involving provincial staff. 

- President's Committee
- Convention Committee
- Environment 
- Indigenous Relations 
- Community Safety 
- Community Economic Development 
- Health and Social Development 
- Nominating Committee
- Resolutions  

UBCM 2022/23 Executive Priorities (see annual report, pp. 6-9)
~ Local Government Finance - Sustainable, long-term, predictable Province of BC funding for local governments paired with policy support in three priority areas: attainable housing, climate change and community safety. See Ensuring Local Government Financial Resiliency (2021), which presents recommendations that reiterate and expand on those found in UBCM's Strong Fiscal Futures report (2013).

This work is coordinated by UBCM and provincial staff within the Local Government Financial Review Working Group (see its August 2023 report). Top of mind always is this consensus "problem statement" - "Property tax is useful and important as an own-source revenue tool, but local governments report difficulty raising enough revenue from property taxes, particularly regarding infrastructure capital costs and select service delivery costs driven by senior government regulations and environmental factors." 

These efforts align with the Federation of Canadian Municipalities' Municipal Growth Framework campaign at the federal level. Its key point: "Local governments’ scope of responsibilities continues to expand—including driving action on-the-ground in new areas like homelessness, housing, mental health and addiction, as well as sustainability, climate adaptation and mitigation—outstripping funding provided by an outdated funding framework. Who pays for it all, through what means, and how do we keep municipal budgets balanced?"]  

In brief: Thanks for the municipal funding to date, but more $$$ please and thanks. 

~ Housing strategy - Subject of UBCM's Housing Summit in April, scheduled at time of release of the Province's Homes For People action plan. UBCM's initial response to the plan is here.  The Ministry of Housing has indicated it will track 47 growing BC municipalities (Sooke included) as we/they enact recommendations and meet targets in our/their respective Housing Needs Reports. (Sooke is already well ahead of its targets; we have nearly 1,000 units approved for construction and another 1,000 anticipated. See MOTI meeting request above as to why this is problematic.) 

The latest news we'll likely hear at the convention (via Globe & Mail, Aug. 18) -- "BC is putting together a 'land bank' that will consist of public land to be used towards the creation of affordable housing. The bank will include provincial, federal and municipal lands, and Housing Minister Ravi Kahlon said in an interview last week that he expects the initiative, called BC Builds, to be launched early next year. He says the era of selling off public land is over, and instead, government is making use of existing public lands and even buying up more land, particularly around transit." (In response to a Provincial request early this summer, Sooke has shared that we have little or no available public land for land-bank purposes.)  

Much buzz to be expected over the federal government's Sept. 14 announcement of GST exemptions for "new purpose-built rental housing, such as apartment buildings, student housing and senior residences built specifically for long-term rental accommodation" through 2035. (4 units minimum, not secondary suites)

~ Infrastructure funding. UBCM is representing local governments in renegotiation of the Canada-Community Building Fund (formerly Gas Tax Fund). A permanent doubling of the current $293 million transferred to BC annually from Ottawa (as per 2019 and 2021) would be appreciated, of course. 50% of this transfer is dedicated to Greater Vancouver, and funds are also hived off for BC Transit, Trans-Link and non-profits. The amount is indexed to rise incrementally each year, and Sooke will receive approx. $630k in 2023 + UBCM page + 2018 UBCM outcomes report + funding to Sooke over the years has gone towards multiple road, trail and other infrastructure improvements, master-planning documents, the Fred Milne turf field, the SEAPARC weight room/fitness studio and more. 

~ Indigenous Relations: Land use planning as it relates to Indigenous land claims and TRC recommendations + submissions (2021 and 2016) to the National Inquiry into Missing & Murdered Aboriginal Women & Girls + Pathways to Collaboration showcases of economic collaboration between First Nations and municipalities + advocacy for safe drinking water on reserves (as of June, "142 long-term advisories were lifted since November 2015. An additional 28 long-term advisories remain in effect in 26 communities.")

~ Climate Change and Climate Action: Continued work on advancing the Nov. 2020 recommendations of the UBCM Special Committee on Climate Action via the CleanBC Roadmap to 2030 and its related Climate Preparedness and Adaptation Strategy: 2022-2025,  namely: 

* Zero emission housing and low-carbon retrofits 
* World-class low carbon vehicle charging network 
* World-class active transportation infrastructure (based on the province's Move, Commute, Connect Active Transportation Strategy)
* Land-use planning for vibrant, compact & complete communities
* Management of solid and liquid waste as resources
* Regional climate risk assessments and capital plans
* Creating climate champions (10 test-pilot communities) 

Reference: BC Climate Change Accountability Report (2022) 

~ Community transition support via the BC Rural Economic Diversification and Infrastructure Program 

~  BC Fire Safety Act modernization (see 2022 convention slide deck) and revision of the BC Emergency Program Act + needed municipal funding to enact arising new responsibilities (UBCM emergency services page). The working group makes "recommendations regarding the implementation of the revised BC Structure Firefighter Minimum Training Standards by providing information related to current fire service infrastructure and priorities of local government fire services." 

- Cannabis taxation revenue sharing. Despite multiple near-unanimous resolutions since 2017, the province "remains unwilling to engage in meaningful discussion" about sharing this revenue with local governments. See 2019 UBCM position paper and this year's resolution from Port Moody. The Province figures the cannabis industry contributes $2.4 billion to the provincial economy annually; federal tax revenue is currently distributed to municipalities in Ontario, Quebec and Alberta. 

Other areas of policy and advocacy focus in recent years ... 
- Provincial response to the opioid crisis -- decriminalization (2021) backed by provincial support for safe consumption, drug testing, detox and treatment
- Development of Code of Conduct for elected officials, committee members and municipal staff  + introduction of an online course
- Public safety: Addressing "random violence, street disorder and repeat offenders" through reform of the federal Bill C-75 as it pertains to the Criminal Code, the Youth Criminal Justice Act and others -- largely re: detention of repeat offenders for appropriate periods + UBCM submission to the Special Committee on Reforming the Police Act (2021) and slide deck
- Wrecked, abandoned or hazardous vessels + Transport Canada's Abandoned Boats program
- Improved elections eduction for candidates via BC Municipal Affairs website 
- Rail safety improvement program 

2023 Resolutions to be forwarded to the province if successful  
UBCM attendees debate (at pro and con microphones) and then vote annually on a set of resolutions submitted by municipal councils for approval by the UBCM Resolutions Committee. These typically add fresh urgency and/or new textures to long-time campaigns that continue to evolve as municipal members annually shape UBCM advocacy with the Province. 

Successful resolution votes (50% + 1) are forwarded to the appropriate BC ministry for consideration. Ministerial responses flow back in over the next six months and are catalogued on the UBCM website here (searchable back to 1987). The 2022 replies package details how the Province is responding on the many and varied fronts raised through resolutions.  (See pp. 34-45 of this year's annual report for an overview of provincial responses over the last five years). 

This year's resolution book features 202 resolutions from 87 BC local governments and regional districts. (Sooke did not submit one this year). As ever, these well-documented wishes are divided into categories:

~ Extraordinary Resolutions (ER) to amend UBCM bylaws;
~ Special Resolutions (SR) determined by the UBCM executive;
~ Endorse Block (EB) and Non-Endorse Block (NEB) of resolutions that either align with or are contrary to existing UBCM policy. (These are dealt with in a single vote unless delegates wish to remove one or more resolutions for debate.)
~ No Recommendation (NR) resolutions left by the UBCM to the will of delegates. This takes up the lion's share of the allocated time. 
~ Referred Resolutions (RR) which either duplicate other resolutions or are best dealt with by the UBCM executive. 

And thematically divided as follows: 
* Health and Social Development
* Housing
* Community Safety
* Environment
* Regional Districts
* Finances
* Land Use
* Taxation
* Transportation
* Legislative
* Assessment
* Community Economic Development
* Elections 

The resolutions session will begin Wednesday morning with three UBCM board-directed resolutions ... 

1. Amend the resolution submission deadline: Fully 25% of resolutions arrive in the week prior to the submission deadline. Swamped UBCM staff are asking that the deadline be moved back a fortnight to June 15. (It is broadly recognized that too many unnecessary resolutions are pumped out by what grumpy naysayers define as virtue-signalling councils. These often duplicate earlier resolutions and/or fail to reflect recent provincial responses.) 

2. Health equity for rural and remote communities: Calling for additional heath-care supports, locums, nurse practitioners, ambulance paramedics and visiting medical specialists in rural communities far removed from health-care facilities. 

3. 911 Emergency communications service delivery: Modernizing the 911 system in accordance with Ottawa's Next Generation 911 policies.  

The Endorsed Block features 73 resolutions that will be dealt with in a single quick, likely near unanimous vote. Here (pp. 35-81) you'll find what UBCM figures are the consensus wishes and wants of all BC local governments in 2022/23.  Many/most duplicate earlier resolutions in spirit and intent if not exact language, all of them long-game ambitions the Province is addressing to varying degrees and timelines. Topics include modernization of the Local Government Act, provincial support for local government implementation of the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act, biodiversity protection, emergency response funding, safe drug supply, short-term vacation rentals, extreme weather response for the unhoused, heat-pump incentives, the Recycle BC Stewardship program, oversubscribed federal funding programs, protection of old-growth forests, increased BC Transit funding, equitable communities and much else.
 
The NR (No Recommendation) sessions on Thursday and Friday will feature an additional 93 resolutions to be debated at suitable length. Browse them starting on pp. 87 of the Resolutions Book.  Here's a select and rather random list of some among the many that strike me as intriguing ... 

* $10/Day Child Care Coordination and Funding (NR1) ~ Further calls for a universal, affordable child-care system that includes provincial coordination of facility design, construction and staffing. 

* Removing the Financial Barrier to Home Support for BC Seniors (NR5) ~ Waive fees associated with the Home Support Program to enable more seniors to age in place regardless of income.  

* Tackling BC's Toxic Drug Health Emergency (NR7) ~ Accelerated Provincial action re: drug testing, supervised consumption and harm-reduction sites, and review of the BC decriminalization program and the Federal Safer Supply Pilot Project. 

* Vaccine Mandate for Healthcare Workers (NR13) ~ Calling on the Province to lift the COVID-19 vaccine requirement for unvaccinated healthcare workers as it has done for most public employees. 

* Expanding Development Permit Powers to Allow for Pre-Zoning (NR15) ~ Given the province's desire for more pre-planned housing, the Local Government Act should allow local governments to request road dedications, statutory-rights-of-way and infrastructure servicing upgrades through the development permit and/or building permit process. 

* Increasing Affordable Rental Housing Supply (NR21) ~ Asking the Province to lobby Ottawa to encourage more affordable housing from the private sector and non-profits via reform of the CMHC's Rental Construction Financing Initiative. 

* Advocacy for Pet-Friendly Housing (NR23) ~ Request for BC Housing to support pet-friendly housing in the non-profit sector. 

* Encampment Management (NR25) ~ Request that BC Housing take on management and oversight of tent encampments across BC. This differs from current policy of the Province working in collaboration with local governments (as per this 2021 Ministry of Housing response to an earlier such resolution: "The Province takes a 'Housing First' approach to homelessness and encampments, prioritizing outreach, access to shelter and housing, as well as health and social supports. This approach includes BC Housing’s work with local governments and local authorities to address encampments as they arise, ensuring people’s health, safety and access to housing supports. This includes working together to create suitable housing options with wraparound supports." 

* "The Village" Model of Supportive Housing (NR26) ~ BC Housing asked to base its future homeless response on the City of Duncan's transitional housing initiative that has created an empowering village context for homeless individuals who can access individual sleeping cabins, communal eating/gathering spaces and necessary support services. 

* Provincial Cannabis Tax Sharing With Local Governments (NR31) ~ The annual refrain, this time via Port Moody: "UBCM ask the Province to share up to 50 percent of provincial revenues generated from the production and sale of cannabis products with BC local governments." In 2018, Ottawa cut its share of the GST pot to 25% given costs borne by local governments. Last year the Province stated that the windfall (even with added PST) was proving less than anticipated and that it continued to use what it received to cover its own related costs.  

​* RCMP Cost-Sharing Agreements (NR34) ~ As Sooke experienced this year, its a major budget hit to begin paying for 90% of RCMP costs once past the 15,000 population threshold (vs. 70 percent for communities with 5k or more residents). This resolution calls for additional of a gentler transition phase. (A revived BC Local Government Policing Modernization Roundtable is exploring this and other issues.) 

* Riparian Areas Protection Regulation Compliance (NR41). Speaking to the increasing time it takes for the Province to respond to referral and approval requests of multiple kinds, Sicamous asks that local governments be given authority to accept and approve reports from Qualified Environmental Professionals (QEPs). 

* Understanding BC Hydro's Electrification Capacity (NR43). Squamish call for BC Hydro to better communicate how it is preparing through its Electrification Plan (2021) to expand the grid to meet a surge of demand from the coming wave of retrofits and changing community energy policies. ["Our goal is to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the province by 900,000 tonnes per year by April 2026 – that’s around the same as taking 200,000 gas-powered cars off the road for one year. Our Electrification Plan outlines how we’ll get there."]

* New Contribution Model to Finance Local Governments in Climate Transition (NR45). With the kickstarting Local Government Climate Plan Program currently limited to three years, Comox Valley RD asks "the Minister of Municipal Affairs and BC Cabinet to establish a new contribution model similar in size and structure to the Canada Community Building Fund in order to accelerate local government climate-related investments." 

* BC Resources for Estimating Climate Costs (NR46). A call for the province to help LGs "better calculate and understand the financial costs that they are experiencing, or may experience, due to climate change and the need to prepare for climate impacts." (See Canadian Climate Institute's 2021 Damage Control report. <clip> "In 2025, Canada will experience $25 billion in losses. In addition to slowing GDP growth, climate impacts will cause large job losses, as heat-induced productivity losses and premature deaths shrink relative to a stable-climate scenario, which is equal to 50 per cent of projected 2025 GDP growth. The mounting costs compound quickly over the years and decades ahead, rising to $78 and $101 billion annually by mid-century for a low and high emissions scenario respectively, and $391 and $865 billion respectively by end of century." 
 
* Planning Tools for Habitat Protection (NR47). Parksville asks that the province establish a working group to assess BC's position relative to the 2022 UN Convention on Biological Diversity's Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework arising from last December's COP-15. See framework in full (PDF) + federal government statement + Federation of BC Naturalists recommendations. 

* Decreasing Food Waste, Increasing Food Security (NR48). Vancouver asks the Province to "measure, monitor and make publicly available data on food waste in BC" as a baseline for future policy and incorporate subsequent actions into the CleanBC 2030 climate action plan. As the resolution (with its inevitable run-on sentence) states: 11.8 percent of BC households (485,500 people) experience some level of food insecurity; 3 percent of households (91,100 people) experience severe food insecurity; 163,000 people in BC used a food bank in March of 2022 and demand is expected to increase by 60 percent in BC this year; 63 percent of all throwaway food could be eaten; and 40 percent of produce generates GHGs in landfills."  See National Zero Waste Council's Love Food Hate Waste website. 

* Control of Scotch Broom (NR51). Qualicum Beach renews its war against invasive Scotch Broom (aka Scarothamus Vulgarus), brought to Van isle by none other than Sooke's Capt. Grant in 1850. (His three seedlings were but the first of many sources, including Victoria garden shops and via mail order from Royal Botanic Gardens in London, England.) Now rated as the Top Worse Offender by the Invasive Species Council of BC; this year's resolution highlights its highly inflammable qualities and the need to create fire breaks by strategically eradicating it across BC. [Over the years UBCM has sought responses to quagga and zebra mussels; asian clams; soils free of invasive pests; bans on sales of invasive species; a rat reduction policy; and aquatic invasive species (knotweed, for notable instance.)]

* Flexibility in Growing Communities Fund (NR55). Expand the fund, launched last fall, to include affordable housing projects. (No guarantees to date, however, that the fund will be more than a one-time windfall.) 

* ALC Exclusion Applications (NR59). Effective September 2020, the Agricultural Land Commission Act was revised so that local governments are tasked with processing/approving/rejecting proposed ALR exclusions. Cariboo RD notes that this work "requires considerable administration, staff time, and financial resources" on matters that "solely benefit private property owners" -- therefore please reverse the policy and again require land owners to work directly with the ALC (which, in turn, would again seek approve/reject/no-comment feedback from local governments.) 

* ALC Expansion of Non-Farm Usage on Farmlands (NR60). Request for a Temporary Use Permit system to allow farms to expand agri-tourism activities and operate on-site bistros and restaurants.  

* Cost Recovery from Upper Watersheds/Privately Managed Forest Lands (NR67). Concerned about downstream impacts of forestry on community watersheds. Cowichan Valley RD asks that "the Province partner with local governments to review taxation and cost recovery options from private managed forest lands to support local governments in watershed management and stewardship to mitigate and adapt to the effects of climate change." See province's Community Watersheds webpage + pp. 15/16 in Sierra Club BC's Intact Forests, Safe Communities (2021). 

* Limitation of Rent Increases on Commercial Properties (NR70). White Rock notes the challenges for local businesses and requests that the Province establish a counterpart to the Residential Tenancy Branch for commercially zoned properties. 

* Increasing Tax Exemptions for Volunteer Firefighters & Search-and-Rescue Volunteers (NR75). City of Nanaimo recognizes essential volunteer workers and calls for a $10k tax credit, up from the current $3k for "volunteers who provide at least 200 hours of volunteer service to a volunteer fire department, an eligible search and rescue organization, or a combination of both." Under debate in Ottawa currently via Bill C-310. 

* BC Transit Service Delivery Model Flexibility (NR76)

* Zero Emission Vehicles (NR80)

* MOTI Required Highway Upgrades (NR83)

* Personal Leaves for Elected Officials (NR85)

* Extending Election Nomination Period (NR91)

* Wellbeing of Future Generations Act (NR93). Saanich council asks the Province to create an act requiring "public bodies to think about the long-term impact of their decisions, to work better with people, communities and each other, and to prevent persistent problems such as poverty, health inequalities and climate change."

Note: ​It was deeply frustrating to me and most at the first few conventions I attended that sufficient time hadn't been reserved to process all No-Recommendation resolutions. Enough of us griped that this is no longer the case; 6.5 hours in total this year is allocated in a schedule otherwise packed with workshops, presentations, the trade show, area luncheons and networking receptions. Thank you, UBCM. 

Elections 
A new and reshuffled UBCM executive is elected annually by delegates. Newcomers typically enter the hierarchy as Directors At Large, then consider moving into the executive roles -- Third, Second and First VP, and President. Traditionally, as I understand it, the First VP and President roles are uncontested each year. Hence current President (Whistler councillor) Jen Ford will end her term and be succeeded by current First VP Trish Mandewo, Councillor with the City of Coquitlam. Likewise, Second VP Art Kaehn, Area E (Woodpecker-Hixon) Director with the Regional District of Fraser-St. George will become First VP. There are two nominees each for the other officer positions ... and seven are standing for the five Director At Large positions (with one or more likely being nominated from the floor, as was the case with Mayor Tait when she started her UBCM climb in 2016.) 

This year's convention ...
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday

Choices must be made among concurrent workshops, but my intent is to attend the following ... 

Monday: 9:30 to 11:30: A Conversation on Decriminalization and Public Use  
"Earlier this year, the BC government received a three-year exemption by Health Canada from the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act to decriminalize the possession of certain illegal drugs. While local governments endorsed resolution 2021-NR44, in support of decriminalization as one of the tools to address the overdose crisis, local governments are also raising concerns about the use of these drugs in parks, playgrounds, and other public spaces. This session will explore the complex issues of the drug toxicity crisis, decriminalization, stigma, and public substance use."  [In light of this week's announcement from the Ministry of Mental Health and Addictions: "Effective Monday, Sept. 18, 2023, possession of illicit drugs within 15 metres of any play structure in a playground, a spray or wading pool, or a skate park will be prohibited. B.C. had made a request to Health Canada for an amendment to the decriminalization policy to add these spaces to existing exclusions on possession, including on the premises of K-12 schools and licensed child care facilities. The federal minister of mental health and addictions and associate minister of health has approved B.C.’s request."]

Monday: 2:15 to 4:15 PM: Tools, Funding & Resources for Local Governments
"This session will provide opportunities for delegates to meet with representatives from more than 25 agencies that provide tools, resources, funding or other supports that help local governments to increase capacity, improve service delivery, and undertake local planning, projects and development."

​Tuesday: 7:30-8:30 AM: Strengthening Democracy, Balancing Partisanship
"Once standing two sword lengths apart in the BC Legislature, former NDP Premier Mike Harcourt and former Socred & BC Liberal Minister Graham Bruce, are now working together to highlight concerns and misperceptions about our democracy and how we might strengthen democracy as elected persons. As mayors (Mike – Vancouver and Graham – North Cowichan), both speakers have experienced the front-line issues and pressures of local government. Is there a real threat to Democracy worldwide and what role can Mayors & Councilors play in ‘Strengthening Democracy’."

Tuesday, 1:45 PM: Exploring the Health Impacts of Wildfires
"The 2023 B.C. wildfire season has been declared the most destructive ever recorded based on square kilometers burned. That declaration was made in mid-June, not even half way through the wildfire season. In the months since that declaration the wildfires have not relented, and have continued to ravage communities, putting lives at risk and creating a host of negative health impacts. This year’s plenary session will explore these health impacts, both physical and mental, and discuss some of the ongoing research, as well as strategies to help protect our communities." 

Tuesday: 3:15-4:30 PM: Climate Action, Forest Management & Your Community 
"This session will include an update on the recent announcement around Forest Landscape Plans, progress on an action plan for old growth management, and new tools and climate science to support these initiatives." 
Julie MacDougall, Executive Director Strategic Initiatives, Office of the Chief Forester, Office of the Chief Forester, Ministry of Forests
Eamon O’Donoghue, Associate Deputy Minister, Ministry of Forests
Colin Mahoney, Research Climatologist, Forest Carbon and Climate Services Branch, Ministry of Forests
Norah White, Executive Director, Provincial Old Growth Strategy, Ministry of Forests
Derek Lefler, Director, Forest Science, Planning and Practices Branch, Ministry of Forests

Wednesday, 7:30 AM - Creating the Right Conditions (clinic) 
"Join three non-profit housing leaders as they share their experiences of successfully working with municipalities to address critical housing need in their communities while balancing the needs and concerns of other community stakeholders." 

Wednesday, 9:25 AM - Keynote Address: John Herdman 
Head coach of the Canadian men's and women's World Cup teams, and now Toronto FC + Guardian article 

Wednesday, 3 PM - Cabinet Town Halls 
Tag-team sets of NDP cabinet ministers gather to address major themes, in this year's case Emergency Preparedness, Housing and Stronger Public Services. Details in the convention schedule. The Housing session features Ravi Kahlon, Minister of Housing; Katrine Conroy, Minister of Finance; and Jennifer Whiteside, Minister of Mental Health and Addictions ... "supporting regional growth by building more livable communities, supporting our most vulnerable citizens by creating complex care housing programs, and ensuring we have a housing market that includes a diversity of affordable housing options." 

Wednesday: 4:15 PM - Climate Energy Association's annual Climate and Energy Action Awards (25 nominees) 

Thursday, 7:30 AM - Digital Transformation of the Housing Development Process (clinic)
"The Province is working with partners across the housing development sector to speed up housing-related permits and improve the service experience for homeowners, builders and developers. The Ministry of Housing & the Ministry of Water, Land, and Resource Stewardship will present on initiatives to digitize and automate the building permit process, and the ongoing collaboration and coordination of Natural Resource Ministry permitting for a more streamlined experience." 

Thursday, 2:30 PM - Provincial Clean Transportation Action Plan 
Five significant sessions unfolding simultaneously.  I'll likely opt for this one featuring Minister of Energy, Mines & Low Carbon Innovation Josie Osborne re: the Province's Clean Transportation Action Plan, set for release later this year and focused on GHG reduction, reduced vehicle kilometres travelled and mode shift. I also want to duck into the Creating Climate Resilient Communities Through Collaboration session since it features Simon Fraser University's Alison Shaw, responsible for the Low Carbon Resilience model that the District adopted in 2021 and continues to work with today. 

Friday, 11 AM - Closing address by Premier David Eby 

Footnoted: 
UBM Funding Opportunities
​- Local Government Program Services funding programs 
- September 2023 update 
- New in 2023: Disaster Risk Reduction-Climate Adaptation funding stream
- Community to Community Program (funding for events linking First Nations and local governments)

​

6. People are asking: Are we ready for the worst? Well, the answer depends. Yes, Sooke's public safety professionals are ready and able as you'll read here. Whether you are as an individual or family is down to your willingness to adopt and follow best practices as recommended so clearly in documents such as this one.  (I'll give the Batemans a 'solid start, can do better' rating.) 

This became BC's worst-ever wildfire season on record on July 18, and it has only grown considerably worse in the weeks since.  (See Aug. 17 Provincial Wildfire Status Update.) We have, touch wood, had just one small out-of-control fire in the area (Tugwell Creek, Aug. 1-3) this summer. Nonetheless, the BC Wildfire Service rates parts of Sooke in the more dangerous of its Wildland Urban Interface Risk categories, so 24/7 vigilance is essential. (A brush fire on Henlyn Road caused by a discarded cigarette butt in June, 2019 is one recent example of a near-miss; strong winds at the time threatened to make it a major event but Sooke firefighters controlled it after a long day.) 

Aside from the haze on Saturday, we've not been subject to the smokey, particulate-infused days that have characterized some recent years here on the coast, i.e., August 2018, when the region's air qualified as the world's worst when it is usually - surely - among the wind-freshened best most of the time. Count us fortunate. 

The District of Sooke updated its definitive emergency planning pages earlier this week, so i suggest you begin or further your own readiness planning/thinking there. More links follow here on wildfires, tsunamis, earthquakes and other potential apocalypses -- for which the province has prepared case-specific plans. [The inevitable big quake is the one that keeps me hot-eyed and sleepless occasionally when I ponder it. Reading Gregor Craigie's On Borrowed Time: North America's Next Big Quake and/or Jerry Thompson's Cascadia's Fault: The Coming Earthquake and Tsuanami that Could Devastate North America will make you a nervous believer and proactive preparer, too.]


​Starting Points for Personal and Community Safety
- District of Sooke Emergency Planning
- Emergency Planning and Evacuation Considerations 

<clip> "When it comes to community-wide emergencies, such as a threat of wildfire, we have an excellent team of professional and volunteer emergency responders through the District's emergency program. However, it is the combined effort of all in the community that will ensure resiliency and see our community through such an emergency." 

What we residents can do ... 
1. Read the extensive material in the links shared above. [Fact: Professionals in multiple public safety services have our backs and are ready for every eventuality while also counting on each of us to have our acts together.]

2. Register for automated emergency alert notifications (via phone, text or email) + EmergencyInfo BC 

3. Be prepared! with grab-and-go kits and by FireSmarting your property

4. Consider volunteering with ...
- Sooke Fire Rescue Paid-On Call Recruitment
- Sooke Emergency Support Services 
- Royal Canadian Marine Search & Rescue Services (Sooke Station 37)
- Juan de Fuca Search & Rescue 
- Block Watch (via RCMP's Sam Haldane, email) 

5. Organize a minimum of six neighbours to form a POD through the Neighbourhood Emergency Preparedness Program (NEPP). These groups plan, prepare for and share resources during emergencies. 

6. Familiarize yourself with the common-sense and logical neighbourhood disaster escape-route guides contained in this agenda package (pp. 9 to 202). They're part of a grant-funded 2020 report produced by Smart Risk Control Planning Services, which worked in collaboration with Sooke Emergency Program/Sooke Fire/Rescue staff and Juan de Fuca mutual aid partners. 



Sooke Emergency Planning 
As you'll read in the District's links, the Province of BC's British Columbia Emergency Response Management System (BCERMS) is "a comprehensive framework that provides a structure for a standardized approach to developing, coordinating and implementing emergency management programs across the province." It provides guidance on the development of local plans, in Sooke's case these being: 

- Sooke Wildfire Protection Plan, published in 2011 and now undergoing an update by its same authors, Bruce Blackwell and Associates, widely recognized among BC's top authorities on wildfire protection. 

~ Sooke Emergency Response and Business Continuity Plan (2014)

The priorities of these plans: 
- Provide for the safety and health of all responders;
- Save lives;
- Reduce suffering;
- Protect public health;
- Protect property and government infrastructure;
- Protect the environment;
- Reduce economic and social losses;
- Restore corporate and development services.

Ground zero for any response to a local emergency will be Sooke's Emergency Operations Centre on the second floor of Fire Hall #1. Its guidelines are detailed in the EOC Manual. 

Potential emergency centres if required in the District: 
- Sooke Community Hall
- Edward Milne Community School 
- Metchosin Community Hall 

Emergency Management BC "provides executive coordination, strategic planning and multi-agency facilitation" 

​- Sooke RCMP
- Fire Services
- BC Ambulance
- Emergency Social Services
- Engineering and public works contractors
- BC Housing
- JDF Search & Rescue
- Royal Canadian Marine Search & Rescue
- Harbour Authority - Sooke Government Wharf
- Neighbourhood Watch & Citizens on Patrol programs 
- BC Ministry of Health 
- BC Coroners' Service 

Miscellaneous other links ... 

Federal ​
~ Public Safety Canada + Wildfire Response
~ Emergency Management Strategy for Canada: Toward a Resilient 2030 
~ Hazards and Emergencies

​Provincial 
~ Emergency Management in BC 
~ All Hazard Plan (2022) 
​~ BC Wildfire Service 
​~ Legislation 
~ Emergency Education Programs and Toolkits 
~ Modernizing the Emergency Program Act + Latest Update (July 4, 2023)

Regional  
~ Prepare Yourself! A Guide to Emergency Preparedness in the Capital Region
~ CRD Regional Emergency Management (tsunami, earthquakes, wildfires, severe weather, flooding and storm surges, landslides, infectious disease, HAZMAT incidents) 
~ Public Alert Notification System (PANS) - sign up for direct notification of tsunami, wildfire or evacuation notice

​~ "Greater Victoria's Water Supply Supply Deemed Highly Vulnerable to the Threat of Wildfire" - Water Canada, 2016

Sooke Region 
"The Sooke Emergency Program is considered the responsible emergency management organization by the municipality. It is responsible for the planning, mitigation, response and recovery from any emergency or disaster that happens within its jurisdiction. The volunteer Emergency Support Services (ESS) group (25 members), hosts Open Houses throughout the year to educate the public on emergency preparedness and participates in the Great BC Shakeout (third Thursday each October) at all Sooke elementary schools. The Sooke Emergency Radio Group (SERG) members provide amateur emergency radio communications during an emergency." - District of Sooke Annual Report

~ Sooke Fire Rescue Department
~ Sooke Fire and Emergency Program Facebook page + Twitter 

~ Sooke Emergency Operations Centre (District staff and community volunteers are trained to assist emergency professionals in the EOC command structure) 
~ EOC staff working with T'Sou-ke First Nation on shared guidance and support 
~ EOC at Level One readiness throughout COVID pandemic 

~ Sooke Emergency Support Services (250 642-5422) 
"Community Engagement team offers free emergency preparedness sessions to community groups, families, businesses, stratas, etc. to build a resilient community"   

~ Sooke has tapped the UBCM's Community Emergency Preparedness Fund repeatedly in recent years for evacuation route planning, new equipment and modernization of the Emergency Operations Centre. ​
~ UBCM funding stream updates 

Wildfires
~ BC Wildfire Service + Wildfire Map 
~ FireSmoke Canada - 48-hour smoke forecasts 
~ Canadian Wildland Fire Information System (daily updated national fire mapping)  

~ Wildfire Glossary of Terms 

~ FireSmart program prioritized as BC prepares to deal with potential local impacts of the "fifth season." 
~ FireSmart Canada
~ FireSmart Begins At Home (PDF guides to home prep, landscaping and home development)  

2022 BC Wildfire Season Summary (includes annual data from 2003 onwards)
​"As our Sooke team moves into the new year, we are reflecting on our most recent wildfire season. The Coast had a total of 281 wildfires and was right behind the Kamloops Fire Centre in total hectares burned at 21,779. With sustained warm and dry weather throughout the fall, the season got extended well into September and October. New records were set for the months of August and October for the number of fires detected per week compared to the past 20 years."

~ "Sooke Fire Rescue Gears Up For Wildfire Season" - Sooke News Mirror, May 2020 

~ Few Sooke fires annually but always possible: Sooke is now recognized as a Level 1 wildfire hazard zone given our proximity to so much (tinder dry in the summer) forested land in what's termed a "Wildland Urban Interface Zone." Blackwell & Associates studied the historical wildfire data in Sooke from 1919 onwards (pg. 12/13); we average just one or two fires in most years, almost all human caused, with 1952 (7 fires), 1973 (6) and 1978 (6) as our worst in numbers per year. The vast majority are relatively small (under a few hectares), with the record burns being a 900-hectare fire in 1922 and a 1500-hectare fire in 1927. 

~ Training Exercise: Wildland Fire at Erinan Estates (2018; full-scale exercise involving multiple fire departments, the RCMP and the evacuation of 117 residents to a reception centre at EMCS)  

~ Tree Canada: Wildfire and the Urban/Rural Interface
~ State of California Wildfire Preparation Tips 
~ Canadian Red Cross: Wildfires - Before, During & After

~ Fuel load:
-  Wildfire Science - Government of Northwest Territories
- "Western Red Cedar in a Death Spiral?" - Van Isle News, July, 2021
- "Dry Summers Take Heavy Toll on Island Trees" - Times Colonist, Sept. 2019

Earthquake 
~ Province of BC: Get Prepared for an Earthquake 
~ Shake-Out BC (Oct. 19 at 10:19 AM annually) 
~ Provincial Earthquake Immediate Response Strategy (2022)
~ BC Earthquake Preparedness Consultation (2014) 

Tsunami/Sea-Level Rise
~ BC Tsunami Zones + Capital Region map including Sooke + Alerts 
​
~ Capital Region Tsunami Information Portal 
​~ CRD Seawater rise and inundation mapping 

~ Sooke Tsunami Awareness  
~ Staff training via Royal Roads University MA In Disaster and Emergency Management program
~ Sooke Floodplain Regulation Bylaw (adopted 2020) 
~ Tsunami Community Awareness Report: Kaltasin/Sooke (RRU study) 
~ "Tsunami Warning: How Well Did We Respond?" (Times Colonist, Jan. 23, 2018) 

 Oil Spills
~ Sooke liaison with Western Canada Marine Response Corp. and the Canadian Coast Guard 
~ Inside WCMRC (Capital Daily, May 22, 2023) 
~ Beecher Bay response station: "The Beecher Bay satellite base is located on Sc’ianew First Nation territory and reports to Vancouver Island operations in Nanaimo. It houses personnel, a skimming vessel, a coastal response vessel, landing craft and workboats. A warehouse and office will be complete in 2024." 

Air Quality
~ Sooke Burning Bylaw 292 (revised June, 2021) + staff report 
~ BC Venting Index 
~ Burning Issue (from this blog)  

Mutual Aid
~ CRD Fire Services: Juan De Fuca 
~ Otter Point Fire Department 

~ Rotary Club of Sooke donates Disaster Aid Canada kits to the Sooke Emergency Program 
~ Black Press "Be Ready" Emergency Guide ​
​~ CRD Emergency Preparedness for Pets guide 
~ CRD Seasonal Readiness Planning sessions each spring 

Other Province of BC Emergency Plans 

• Provincial Flood Emergency Plan 
• Flood Waste and Debris Removal Plan 
• Pandemic Provincial Coordination Plan 
• Tsunami Notification Process Plan 
• Provincial Coordination Plan for Wildland Urban Interface Fires 
• Extreme heat preparedness for agencies and ministries 
• Nuclear Emergency Plan for B.C. 
• Agriculture Emergency Planning
• B.C. Coroners Service Mass Fatality Response Plan
• B.C. Drought Response Plan 
• B.C. Public Post-Secondary Education Sector Integrated Response Plan for Catastrophic Events 
• Dam Safety Program
• Disaster Response Routes
• Emergency Management Planning Guide for Schools, Districts and Authorities
• Federal Emergency Response Plan
• Foreign Animal Disease Emergency Support Plan for B.C.
• Spills and Environmental Emergencies

​Recent News Articles 
~ "Canada's Ability to Prevent Forest Fires Lags Behind the Need" ~ New York Times, June 9, 2023 
~ "How To Break Western Canada's Accelerating Cycle of Wildfires" - Globe & Mail, June, 2019 


Footnote: A member of the public came to Sooke council last month and stated that human stupidity is the cause of wildfires, not climate change, reducing a complex matter to an either/or statement. I asked Sooke's Fire Chief about this later in the meeting, and he gave a more nuanced answer.

Yes, he said, natural causes (lightning strikes responsible for 60% of wildfires) and braindead human behaviour (40%) -- i.e., cigarette butt-tossers, campers who don't extinguish the campfires they shouldn't have started in the first place, outright arson -- remain the leading factors in what a month ago was already the record wildfire season in BC.  

And yet he also noted that fuel load in our forests and clearcuts has increased dramatically due to the extended droughts that have become routine in recent years. 

Sooke's Wildfire Protection Plan (2011) addresses "Future Climate Considerations" on pp. 8/9.  "Implications for wildfire are that drought events could result in extended wildfire seasons with more days of fire weather supporting difficult to control wildfires (i.e., more high and extreme danger class days than shown in Figure 5) and drought conditions supporting more severe fire effects (i.e., more high and extreme drought code days than shown in Figure 4). Severe wildfires occurring under drought conditions may consume more of the duff layers and heat the mineral soil, leaving those soils more prone to erosion. Extreme rainfall events that occur before those soils have been re-colonised by vegetation would likely result in substantial erosion."

~ Defining "Fire Weather" (National Resources Canada). "Fire weather refers to weather conditions that are conducive to wildland fire, affecting its occurrence and subsequent behaviour. It determines the fire season – the annual period during which forest fires are likely to start, spread, and cause damage. Changes in fire weather affect forest ecosystems, as well as human health and safety and the ability to access the forest.Preliminary analyses show that the fire season has become longer in some regions of eastern Canada and shorter in most of southwestern Canada. Future projections suggest that the fire season will lengthen in almost all areas. By 2100, the fire season in certain forest regions may have lengthened by more than a month."

~ "Warming Sets the Stage for Canada's Record Wildfires, Study Finds" - New York Times, Aug. 22, 2023. 
<clip> "Hot, dry and gusty conditions like those that fed this year’s wildfires in eastern Canada are now at least twice as likely to occur there as they would be in a world that humans hadn’t warmed by burning fossil fuels, a team of researchers said Tuesday, providing a first scientific assessment of climate change’s role in intensifying the country’s fires ... “Fire-weather risks due to climate change are increasing,” said Dorothy Heinrich, a technical adviser at the Red Cross Red Crescent Climate Center who worked on the analysis. “Both mitigation and dedicated adaptation strategies are going to be required to reduce the drivers of risk and decrease its impacts on people’s lives, livelihoods and communities.”
 
~ Climate Atlas of Canada: Forest Fires and Climate Change (2023) <clip> "To figure out what climate change means for forest fires in Canada, Flannigan and a team of researchers at the Canadian Forest Service analyzed the findings of almost 50 international studies on climate change and fire risk. [4] They found that our future looks “smoky” because climate change will worsen the three major factors that influence wildfire: having dry fuel to burn, frequent lightning strikes that start fires, and dry, windy weather that fans the flames ... Another recent study [5] by Flannigan and several other scientists predicts that western Canada will see a 50% increase in the number of dry, windy days that let fires start and spread, whereas eastern Canada will see an even more dramatic 200% to 300% increase in this kind of “fire weather.” Other studies predict that fires could burn twice as much average area per year in Canada by the end of the century as has burned in the recent past. [6]"

~ "There Are Complex Reasons for Our Dire Wildfires, But Scientists Say Climate Change Plays a Key Role" - CBC British Columbia, Aug. 19, 2023. 

~ Fire Weather: The Making Of A Beast - John Vaillant (McNally Robinson Books, 2023). "In May 2016, Fort McMurray, the hub of Canada's petroleum industry and America's biggest foreign supplier, was overrun by wildfire. The multi-billion-dollar disaster melted vehicles, turned entire neighborhoods into firebombs, and drove 88,000 people from their homes in a single afternoon. Through the lens of this apocalyptic conflagration--the wildfire equivalent of Hurricane Katrina--John Vaillant warns that this was not a unique event but a shocking preview of what we must prepare for in a hotter, more flammable world."  

~ The Fire Beast Is Everywhere: A Checklist for Fighting Back - Guy Dauncey. "In a few short decades, we have burned our way through fossilized energy that took millions of years to form. We have released all of its stored carbon into the atmosphere, where, as carbon dioxide, it traps heat. As a New Scientist editorial stated in June 2023, “The basic science of climate change is so universally accepted that only the most fringe elements of society now deny it.”  

- What Lies Beneath: Exploring Canada's Invisible Carbon Storehouse - Globe & Mail, Nov. 10, 2021 

- World Wildlife Federation: Canadian Carbon Map (2022). "Canada’s first-ever national carbon map reveals the location of billions — yes, billions — of tonnes of carbon stored in ecosystems across the country. This data, and how we use it, could alter the pace of climate change." + Final report 

Image: The BC Wildfire Service's Wildland Urban Interface Risk Class Map identifies local red danger zones (i.e., extreme risk) in the hills north of Saseenos, T'Sou-ke Reserve #2 and the Phillips Road/Sunriver corridor. Yellow and orange areas (moderate/high risk) cover a large swath of the Sooke Hills. Much of our area map is black, indicating private and managed forestry land that hasn't been assessed.

The last council meeting of the summer is tonight prior to the traditional August break taken by most municipal councils in BC and Canada. I'm using this post to do my homework with an item-by-item agenda breakdown. The headline news missing here is the name of Sooke's next Chief Administrative Officer (if indeed you don't already know it; amazing how confidential news like this slips out in a still small town like ours.)  Mayor Tait plans to make the announcement of council's one-and-only hire, our top pick from a short-list of truly excellent candidates to replace the much-missed VIP Norm McInnis.  [At meeting's close, the Mayor shared that Jeremy Denegar, current CAO in Lillooet, BC, will be starting here on Sept. 5. The Class of '99 UVic graduate founded the IT company Novus, then worked with local governments in Esquimalt, Summerland and these last four years in Lillooet. He's a great catch with local family connections and a desire to close-out his career in Sooke. Welcome!]

We're back to regular council business on 9/11. Notably we are anticipating the latest restart of the Official Community Plan discussion on Monday, Oct. 3. By then the 2023 Union of British Columbia Municipalities conference in Vancouver will be in the rear-view, and we'll have eight more regularly scheduled meetings to anticipate before Christmas. Of particular focus in the fall will be development of council's necessarily delayed 2023-26 Strategic Plan; it will be created in close collaboration with the new CAO and Sooke's management team. 

As ever, there's no telling what will appear on our agendas or when; we usually know the same time you do with their publication on the Thursday afternoons before meetings.  What we can anticipate in the fall/early winter, however, are the presentations we've asked staff in open meetings to arrange:  Agricultural Land Commission Chair Jennifer Dyson (taking advantage of her offer early this year to meet by request with municipal councils); Andrew Gage from the West Coast Environmental Law Association (re: its Sue Big Oil class-action campaign, introduced to council by Susan Belford and Jo Phillips last month); and the Capital Regional District's Local Government Climate Outreach Coordinator Matt Greeno (re: the Zero Carbon Step Code, now approved for bylaw implementation in the Juan de Fuca Electoral Area, Victoria, Saanich, View Royal ... and under discussion in Colwood, Metchosin and Langford).  We're also asking for a progress report from the M'akola Housing Society on the new BC Housing complexes it will be managing at Charters and Drennan. 

Anyway, much to squeeze in tonight before the break. Here's what is on tap with more detail than you iikely want or need ... and yet (cue the music) 
 
* Development Variance Permit – 5627 Woodlands (four-lot subdivision rezoned in 2021)
The future look/feel of semi-rural Sooke roads like Woodlands, Mowich and Harbour View is at stake to some degree with this decision related to a four-lot subdivision that follows a 2021 rezoning of this spectacular waterview 1.45 hectare, formerly treed and now cleared, property.

Option A follows the letter of Subdivision and Development Standards Bylaw #404 (2014, now undergoing an in-depth makeover). It commands that road frontages be developed to the "Local Urban/Suburban Cross-section standards" as approved in the Transportation Master Plan (2020, pp. 38-51) and recently embedded into Bylaw #404. That means a 6m wide public right-of-way with a sidewalk on one side, boulevard/bioswales on both, street lighting and street trees. Common sense tells us this kind of streetscape is essential for the town centre, but not out where it happily feels like you've driven into the Sooke countryside (and suitable since "low-density in-fill" is encouraged in the current Gateway Residential OCP land designation.)

While legislatively duty bound to adhere to the letter of District bylaws, staff get this and hence have also presented the applicant's preferred Option B -- namely choosing instead a 2m wide gravel (or asphalt, says the legislation) trail along the property frontage, retaining existing trees in the process and adding others along with a roadside swale as needed.  That's clearly the right fit for roads that currently average 5m wide along their length. 

Bottom line: Woodside is a lovely, leafy, stress-busting "character" street in Sooke and please let's keep it that way while also improving pedestrian safety.  Option B presents the template for further frontage development along Woodlands and Harbourview. 

Two questions:
1. What's the cost differential between the two options? Logically, the applicant should pay the full price for the legislated requirement (Option A), with the difference banked as per the TMP's recommended Policy/Regulation Action 4.1 -- "Establish a Reserve Fund for cash-in-lieu of frontage works that include sidewalks to support the implementation of Walking + Rolling projects identified in the TMP." (pg. 20). (I don't believe such a fund has been established yet, however.) 

2. Former councillor Ron Dumont raised this wise rainwater management suggestion at the recent Maple Avenue rezoning, so I'll ask on his behalf: Why is a permeable-surface trail not the automatic requirement here rather than also allowing asphalt as an alternative?  (The celebrated Hornby Island Roadside Trail, for instance, features a "trail topping mix of soil and gravel, and is good for cycling, walking and horseback riding.")  [Option B was voted on, with a gravel/aggregrate trail -- asphalt no longer an option -- to be added along Harbourview but not Woodlands.]


* Delegations
 #1: RCMP Quarterly Report with a welcome to new Sooke RCMP Detachment Commander Staff Sgt. Greg Willcocks, recently arrived from Haida Gwaii’s Daaiing Giids (Queen Charlotte) division. Besides extending an appreciative hello, I'm interested in how recruitment is going for new hires in the wake of council's decision in the early spring to approve five more officers through 2026. And, as ever, I'll ask about speed enforcement given that I keep hearing about this from folks on Grant Rd. West, Whiffin Spit and Sunriver Way, just as i have the last five years. (Echo: We need smiley-faced speed-reading boards in multiple spots around town.)  See the first quarter stats and other RCMP news in the supplemental agenda. [Disturbing to learn therein of a "significant increase" in "Assault With Weapon/Causing Bodily Harm" files -- 10 in this year's first three months compared to five in 1Q 2022. "Assaults" also doubled early this year to 27 incidents (vs. 14 in Jan-March 2022). More encouraging: "Thefts" (23), "Theft from Vehicle" (6) and "Mischief" (34) are all tracking down, quite possibly because repeat offenders have been apprehended.]
 
#2 Fire feedback: Woodland Creek residents have questions in the aftermath of the May 2 fire at 6700 Steeple Chase Rd. that destroyed one home under construction and seered/damaged adjacent homes. Investigators have labelled the fire "accidential," however two dozen near-neighbours have organized in search of "closure for those impacted but also peace of mind that strong measures have been taken to ensure the future safety of our community." The cindered construction waste remains on site, and construction of adjoining new homes continues. [Thorough and moving presentation about the practical, emotional and legal impacts of the fire and lingering questions in its aftermath. Council directed staff to meet with the residents to share relevant District reports and address unresolved issues. One key point is that Steeple Chase Rd. remains, as I said, "the poster child for poor parking management in Sooke." Both-sides-of-street parking congestion, exacerbated by looky-loos drawn to the spectacle, required emergency vehicles to set up further away from the fire than would have been ideal. Staff are already looking into ways to remediate this long-standing issue and will report back.]
 
#3 "Prevent increase to property taxes" is the only brief clue we're given about a presentation by Chris Zmuda, a 2018 Victoria mayoralty candidate and former owner of the now-closed downtown Taste of Europe Deli. [Mr. Zmuda was a no-show on Monday night.]
 
#4 Sooke Volunteer Tour, Sept. 23, 2023: Koshin Moonfist and the Baptist Church's Rick Eby of the Sooke Multi-Belief Initiative will request modest funding to support promotional costs for a one-day, ideally first annual event intended to help Sooke volunteer groups recruit new members. (As part of SMBI's core team, I’ll be recusing myself). [Council awarded $2500 from its contingency fund. As the Sooke's Volunteer Policy states: "The District of Sooke recognizes the essential role that volunteerism plays in building a healthy, caring, and vibrant community and how it contributes to the health and well-being of citizens." A tour website is being established here. If you're keen to act now, you're welcome year-round to contact the Sooke Volunteer Centre, where SRCHN staff will help you find a good fit for your interests and skills.]
​  
 
* Deputy CAO Report: The latest newsy update from Raechel Gray, who has done a splendid job in this high-pressure role these last four months in addition to handling her responsibilities as Director of Finance. Her substantial written reports have replaced previous CAO verbal reports as an anchor in our recent agendas, and they are exactly what is needed in publicly sharing District work on an ongoing basis.  (See pg. 53 for her multiple items of note, incl. updates on Ravens Ridge Park; the Citizen Budget Survey with its Aug. 20 deadline; and progress in hiring eight vacant staff positions in this tight employment market (where white & blue collar civil servants are in seeming short supply). , Good news is that interviews with shortlisted candidates are underway for the key roles of Manager of Community Planning (a new position, aka part-time Climate Action Coordinator) and Manager of Parks & Environmental Services (to fill the big triathalon-competing sneakers of Laura Hooper, who moved on recently  to her own newly launched Danaca Consulting after a decade-plus with the District.)
 
* Community Climate Action Seed Grants: Year one of this two-year pilot project rooted in the Sooke 2030 Climate Action Plan was made possible by BC's Local Government Climate Action Program. Last month's call-out has netted 14 applications seeking $68k from the available $40k in first-year funding (see pp. 57-150). Inspiring/encouraging to see the array of projects proposed by the following:

- EMCS ECO Academy (student and adult food-garden education based at the school's slow-food garden under direction of Patrick Gauley-Gale);
- Fireweed Foundation (essential, long-term community capacity-building initiatives tied to the Climate Action Plan and created by educators Elizabeth Lange and Shandell Houlden from the 2021/22 Climate Action Committee);
- Friends of Sooke Park Society (park stewardship, tree planting and wayfinding initiatives by group led by 2022 election candidates Trevor Paul and William Wallace);
- Paula Johanson (rewrite and publication of a new edition of her Making Good Choices About Fair Trade)
- North Sooke Community Association (neighbourhood FireSmart program);
- 606 Water Group (watershed, aquifer and rainwater harvesting education via Chris Moss and crew);
- Sooke Country Market (shipping container for use by market participants);
- Sooke Region Tourism Association (study with RRU's City Studio South Island program to align SRTA's draft Climate Plan with the District's plan);
- Transition Sooke (development of a new town-centre community garden with 100 allotment plots via a working group led by Levi Megenbir);
- Zero Waste Sooke (Bernie Klassen et al. to host three more Repair Cafes and five art/craft/board game community swap events at the Sooke library);
- The Pointe@Sunriver (FireSmart neighbourhood implementation).

"The Community Climate Action Seed Funding Pilot Project is intended to support projects that: Adapt and respond to the changing climate; increase biodiversity; work towards a healthy, sustainable and resilient community, and/or; facilitate neighbourhood connections." 

Staff have wisely divided applications into 2023 and 2024 grant distributions. One exception, I'll argue tonight, should be the Fireweed Foundation. Its overall goal is to "develop a research-based and community driven educational strategy that istailored to Sooke and shares reliable climate information to activate citizen engagement to meet our local climate change challenges."  See Ms. Lange and Ms. Houlden's presentation in the May 15 Commitee of the Whole agenda. They propose a two-year plan at $10k per year yet are being offered half of that amount. Shortchanging this one important initiative that will keep on giving into the future would be unwise, I think. Perhaps council can spare $5k from its contingency fund? I'll ask. [Not necessary, as it turned out. Fireweed is on track to get its full budget request over the life of this two-year pilot program.]
  
* Manzer Road Traffic: One somehow unforeseen (by MOTI, at least, if not local residents) outcome of the Highway 14 four-lane expansion is that the new stretch of narrow, s-curved tarmac on a once sleepy Manzer Road has become a short-cut for drivers wishing to shave 60 seconds off their trips into East Sooke. Since June 17, a speed reader board has captured the stats: Daily averages of between 166 and 265 vehicles at an average speed of 30kmph (with a top recorded 56 kmph on June 24.)  Naturally, the majority of the 18 households on Manzer are upset and aggrieved.  Their logical consensus solution as discussed with the District: Add a locked gate to the already tricky right-in, right-out entrance to Manzer from the highway. Gate access would only be available to Sooke Fire Services and the Ministry of Transportation.  Manzer residents will come and go via the Gillespie entrance/exit, and everyone else will return to new-normal travel patterns and find other ways to (oh, how we love doing this) beat the system. [Done.]

 * Road Projects: Charters (Sooke Rd to Throup) and Church Road Roundabout: Sooke's town-centre road buildout continues with Charters a necessary priority after the impacts of the Nov. 2021 atmospheric river. Staff recommend that work on both it and the Church Road roundabout be awarded to Hazelwood Construction Services. The same Nanaimo-based company tag-teamed to successfully construct the Church Road and Otter Point Road improvements in fall 2021. As proven then, a single company is better positioned to coordinate work activity and resultant road closures while keeping costs lower. ($1m less than the two other bidders for Charters; Hazelwood was the lone bid for the roundabout.) As per District policy, full blueprints have been completed and included in the tender packages. Two more essential steps towards a more navigable and safer up-Sooke road network. [Approved. Work on the roundabout will begin first, with target completion date of next spring. Charters construction to begin early in 2024.]

- Charters Road: $6.28m
Request for Proposals ~  Charters Road Streetscape + Addendum 1. 
Funding sources: 
$3.6M Growing Communities Fund
$2.2M Road DCCs
$1.0M Cash in lieu contributions
$0.2M Community Building Fund

- Church Road Roundabout: $3.98m 
RFP ~ Church Road Roundabout + Addendum 1.
Funding sources:
$1.5M Growing Communities Fund
$1.7M Road DCCs
$0.5M Active Transportation Grant
$0.8M Community Building Fund and Casino Fund

(Over the last decade, Sooke has received $1.25m from the province's Active Transportation Infrastructure Grant Program, notably $1m for Church Road improvements and smaller amounts for a connector trail off the Galloping Goose and the future DeMamiel Creek trail. Annual applications welcome again starting on Sept. 1. A super-ambitious ask for $6m for the Charters rebuild was declined earlier this year. As with the District's failed $23m application for sewer-expansion funding, I guess the teachable moment from on high is that we can only really ever hope for our fair share of grant programs with finite dollars that must necessarily be stretched across 180+ BC local governments.) 

 * FireSmart Community Funding: None more timelier given the powder keg drought conditions and this spring/summer's worst-ever BC wildfire impact. Since 2018, Sooke Fire Services has tapped every available grant opportunity from the UBCM's Community Emergency Preparedness Fund -- including $75k for evacuation route planning and Emergency Operations Centre training. And through the subsequent Community Resilient Investment stream, the District secured $210k in 2021/22 to hire contract FireSmart Coordinator Ashlene Aktarian and establish a local wildfire prevention program based on FireSmart BC criteria.  The 2023 funding provides a maximum of $100k this year to communities like ours (Wildland Urban Interface Class 4/5) and there is a promise of more to come in 2024 in creating a full-time position as BC continues to modernize its Emergency Program Act in the face of new realities.

PS A new Sooke Community Wildfire Protection Plan is being prepared by Bruce Blackwell and Associates to update the current (2011) edition. Spring/summer 2023 is now the worst BC wildfire season on record. Six of the largest 11 wildfire seasons in the province since 1950 have occurred in the last decade. The advent of more routine summer droughts starting in 2015 is causing Western red cedars to die off in growing numbers (signs of stress include overproduction of cones and what's called "top dieback," where the top branches turn orange.) That only adds to the fuel load that will feed future wildfires.  [Grant submission approved, of course. Interesting conversation spurred by a public comment that climate change is not responsible for wildfires, human stupidity is. Chief Reuiter rejected an either/or explanation, saying that while humans are the primary cause, there's no question that extended droughts and the resultant increase in dead vegetation is a factor in size and severity.]
 
* 2Q Financial Operating Report (pp. 205-222): Good news with revenues and expenditures "on track" as per the anticipated 2023 budget. Of note from the Capital Accounts update:

i) The Waste Water Treatment Plant expansion is set for completion late this year/early next;

ii) KWL Engineering's Whiffin Spit Master Plan report has been received with its recommendations for Spit parking reconfiguration and long-term responses to storm surges and rising sea levels (the report reaches council this fall);

iii) The DeMamiel Creek Crossing bridge will be tendered in the fall;

iv) The Memorial Wall in the pocket park near the Spit parking lot will be constructed by District staff;

v) A welcome map and new interpretive signage will be installed at the now-completed Sooke Potholes parking lot next month;

vi) The bare patches created by happy paws at the Carter Navarette Dog Park have been resurfaced and the Rotary Club gazebo will open soon; 
 
* 2Q Corporate Services Report: The team led by Carolyn Mushata and Sarah Temple update us on their activities, including support for 17 council meetings, drafting nine new bylaws, record management system modernization and the creation of a bylaw operating guideline manual. Staff handled no less than 19 Freedom of Information requests these last three months (yes, you can dig deep into just about anything re: the District's business; in due course, you'll get back likely mildly redacted paperwork. The BC Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act guarantees your anonymity). Bylaw officers, meanwhile, responded to 207 complaints these last three months. Next: Addition of workstations in bylaw vehicles for increased on-the-road efficiency. 
 
* Draft Code of Conduct: Sooke council is legislatively required to consider adoption of a Code of Conduct bylaw for itself and also, optionally, appointed committees. A code for municipal staff is also an option. The UBCM's Forging the Path to Responsible Conduct in Your Local Government (2021) provides guidance.

Corporate Services has created a new proposed bylaw (pp. 235-251) rooted in the District's existing Code of Ethics Policy (2011). The language is borrowed almost verbatim, it seems, from a code I read today from West Vancouver (where a standing committee is studying the matter with this proposed bylaw, as well as other communities, including Squamish (code adopted fall 2022) and Langford (Feb. 2023). (Our and other codes are likely based on the UBCM's 2019 model code of conduct, but the link to it now comes up empty and so I can't verify. Staff tell us that "some changes" have been made to "make it more relative to Sooke," however there is no red-lined version to show us these changes. (i.e., I note that West Van's code gives its council the option of referring matters to "a prosecutor or police," however that line is missing from Sooke's draft (which does include the following line in the West Van code -- "any other action recommended by the investigator" -- so that likely covers it.) 

We're advised to sit with this draft bylaw over the summer and reflect on its importance in an imperfect but functioning and effective Canadian democracy where a small yet still significant number of individuals from governments and bureaucracies larger and smaller continue to slide into egregiously sad, tragic, petty, influence-peddeled, abusive, occasionally comic and sometimes illegal behaviours. Amen. 

​Then it'll be time to consider passing this bylaw, perhaps following a consultant's involvement if indeed that's required. 

We're also asked tonight for a yes/no answer to whether we want to continue this process; if no, we must publicly explain why we believe ourselves and future reps mature and responsible enough to ride the roller-coaster without guardrails. (Beyond our existing Ethics Code, which is a pretty substantial document in itself and covers much of the necessary ground in defining what our higher angels expect of us. Just because it's a decade old doesn't mean it's not entirely timely as is. I continue to be dismayed at how quickly some folks will label substantial reports and documents as staledated and in need of a complete overhaul -- one among other curses and stupidities of our short-attention-span society.)  [Received for information with expressed desire to have a Code for Sooke elected and appointed representatives as well as a staff code.]
 
* Correspondence Requiring Action 
- Sooke Fall Fair Association: $25 for District sponsorship of the annual scarecrow contest 

- Support for Local News Media: A Black News request from Sooke News Mirror publisher Rod Sluggett for the District to join the Province of BC in stopping advertising on Facebook and Instagram in the wake of Mr. Zuckerberg's decision to ban content from news outlets in response Canada's Online News Act (Bill C-18). (I don't believe the District currently advertises on these platforms, but the point is entirely valid.)  Requested is a proclamation to the effect "that the power to decide how and what information is shared isn't the purview of an elite group of foreign-based players, but should be in the hands of democratic governments and the people who elect them" -- and, unmentioned, also in the local hands of those who select, shape and deliver the news, of course. 

* Council Verbal Reports 
[Too late in the night to subject everyone my ramble, but these were my pre-digested notes, largely unstated]
"Party/wake atmosphere at the Stick yesterday for what turned out be the end of one chapter and the start of another. As you’ll have read in the Times Colonist this morning, David Evans is relocating to his Roastoreum to focus strictly on beans and bean sales … And the Sooke Community Investment Cooperative has, in under two months, rallied together and come up with more than $100k in funding to take over and relaunch as Cafe VOSINO.  Still lots more fundarising ahead, but bravo to Mr. Evans, Wendy O'Connor, Grant Storry, Bernie Klassen, Anita Wood, Jim Meunier, Raymona Sutton and everyone who contributed. Third Place meeting spots like this are absolutely VITAL in Sooke and everywhere else. They're formed when whatever particular group of us gathers ... in physical places like A&W, Tims, Little Vienna, the glorious view deck at Artisan's Garden ... or the Legion, the Flats and the Community Hall ... during walks on the Spit ... or in action on playing fields and ball diamonds … all these variations on homes away from home. For me and many of my friends/acquaintances, The Stick is one such definitive place. So very glad it will carry on in a new incarnation." 
 
 
- I attended a portion of the CRD Environmental Services meeting last week. Subjects discussed (as per my report back afterwards to Director Tait):  

1. Tod Creek Healthy Waters study will be going ahead ... $250k budget to include $50k contribution from community groups ... no Hartland biosolid impacts will be gathered from this study beyond CRD's already solid monitoring, but staff acknowledge useful science will emerge on other parts of this watershed. 
2. Hartland fines structure -- received for information. Director Thompson, a former bylaw officer himself, had requested report on increased fines as a means to ensure compliance. Staff and consultant concluded that the proposed carrot and stick approach is best as a starter, rather than waiving around a still bigger stick (larger fines) at this introductory stage -- increased fines can be considered at a future date if the new system is ineffective.  "Continuous improvement loop" is the CRD gameplan for this and all new regulatory systems. 
3. Biosolids report received. Main discussion focused on the thermal gasification pilot project. RFP closes this Friday. Staff say that once a proposal is chosen, it will take 2 years of regulatory review before province grants a 15-month pilot project window (i.e., likely no earlier than 2025). Once data is studied, a whole new round of public input is needed if decision is made to go ahead with a permanent facility ... Five to 10 years is the timeline to get all this done. A major amendment to the Core Area Liquid Waste Management Plan will be required. 

 - I’ll be attending the Sooke Shelter Society’s Annual General Meeting this coming Thursday at the Sooke library, 6:30 PM start. Remarkable, difficult, inspired and ongoing work undertaken by Sherry Thompson and her team. Through the Sooke Homelessness Coalition, several of us will be dedicating time this summer to assembling a Community Advisory Group that can serve (as BC Housing intended) as a go-between for the Shelter, people-with-lived-experience, business owners, RCMP and community members.)  
 
- Looking forward to twice-a-week yoga with Amy Rubidge and the gang ... hanging out with the Dumpster Boys outside the closed Stick ... and attending Sooke's big local events over the next six weeks. Carolyn and I have a few Island road trips planned. I have an appointment with Sooke Auto this week, so wish me luck there as its mechanics breath fresh mileage into my 2004 Mazda 3. 


ADJOURNMENT!
(School's out for summer) 

Calendar Essentials
- Sooke Fine Arts Show, July 29-Aug. 7 at SEAPARC
- All-Sooke Day Family Picnic, Sat. Aug. 19 from 8 AM to 6 PM in Fred Milne Park (see this video + backgrounder) 
- Sooke Music Festival, Sept. 1-3 in John Phillips Memorial Park
- Sooke Fall Fair, Sept. 9-10 at the Community Hall 
​

Update: July 10 -- Next round of OCP discussion now set for an October 3, 2023 Committee of the Whole 


Minutes of June 19, 2023 Committee of the Whole (pp. 183-188) 
Brief summaries of comments from the 30 individuals who spoke that day

Staff report: OCP Input Session Follow-Up  (pp. 235-242)
Responses from Sooke's Director of Planning & Development regarding subjects raised on June 19 ...
* Net-Zero Buildings
* 15-Metre Setback Requirements and Exemptions
* Changes to the Development Permit Area Guidelines
* Extension of the Boardwalk/Waterfront Trail 
* Regulating T'Sou-ke Lands
* Public Waterfront Access vs. Environmental Protection
* More DPA Guidelines/More Bureaucracy
* Waiting for Provincial (Housing) Guidelines
* Incentivizing Development
* Lot Size for Duplex Exemption
* DPAs: Exemptions vs. Where Applicable
* DPA #1 and the Energy Step Code
* Agricultural Uses and the Agricultural Land Commission
* Affordability of Sewer Expansion
* Census Data 
* Community Association Property
* Seawalls 
* Existing Development Permits
* Building Heights East and West of Ed Macgregor Park 
* Consultancy firm DIALOG
* OCP Advisory Committee 
* Gateway Residential Commercial Uses
* T'Sou-ke Engagement
* Legal Review 
* OCP: Guiding Document and Mandatory Requirements

Update, June 30, 2023
District staff will bring a report on what unfolded two Mondays ago to a regular council meeting on July 10 at 7 PM. It will be followed with another Committee of the Whole session on July 17 dedicated to the OCP. As Mayor Tait said at the outset the other week, this will scheduled for the evening so that folks who could not attend in the afternoon can join us. 
 
To all of council's delight and, given the usual minimal turnout, genuine excitement, council chambers was packed beyond capacity -- all seats taken, standing-room witnesses at the back and sides, and an overflow crowd seated near-by in the Firefighters Lounge, joining us as the main room emptied . I had to park a block away on Amethyst, and walked over chatting with an SUV driver – a waterfront property owner like probably 80% of the audience – who promised me it would be a lively afternoon. 
 
Indeed it was. Fascinatingly and encouragingly so. Many #Sooke voices were heard. Fears about diminished property rights were raised. Misinformation on that subject was busted. Concerns with growth and traffic and quality of life in a rapidly changing community were expressed. Big ideas for the future and personal histories of lives well led in Sooke were shared. Bravo for all that, and wonderful to have these new perspectives added to the stack of public input received over the last two years. 
 
The lead front-page story in the Victoria Times Colonist the next day was headlined Sooke waterfront property owners pack meeting to speak against development restrictions. (The article was accompanied by an East Sooke waterfront photo in the print edition, corrected online). Mayor Tait is quoted at the outset stating there is no intent whatsoever to expropriate oceanfront land for a boardwalk or any other purpose. The reporter reached out for comment to Randy Clarkston, author of the contentious chain emails that triggered such a SRO turnout, but didn’t hear back from him by press time. No follow-up story has been published to date.  

Watch the replay here. 
​
Quoting the Mayor is always worthwhile, so I'll share, though direct quotes and paraphrases, a sampling of her opening comments as she clearly, calmly set the tone for the meeting with a blame-free, we're-in-this-together invitation to continue this latest example of living/breathing democracy.  

- The OCP process: "This is not a rabbit trying to win a race, this is the turtle wanting to do it well for the benefit of all of us, and we’ll take our time to make sure we have something we can all, together, be confident in." 

- BC Ministry of Housing's promised new legislation affecting local governments is expected in the late fall, and it will have definite impacts on OCPs across the province. 

- "I want to make it clear at no point does council intend to expropriate anyone’s property." 

- "With the last development that came forward (Seacliffe Properties, May 23), we heard from members of the public who expressed their desire to have access to the water. To be able to access it, recreate, see it and to enjoy it. Certainly as properties come forward through rezoning or development permit, those are questions we ask and asked of staff."  [She then offered two earlier large-scale examples: The Prestige Hotel development application (2010) and the Mariner's Village CD-7 zoning (2009), both of which, through the negotiated permitting process, provide the public with current and future waterfront access.]

- "There has been a desire by members of the community to see an expanded marine trail or to see the boardwalk expand throughout our community.  That is not even present in our Five Year Financial Plan." [I later in the meeting mentioned that this community vision has been around since at least 2004, to my knowledge; I first heard about it as a new resident when then-Mayor Evans was door-knocking during her re-election campaign. This long-term Sooketopian dream lives on, in reflecting more recent public input, as an aspirational dotted line in the Parks & Trails Master Plan, circling the harbour from Whiffin Spit to Kaltasin. One for future generations to consider.]

- "What we don’t have the ability to do is raise a boardwalk out of the water that has been unbudgeted, unplanned for and unpermitted ... This is not something we can just do just because we’re your local government.  Your land is important to us, just as I’m sure you’re all very protective and concerned over your property rights. And naturally we agree with that ... 
 
- "However if land assembly were to occur and six (waterfront) properties were acquired and somebody wanted to put up a condominium … or another hotel … or another large building" ... development permit area guidelines would apply ... and "certainly we’d hear from members of the public who would want access to the water and (would, like council, be asking) what are the amenities and how would the community benefit?  Those are things that we are trying to achieve as our town grows and redevelops and as we welcome new people into our community." 

PS I must note that Mr. Clarkston immediately follow-up with another email to his list the day after on June 20. (I'm not on this list, but a copy was sent to council.) He doubled down on his earlier comments and again took no responsibility for entirely failing to mention Development Permit Area guideline exemptions which clearly state that that DPAs only apply to those building four-home-or-more subdivisions in Sooke.  I trust citizens do their own homework and pay due heed to the words of their three-times elected Mayor.

[PPS You'll likely by now have heard about the Huggett Report, a recent state of the DOS nation overview commissioned by Sooke council late last year. It was prepared by Surrey-based consultant Jonathan Huggett, a highly experienced, respected and well-connected engineer and project manager (including Victoria's Blue Bridge-replacement and the Save-On-Foods Memorial Arena, a reorganization of West Shore Parks & Recreation, and Vancouver's SkyTrain system and Lions Gate Bridge refurbishment).

​A redacted copy of this report was released via a Freedom of Information request following the District's late-April summary report.  i don't know how many have seen this necessarily (and not heavily) blacked-out version of what we received in-camera, but certainly it was shared widely and led to an article and editorial regarding its recommendations in our local paper. It also generated coverage elsewhere.

​Catnip for the small coterie of critics, of course, who were keen to suggest Sooke had/has joined the ranks of dysfunctional municipalities in BC. Which is definitely NOT the case, I for one will confidently state. Imperfect, yes, of course, but the District is packed with talented professionals ... guided by first-rate master plans, policies and bylaws developed through substantial public input ... and directed by, I'll unsurprisingly claim, a council team that cares deeply about being good stewards for this evolving community we all love.

Yet this being politics, I naturally accept that not everyone agrees based on whatever received or direct information they've gathered, and bully for you. Democracy for the win. 

As the District's own summary (signed off on by council, incidentally) stated, "Mr. Huggett's findings, while not surprising, provide value through a third-party affirmation of the direction of the District of Sooke operations." 

1. Yes, we're in the process of hiring a new CAO to replace Norm McInnis while also respecting and honouring the excellent work being done by our Deputy CAO and Chief Financial Officer Raechel Gray in his absence.  

2. Council will develop our 2023-26 Strategic Plan in collaboration with the new CAO later this year. 

3. Bullying and harassment (which goes back to at least 2010 and led to the District being an early adopter of now-commonplace policies) is always possible wherever/whenever humans gather. Corporate culture and wellness initiatives continue to be offered at the DOS by respected team-builders and personal growth experts such as Sara Wegwitz and George Boelcke.  Sadly, some measure of inter-personal bullying is a thing in local governments as much as is the case, in equally unpredictable and varying degrees, at some companies, businesses, schools, building sites, community groups and society at large.)  Definition: "Willful, repeated aggressive behaviour with negative intent used by one person to maintain power over another ... It can be verbal, physical, psychological or social. It can happen in person or online. It can either be really obvious or it can be hidden from others. It can be an individual person doing the bullying or a group of people who have greater power over someone else."  

4. Sooke's pending OCP has, in fact, been unfolding through a best-practice four-part process as per Mr. Huggett's recommendation. Council signed off on each stage while still leaving the work to the OCP Advisory Committee, staff, consultants and the general public. 

5. The District's organizational chart will be analyzed for strengths, weaknesses and possible revisions by our next CAO, just as it annually was by previous CAOs. The Development Permit Approval review process, for one, clearly acknowledges the problem of siloed responsibilities here as much as in other jurisdictions. 

6. High-level costs (in 2020 dollars) for priority recommendations are included with both the Transportation and Parks & Trails Master Plans. As the case wlth the Otter Point and Church Rd. upgrades and the design blueprints for the Throup-Grant Road bypass, business cases, costs and contingencies are developed according to current Strategic Plan priorities. If too rich for the District, then the projects would not have nor will proceed past budget discussions. Future councils can make their own calls on trying to advance and fund OCP and master plan-identified priorities as they see fit while following legislative process.  

​But yes, definitely, I'm interested in learning more about how the District does develop its business cases and how these compare to best-practices elsewhere. From what I've seen, other OCPs do not include cost estimates alongside recommended actions. 
​



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​Original post: June 18, 2023  With this jazz-era classic playing in the background, I'm preparing for tomorrow afternoon's Official Community Plan relaunch at what promises to be a lively Committee of the Whole starting at 1 PM in Municipal Chambers. District staff plan to prepare a  report with their recommendations/responses to what we hear for the July 10 (7 PM) council meeting. Further public input will be possible and welcome at that time as always with anything on the agenda.  As the flowchart at the bottom of this post indicates, there will likely be another OCP public hearing at a minimum given that council as a whole recognizes amendments are required. 
 
Key reference points ...  
* June 19 COW agenda (see staff report regarding the OCP's four-stage process, public input since 2020 and themes raised in the latest 141 public submissions included with this agenda, pp. 19-25)
* June 19 supplemental agenda (additional correspondence received in recent days) 

* Proposed OCP Bylaw #800 (unchanged since the Public Hearing of Sept. 27, 2022) 
* Staff report on next steps for the OCP in the April 11, 2023 council agenda (pp. 67-71)
* Sept. 27, 2022 OCP Public Hearing agenda + video + minutes (replicated in full below) 
* Picture Sooke OCP website page (with reports from the four-stage public engagement) 

And some links to revisit my own evolving thoughts. I'm sure I've delivered some fuzzy, under-informed/educated thinking along the way, but i have done my learning in plain if necessarily (for me) wordy sight here. Three little words, let alone 3,000, are never quite enough ... 

* 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)  

I've visited this Readers Digest article a few times in recent weeks: "25 Insightful Quotes That Inspire Peaceful Persistence." (e.g., “It does not matter how slowly you go as long as you do not stop.” — Confucius) 

Turning to tomorrow's agenda, it's disappointing to report that fully 80 percent of the correspondence (117 of the 141 submissions) is based on a single source of viral misinformation (emailed, affixed to post boxes and announced on our town's infamous roadside business sign) from one Sooke influencer. See this chain letter in the agenda on pg. 283. It doubles down on a similar campaign waged last year. That misread was addressed by council and staff back then, and yet now it has rebounded without a hint that any of that feedback landed. 

The staff report on agenda pg. 22 thoroughly addresses the letter's assertions, clearly stating again that the DPAs ONLY (large/loud caps) apply to new subdivisions of four or more homes, not existing home. In addition, there are multiple other exemptions that allow homeowners (no matter where they're located in town) to undertake renovations, do yard and garden work, construct retaining walls, etc. entirely as they fit and whenever they wish given building permits where required.

I'm sharing screenshots below of the OCP's two DPA exemption pages (pp. 178-79). As stated on page 175: "​The flexibility of DPA guidelines allow Council to fairly exercise its discretion in granting or refusing a permit on a case by case basis, while providing objective principles to guide Council’s conditions for approving or refusing a DP application."

The development permit process addresses OCP implementation issues involving:

• the form and character of new commercial and mixed development, multi-family residential development, intensive residential development, and industrial development;
• the revitalization of an area in which commercial uses are permitted;
• protection of the natural environment, its ecosystems and biological diversity;
• protection of development from hazardous conditions;
• promotion of energy and water conservation; and
• promotion of the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions.

The current (2010) OCP critically includes a set of DPA guidelines, as did the 2001 version. In my experience, these guidelines came into play effectively last year when council was considering the development permit with variances request from WestUrban re: its two mixed-use commercial/residential buildings planned for the west side of Brownsey Blvd. (see Nov. 28, 2022 council agenda, pp. 99-131.) 

In that and other cases, the DPA criteria served as an analytical tool by which staff, and in this case council too, could rate the developer's project against OCP-certified community standards.  The DPAs within OCPs (or, as is the case in some municipalities, their Zoning Bylaws) rightfully gives local governments a hand in shaping the future built environment. 

For some unfathomable reason, the writer entirely fails to mention the DPA exemptions in the letter circulated so widely.  As a result, waterfront owners are expressing justifiable anger, and that indeed is "no good" for Sooke. [One correspondent writes that the OCP is "tantamount to theft ... disastrous unethical legislation ... I am beyond disgusted by this ... shame on you ... do not expect that we will take this without a fight."  Others talk of "shock and betrayal" ... the District is "draconian and deceptive" ... "OCP Bylaw #800 is a veiled attempt at expropriation without compensation" ... persistent use of the phrase "blatant land grab."]

In an earlier email, the writer states that the District plans to acquire all waterfront as per the dotted-line "aspirational trail" running along the water's edge from Whiffin Spit to Kaltasin in the Parks and Trails Master Plan. That document states (pg. 25, item 4.7):  "Strive to acquire land for trails as opportunities arise on District projects and new developments, per the proposed trails on Map 2."  There is no reference to expropriating private land in the OCP or any of the master plans. With new development incoming, it's to be hoped that a town-centre boardwalk connecting to the Rotary Pier might one day stretch from Mariner's Village to Ed Macgregor Park or possibly the Government Wharf. 

No "land grab," to again quote our provocateur, has ever been suggested to my knowledge in this OCP cycle nor has there been a single council discussion about it in my experience.  

One of the most telling statements I've heard recently: "98% of tensions in any community are down to poor communications and miscommunication." (This quote from one of the excellent candidates to be Sooke's next Chief Administrative Officer. I believe all of us on council agree that she/he/they must be hired and settled in before we develop our 2023-2026 Strategic Plan and proceed much further with the OCP. This would show due respect to the District's top professional and council's one-and-only hire.) 

Sincere thanks then to everyone for submitting new correspondence, which now joins the wealth of earlier submissions found in the reports on the Let's Talk Sooke OCP page. Since the first OCP Advisory Committee Zoom meeting on Sept. 30, 2020, there have been 39 more public meetings, stakeholder workshops, community pop-ups and formal council and COW meetings on the subject. (During and after COVID, it's true, but we're not the only local government to have moved forward with an OCP during lockdowns. Important also to realize that OCP development in every municipality typically attracts modest yet always meaningful public input. No different here as anywhere else in Canada.) 

Tomorrow will be the 41st such public meeting on this OCP. I'm looking forward to a full house even given the hour of the day. As stated at outset, more input will be possible on the evening of July 10 and at a future public hearing.

For now, appreciation to the following for input that largely if not always deliver on council's explicit request to include chapter/verse references from the OCP for context.  In order of agenda appearance:

Agenda
​- 606 Water Group (re: watershed protection; pp. 5-7)
- Aragon Properties (seeking a CD designation for Nott Brook and suggesting multiple uses for the east side of Otter Point Rd. across from the Municipal Hall comparable to its Esquimalt Town Square project; pg. 285) 
- Johnny Wright (preservation of wildlife corridors; pg. 287-325)
- Debbie Clarkston (various concerns minus OCP page references, pg. 353-355)
- Susan Belford (a thorough look at and appreciation of the DPA guidelines; pp. 358-361) 
- Sooke Region Chamber of Commerce (supports "revisions that promote development, sustainable growth, waterfront access and tourism" yet minus OCP page references; pg. 375-376)
- Katherine Parsons (add language re: protection of natural resources and the environment, including Sooke's coastline west of the harbour and basin; pg. 387-398)
- Concerned Citizens of Sooke (OCP intent, density issues - visible and hidden, removal of all DPAs; pp. 410-415)
- Kevin Neish (sharing a BC Land Title & Survey historical backgrounder on town-centre tent lots; pp. 477-528)

Supplemental Agenda 
- Scott Miller (comments on DPA 3 - Foreshore Area; pp. 43-49)
- Sooke Builders Association (with its substantial analysis of the Development Permit Area guidelines; pp. 111-119) 
- Cathy VanAlstyne/Peter Carr (density concerns, infrastructure capacity, Hwy 14 traffic; pg. 127) 

Next Steps
The "decision-tree" shared by staff and posted below displays the best-practice route forward in making amendments and scheduling another public hearing prior to third reading and adoption.

Or perhaps another approach is possible. During the election, I answered as follows to the question "what changes would you support in the draft OCP?" posed at the Community Hall candidates conversation last Oct. 11.  

<clip from here> 
(I spent the first part of my two allotted minutes responding in the moment to Elections for Change candidate Rob Anderson, who one speaker before me had begun answering this question by holding up his lighter, sparking a flame and saying something along the lines of how he'd like to torch it entirely. Mostly kept my cool, I hope, while later laughing aloud to myself at  this master class in political theatre. Then back to my notes for an abbreviated answer ....)

"I’m largely content with the OCP as it stands. The next council, I imagine, will conduct another round of public input and EXPERT stakeholder input atop the 28-month labour of professional and public input. 
 
A main outstanding source of concern are the Development Permit Guidelines. Personally, I like the idea of a task force comprised of staff, a councillor and a set of diverse stakeholders based on the criteria used to assemble this last term's Land Use and Development Committee -- namely reps from the land development, home builder, business, agricultural, environmental & climate change, and oceans and fisheries communities in Sooke. Their job would be to review and fine-tune the current recommended Development Permit Guidelines for inclusion in either the OCP itself or the new Zoning Bylaw that will follow its adoption.  
 
To axe the guidelines entirely, as some have suggested, doesn’t make sense to me, not after seeing how effective the current set of them is proving as staff and the developer negotiate over the west-side of Brownsey Boulevard. How else can a community ensure that the form and character of our built environment matches community wishes? 
 
(The timer's stop sign went up about now, so I had to hold back on the second part of my pre-digested answer)

Also I wonder whether maximum density in the Community Residential designation – i.e., the sewered parts of Sooke -- should be less than the proposed 70 units per hectare. 

No question, the policy directions in the OCP – which call for density in the town centre and only there – will control this potentially heavy density ... as will the new Zoning Bylaw with its site-specific zoning indicating precisely where denser development might be located (logically on major road corridors served by mass transit.) 
 
Yet I wonder if perhaps we should reduce this number outside the town centre designations. I would sincerely hate to see a development-minded council elected here who would then have the tools to transform us into a denser urban environment – which is exactly what the OCP input tells us we don’t want to be." 

I suggested this task-force approach to the DPAs at the April 11 meeting but didn't get any uptake. I'll mention it again tomorrow.  I'll also suggest that the 120 items in the Action Plan be prioritized so that this council can consider top OCP-identified needs in our Strat Plan for consideration during the annual budget process.  It'll be up to future councils, of course, to determine how they wish to proceed in identifying their own priorities. 

Reading other modern OCPs is a useful exercise, too, in trying to find the sweet spots for our own. Ladysmith's new Official Community Plan, for instance, features an richly nuanced implementation section (pp. 131 onward). 

One example (pg. 132) ... 

"PRIORITIES AND TRADE-OFFS: From time to time, the Town may be faced with competing priorities, whether it be the result of a capital project, development application, or other opportunity. In these circumstances – and unless there is a clear imperative suggesting otherwise – the following OCP goals should take priority over others (in no particular order):

​- Reduce community greenhouse gas emissions by 45% by 2030 and be on track to reduce emissions by 75% by 2040, and reach net zero emissions by 2049
- Walk the path of reconciliation
- Be a place where people from all walks of life can call home, with access to affordable and appropriate housing
- Concentrate growth in Priority Growth Areas in support of the three priorities noted above as well as the broader OCP goals. 

These priorities are based on strong community input for urgent action." 

​Another (pg. 142) explicitly lists what Ladysmith wants in the way of community amenity contributions from incoming developers. This kind of clarity is exactly what's been requested by developers, and I don't see it in our new OCP. 

"The following contributions are examples of community contributions that may be appropriate, depending on the circumstances and in no particular order:

1. Infrastructure improvements in excess of what is needed to support the development (e.g. extended sidewalk connection).
2. Contribution of land for a civic or institutional use (e.g. school or recreation facility).
3. Provision of special needs housing or affordable housing.
4. Improvements to public facilities or public buildings.
5. Heritage conservation.
6. Provision of parkland or park improvements (e.g. bike skills park).
7. Provision of or improvements to a trail or active transportation corridor.
8. Protection of environmentally significant areas.
9. Public realm improvements (i.e. public plaza, pedestrian and cycling linkages).
10. Contribution of land for the purpose of watershed protection.
11. Provision of cash for the above or similar examples." 

The matter of density is confusing. The plan identifies (pg. 60) a "maximum density" of 70 units per hectare in the Community Residential designation (i.e., the sewered area outside the Town Centre and Town Centre Transitional areas). It also, a little paradoxically, indicates this area is to experience "low-to-medium" growth. 

This has caused considerable fear that much of Sooke will be blanketed by this kind of extreme (for our town) density. To cite one example, the Concerned Citizens of Sooke (Butler, Clarkston, McClimon, Saunders) states that the plan would allow "seven families and 14 parking stalls per 1/4 acre lot" in sewered areas outside the core. That kind of crowding is simply nuts and would entirely betray spirit/intention/proposed policies of the current and new OCPs. 

What's been missed to date is a clear statement (within the document, not issued verbally by staff and consultants) that the new zoning bylaw that will follow this OCP will identify, through public input, EXACT spots on the map where this density could be possible, i.e. I imagine these would be corners at significant intersections along major corridors well-served by transit. (To cite one of dozens of examples, the Oak Bay zoning map does exactly this.) 

Also needed: A three-dimensional modelling map of the town centre that would identify where we might see future six-storey buildings, clustered very likely on the north side of Sooke Road between Gatewood and Church. Or not! We are all increasingly visual learners and need images like this to grok what's proposed. 

I've griped about this before in public meetings and yet still no traction: The document needs to properly acknowledge itself as Sooke's third OCP since incorporation while also identifying how it picks up on the major threads in the 2010 and 2001 models. It could also even look back to CRD Area Plans of bygone decades to see how they too align with the new document.  

I've now, at last, surrendered to the fact that "Sooke Smart Growth," a defining phrase in the current OCP, will not be cited in the new one. I must have mentioned how I highly rate the emblematic resonance and clarity of intent of these other little words at least a half-dozen times to consultants and staff these last 36 months. Like the current OCP, which doesn't get a single solitary mention in the new version, this phase has been seemingly deemed by Gen Next staffers and consultants as prehistoric and no longer au fait. That was then, this is now, and so be it I suppose.   (Incidental note: This paragraph is my way of saying i'm still pissed off about how I've been unheard/ignored on a small matter that I failed to solidify with a notice of motion.)

Meanwhile, I will continue to re-read the OCP Steering Committee's Preamble (pp. 4-7) and repeatedly remind myself that this new OCP, in fact, does capture, with a substantial action plan, the following key themes identified by the public: 

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

Updates
- "Homeowners and Homebuyers Struggle With 'Obscenely' High Building Costs" - Globe & Mail, June 26, 2023 <clip> "The cost of building homes and apartment complexes across 11 major Canadian cities was up 54 per cent in the first three months of 2023 compared with the same period in 2019, according to Statistics Canada data released last month." 

​- RBC Housing Affordability Index (June, 2023) <clip> "While welcome, the easing in ownership costs barely makes a dent in reversing the enormous loss of affordability since mid-2020. Big picture, owning a home is still a huge (if not impossible) stretch for middle-income households in Vancouver, Victoria and Toronto, and Montreal, Ottawa and Halifax to a lesser degree." 

- Canadian Mortgage Delinquencies Begin to Climb - Better Dwelling (May 25, 2023) (Currently still just 00.15% of total mortgages in Canada) 

- CMHC Housing Market Insight: Government Housing Charges in Large Metropolitan Areas (July 2022) 
- Government fees crippling housing construction - Construct Connect (July 2022)

​- "True Cost to Build A Home in BC" (Cressman Homes) 
* Contractor fees
* Labour
* Land Costs 
* Serviced vs. Raw Land
* Building materials 
* Permits and other government costs  
* Service & utility connection costs



Structure of this post ...  
* Introduction/starting points (last decade in review) 
* Key legislative documents (national and provincial)
* BC Building Code + amendments: Secondary Suites (2019), Zero Carbon Step Code (2023)

* District of Sooke:
i) Building Bylaw 2020
ii) Development Cost Charge bylaw update 2021/23
iii) Development Approval Permit Review in Sooke and other BC communities 2021/24 

* Province of BC Development Permit Review 2019: Recommendations & Challenges  
* Building in Sooke: DOS and private sector
​* EMCS TASK program
* BC Construction Industry + stats, careers
* Miscellaneous related news clips re: permit delays across Canada 
* Quotes from Canadian Urban Institute's Mary Rowe
* Archive: Sooke Land Use & Development Committee 2011-2022 
* Comparison shopping: Other municipal website materials re: planning/development 

I started this one as a warm-up for the Sooke Builders Association luncheon on May 17 at the Sooke Legion. Absolutely required homework as the Province, local governments and the building community strive to overcome systemic procedural delays of the kind that bedevil municipalities across the country.  

The SBA's launch comes as the District addresses planning/building department staff shortages while also moving into the public consultation/bylaw review stage of its Development Approval Permit Review (DAPR). Along with 42 other BC communities that received these grants, Sooke intends to dramatically improve/streamline our permitting system.

This blog entry has expanded considerably since then as I delve into yet another area about which I have zero practical experience but much respect for the professionals at the District and those within our building community. I empathize with all sides and wholly trust in the mature, patient, collaborative and fair process leading to better outcomes.  

***********************************************************************************************************

Builders associations have existed in Sooke since at least 2009 when an earlier iteration of the Sooke Builders Association is mentioned in council minutes in reference to the "brown bag" lunches Sooke's then-CAO Evan Parliament was organizing with local builders. Herb Haldane has represented the association in delegations to council over the years since he left office, most recently earlier this year.  

This spring the SBA adopted a formal structure with the election of an executive led by Stellar Homes' Geoff Steele (President), Marsden Group's Patrick Marsden (Vice-President), MCW Property Services' Matthew Walsh (Treasurer), Keycorp Development and Marketing's Jim Hartshorne (Secretary), and Directors-At-Large Haldane (Haldane Homes), Dave McClimon (4M Bobcat & Trucking) and Peter White.

Steele's recent letter to the Sooke News Mirror captures the group's intentions, namely a desire to "create a positive partnership with Sooke council and staff to get things done in a cooperative way by discussing concerns and working together to resolve problems."  

Traditionally, of course, this has been a rather adversarial relationship here and across Canada -- wholly understandable given the red-tape frustrations of builders as they waltz with planning/building departments that must, by law, deliver permits based on exacting federal, provincial and municipal regulations.

Here in Sooke, staff and council have, since at least 2011, been continually urged to replicate Langford's famous 48-hour permitting turnaround commitment -- which, as was rarely made clear, only clicked in following untold months of necessary groundwork by applicants and municipal staff; it required submission of a complete building permit application, site plans, construction drawings, geotech review, professional engineer's report and completion of all City of Langford approvals. 

Speeding up Sooke's permit process was goal #1 identified early in the term of the 2012-2014 Land Use and Development Committee. In spring 2013, council directed staff to strive for faster approvals, however the requisite budget for additional staff wasn't forthcoming during this era of zero percent tax increases. A new Land Use committee was formed in 2018, and Head Planner Ivy Campbell was hired that spring (four years after former Director of Planning Gerard LeBlanc left the job).

Around this time, the Horgan government recognized that the province was facing a housing crisis after decades of inaction on the parts of Ottawa and the province. Its Homes For BC housing affordability masterplan (2017) was followed a year later by the Development Permit Process Approvals Review (final report, 2019) based on consultation with UBCM staff, local government officials, builders and developers, non-profit housing providers, academics and community representatives. 

In my time on council, we've built on the work of earlier councils and sought solutions to long-standing, seemingly intractable issues faced by communities everywhere - especially growing ones like ours that must constantly recalibrate staffing needs to match rising service demand yet foot-drag given tax implications.

Unlike previous councils that could call on building expertise around the table, we had no such representation from 2018-22 and yet still got some significant stuff done as initiated/implemented by staff led by CAO Norm McInnis, his before/after interim Don Schaffer and now Deputy CAO/Director of Financial Services Raechel Gray. 

Summary of District and Council initiatives, 2019-23 
- Council reps meet with 30 individuals from Sooke building community re: permit delays, March 20, 2019
- Two long-standing vacancies are filled: Director of Planning and Chief Building Official, 2019/20
- Sooke Building Bylaw adopted in June, 2020 (based on Municipal Insurance Association of BC model bylaw)
- Application Process and Development Tracking report to council, Jan. 11, 2021 (see pp. 4/5) 
- Launch of Sooke Development Tracker, March 2021 (video explainer) 
- Application for (April 26, 2021) and receipt of (Sept. 2021) $494k grant from UBCM Development Permit Approvals Program to modernize Sooke's permitting system 
- New Development Cost Charge bylaw adopted in July 2022
- Planning Department prepares next Official Community Plan for public hearing, Sept. 2022  
- Preparation of new draft Subdivision and Development Standards Bylaw underway, fall 2022 (top recommendation in the Transportation and Parks & Trails Master Plans.) 
- Consultant's report on Sooke building permit processes (pp. 5-23 of council's Feb. 27, 2023 agenda).
- New DCC credit, front-ender and latecomer policies (see pp. 33-57), May 15, 2023 
- 1Q 2023 Planning and Development Quarterly Report at May 23, 2023 council meeting (see pp. 219/20 + slide deck)  
- 50% time reduction in issuance of residential permits when properly submitted: 68 days (2019) vs. 34 days (2022) 

Most critical now is to secure our next Chief Administrative Officer as well as key staff for both the planning and building departments, both down in their numbers due to retirement, health issues and maternity leave.  

Ongoing is the analysis and revamp of the permitting system and related bylaws underway through the grant Sooke received via the UBCM.  We are one of 43 BC local governments to get this funding, all of them now generating reports on various timetables. Ours must be complete by April 15, 2024. A consultant is now being selected before the next round of stakeholder engagement gets underway. 

The new-look Sooke Builders Association luncheon upstairs at the Legion was a good next step. A full house of local builders and developers was in attendance along with Mayor Tait, Sooke's Director of Planning Matthew Pawlow and five of us from council. The Mayor reiterated how we're all in this together in building the complete, climate-adapted, multi-generational, safe, affordable, unspoilt, functional, aesthetically appealing, enjoyable and connected community envisioned in our current and pending OCPs.  As she said, we won't get there if builders/developers are not onside and actively involved over the long haul. 

Langford-Juan de Fuca NDP candidate Ravi Parmar shared his own positive vision for the region before introducing his former colleague Ravi Kahlon, BC Minister of Housing. Kahlon repeated what he had said at the UBCM Housing Summit in early April: We're in a national and provincial housing crisis, some municipalities are falling well short of their housing-need targets, and development/permitting processes must be dramatically modernized to get a full-spectrum of new homes (from social housing to market-value homes) onto the market ASAP. (But not necessarily, he added, communities that are meeting those targets. Unsaid: Sooke is arguably one of them.) 

Future monthly working and educational lunches are in the SBA's plans. And, to be sure, the executive will be organized and ready to bring their best OCP ideas forward for the Committee of the Whole relaunch on June 19. As will other voices in the community, I trust, all keeping things as hyper-efficient as possible by citing page numbers and section references to issues of concern. Bring it on, #Sooke! 

Starting Points

- UBCM Fact Sheets: Land Use Regulation + Planning and Procedures + Statutory Officials (incl. Approving Officer)

- District of Sooke Building Safety website page

- Newly launched (March 31) Permit Connect BC portal intended to simplify/explain/speed provincial components of permitting processes - site remediation, subdivisions outside municipalities, archeological studies, etc.  Questions welcomed at Housing.Authorizations@gov.bc.ca. 
- BC Permitting Strategy for Housing (Jan. 2023) 

- Province of BC Homes For People Action Plan (announced April 3, 2023) 
​- Bill 43: BC Housing Supply Act (Nov. 2022) 
- Technical briefing presentation

Order In Council #328 (May 31) identifies first wave of 10 BC municipalities subject to BC Housing Supply Act provisions  + Ministry of Housing press release: Abbotsford, Delta, Kamloops, North Vancouver, Oak Bay, Port Moody, Saanich, Vancouver, Victoria and West Vancouver.

- First cohort was selected according to criteria that ranks housing availability, affordability and urgent housing need:

-  Sooke and the CRD's dozen other municipalities are among 37 other BC municipalities identified in the Housing Supply Regulation and "may be subject to a housing target assessment as part of a future cohort."  New batches of eight-to-ten municipalities will be selected later this year and in the first half of 2024. 

Anmore (village) • Belcarra (village) • Burnaby • Central Saanich (district) • Chilliwack • Colwood • Coquitlam • Duncan • Esquimalt (township) • Highlands (district) • Kelowna • Ladysmith (town) • Lake Cowichan (town) • Langford • Lantzville (district) • Langley • Langley (township) • Lions Bay (village) • Maple Ridge • Metchosin (district) • Mission • Nanaimo • New Westminster • North Cowichan (district) • North Saanich (district) • North Vancouver • Pitt Meadows • Port Coquitlam • Port Moody • Prince George • Richmond • Sidney (town) • Sooke (district) • Squamish (district) • Surrey •  View Royal (town) • West Kelowna •  White Rock
​
B.C. government documents reveal all 47 municipalities on housing 'naughty list' (Vancouver Sun, June 4, 2023)
<clip> "These municipalities were simply included in the order-in-council for expediency to not have to amend the regulation every time a new cohort is selected,” a ministry spokesperson said by email Sunday. “While these are areas with the highest need and projected growth, it is not a guarantee that targets will be set in each of those municipalities.”

<clip> "Housing Minister Ravi Kahlon said that communities that meet the targets will be 'first in line' for federal funding through the $4-billion housing accelerator fund."

- "How Many Homes Do We Need to Build in Greater Victoria?" - Capital Daily, June 30, 2022 (includes infographic attached below indicating Sooke is ahead of its housing-needs target.) 

- The pending Sooke OCP states (pg. 30) that "it is estimated that Sooke will experience demand for an additional 1,813 residential units by 2030, an additional 1,567 units between 2030 and 2040, and an additional 1,658 units between 2040 and 2050." Total: 5,038 within a quarter century atop our current 6,431 units. (If, indeed, this and future councils balance all other factors -- notably the realities of our increasingly congested two-lane highway -- in accepting projected population increases and inviting this volume of new construction.)

- Sooke Housing Needs Report Effective April 2019, the Province of BC amended the Local Government Act (Division 22) to require that municipalities produce Housing Needs Reports every five years.  Sooke published its first such report in October, 2019.  It detailed Sooke's community context, housing supply, housing market characteristics, land utilization, current gaps in the housing supply, housing needs projections and best practices.  Related: CRD/Juan de Fuca Electoral Area Housing Needs Report (2020)

<clip> "Overall, Sooke is expected to display an additional net housing need for 2,014 owner-occupied and 439 renter-occupied housing units during the period 2016-2031."  

Findings and Focus Areas in Sooke Housing Needs Report 
- Address market-rate housing needs for all age cohorts
- Address non-market housing needs
- Enhance supply of rental housing
- Enhance housing affordability
- Facilitate development on vacant lands
- Prepare for growth in aged 65+ population 

- Municipal Housing Supply Benchmarking Study (Canadian Home Builder's Association of BC, 2021). Study of 13 BC municipalities (Victoria included) reveals that "the average approval timelines for municipal approval of development applications is 13-14 months for rezoning and development permits, and over 20 months for subdivision ... This report found that the approval timelines and government charges within the B.C. municipalities studied were among the slowest and highest, respectively, in Canada, with the exception of municipalities in the Greater Toronto Area in some cases."

From this blog:
- Housing 101: BC's Homes For People Action Plan 
- Our Sooke-Sized Building Boom (August 2022)

Key legislative documents
From Understanding BC's Building Regulatory System, Province of BC, 2015
"Each level of government has a role in regulating building. In Canada, the federal Constitution Act (1992) gives the provincial and territorial governments responsibility for regulating building and construction. In British Columbia, the Building Act gives the Province the authority to set the BC Building Code and other provincial building regulations. Setting regulations at a provincial level helps foster more consistent requirements throughout B.C.The Province gives local governments the ability to administer and enforce provincial building requirements, including the BC Building Code. Local governments also have powers of their own that govern related matters such as land use, property development or heritage conservation. In a nutshell, the Constitution Act gives the Province responsibility to regulate building and construction, and the Province gives local governments limited authority to administer and enforce the BC Building Code.  

MYTH: The Province sets ‘all the rules’ for building and construction.
FACT: Under the Building Act, only the Province can establish building requirements. However, local governments have authority over related matters, including the administration of building & construction in their communities, such as:
- Preparing official community plans;
- Adopting zoning bylaws that govern land use;
- Hearing rezoning applications, or applications for variances from zoning requirements;
- Regulating development;
- Enacting heritage conservation measures;
- Setting design guidelines for neighbourhoods;
- Determining development cost charges or community amenity contributions;
- Issuing development and building permits;
- Conducting building inspections; and
- Issuing building occupancy permits."

- National Building Code of Canada (2020)
"The NBC is the model building code in Canada that forms the basis of most building design in the country. It is a highly regarded model building code because it is a consensus-based process for producing a model set of requirements which provide for the health and safety of the public in buildings ... Model codes have no force in law until they are adopted by a government authority having jurisdiction. In Canada, that responsibility resides within the provinces, territories and in some cases, municipalities. Most regions choose to adopt the NBC, or adapt their own version derived from the NBC to suit regional needs."

- National Plumbing Code (2020)
- National Fire Code (2020)
- National Energy Code for Buildings (2020) 
"The National Energy Code of Canada for Buildings (NECB) aims to help save on energy bills, reduce peak energy demand, and improve the quality and comfort of the building’s indoor environment. Through each code development cycle, the NECB intends to implement a tiered approach toward Canada’s goal for new buildings, as presented in the “Pan-Canadian Framework on Clean Growth and Climate Change”, of achieving ‘Net Zero Energy Ready’ buildings by 2030." (Canadian Wood Council explainer) 

- Canadian Board for Harmonized Building Codes develops the national codes. Established in late 2022, it replaces the Canadian Commission on Building and Fire Codes. The codes are updated every five years (next 2025). 
- Canada's Construction System: The Context for National Codes (National Research Council) 
- Longterm Energy Code Strategy (NRC, 2017) 


BC Building Act
"The Building Act is British Columbia’s first act dedicated just to building and construction. It was introduced in spring 2015. The act introduces three main changes to B.C.’s building regulatory system. The changes will modernize the system; increase efficiency and productivity; and support innovation"
- What Local Governments Need to Know About the Building Act 
- Building Act Guide + PDF brochure + (Province of BC) 
- Building Act Information (BC Building Officials Association) 
- MIABC Building Bylaw Project (2002)

- Consumer Protection in BC
(i.e., Homeowner Protection Act, Business Practices and Consumer Protection Act, Builders Lien Act) 

- BC Codes online: Building, fire, plumbing 

- BC Building Code (2018) 
- What Is the BC Building Code (Courthouse Libraries BC)
- Amendments (five since 2018)

- BC Building Code Revision #2: Secondary Suites (December, 2019) 
"Allowing the construction of secondary suites in more building types helps to create more affordable housing units while still providing an acceptable level of health and fire safety to occupants. Secondary suites help provide more affordable housing options by expanding a community’s rental stock. By making more efficient use of land and infrastructure, secondary suites facilitate low-impact densification that supports community vitality and sustainability. Secondary suites can be integrated within mature neighbourhoods with limited visual impact on the street, which helps communities retain neighbourhood character while providing more options for rental housing. 
The BC Code historically limited the size of secondary suites and only permitted them in single detached houses. Land use bylaws were often based on these requirements. Mid-cycle revisions to the BC Code increase the options for the design and construction of new secondary suites in a wider range of building types and remove the restrictions on size. 

Effective December 12, 2019, the BC Building Code will allow the construction of new secondary suites in more types of houses, such as duplexes and row housing. Size restrictions for secondary suites have also been removed. This will provide local governments with more options for land use planning ... Local governments are encouraged to review their bylaws to determine if the BC Code changes will have any impacts. Local governments may wish to amend their bylaws to remove any previous code references or if they decide to permit secondary suites in more building types." 

- BC Housing: Secondary and basement suites incentive pilot program (launching April 2024)
"The Province has announced a pilot, three-year financial incentive program to help interested  homeowners turn a portion of their home into a secondary or basement suite for the rental market. Beginning in early 2024, homeowners will be able to access a forgivable loan of 50% of the cost of renovations, up to a maximum of $40,000 over five years.  Over time, the loan can be forgiven if the homeowner meets all conditions laid out in the program, including renting their unit out at below market rates for a minimum of five years.  The pilot program is expected to be open to at least 3,000 homeowners for the first three years and will quickly help create new rental housing units within the existing housing supply, for much less than the cost to build a large-scale, multi-unit housing development." 

- Secondary Suites + Advisory + Secondary and Small Suites Policy, 2011 (District of Sooke)
- "Secondary Suites Causing Parking Congestion in Sooke" (Sooke News Mirror, July 14, 2021) 

- Accessory Dwelling Units: Best Practices and Case Studies (BC Housing, 2021) 
- Secondary suite code requirements (Saanich)
- Secondary Suites PDF guide (City of Nelson) 
- Add A Second Unit In Your House (Province of Ontario, 2019) 

- BC Building Code Revision #5: Opt-In Zero Carbon Step Code (May, 2023)
"The Zero Carbon Step Code is a new addition to the BC Building Code that allows Authorities Having Jurisdiction to limit operational carbon from new buildings. While an optional standard at this time, the Province intends to make operational carbon limits mandatory over time, with the ultimate objective for all new buildings to be zero carbon by 2030." (BC Building Officials Association) 

The BC Zero Carbon Step Code (Zero Carbon Step Code): In 2021, the province released its CleanBC Roadmap to 2030 climate plan. It included a commitment that “all new buildings in the province must produce zero greenhouse gas pollution from their operations by 2030.” In 2023, the Province of British Columbia entered the Zero Carbon Step Code into regulation as the pathway to get there. As of May 1, 2023, local governments can reference the Zero Carbon Step Code in their building bylaws, if they wish." (Energy Step Code info bulletin) 

-  BC Building and Safety Standards info bulletin + guidelines for local governments + (May 1, 2023)
- Compliance Tools for Part 9 Buildings (newly revised Step Code checklist for builders and energy advisors) 

"The Zero Carbon Step Code sets a maximum annual amount of greenhouse gas emissions that each building is allowed to emit. The amount for each building is based on the proposed occupancy and the size of the building. The metric that is used is kilograms of carbon dioxide equivalent per square meter, per year. 

Similar to the BC Energy Step Code, the Zero Carbon Step Code has four levels each with a specific intent outlined below:

1. Emissions Level 1: Measure-only (requires measurement of a building’s emissions without reductions and is intended to build knowledge and capacity)
2. Emissions Level 2: Moderate Carbon Performance (in most cases, will require electrification of either space heating or domestic hot water systems)
3. Emissions Level 3: Strong Carbon Performance (in most cases, will require electrification of both space heating and domestic hot water systems)
4. Emissions Level 4: Zero Carbon Performance (in most cases will require the full electrification of a building)

- Zero Carbon slide deck 
- Adopted by City of Victoria and District of Saanich (May 2023)  + Victoria press release
- Central Saanich - Let's Talk Step Code files and PDF 
​- Saanich Zero Carbon PDF explainer + Saanich News article (March 31, 2023)
- Victoria Residential Builders Association feedback + Three Housing Myths Dispelled 

- Urban Development Institute Capital Region - March 2023 letter referencing Zero Carbon Step Code and recommending it be used by the federal government in the national Draft Policy Framework for Climate Mitigation. <clip> "BC has taken the lead with regards to carbon pollution in new buildings ... The province recently approved a tiered Zero Carbon Step Code (ZCSC) which allows local governments to set operating GHG emission limits in new construction, and by 2030 all new buildings in BC will need to be zero-carbon ready. UDI is pleased that the federal government's proposals are generally aligned with BC's approach, so there should be limited changes for BC builders." 

"Definitions: The Canadian Board for Harmonized Building Codes recommends the following working definitions be used to guide the development of code requirements:

A net zero emissions building or house has minimal operational and embodied GHG emissions, with remaining emissions offset through various mechanisms.

A zero or near zero operational emissions building or house is designed and constructed to minimize or eliminate operational GHG emissions through energy efficiency and energy source choice.

Emission factors represent the GHG emissions of energy sources (CO2e produced per unit of energy consumed).

Operational GHG emissions are related to the amount of energy consumed and the carbon intensity of the energy source used to operate a building. Operational GHG emissions are described as scope 1 or scope 2 emissions. 

- Scope 1 (Direct): GHG emissions that are produced from fuels that are combusted on site, primarily from combustion of hydrocarbons, e.g. fossil fuels. Equipment examples: Natural gas / propane / oil and solid fuel appliances; CHP system; gas engine heat pump.

- Scope 2 (Indirect): GHG emissions that are produced from energy sources that are generated off site, e.g. purchased electricity. Equipment examples: Electric equipment, equipment that uses purchased energy, district heating or cooling."

District of Sooke 

- Sooke ​Building Bylaw #780 (2020)
- Subdivision and Development Standards Bylaw #404 (2014), now undergoing revision
- Community Amenities Contribution Policy (2010) 
- Development Permit Delegation Bylaw #705 (2018)
​
​- Fees and Charges Bylaw #752 (latest amendment Nov. 2022)
* schedule 3 - Building Bylaw Fees (pp. 6-8)
* schedule 5 - Development Applications (pg. 9) 
* schedule 10 - Subdivision Fees (pg. 12) 

- TBD: Parkland Dedication and Cash-in-Lieu of Parkland Dedication Policy 
- Revelstoke UBCM resolution: Value of Land for Cash-in-Lieu of Parkland (2016)

- TBD: Geotechnical Policies and Procedures 

- "A Guide to Subdividing Property in the District of Sooke" - (DOS, 2014) 

- Sooke Building and Safety website page
- Building and Plumbing Permit Application Form

Municipal regulations must be consistent with the BC Building Code (2018, amended as recently as May 1, 2023. A new set of codes is expected to be approved by late 2023.)  They must also align with the British Columbia Building Act. 

As per this Province of BC website page:  "The BC Building Code is a provincial regulation on how new construction, building alterations, repairs and demolitions are done. This code sets minimum requirements for safety, health, accessibility, fire and structural protection of buildings and energy and water efficiency." 

​Sooke Building Bylaw #780 (2020) replaced the previous 2001 bylaw (which had been amended multiple times over its lifespan). The new bylaw is based almost entirely on the model building code for BC local governments prepared by the Municipal Insurance Association of BC in conjunction with lawyers versed in building law.

- Report to Council (Feb. 18, 2020) 
- Step Code Report (June 15, 2020; see pp. 3-79)
- Builders Virtual Meeting presentation (Oct. 22, 2020 slide deck) 
- Building Bylaw presented for first reading (Nov. 23, 2020; see pp. 185-404, includes survey results and feedback)

Sooke Development Cost Charges Update (2021/22)
Enabling legislation: Local Government Act, Section 19 - items 559 onwards 
Province of BC: Development Cost Charges
DCC Guide for Elected Officials 
​DCC Best Practices Guide 
Municipal Development Works Agreements 

District of Sooke DCC website page

Sooke Development Cost Charges Bylaw #775 (adopted July 12, 2022) 
- Road Program Projects – Pg 14
- Sanitary Program Projects – Pg 19
- Storm Program Projects – Pg 25
- Parks Program Projects – Pg 30
 
- Final Development Cost Charge Background Report (Urban Systems, 2021)
- Sooke DCC Brochure (Nov. 2022) 
- Let's Talk Sooke DCC page

Sooke Development Permit Approval Review (2021/23)
Sooke's building and development community continue to call, as builders in every municipality across the country routinely do, for reduced red tape and faster permit turnarounds. They've been doing so since at least 2009 in my research and likely for many years earlier. 

Following the release of the province's Development Approvals Process Review (DAPR) report in 2019 (scroll down for granular details on its findings), funding was made available through the UBCM Development Permit Approvals Program.  

Sooke's successful application netted a $494k grant  in Sept. 2021 that enables a top-to-bottom analysis and revamp of our permitting system based on recommendations from the 2019 report.  
- We are one of 43 BC local governments to get this DAPR funding
- The Ministry of Housing shared this update during last month's Housing Summit.) 

Since work on this grant began in later 2021, consultants have teamed with District staff to draft a new Development and Standards Bylaw and review the Building Permit application process.

​A progress report was presented at the council meeting of Dec. 12, 2022.  Staff have been training up on new digital review software (Tempest and Bluebeam Revu) as we heed the province's stated commitment to become a North American leader in digital permitting as the best possible way to speed up the process.

A follow-up report incuding a building permit process review conducted by LMH Consulting was included on pp. 5-23 of council's Feb. 27, 2023 agenda. 

- DOS service delivery fixes (timelines, roles and responsibilities) 
- e-application technology implementation 
- policies for incomplete applications (reject them at the get-go and clearly provide direction on what's required)
- education for staff and applicants 

The next step is a public (read: building/development sector primarily) engagement process to be led by a consultant drawn our way by this recent Request for Proposals. As you'll read therein (pp. 8/9), the District is seeking qualified professionals to assess development application processes and review current bylaws, staff capacity, communications tools and information technology. They are to engage with internal and external stakeholders, deliver and implement recommendations. Staff recommends that the contract be awarded to Urban Systems. (See its application in full on pp. 83-171 of the June 12 council agenda.) 

Staff must deliver a final UBCM report by the March 15, 2024 deadline. 

Other communities with DAPR processes underway or completed include:  
- Regional District of Nanaimo - Oct. 2022 (see agenda pp. 80-176 for KPMG report) 
- Sunshine Coast Regional District (contract awarded to KMPG in Dec. 2022)
- Village of Cumberland Development Permits Approval Modernization (council report, March 27, 2023)
​- City of Fernie (consultant: McElhanney)
​- Town of Comox (final report, Jan. 2023)  
​- City of Vancouver: Permitting Improvement Program 
- District of Tofino: Development Approvals Framework (consultant: Urban Systems)
 
- City of Coquitlam DAPR + 2021 Progress Report Card (collaboration with Urban Development Institute) 
"The City previously handled its development planning referral process – during which applications are reviewed by internal departments and external agencies – through a labour-intensive process involving email and spreadsheets. Tracking was challenging and the manual steps slowed down turnaround times ... To streamline the review process, Coquitlam introduced a Granicus digital platform that stores all project data, automates communications to and from reviewers, consolidates responses, generates reports, flags issues and tracks processing times. The result has been a savings of up to 100 hours per project. Since 2019, the average time between development application submission and issuing of the first review letter has been reduced by 40 per cent."

- The City of Kelowna is the first to look at AI as a means to speed-up building processes and has promised to share its findings with all BC local governments. 

- Archived: District of West Kelowna, Planning and Development Applications Process Review (2011) 

BC's Development Permit Process Review (2019)
All of the above localized reports address the challenges and recommendations identified in the final report of the Development Permit Process Approvals Review.  (Press release.) This consultation with builders associations, local governments, non-profit housing societies and others was recommended by the Horgan government's Homes For BC housing affordability masterplan a year earlier.  

At the outset, the review established a set of "effective and efficient" guiding principles ...  
1. ACHIEVES OUTCOMES IN THE PUBLIC INTEREST: The approvals process is set up to support development that is strategically aligned with adopted community plans, supports community values, is strategically aligned with the public interest and results in high-quality built environments.
2. CERTAINTY: The requirements, timeframes and costs of development approvals are clearly outlined and communicated in advance or as early as possible in the application process. The expectations remain consistent throughout the process.
3. TRANSPARENT ACCESS TO INFORMATION: Decisions during the approval process are documented and communicated in a clear and timely manner. Application status is accessible to proponents and to all staff involved in the approval process. The public is informed.
4. COLLABORATIVE: Local governments and applicants work collaboratively to achieve desired outcomes. Where public involvement is appropriate, the process seeks public input early in the process and in an informed manner.
5. FLEXIBLE: The process achieves consistency while providing flexibility that enables developments in line with these guiding principles. Flexibility also allows for and even rewards innovation.
6. TIMELY: The development approval process occurs on timeframes that are appropriate to the level of complexity of the application. All parties, including local governments, proponents, provincial agencies, professionals, and others involved in the application process, provide needed input in a timely manner.
7. BALANCED: The development approval process strives to achieve a fair balance of costs and benefits to the public and the proponent.

The challenges common to builders and local governments across BC ... 
- incomplete or poor-quality submissions by applicants;
- increased complexity of building requirements; 
- inconsistent development permit guidelines; 
- contradictory advice from different local-government departments; 
- lack of transparency on the status of development applications; 
- lack of consistency of requirements between neighbouring local governments.

Appendix 7 (pp. 22-29) lists high priority ways to address these challenges ... cut-and-pasting from the report: 

* Lengthy and complicated internal staff development approvals process 
- Training and best practice guide to be used to optimize process
- Local governments make the internal process of development applications more effective and efficient

* Incomplete and poor-quality applications 
-  Developer training & best practices guide prepared by private sector with local government input.
- Local government to implement process changes to establish effective “gatekeeping” to keep poor quality applications from being received

* Inconsistencies between neighbouring municipal practices
- Create model development application checklists accessible by any local government
- Harmonize bylaws with neighbouring municipalities when possible

* Lack of funding/staff resources for development processes
- Local governments to increase staffing 

* Shortage of building officials
- Province and local governments to work with the Building Officials’ Association of B.C. to provide more opportunities for training, encourage transfers from related positions, allow local governments to train in-house
- Local governments to pursue building official retention and recruitment by creating a positive, healthy work environment, improve compensation package, consider sharing a pool of workers within a region 

* Staff delegation 
- Increase councils’ ability to delegate individual development approvals, including reframing legislation to make delegation the default with opt-in option for elected official review

* Public hearings
- Provincial review of public hearings and consideration of alternative options for more meaningful, earlier public input and in different formats

* OCP amendments and housing targets 
- Provincial policy review of OCPs with respect to development approvals - adoption process, update requirements, recommended levels of detail, streamlined process for minor amendments
- Provincial policy review to consider tying development approvals to housing targets

* Development Cost Charges and Community Amenity Contributions
- Provincial consideration of more reliable funding from senior government for municipal infrastructure to reduce dependency on development cost charges and community amenity contributions
- Pending more funding, local government best practice for the use of development cost charges and community amenity contributions including method of calculation (lift or fixed), early notice to owners/developers, fairness, in-stream protection

* Onerous local government requirements 
- Internal training on maintaining balance on requirements imposed through the development approval process

* Social housing 
- Recognizing social benefits (affordable/ special needs housing) as community amenities

* Subdivisions and Approving Officer
- Develop enhanced communication materials about subdivision processes for elected officials and the public.
- Prepare plain language guidance and checklists to explain the process.

* Preliminary reviews
- Develop model Preliminary Layout Approval review letters that give early direction and help avoid unexpected impacts on developer later in process

* Changes to Building Code
- Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing: Review policy for building code changes, including opportunities to provide in-stream protection, potential to provide earlier notice of upcoming changes and increased education to accompany changes. To support innovation, the Building and Safety Standards Branch could review opportunities to enable faster local government approval of innovative alternative solutions

* BC Hydro Engagement 
- Applicants to include early engagement with BC Hydro / utilities to avoid delays as a best practice

* Lack of training 
- Provide training on the development approval process for all participants involved in development applications and approvals (council members, planners, engineers, Approving Officers, fire prevention, Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure, Ministry of Environment and Climate Change Strategy, health authorities, developers, etc.)

* Lack of access to and awareness of materials
- Create development approvals portal (similar to the BC Energy Step Code portal)


Building in Sooke
+ more (list in progress) 

- Alair Homes
- Anderson General (Roy Anderson) 
- Bigfoot Contracting (Tray Spaidal) 
- Bodnar Construction (Mike Bodnar) 
​- Brohman Construction Ltd. (John Brohman) 
- Clark's Quality Construction
- Clarkston Construction (Paul Clarkston)
​- Coltart Construction
- Colibri Construction (Luke)
- Fenway Construction (Kevin Berger)
- Forget Construction (Mark Forget) 
- Haldane Homes (Herb Haldane)
- Island Elite Homes (Kevin Maycock)
​- Largo Construction
- Len Banner Construction
- Living Land Development
- Marsden Group (Patrick Marsden)
​- Martin Swift Construction
- Osa Construction 
- Rob Reid Construction
​- Sooke Bay Construction (Josh)
​- Stellar Homes (Geoff Steele)
- West Coast Design (Randy Clarkston, Laurie Wallace) 
- Yates Construction

Larger-Scale Developers
- Agius Builders (Grasslands, Meadowlands) 
- Aragon Properties (Wadams Farm) 
​- Butler Family (Erinan Estates + next phase)
- Farrell Estates (West Ridge Trails phases 1/2/3) 
- GT Mann Contracting (commercial/residential at former Mulligans) 
- Mid America Venture Capital (Country Grocer project near Hope Centre, rezoning) 
- Seacliff Properties (Bayshore Village, formerly known as Harbourview)
- Sunriver Estates 
- Totangi Properties (Woodland Creek) 
​- Westbrook Consulting (Viewpointe Estates + website)
- WestUrban Development (west-side, Brownsey Blvd.) 
- The Wild Group (Melrick Place) 

Miscellaneous
- 4M Bobcat and Trucking (Dave and Darcy McClimon)
- 660 Hardwood Flooring 
- J.E. Anderson and Associates (land development, surveying, engineering) 
- Butler Concrete and Aggregate (Travis Butler) 
- Compass Electric (Brian Banner)
​- DJ Fencing (David Peters) 
​- Drywall Medic 
- Gladiator Drywall (Blue Vasseur, Andy Turnbull) 
- Good Neighbours Fencing  
- Homewise Plumbing and Drainage 
- K.O. Exteriors 
- Menard Plumbing and Heating (Mike Menard) 
​- Northern Star Plumbing (Rob Brown) 
- Ocean Breeze Drywall (Russell Davies) 
- PLAN Contracting (Doug and Kelby Wittich) 
- RR Roof Rider (Vincent Cummings) 
- Sasquatch Home/Heat Pump Services 
​- Sooke Backhoe (Ron Shambrook)
- Sooke Gutter 

Edward Milne Community School TASK (Trades Awareness Skills and Knowledge) Program 
- "EMCS program forges new path for trades" (SNM, Oct. 15, 2020)
- Apprenticeships 
- Camosun College Dual Credit + SNM article (2013)

From the May 23, 2023 SD #62 Board agenda ... 
"SD62 Trades Awareness and Skills K-12 (TASK) Youth Work Awards. TASK is dedicated to fostering the growth and development of students interested in pursuing careers in the trades. Here are some notable accomplishments:
- Graduates: 26 graduates from all four SD62 Secondary Schools. The graduation ceremony witnessed over 80 attendees, including district staff, students, families, employers, representatives from the Ministry of Education and Child Care, Skilled Trades BC, and our valued community partners.
- Total Apprenticeship Hours: Over 30,000 hours reflect the commitment of our students to gain practical experience and develop valuable skills in their chosen trades.
- Red Seal Trades: Training in trades such as Carpenter, Cook, Electrician, Sheet Metal, HF Insulator, Autobody Tech, Metal Fabricator, and Welder, enabling students to gain expertise and industry-recognized certifications.
- Employer/mentor sponsors: Compass Electric, Farmer Construction, BC Regional Council of Carpenters, House of Boateng, White Spot, Mr. Mikes, Jacks Place, Flynn Canada, Wild Mountain, Composite Builders, Bin 4, Ocean West Marine, Tower Fence, and Fix Auto. 
- Four new programs in 2023/24: Two construction programs, one metal program, and a new automotive program. These expansions will accommodate up to 72 students annually." 

District of Sooke Planning and Building Departments
Responsibilities include long-range and current land-use planning; review of development proposals; providing council with advice on planning-related matters; building approvals and inspection services; and community marketing and investment. 

"Planning ensures that the OCP is relevant to evolving community priorities. It is responsible for the preparation of detailed planning studies and bylaws including, but not limited to, the Zoning Bylaw, Town Centre Plan and Housing Needs Report. This service area plays a key role in creating and supporting the implementation of the Building Bylaw, Transportation Master Plan, Parks and Trails Master Plan, Sooke 2030: Climate Action Plan, Community Economic Development Strategy and other documents that impact land development in Sooke."  

- Official Community Plan and Amendments
- Zoning Bylaw amendments (rezoning)
- Development Permit applications
- Agricultural Land Commission applications
- Development Variance Permit applications
- Housing agreements
- Sign permit appications
- Temporary Use Permits
- Building permits 
​- Input on building and subdivision applications 

Director of Planning and Development: Matthew Pawlow 
Manager of Community Planning: TBD (now hiring)
Senior Planners: Lauren Mattiussi,  Tara Johnson (mat leave until this fall) 
Senior Planning Technician: Kevin Kaiser
Community Economic Development Officer: Gail Scott 
Planning and Development Administrator: Susan Dyble 

Chief Building Official: TBD with recent retirement of Stan Dueck 
Building Official II: Tony Bastone, Brad Metzger
Building Official I: Vacant
Building Official Auxillary Pool: TBD

"Reporting to the Chief Building Official, the Building Officials are responsible for reviewing, processing, and issuing building permits, and providing technical information and assistance, as it relates to fire protection, life safety systems, building structures, health of occupants and energy efficiency, and ensure compliance with building codes, acts, bylaws, standards, and regulations."

"Building Officials are  responsible for overseeing that building and plumbing permits are issued and inspections are completed. (These inspections are) conducted in accordance with the provisions of the District Building Bylaw for compliance with the Provincial Building and Plumbing Codes, with the objective of protecting the health and safety of the public." (from the 2022 Council Orientation Manual) 

Director of Operations: Jeff Carter

Subdivision Land Development 
- Approving Officer - Duane Blewett 
- Land Development Technician -  Nikki Zerr
 
Engineering and Infrastructure 
- Manager - Raph Mattson
- Lead Engineering Technologist – Vacant 
- Engineering Technologist II – Vacant
- Engineering Technologist I – Joshua Mollard
 

Delegated Authority: Guidelines for Decision-Making by Staff and/or Council  
As per Sooke Development Permit Delegation Bylaw No. 705 (2018), section 4

The Director of Planning and Development has been delegated the authority to consider for approval the following development permits:
a) Any single-family residential developments;
b) Any multi-family residential developments;
c) Commercial, industrial or institutional development with 2500 square metres or less of gross floor area;
 d) Development permits required for the subdivision or alteration of land, or construction of, addition to or
alteration of a building or structure; and
e) Amendments to existing development permits that do not exceed the authority granted in parts a, b, c or d.
 
The following development permits are exempt from the above and require consideration by Council. Development permits that:
i. Vary a Bylaw (Development Permit Variance applications);
ii. Form part of a Phased Development Agreement;
iii. Are within the Official Community Plan Development Area (DPA) #1 Town Centre;
iv. Are within a Comprehensive Development Zone in the Sooke Zoning Bylaw; and/or;
v. Are on lands owned by the District of Sooke. 

From May 23, 2023 Quarterly Planning and Development Report to council ...  
- In 2022, local governments within the south island were recruiting for over 100 various positions within planning and building departments.
- Up until recently, minimal interest was being shown in developing the waterfront. Staff are fielding more pre-application meetings to implement the OCP/Town Centre Plan.

Sooke resident suggestion for "reforming" the system (Don Brown)
~ From mistrust to trust
~ From precedence to case-by-case
~ From governments’ liability to service providers’ responsibility
~ From virtually complete risk adverse safety standards to risk assessment reasonability
~ From detailed uniform, prescriptive procedural, regulatory and technical rules to principles and objectives applied by professionals

BC Construction Industry 
- BC construction data (housing starts, house sales, building permits issued) 
- BC Major Projects ($20m+) Inventory (4Q - 2022; see pp. 18-20 for Vancouver Island) 
- Construction industry profile (WorksBC) 
​- Construction industry overview 
- CMHC Housing Markets, Data and Research 
- BC Residential Building Statistics and Trends Report (BC Housing, 2020) 
- WelcomeBC Immigration portal 

- Fastest Growing Industries: Construction (Vancouver Public Library, 2021) 
"Over the period 2021-2030, industry growth increases the labour force by more than 18,600 workers – up 10% compared to 2020. Industry must also address the need to replace an aging workforce, with an estimated 41,000 workers, or 22% of the current labour force, expected to retire. Combining retirement and expansion demands, the construction industry will need to recruit close to 59,650 workers over the coming decade. This demand may be partially met by up to 35,150 new entrants under the age of 30 available locally, but a significant portion of remaining demand will need to be drawn from other industries or other provinces." 

BC Construction Association
- BC Construction Industry Survey (2022) + PDF + Stat Pack infographic 
- mentorship program 
- BC Builders Code 
- Acceptable Worksite Policies -- Smaller Employers + Larger Developers 
​- Immigration Trends in the Construction Sector (2020)

Vancouver Island Construction Association 
Affiliated with the BC Construction Association: "We currently represent 450+ members. Our members represent 90% of the institutional, commercial, industrial, and multi-family residential construction sectors on Vancouver Island, the Gulf Islands, and coastal BC ... BidCentral, a suite of web-based products and services for the complete construction bidding process." 

Victoria Residential Builders Association 
- Contractor Listings 
- Trades/Suppliers/Services listings 

BC Building Trades 
"Established in 1967, the BC Building Trades represents 25 local craft construction unions belonging to 13 international unions. There are more than 45,000 unionized construction workers in B.C." 

Independent Contractors and Businesses Association 
"Representing 4,000 entrepreneurs, businesspeople, skilled construction professionals, independent contractors, sub-trades, and responsible resource development companies – who together employ 150,000 Canadians."

Careers in Construction website (BuildForce Canada) 
​- Types of Construction 
​- Construction Activity Across Canada (map) 
- Mythbusting 

- Construction Cost Index Calculator (Butterfield Development Consultants, Vancouver) 
Sample: Single Family Home, On Grade, Up to 2500 s.f., Medium Quality, in Victoria: Estimated Cost per Square Foot: $338.10 (incl. PST). The above represents the expected on-site construction costs in a normal, competitive environment. Areas are based on above ground, gross floor, calculations. Costs should be adjusted for site specific conditions." (no indication of when this calculator was last updated for current pricing) 

- Statistics Canada Building Construction Price Indices (quarterly reports, most recent 4Q 2022)

​* Residential: "In 2022, the 11-CMA (major Canadian urban centres) composite for residential building construction costs rose 19.1%, which represents its largest annual increase since the inception of the Residential Building Construction Price Index in 2017. Yearly construction costs for residential buildings rose the most for single-detached houses (+20.9%) and townhouses (+20.4%) from 2021 to 2022."

* Commercial: "The 11-CMA composite for non-residential construction cost increased 12.5% in 2022 compared with 2021. This was the highest annual increase since the beginning of the Non-Residential Building Construction Price Index in 1981. The wood, plastics and composites, structural steel framing, and metal fabrications divisions led the increase in costs for these buildings."


Miscellaneous 
Sooke Coverage 
- Sooke Builders Association Forms In Response to Frustration With City Hall (SNM, May 4, 2023)
- Sooke Aims to Slash Building Permit Delays (SNM, Feb. 17, 2022)
- Sooke Building Permit Application Backlog Hits Three Months (SNM, Feb. 9, 2022) 
- Building Permit Frustration At Boiling Point (SNM, March 19, 2019)
- Sooke Workers Struggle to Find Housing (SNM, Nov. 30, 2017)
- Waterfront Permit Issue Makes Waves (SNM, June 15, 2011)

Geoff Steele letter to the Mirror (May 11, 2023) ...  "The Sooke Builders Association is a newly incorporated non-profit society made up of home builders, subtrades, construction consultants and land developers building in Sooke.We aim to work together with the District of Sooke and other governing bodies to support quality construction and development in the area, and address issues impacting the industry. 

Our goal is to create a positive partnership with Sooke council and staff to get things done in a cooperative way by discussing concerns and working together to resolve problems. We recognize frustrations from both the public and staff as we navigate through the growing pains that Sooke has encountered over the years.

We believe that multiple voices coming at the district is not productive and hope that this association can help alleviate some of the burden that Sooke is dealing with right now on top of being understaffed.

We understand that council is looking at hiring a new CAO and we’re encouraged that the review of the new OCP will be part of their mandate.

We are very excited to be meeting with the Housing Minister Ravi Kahlon and hear, firsthand, about the government’s strategies for fast-tracking the delivery of new homes, increasing the supply of middle-income housing and how we can help those with the greatest housing needs.

Having the mayor, council and senior staff attend, will be a big part of the meeting and a great start to our partnership in creating a structure to support our growing community now and in the future."

Provincial News 
- "BC construction industry expected to cool in 2023/24 amidst high interest rates" (Castanet, May 4, 2023)
- "Residential sector poised to drive growth to 2032" (BuildForce Canada, April 28, 2023) 
- "BC government new investment in construction job training" (Business In Vancouver, April, 2023) + BC Ministry of Social Development and Poverty Reduction press release 
- "Province announces one-stop-shop for homebuilding permits" (Times Colonist, January 2023) + Cautious Optimism
-  "New report outlines tough times ahead for BC construction industry" (Journal of Commerce, Nov. 2022) 
- "BC construction industry to lose 25,000 workers by 2028 due to retirement" (CITY News, May 2022) 
- "Revolutionizing BC's construction industry" (Douglas Magazine, Aug. 2022) 
- "Pressure building on construction industry bottom lines" (Business In Vancouver, Oct. 2022)
- "CHBA BC's Benchmarking Study Reveals Average 13-14 Month Wait Time for Building Permits" (Business Examiner, Oct. 24, 2022) 

- BC Chamber of Commerce re: Development Permit Timelines (2020) + DAPR (2022) 

- "Slow permit processes undermine Canada's competitiveness" (The Orca, Feb. 2020)
"In the length of time it takes to get a general construction project approved, Canada ranks 34 out of 35 OECD countries. It’s a telling and embarrassing statistic for a G7 economy. It takes nearly 250 days to get a permit in Canada – three times (168 days) longer than our competitors in the United States. In the OECD, only the Slovak Republic takes longer." (Chris Gardener, president, Independent Contractors and Businesses Association) 

​- "Want to See A Grown Man Cry? Try getting a building permit in Vancouver" (The Province, Sept. 22, 2022)
- "Developers in South Okanagan can expect delays" (Keremeos Review, July 2022) 
- "Extremely High volume of building permit delays in North Vancouver" (North Shore Post, March, 2022) 
- "No Progress On Planning Bottlenecks at City Hall" (London Free Press, Jan. 26, 2023) 
- "Permit Application Backlog Prompts White Rock to Seek Outside Help" (Surrey Leader, Feb. 2023) 
​

From my notes: Quotes from presentation by Canadian Urban Institute's Mary Rowe at the South Island Prosperity Project's Rising Economy Local Government Day, Nov. 15, 2022 

- "Urban planning is generally too predictive and too restrictive ... local governments have the false notion that they can control everything"

- "Municipalities must try harder to get out of the way ... They should enable and encourage more. Must learn to take risks, and yet governments of course are absolutely risk-averse. Ask the question: How can we get the balance right?" 

- "The pilot project is your best tool. Try them in a modest way: experiment with a different kind of speed bump or design look in a certain place." 
 
- "Human pattern settlement is often self-organized and a matter of trial and error ... You want to create conditions for people to take a flyer. Some things work, others fail. Local governments need to be more flexible and enable innovation.  Just try stuff!" 

- Example of the NORC (Naturally Organizing Retirement Community). <clip> "A NORC is more than just a housing design. In the case of New York’s program, NORCs coordinate a broad range of health and social services to help support older residents to age in their own homes. NORCs do so by facilitating and integrating the health and social services already available in the community while organizing additional services and supports necessary to help meet the goal of enabling older adults to remain in their community."


From my Jan. 24, 2021 blog post, shared in anticipation of a new such committee being formed later this year
Land Use and Development Committee 
This will be third time a Land Use Committee has been struck over the last decade. First was the Land Use & Environment Committee 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 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. 
 
Council received a draft Building Regulation Bylaw in mid-February (see agenda, pp. 27-91). The COVID-delayed public engagement process outlined back then is moving ahead now with this month's survey and Thursday evening's feedback session intended for local builders and developers.  This is on top of earlier informal consultation, as noted in the staff report early this year: "This new edition of the bylaw has been under development for over one year, starting at the Development & Land Use Committee, followed by a heavy internal review, fulsome discussions with all affected staff and the building community, as well as several legal reviews throughout the process."  

(That said, there is definite pushback in the survey responses to the proposal that the new bylaw launch Sooke at Step Code level three. Echoing sharply critical feedback heard when the code was introduced in 2017, the Victoria Residential Builders' Association summarized its objections recently, noting "our builder’s estimate of the added cost for a BC Step Code Tier 3 home is $28,000 not including overhead. The home was modeled by a Certified Energy Advisor and this was the lowest cost option. The BC government has previously claimed the added cost is $3,945 for Tier 3." Housing affordability and margins are the issue. The VRBA is calling for BC to adhere to guidelines in the next update of the National Building Code of Canada expected in December.) 

With the OCP underway and a new zoning bylaw to emerge from it, the timing is definitely right for a new Land Use committee. It shapes up to be more balanced and inclusive than those in the past with one member each drawn from the following sectors: 

* Land Development Communitiy
* Home Builders Community
* Business Community
* Agricultural Community
* Environmental Climate Change Community
* Ocean and Fisheries
* Plus two members at large, one councillor and, in her ex-offico capacity, Mayor Tait. 

As the draft TOR also states ... 

"Mandate: The objectives of the Committee are to encourage adherence to District of Sooke land use policies, and when presented with alternative solutions to achieving the strategic goals of the organization, provide policy recommendations or best practices to achieve the desired priorities. Topics for consideration:

• Secondary Suites
• Town Centre Development
• Shoreline-Waterway Interface
• Development Incentives
• Subdivision and Development Standards
• Sub-Regional Land Use Planning
• Agricultural Land Reserve Parcels
• Official Community Plan Analytics
• Zoning Bylaw Updates" 

Committee members
Councillor Tony St-Pierre (chair)
Susan Belford
Brian Butler
Paul Clarkston
Katarina Duke
Dave McClimon
Kyle Topelko

End of term report to council
(minutes, April 2022; presented to COW on June 20) 
​
"- climate action was not considered sufficiently during the committee's term;
- the community is well represented through a diverse and informed membership;
- members possess both expertise and passion;
- members had hoped to contribute more to the OCP's final draft;
- all recommendations have been acknowledged as valuable by Council;
- 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.

Subsequent to that meeting, further feedback was offered by a committee member in writing. In summary:
- members should be carefully selected for their subject-matter expertise to ensure appropriate and informed recommendations;
- responses to staff reports or items referred by Council should be sought from members who's expertise is relevant to the topic; and
- 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: 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) 


2012-14 notes from Land Use & Environment committee meetings ... 
Committee was formed by Mayor Milne in Jan. 2012. Meetings begin in February.  At first meeting, the committee identified priorities and working process ... 

"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." 

Need for "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). 

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. 

June 18, 2012  Item 4 ... 48 Hour Building Permit Processing. Committee discussion: 
"~ current process for applications with incomplete/pending information - staff work with the applicants.
~ builders required to have engineering documents related to trusses with 48 hour building permits - imposes additional costs to builders 
~ timeline for implementing 48-hour turnaround for building permits - additional training to staff is required/builders must be willing to provide the required documentation
~ financial impacts - council is not opposed to additional training
~ further cost implications to the District: only additional training of staff
~ builders currently wait up to 5 weeks for a building permit to be issued - need a more streamlined process to allow builders to conduct their business - onus is on the builder to provide the required documentation
~ covenants and requirements from other departments/governmental agencies must be addressed at time of or prior to building permit submission

MOVED to direct staff to obtain further input from the builders and affected parties in Sooke with respect to possible cost implications for 48 hour building permits and report back to Committee
CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY" 

Nov. 19, 2012 "Randy Clarkston, Sooke resident, advised that the referral process for the District of Sooke is approximately 4 to 8 months whereas most other municipalities have a 30-day referral process." 

Feb. 18, 2013 Councillor Pearson requests that staff provide a report to committee on the 48 hour building permit process. Committee discussion ...
~ "eliminate requirements for submitting BCLS, Geotch, Truss drawings etc before a building permit is issued"
~ "ensure the requirements & process does not incur further costs to the applicant"
~ "ensure improved process for contractors, homeowners, residents." 
~ "streamline process"
~ "ensure the resident/purchaser is well protected" 

"Clarkston advised that with all the new changes in the Building Code and the requirements of BP applications, permits are going to cost approx. $10k. If engineers are required to sign off on all documentation, this will not provide for affordable housing." 

May 21, 2013 Councillor Pearson reported that a service review is currently underway by Mr. Howie, which will include recommendations to ensure improvements to processing timeframes." 

June 17, 2013 "CAO Gord Howie explained that the reason for a delay in the application process is sometimes due to incomplete applications, sometimes a lack of communication between both parties (staff and applicant) in sorting out what the interpretation of something may be." 

By fall, focus has shifted to work on what would become Bylaw 404 - Subdivision & Standards Bylaw #404, replacing Bylaw #65. No further mention of a 48-hour BP process nor any further reference to the promised staff report prior to what seems to be last meeting of the committee on April 22, 2014 (at which a preliminary draft of Bylaw #404 was presented). 

Housing Action Items in the pending Official Community Plan Bylaw #800 (pp. 170/71)
Includes ... 
* Review the Zoning Bylaw and consider amendments that support purpose-built rental unit development
* Explore tax ememptions, Development Cost Charge reductions, and other funding mechanisms to support housing affordability
* Assess DCCs to incent smaller size units and more compact developments
* Prepare an affordable housing contribution policy
* Set targets for affordable housing based on CMHC criteria
* Facilitate workshops that instruct on how to develop a secondary suite 


Comparison shopping re: municipal building permit website presence 
Inspired by a panel discussion on housing and permitting at the 2022 UBCM Conference in Whistler. Preliminary conclusion so far: Sooke's website content, checklists and advisories are absolutely solid for professional eyes, but not as accessible nor clearly communicated as some other municipal examples. 
 
SOOKE Our website home page for building is titled "Building Safety" and it's there that you will find drop-down links to application forms, advisories and bulletins. 
- Building Permit page
- Building Permit application form (15 pages with seven separate permit checklists) 
- Sooke advisory example (secondary suites) for comparative purposes

SIDNEY The overall website category is titled "Building Permits and Inspections" 
- Development Permit application (three pages, with checklist)
- Applicants in Sidney are directed to this how-to brochure
- Sidney advisory example (secondary suites) is a two-pager without extensive detail

SUMMERLAND Former Mayor Toni Boot stated (according to my UBCM notes): "Target for permit-turnaround in Summerland reduced to three weeks. If applicant does not get a permit within 30 days, they get a 20 percent reduction in fees."  The new system emerged through review by a "Development Process Advisory Committee comprised of reps from Chamber, building community, financial institutions and the designer/architect community." 
- Overall website category is titled “Planning and Building”
- that page leads to "Building" 
- Building Permit page + BP application form (9 pages with at-a-glance check list prominent):
- Summerland Secondary Suite info brochure  
- User-friendly guide for what to expect in the Part 9 building permit process: 

PARKSVILLE  Former Mayor Ed Mayne stated at UBCM: “What developers want from a local government is an open for business attitude backed by proven and reliable customer service.”
 - The department title is “Community Planning and Building” 
- Under “Building Department” is a PDF list of general information advisories and forms
- Planning Applications and Fees page: 
- Development Permit application (includes three checklists: main list + “sustainable community builder checklist” and “accessible community builder checklist” … also, unlike others, includes a schedule of current application fees)  
​- Parksville secondary suite advisory - version 1 + version 2 

Images: Sooke Planning and Development Quarterly Report, May 23, 2023 

Aftermath: Council voted unanimously in favour of the DP with variances following a 2.5 hour discussion with the applicants, staff and an extended period of public comment. Several of us expressed strong reservations regarding the lack of a site plan for future phases and the drive-thru component while also recognizing Seacliff had the necessary zoning as per 2009's CD-7 zone. I didn't raise the blue-sky proposal below because I asked staff for clarity about the reduced amenity areas in this phase one and heard that these requirement will be exceeded in future phases as per the exact requirements of the zoning. Views from Sooke Road apart from glimpses at the Goodmere Rd. entrance will be lost (though Cllrs Lajeunesse and Pearson noted that they couldn't see the ocean from Sooke Elementary when they were students there in the '60s and '70s); the commercial area's plaza, on the other hand, will have views of the harbour/basin for those visiting on foot and, in future, when using the future public pathways leading to the waterfront. The public feedback was mixed. Many echoed the concerns in the correspondence received beforehand; others (including the Sooke Chamber of Commerce) noted that the current property is a blank slate that should be developed in spurring town-centre mixed-use commercial/residential density as intended in Sooke's current OCP and Town Centre Plan.  


Original post: May 23, 2023
I want to publish this one before tonight's meeting, so apologies for the sprawl and a promise to do the necessary corrections, clarifications, typo and grammatical surgery, etc. in future ... 

Structure: 
1. Summary points
2. Introduction
3. Four variances in the CD-7 Zone to be deliberated tonight 
4. Property history
5. 2009-2023 timeline
6. Seacliff Properties 
7. Site details in general and tonight's Phase A proposal in particular 
8. List of reports prepared for the current and original applications
9. Public Pushback and Alternative Visions
10. Minutes from related 2009-2012 council meetings
11. Final thoughts for now 

Key points 
1. The CD-7 zoning applicable to the Seacliff Properties development permit was approved in June, 2009. That zoning is based on the full-scale masterplan provided by the original developer. It includes nature trails, boardwalk, marina and environmental protection areas (the cormorant-nesting trees). It was conceived in context of the 2001 OCP.

2. The applicant is sharing its plan for the upper-tier, Sooke Road-facing portion of the property only. No details nor commitments are provided for future phases.

3. The application is legal as per the approved zoning and wouldn't be coming to council if not for four requested variances. Regulatory "certainty" is the number one ask of the building/development community, and the CD-7 zone provides it.  

4. There's been significant community pushback in recent weeks.  This notably includes a letter signed by all members of the 2020-22 OCP Advisory Committee, who write in part:  "The developer's request for a building height of eight storeys, as well as drive-thru commercial, is contrary to the community's views expressed to us during the planning process and the 2022 draft OCP ... Please stay consistent with our community's vision and decline this proposal."

5. The proposal, IMO, is entirely solid and professional but lacking Sooke flavour and is business-as-usual urban routine. This spectacular, strategically important town-centre location demands something extraordinary for this and future generations. 

6. Unlike the original applicants during the rezoning process and at the public hearing nearly 15 years ago, Seacliff has held no open houses nor done any public engagement (as per its right given it has legal zoning)

7. We, as a community working with the applicant and the zoning, can arguably do better. 

My possible (quite likely naive but logical, I think) ask tonight
* That council deny the variances (on grounds related to the drastic lack of amenity space required by the zoning)

* This would give the District a period of grace to get our #Sooke house in order (i.e., completion of the Official Community Plan and a substantial start on the new zoning bylaw and refreshed Town Centre Plan)

* Creation of a task force focused on the town centre core and TC transitional designations comprised of reps from council, the District, the Sooke Builders Association, the Chamber, School District #62, developers and other players identified in the Terms of Reference. 

* This group (effectively a Town Centre Plan committee) would blue-sky how the OCP and other master-plan policies, values and practices could be applied. What is the best possible outcome for Sooke? 

* Once the task force reports out, we compare the resultant Made-In-Sooke/T'Sou-ke vision with the current proposal, see where the synchronicities align and renew the discussion. (Seacliff might even welcome a pause given that its hands must be full elsewhere with its massive west-shore Royal Beach, Westview and City Gate projects.)  

Okay that said, onwards with what i prepared this weekend ... 
It was envisioned as a game-changer for Sooke's waterside town-centre east end 14 years ago.  Yet Mariner's Village didn't progress beyond the first-phase mix of condos and town homes we're familiar with today. The five-storey building with its courtyard and sea views was a first taste of the density called for by our Town Centre Plan, adopted mere weeks before Mike Barrie's ill-fated six-phase project received its own zone (CD-7) within the Zoning Bylaw.

​That first cluster of 91 units was followed by the remarkable waterfront Harbourside and West Wind Harbour co-housing projects. Otherwise all has remained pretty quiet south of Sooke Road apart from rumours, flowering real estate signs and tentative first steps. 

The pregnant pause is over. WestUrban's pair of mixed-use commercial/residential buildings have been approved for  the westside of Brownsey Blvd. and green construction fencing now rings the property.  Slimline town homes are beginning to pop up on Aragon's Wadams Farm project at Church and Wadams. And the BC Housing modular complex across from Art Morris Park on Charters is open (now 30% occupied) with the twinned larger buildings on Drennan to follow in 2024. 

Now Vancouver-based Seacliff Properties is seeking a development permit with variations for the upper tier, Sooke Road-fronting portion of the former Mariner's Village  at Tuesday night's council meeting (see agenda, pp. 5-188). Future development sites in this immediate area are to on the west side of Goodmere and on the northeast-side of Sooke Road. Sooke Elementary School is also due for a major rethink/rebuild. 

The assumption is Seacliff will continue onwards in future with full development of the site in fulfilling the requirements of the CD-7 zone (agenda pp. 59-69), yet I'm not aware of any written commitments or references by the applicant to future phases of what it now calls Harbourview.  [This lack of clarity about its intentions for the property as a whole beyond the area now under consideration is a concern. The feedback from the T'Sou-ke First Nation (pg. 82) states as much: "The extent of the project is unclear (e.g., the project footprint) and requires clarification ... Please can the District of Sooke provide a description of the number of phases associated with the project and show extent of these on a map that also shows the archaeological site, the cormorant rookery and marine setback."  Agreed.]

Browsing the agenda from pg. 117 onwards, you'll see resident correspondence citing significant concerns about the project's impacts.

i) Eradication, in large part, of the current, character-defining postcard view of the harbour and basin from Sooke Road. (Interestingly, this view wasn't available until the current zoning was enacted and the roadside homes and vegetation was removed. But now over this last decade it has become a defining part of the Sooke experience)

ii) The addition of another drive-thru fast-food and drink enterprise to Sooke Road.

iii) The prospect of our first-ever eight-storey apartment building (duly permitted in the 2009 bylaw. It will front on a new portion of Lanark Road while adding at least 120 more vehicles to an already congested highway.)

On the flipside, it must be noted, nobody is quoting the reasons Mayor Evans and her council championed Mariner's Village as a smart-growth kickstater for mixed-use town-centre development.

Nor why Mayor Milne's council approved a similar, mixed-use development permit (now lapsed) in 2012 for the same phase as Seacliff is trying to advance tonight.  (In a consultant's report from a decade ago, Milne is quoted as saying: "Mariner’s Village creates new economic development opportunities, while providing infill in the town centre, and it reflects the principles of smart growth and good urban design. (It) will transform Sooke, through its revitalization of the town centre, and the creation of the heart of the community, all within an attractive urban space.”)

Scroll to the end of this post for a verbatim record of the minutes from those council and COW meetings. 

The four requested variances that are to be the focus of council's deliberations

1. Screening and Landscaping Requirements: Removal of requirement for 1.5m wide continuous landscaping along Goodmere and Lanark Road

2. Reduction of the minimum allowable Amenity Area from the required 10% (2,680m2, or 28,847 sq. feet) to 0.006% (164m2 or 1,765 sq. ft). (Amenity area in the bylaw under 807.11-d  is defined as "outdoor common space, provided on a lot for use and maintained by the residents of that lot and excludes yards, storage areas, off-street parking, driveways, or areas designated for use by an individual owner, such as Limited Common Property or individual patio/backyard/front yard areas.")

3. Development and maintenance standards for off-street parking: "The seven stratified townhouse units within Building C will be provided with individual garages accessed off of Lanark Rd. that will require them to back onto Lanark Road to exit or enter the parking space." 

4. Subdivision & Standards Bylaw requirement: Reduce width of a sidewalk from 4m to 2m to allow increase in boulevard landscapingn from 0m to 2m. (staff support this provided the applicant maintains the landscaping in perpetuity and that it not be a District responsibilty) 

Without these variances, the application would have been approved by staff as per their otherwise positive review of the zoning requirements (agenda pp. 71-75). [This said, I'm not clear why the OCP's Development Permit Area guidelines weren't reviewed in depth for this application as they were so rigorously with last winter's WestUrban application. I'll need to ask about that.]

A Little History 
From the 2009 archaeological report: "The project area is within the traditional territory of the T’Sou-ke and Scia'new First Nations ... The general subsistence pattern of the T’Sou-ke and Scia’new was focused on salmon fishing. They used reef-nets suspended between two canoes to catch large numbers of salmon. Reef-netting is a highly composite technology that required significant social organization to coordinate. Salmon was dried and stored and provided much of the annual diet. In consort with salmon and other fish species, the T’Sou-ke and Scia’new relied on hunting of deer, waterfowl and sea mammals, and the collection of shellfish and numerous species of edible plants as seasonally available.

In general, there are several medium to large sized shell midden sites along Sooke Harbour. Large middens in the Sooke area are generally interpreted as semi-permanent habitation sites or villages. These sites contain a large number and variety of artifacts and often contain human burials. Shell midden sites have been recorded away from the ocean and likely represent shorter-term camps. Inland non-midden sites are present, but are not as numerous and generally include lithic scatters and burial cairns.

One area of relatively level well to moderately drained terrain was identified in the southwest portion of 6569 Sooke Road and this area was considered to have high archaeological potential. Previously unrecorded archaeological site DcRw 55 was identified in this portion of the study area ... The study area has sustained a significant amount of disturbance from past residential construction, landscaping, service installation and land clearing. Midden deposits have been affected by bioturbation but otherwise appear intact. The lithic artifact identified in the field, just under the sod, was likely transported and deposited from another portion of DcRw 55. Historic debris including glass fragments and a square nail were identified in a few of the subsurface tests in the field. It is possible that this artifact was part of a different site that has since been destroyed as a result of years of land clearing and possible plowing."

Elida Peers prepared a post-settler history of the property as part of the Wittich Environmental report filed a year ago. 
It states that the land was owned circa 1870 by stonemason Jonas Throup and his family. They grew oats and planted an apple orchard, site of the Apple House (later moved to Maple Avenue near Millennium Park and coverted into a single-family home.) A barn on the property housed oxen.

Circa World War I, the property was split into two and roadside homes were built by the Richardson and Duncan families. One half eventually featured the multi-unit Sooke Motel,  built in 1969 and demolished in the 2000s. A roadside commercial building at the current site entrance first housed Richardson Building Supplies and later such tenants as Juan de Fuca Reality, Hallgren and Faulkner Solicitors, the Sooke Mirror newspaper, a florist shop and two drycleaning businesses.  The traffic light at this corner was installed in 2002, Sooke's second.  

2009-2023 Timeline
- March 21, 2009: Mariner's Village public open house
- April 20, 2009: Architect's presentation and overview to council 
- June 29, 2009: Public hearing on rezoning 
- July 13, 2009: Zoning Amendment Bylaw 270-57 adopted
(creating the Mariner's Village CD-7 zone within the Sooke Zoning Bylaw - see pg. 149-160)
 - Feb. 13, 2012: Development Permit issued for "Merchant's Landing," a four-to-six-storey mixed-use building with two floors of  commercial space, one floor of office space and 36 condo residences fronting Sooke Road
- March, 2012: Mariner's Village first phase residential (33 condos, 16 town homes) completed 
- 2015: Enters receivership with $20m debt - 2015 (Times Colonist article + Sooke News Mirror) 
- 2016: Purchased by Rowanwood, sold to Seacliff in ? 
- 2018: Mick Rhodes campaigns on turning the property into a waterfront park (SNM + What Is Your Vision Sooke)
- 2022: Seacliff Properties announces plans for Harbourview project utilizing using CD-7 zoning: July 2022 


Seacliff Properties 
This big-league Vancouver-based developer announced last summer (Times Colonist, Sooke News Mirror) that it had purchased the property from its former owner Rowanwood Capital Corp. Seacliff promised, as the headline said, to "breathe new life into the stalled (MV) Sooke development."

Our waterfront was thus added to Seacliff's sizeable South Island project list, currently topped by City Gate across from the Langford Costco (site of the Island's first Tesla Centre), the Westview housing development on Skirt Mountain and Colwood's Royal Beach (i.e., the waterfront parcel south of Metchosin Road in Royal Bay; it will feature 930 residences and 50 acres of oceanfront parkland). Over three decades the company's been involved with the construction of GM Place and the Bentall Centre in Vancouver, the 2010 Olympic speed-skating oval in Richmond, and Victoria's Hillside Shopping Centre.  

From the press release: "Seacliff Properties is excited to invest long-term in Sooke and move this much-anticipated project ahead. We're looking forward to working with the District to bring the high-quality amenities that will significantly enhance the area and be of great benefit to the citizens of Sooke. Our team is also excited to bring a multi-year employment opportunity which will create a ripple effect of jobs and economic benefits to local businesses."

​[Seacliff clearly recognizes the value of building quality neighbourhood communities. Amenities being provided at the 134-acre Royal Beach development, for instance, include an extensive trail network, a village plaza, outdoor amphitheatre, picnic shelters and BBQ pit, viewpoints and lookouts; public gathering areas, playgrounds and kids splash pads, a dog wash station and off-leash dog are,  outdoor fitness stations and a significant art and culture corridor which highlights the seaside beauty while reflecting on the mining and Songhees First Nations history of the site."]


Site Details in General and this Phase in Particular 
Amenities for the CD-7 zone were pre-determined in 2009 in negotiation with the original owners and are itemized in the bylaw: construction of a public boardwalk (for future connection with the Rotary Pier) and wharf area on the waterfront; a "nature trail" leading through a "green corridor" towards the water from the site's lonely but majestic oak tree; careful preservation of the cormorant-nesting trees; a multi-use public trail descending to the wharf; public washrooms; public art; a fund for flower baskets and banners; and contributions to the affordable housing fund. (Many of these items were costed out in 2009 dollar values, which is unfortunate given the rising costs of everything.) 

This recent Citified article explains the plans for Seacliff's first phase of three buildings -- roadside commercial with drive-thru, a second set of commercial buildings paired with town homes, and (brace yourself) an eight-story rental mid-rise that will translate as six-storeys when viewed from Sooke Road.

All told, the full property is zoned for 194 residences. This phase combined with the 49-units in the original existing building would bring the count to 147. This leaves 47 units for future phases, though it is noted that further density is possible once the zone's amenities are delivered. 

The three buildings proposed: 

* The structure closest to the current site entrance off Sooke Road is to be a one-storey commercial building with four commercial units (576 sq. meters), including a TBD drive-thru business. (Rumoured: Starbucks or a new location for Sooke's existing McDonalds). 

* Further east along Sooke Road will be a three-storey mixed-use building with 1,088m2 (11,711 sq. feet) of commercial space and seven townhomes accessible from Lanark Road. 

* Down the hill at the southern edge of where the food trucks parked these last few years will be an eight-storey building (Sooke's largest to date) featuring 91 multi-family, market-priced rental apartments. 

Aesthetic, environmental and quality of life aspects cited in Tuesday's report include:
- BC Energy Step Code level 2 and 3 construction as per the Sooke Building Code;
- low-carbon concrete to be used in construction (as per the City of Langford's Low Carbon Concrete Policy); ​
- three public art installations;
- a living (green) wall;
- a small amenity area for residents;
- pedestrian passageways through the site;
- raised, speed-bump style crosswalks on Goodmere and Lanark;
- 120 residential parking spaces (1.6 per unit);
- 52 commercial parking spaces;  
- EV charging roughed in for all parking stalls in the rental mid-rise with 12 active EV parking spots and availability of a single stage-2 EV charger;
- the roof of the rental building will be solar ready (but not equipped with panels);
- 98 bike stalls (80% of them indoors for residents);
- simulated wood panelling is to be used on exteriors

A covenant was finalized in 2010 dictating road work to be executed on a TBD schedule by MOTI should the DP be granted at this time:
- second eastbound lane along full frontage of property
- east-bound left turn lane into Sooke Elementary 

From the staff report: "The applicant has provided the community amenity space and pedestrian walkway as a view corridor" (?) 

Additional requirements requested by staff: 
- Rainwater Management Plan 
- Frontage works (sidewalks) on Sooke Road 
- Erosion and sediment control plan 
- Street tree planting plan 
- FireSmart landscape plantings 

T'Sou-ke referral: Acknowledgement that the property's one known archeological site -- a shell midden - was identified in an Archeological Assessment Study and must be treated with care and respect. 

From FOI releases ... 
Documentation prepared for the current DP application for Phase A
- Traffic Impact Assessment (Watt Consulting, July 4, 2022)
- Geotechnical Assessment (C.N. Ryzuk & Associates, May 13, 2022)
- Environmental Assessment (Corvidae Environmental Consulting, July 2022) 
- Harbourview Phase A Development Application (Seacliff, June 2022) 
- Harbourview Design Brief (Islander Engineering, June 30, 2022) 
- Rainwater Management Plan (Islander Engineering, June 30, 2022) 
- Phase 1 Environmental Site Assessment (WES Environmental, June 8, 2022)
- Sooke Historian Report (Elida Peers, June 3, 2022) 
- Serviceability Review (Stantec Consulting, April 19, 2022) 

Documentation for the original proposal in 2009: 
- Geotechnical Assessment (C.N. Ryzuk & Associates) 
- Conceptual Civil Design (Focus Corp.)
- Rainwater Management Plan (Focus Corp.)
- Environmental Impact Assessment (Trow Associates)
- Archaeological Impact Assessment (I.R. Wilson Consultants) 
- Traffic Impact Assessment (Boulevard) 
- Parking Study 
- Proposed Site Plan 
- Plans re: Marina Expansion, On and off-site servicing
- Merrick Architecture/Focus Development Permit application 


Public Pushback and Alternative Visions
Yes, this is a charged and emotional issue locally.  Council has over the last week received several dozen letters from the public (most included in Tuesday's agenda, pp. 103-188). ​Two-time majoralty candidate Mick Rhodes earned a significant number of votes with his well documented vision of purchasing the land and transforming it into a public park (see his update on pp. 169-179 of tonight's agenda). 

While there was no postcard view from Sooke Road prior to the 2009 rezoning (judging by period aerial photos and my failing memory), we've grown to love the widescreen panorama that was created when the property's existing two roadside buildings and a cedar hedgerow were removed from the edge of Sooke Road along with the motel and its parking lot at the foot of the slope.  

Much if not all of that view will be eradicated with the three new buildings. Correspondents also warn of still more traffic on an increasingly congested Sooke Road at a time when we're still in the relatively early days of building out the Phillips-Throup-Grant Rd. bypass.  

One submission last week that particularly made me jump to attention was signed by all seven members of the 2020-22 OCP Advisory Committee, a VIP group selected by the last council from a stack of applications we'd received. You'll find their letter on pg. 165 of the agenda.

They collectively write: "The developer's request for a building height of eight storeys, as well as drive-thru commercial, is contrary to the communty's views expressed to us during the planning process and the 2022 draft OCP ... The Sooke Basin personifies our community's character. It is a cherished public amenity. It provides potential development opportunities. The creation and embellishment of significant view corridors and green space must be a top priority ... Please stay consistent with our community's vision and decline this proposal."

Substantial submissions have also been received from the Juan de Fuca Community Trails Society,  2022 council candidate Anna Russell and Rhodes himself. Former Lions Club president Loren Christensen is concerned about the pace of growth and the lack of road infrastructure; he asks us to "stop now, let's take a breath!" (aka "the pause that refreshes," as my 2018 campaign slogan put it.) 

As Ms. Russell states, "there is still considerable room to negotiate in the public interest." She notes the lack of a full-site plan (unlike that supplied in the original 2009 proposal and on which the CD-7 zoning was closely based.) Given my experience with her on the Climate Action Committee and during the election campaign, I listen attentively to her invariably bright, articulate, thoroughly researched and respectful comments. 

Her asks (agenda pp. 181-188) summarized in brief: 

1. Protection of the view corridor from top of the site 
2. Completion of environmental assessment and rainwater management plans for the entire property, not just its top shelf
3. Echoing the T'Sou-ke request, a site plan for the entire property (as supplied in the original 2009 proposal and on which the CD-7 zoning was closely based) including clarification of how future public amenities and the zoning's amenity requirements are to be actioned. 
4. Denial of the drive-thru component on grounds that it doesn't match spirit of current and next OCPs
5. Heat pump and electric hot-water heating in all buildings 
6. More creative design (i.e., replace the simulated wood siding with the real thing - see BC's Wood First Initiative) 

Original MV Proposal: Minutes from 2009/2010 Council Meetings
Back in 2009, an exacting comprehensive development zone was added to the Sooke Zoning Bylaw (CD-7).

The development permit application stated: "Simplistically, the site can be divided into 3 sections each consisting of a third of the site. The uppermost or northern portion of the site is adjacent to Sooke Road and consists of a mixed-use type development with Commercial Retail, Offices, Multifamily Residential and Live/work units. 
 
The middle portion of the site also consists of Commercial Retail at grade along the Church Road extension with the remainder of this section consisting of multifamily residential condominiums and townhouses. 
 
The last portion or final third of the site is proposed to be a higher density form of residential development. While the buildings may extend up to 8 stories in height, they will terrace down blending in with the natural topography of the site. Locating these buildings at the lowest portion of the site allows the upland buildings waterfront views over them. 
 
A public wharf and commercial buildings with marina facilities, a restaurant and / or pub, and other commercial uses will extend out over the waterfront on piers."

The Mariner's Village CD-7 comprehensive development zone was approved in July, 2009 mere weeks after passage of Sooke's Town Centre Plan. The buzz is captured well in this What the Sooke entry from realtor Tim Ayres ... 

"Sooke is quickly becoming one of the province’s fastest growing communities. New neighbourhoods are under construction, new parks and trails being established, and new commercial developments are being undertaken. Perhaps the most exciting of these developments is the Mariner’s Village project. Mariner’s Village is a mixed-use, multi-phase waterfront development which will include condominiums and townhouses, a new marina, restaurants, shops, offices and more. Much more than just a subdivision, Mariner’s Village is the first step in the re-imagining of downtown Sooke. The town’s official community plan calls for enhanced development south of Sooke Road (Hwy 14) to improve public access and sight lines of our spectacular waterfront of the Sooke Harbour and Basin."

​Mayor Evans and her council championed the project, but I can't find any direct quotes from this group apart from the record of council minutes reproduced below. The next council led by Mayor Milne were also enthusiastic, as per this quote from Milne included in an undated (likely 2011) summary of the project written by Sooke's former Director of Planning Marlaina Elliott some years after she'd left that position: “Mariner’s Village creates new economic development opportunities, while providing infill in the town centre, and it reflects the principles of smart growth and good urban design,” Milne is quoted as saying. “Mariner’s Village will transform Sooke, through its revitalization of the town centre, and the creation of the heart of the community, all within an attractive urban space.”

The former motel and two existing Sooke Road-fronting homes were demolished (in part during firefighter training exercises.) Rock was trucked in and the property's vegetation (invasive species mainly) was cleared apart from what was protected in the new  zoning -- namely a solitary oak tree and the line of trees along what was (and still is) to be the site's primary public green space with a trail that would descend to a new section of boardwalk (which would link in time with the Rotary Pier and create a complete town-centre loop via Ed Macgregor Park on what is now known as the Sea Walk Trail.) 

A development permit was secured for the second (of a planned six) phases that would have built-out a Sooke Road-facing mixed-use building called Merchant's Landing; it was to feature a four-to-six storey building with two floors of commercial, one floor of medical offices, and 36 residential units above. Yet this got nowhere as Condor Properties ground to an end. I'm not aware of why the company went into receivership in 2015, but the project's prospects certainly weren't helped by an extended recession that froze anticipated local growth prior to the accelerated uptick we've seen in recent years.

Minutes from Sooke Council Meetings: 2009-2012
 
Mariner's Village presentation, April 20, 2009
"Mitch Sakomoto and Paul Merrick, Merrick Architecture, gave an overview of the Mariners Village concept plan. Focus and Condor Properties also attended the meeting.

Mr. Merrick stated that the Mariners Village proposition fits with the proposed Town Centre Plan as to road networks/ pathways and creating residential density mixed with commercial in the town centre.

Mr. Sakomoto stated that the development exists within several zones and proposes a comprehensive development zone with commercial residential nearest to Sooke Road, Commercial residential, multi-family residential, etc. The property is approximately 4.5 hectares, with the development proposing 90 units per hectare, keeping within required
setbacks. It is proposed that the marina will expand from the existing 30 slips to 150 slips.

The development proposes:
​
- to keep pedestrians walking through the site
- provide landscaped courtyards between the buildings
- promote walking and transit use
- to keep building heights at 4 stories on Sooke Road, higher near to the water as the waterfront property slopes down to the water
- underground parking
- to keep existing trees as much as possible
- to provide treed boulevards
- boulevards to encourage greater use of pedestrian sidewalks
- to install permeable pavers that can be textured for icy conditions
- rain gardens and bio-swales on the roads, with retention ponds so that water can filter down and through the property
sustainable design technologies in the buildings – geo-thermal, natural ventilation, etc.
- to consider community gardens on the roof-tops or in the court-yards buildings with non-combustible construction mix with some wood frame.
- six phase project

Council asked about bike lanes on the side roads and when the rezoning proposal will come forward. Gerald Christie advised the referrals have been sent out and when received and reviewed, staff will bring forward the rezoning.

The pump station will be located by the water and the developers are discussing shared use of the pump by other developers. The developers have spoken to adjacent property owner on water and they accept the siting of the pump station.

Evan Parliament advised that VIHA and local physicians have been in discussion with the District of Sooke staff concerning a new medical facility on this site. This would be a start of the commercial growth in the Town Centre; staff with Council approval will work to meet timelines for the medical facility.

Al Fontes advised that this is good proposal using green technologies; permeable pavers, bio-swales, wide sidewalks. There is a concern about bike lanes which requires 3 metres, but the development has already provided 22 metre wide lanes. The development is very pedestrian friendly. Upgrading will occur on Slemco Road.

Gerald Christie stated that this development fits well with the proposed Official Community Plan and Town Centre Plan and it has integrated most of what was envisioned for the Town Centre. This development illustrates what a 90 units per hectare development and 2 to 6 story buildings looks like when integrated with the right slope.

Council discussed the need to consider how pedestrians can move through the town centre from other parts of the Town Centre in respect to this development; entrances for bikes at Dover, Goodmere, Lanark, Slemko, etc. Parks and Trail Master Plan proposes boardwalk or trail through this area and bike lanes on Sooke Road.

Troy, Bear Mountain asked if the existing boardwalk would meet with this development and connect with the Galloping Goose. Connection to the boardwalk is planned, but there are private boat moorage and properties that must consent. When the Galloping Goose crosses the Sooke River, there may be access to the boardwalk via Sooke Road.

Mr. Christie advised that Staff are comfortable with moving ahead with the development proposal at this time, taking into consideration the status of the OCP and Town Centre Plan. Council suggested that an alternate bike lane could be incorporated into the development, perhaps on the shore.

Mr. Merrick stated that the developers have tried to configure the buildings and the development of the two cross and two water to Sooke Road arteries each to have different character; all existing in a broader fabric of the Town Centre and providing public pathways/trails and spaces. The purposeful treed area on the shoreline is meant to protect the embankment and provide a park land amenity."

First and second reading: June 15, 2009
B-3 Bylaw No. 405, Zoning Amendment Bylaw (270-57) 
​MOVED and seconded that Council amend Bylaw No. 405, Zoning Amendment Bylaw (270-57) to integrate amenity contributions with the zoning regulations for the Mariners Village Comprehensive Development Amenity Zone;
AND THAT COUNCIL hold a public hearing on proposed Bylaw No. 405 on June 29, 2009, and to direct the Corporate Officer to publish and deliver the statutory hearing notices with the two required newspaper notices appearing in the Sooke News Mirror. CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY

Public Hearing: June 29, 2009
"Mayor Evans advised that any person who believes that their interest in property is affected by the proposed bylaws would be given a reasonable opportunity to be heard or to present written submissions at the public hearings.

Gerald Christie read and submitted a report detailing the bylaw process and provided Council with additional information as to a second covenant as part of this rezoning.

The second covenant specifically details the works and services required for Highway 14 as part of this development.
The applicants architect provided a PowerPoint presentation of the proposed development. Boulevard transportation provided information as to the traffic Impact Assessment.

A discussion ensued involving questions and comments from Council staff and the applicant’s representatives.
Chris Bryant, Sooke Road asked if an image from Sooke Road could be provided to be able to better understand the elevation view from Highway 14. The architect was unable to provide the view.

Sylvia Hallgren, Sooke Road, asked if details of the grade for the extension of Church Road could be provided. Al Fontes responded that the design is not complete and that the District of Sooke Bylaw requirement is a maximum 15% grade.
​
It was also explained that this is the public’s opportunity to address the proposed zoning of the property.
Richard Lambert, Sooke Road, asked if there was a bylaw controlling view scapes and that cycle lanes be considered within the development to take the cyclist traffic off Highway 14.

Mayor Evans called three times for submissions. Hearing none, she closed the public hearing at 8:05 pm. MOVED and seconded that Bylaw No. 405, Zoning Amendment Bylaw (270-57) be read a third time. CARRIED"

[Note: Minutes at this time did not include names of movers and seconders. Council meetings were not recorded prior to 2015. Council present at the hearing: Janet Evans, Sheila Beech, Dave Bennett, Bev Burger, Ron Dumont, Herb Haldane and Maja Tait. Staff: CAO Evan Parliament, Director of Finance Dave Devana, Council Clerk Lisa Ulracher, Director of Planning Gerald Christie, Director of Engineering Al Fontes and Fire Chief Steve Sorenson.]

Bylaw Adoption: July 13, 2009
B-1 Bylaw No. 405, Zoning Amendment Bylaw (270-57) - Mariner’s Village
MOVED and seconded that Bylaw No. 405, Zoning Amendment Bylaw (270-57) be adopted.
CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY

Development Permit for Phase 1 Residential: March 22, 2010
"Gerald Christie gave a short overview of the development permit application for Mariner’s Village. Mr. Merinick, consultant for Mariner's Village, gave a power point presentation on the preliminary master plan for the overall Mariners Village.

Features:
• Water access and water views – re-aligned internal roads for view
• Preserved the natural areas
• First phase 1A – 4 story condo
• Phase 1B coming in next couple of weeksCouncil discussed with Mike Barrie, Applicant and consultant:

• Entrance at Church Road and Sooke Road – will be designed for large trucks during construction; there must a safety plan for site;
• Commercial component will occur in subsequent phases
• Construction to start as soon as possible with proposed occupancy in one year
  MOVED and seconded to issue a Development Permit (PLN00758) to construct a thirty- three (33) unit residential building for Mariner’s Village Phase 1 located on Lot 1, Section 72, Sooke District, Plan 9020.
  CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY

Mariner's Village Phase 2 - Development Permit: February 13, 2012 
Gerard LeBlanc provided a PowerPoint presentation and overviewed the Development Permit to construct a five-storey building (aka "Merchant's Landing") fronting Sooke Road.
Council discussed:

Visual presentation
* Implementation of OCP guidelines
* CD zoning
* View Corridors
* Public Space
* Transit Stop
* Landscaping agreement

MOVED and seconded to issue Development Permit PLN00922 for the purposes of constructing a mixed use commercial/residential building located on Lot A, Section 72, Sooke District, Plan EPP16476.
CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY

[Still no names attached to motions. Council at this time was led by Mayor Milne and featured Bev Berger, Herb Haldane, Rick Kasper, Kevin Pearson, Kerry Reay and Maja Tait.]

Council Discussion of New Zoning Bylaw: Dec. 3, 2012 
"Concerns that view corridor guidelines were not followed in the CD7 zone (Mariner’s Village)"


Final Thoughts For Now
Zooming out for context, I'm hardly alone in recognizing we're in a particularly ripe moment in Sooke's suddenly accelerated evolutionary history.  We have an Official Community Plan that is labouring to be born (and will be front-and-centre again at the Committee of the Whole meeting on June 19 at 1 PM.)  If adopted, it will be followed by a new Zoning Bylaw and, as mentioned, a refreshed Town Centre Plan.  (To repeat: The Mariner's Village rezoning aligns with the Town Centre Plan, which had been adopted earlier in 2009.)  

If I had my druthers, and I'm quite possibly being naive about the ways of this harsh, legalistic world,  I'd like to see this current DP with variations request paused until we do, indeed, complete the OCP and ensure we are all on the same page (as we theoretically already are with the current Town Centre Plan and will be all the more so when the refresh is completed.) 

To ensure progress is made towards that next town centre plan, council could create a task force to look explicitly at the OCP's proposed Town Centre Core and Town Centre Transitional land-use designations. This task force would involve key major citizens, community organizations and investors: Resident reps, the District, T'Sou-ke Nation, Sooke council, School District #62, Sooke Builders Association, the Chamber of Commerce, developers and others to be identified in a potential Terms of Reference. (Day after realization: I'm talking here about possible players Town Centre Plan committee, of course.) 

Their mission: Revisit the big picture using the current Town Centre Plan as a foundation and ensure its priorities are being closely followed as we continue to build out the heart of Sooke. I fear this isn't happening, that in the rush to get stuff done we're blowing this opportunity to preserve and enhance our very special place on the island. 

[Aside: My thoughts as I write this are influenced by my weekend replay of consultant Brent Toderian's public talk in the City of Langford last week (you'll find it at the bottom of this page). The celebrated former Vancouver and Calgary civic planner has been hired as a "growth, land development and city building" consultant and is following up on the work done over the past quarter century for Langford by the equally renowned Avi Friedman.

An initial contribution of Toderian's is the one-page "early guidance for development connected to the strategic plan update" included with Langford's May 18 agenda. <clip> "Council’s intention is to support growth with an emphasis on successful urban community-building, while increasingly emphasizing the quality of new higher density development, particularly in the context of livability, sustainability, affordability and development viability. The achievement of high-quality urban density will emphasize urban design and architectural design that results in engaging street-level activation and vibrancy, and an ambitious street tree canopy."

Visit Langford's May 18 council replay to hear from Toderian and heavyweight Strategic Plan consultant James Ridge, former North Vancouver CAO, in a formal council setting. Very informative for me as our current council moves towards our own new Strategic Plan (delayed as we necessarily focus on hiring a new CAO, our one/only employee, and advancing the OCP). The difference is that Langford is developing its first-ever Strat Plan whereas the District continues to action the previous council's plans, which in turn have roots in Strat Plans created by earlier Sooke councils.]

To be utterly, absolutely clear: We don't want to be Langford but we can learn from and apply best-practice at our smaller town scale. As Ridge says, land-use decisions are every local government's most powerful tool and that decisions made today will impact communities for generations.] 

Miscellaneous
- Mariner's Village Twitter feed (last updated Jan. 31, 2013) 
- "Waterfront Properties Ride A Rising Tide" - Douglas Magazine, 2012 
- Merrick Architecture unrealized project for Grouse Nest, 2016

The Capital Regional District executive team led by Chief Administrative Officer Ted Robbins will be at Monday's Committee of the Whole meeting, 1 PM at the Municipal Hall. They're in town to formally present the CRD's 2022 Annual Report and its highlights as captured in the slide deck included with tomorrow's agenda. (pp. 7-31).

As preparation, I'm assembling another collection of useful reference links on the subject at hand, most pulled directly from the vast depths of the CRD's website. I'm also following up on my CRD budget post from late 2019, by sharing, at page's end, the fiscal snapshot of service costs Sooke taxpayers will pay to our regional district this year.  The chart is taken from Appendix J on page 2 of this March 15 CRD board agenda. It sits alongside similar summaries for the CRD's dozen other municipalities and the unincorporated Juan de Fuca, Salt Spring and Southern Gulf Islands electoral areas. [The resulting tax increase in Sooke is 0.8% for those of us with average assessed homes ($827k). Scroll down for a line-by-line guide to the items on the service-fee menu.]  

All told, 16.6% of the bill you'll receive from the District at the end of this month will be forwarded to the CRD. Top perennial bite is for the operation, maintenance and strategic expansion of our recreation centre SEAPARC, to which nearly half of the requisition is dedicated.  Our share of funding for regional parks, CRD legislative staff, emergency services (including fire dispatch and the CREST telecommunications system), animal bylaw services and the Sooke Region Museum are the other bigger-ticket needs that we, as a municipality, are grateful is handled by our parent district with its staff capacity and multi-jurisdictional delivery. 

The first block of services at the top of the 2023 statement is financed by all households in the CRD. The second block lists "Sub-Regional" services that Sooke has opted into. We share costs for the museum with the JDF in a 70/30 split. Everyone in the region chips into the Capital Regional Hospital District and the long-term debt on various regional undertakings (which until recently had included SEAPARC, but that debt is now retired.) 

(PS This entry, like them all, is a work in progress) 

CRD Documents and Links
"The CRD offers a significant range of diverse services to its residents on a regional, sub- regional or local level. The choice of services is determined by the regional board but only with the support of the electors. Therefore, the breadth of services varies with each regional district according to its circumstances and local opinion. There are 27 regional districts in the province, ranging in size from the Stikine Region with about 740 residents to the Metro Vancouver Regional District with over 2.5 million residents. Regional Districts also serve in place of a Council where there is no municipality in areas called Electoral Areas. The CRD serves a local government role for the electoral areas of Juan de Fuca, Salt Spring Island and the Southern Gulf Islands." 

CRD Governance 
- Overview
- How decisions are made + procedures bylaw 
- Public delegations 
- About CRD 
- Agendas and Minutes: CRD Board, Committees and Commissions
- Commission Handbook (2020) ​
- Best Practices Guide for Meetings (2022)

"The CRD is governed by three Boards – the Capital Regional District Board, the Capital Regional Hospital District Board and the Capital Region Housing Corporation Board. The CRD administration is led by the Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) and a team of five General Managers that together comprise the Executive Leadership Team."

CRD Board 2022-2026: Chair Colin Plant, Vice-Chair Maja Tait 
- board advocacy (including correspondence and quarterly updates from 2019 to present + 1Q 2023)
​- consideration of a board code of conduct (Feb. 2023)

CRD Hospital District Board: Chair Kevin Murdoch, Mayor of Oak Bay 
CRD Housing Corporation Board: Chair Zach De Vries, Councillor, District of Saanich

CRD Executive Leadership Team + Organization chart 
- CAO Ted Robbins
- Chief Financial Officer Nelson Chan
- GM, Parks and Environmental Services Larisa Hutchison
- Acting GM, Integrated Water Services Ian Jesney
- GM, Planning and Protective Services Kevin Lorette 
- GM, Corporate Services Kristin Morley 

Five Year Financial Plan 2023-2028
CRD Board Priorities: 2023-2026 
CRD Corporate Plan:  2023-2026 
Library of Plans and Reports 
​Community Needs Summaries (2021)
CRD Bylaws 
CRD Maps (includes individual regional parks and trails)

​Public Engagement Portal 
Current Initiatives 
Current Capital Projects
Past Projects and Initiatives

About the Region - 439,950 residents (up 2.1% since 2021) 
​Juan de Fuca Service Delivery Area (map) 

Regional Growth Strategy (2018)
 "The Regional Growth Strategy includes integrated objectives, incorporating policies, targets, maps and guidelines that together express a program of joint action by the Capital Regional District and local municipalities to achieve the regional vision."  It is reviewed every five years and legislatively requires a rewrite in 2038. 
​
- RGS Indicators Report 2022 
- Sooke RGS Context Statement + Revision documents (May 2022)
- "From the Ground Up" - Carine Green (2015)
​- RGS FAQ (2016)
- "Growth Strategy Splits CRD" (Times Colonist, Feb. 2017) 
​- Mediation Outcomes (2017)
​
- Province of BC guide to regional growth strategies 
- 2003 CRD RGS with amendments
- "CRD RGS 2003: Herding Cats on the Road to Sustainability" (University of Waterloo thesis)  

RGS 2018-38 Objectives
~ Significantly reduce community-based greenhouse gas emissions
​~ Keep urban settlement compact;
~ Protect the integrity of rural communities;
~ Protect, conserve and manage ecosystem health;
~ Deliver services consistent with RGS objectives;
~ Create safe and complete communities;
~ Improve housing affordability;
~ Increase transportation choice;
~ Strengthen the regional economy; and
~ Foster a resilient food and agriculture system.

Capital Region Housing Corporation 
- Community Need Analysis: Affordable Housing 
- CRD Role in housing 
​- Reaching Home and Regional Housing First Program Updates (March 2023) 
- Regional Housing Affordability Strategy (2018)
- CRHC Annual Report 2022 
- Reaching Home Program + FAQ

Capital Region Hospital District
- 10 Year Capital Plan: 2022-2032 
Operates the Royal Jubilee, Saanich Peninsula, the Victoria General Hospital, Queen Alexandria and other medical centres. It's top capital expenses in future include a 306-bed long-term care facility at Royal Bay, redevelopment of Oak Bay Lodge and a $200m "restorative health centre" at a TBD location. 


First Nations Relations
- Special Task Force on First Nations Relations Final Report (2018)
- Modern Treaties 
- CRD Statement of Reconciliation 
- Territorial Acknowledgement Guidelines 
- Committee Terms of Reference
- Indigenous Employment Project + wise practices (April 2023)
- Indigenous Relations Operational Update (Sept. 2022) 
​- First Nations Communications Framework (April 2022) 
- Ecological Asset Management Plan (Feb. 2022) 
- Inclusive Governance and Decision Making + Honoraria policies (May, 2021)
- First Nation Relations Mandate Refresher (slide deck) + FN Inclusion in CRD Governance + Economic Development Partnership Model (Sept. 2020) 
- Forum of All Councils (Nov. 2019 - CRD directors and First Nations joint session) 
- FN Inclusion on CRD Standing Committees (Nov. 2019) 
- Overview of Neighbouring First Nations + Archeology Policies & Procedures (Feb. 2019) 

Climate Action 
CRD Climate Action Service
(5 Full-Time Employees) 
* Provide support to local governments in developing and implementing climate action plans and policies and execute regional programs. (i.e., Matt Greeno presentation to Sooke council re: Zero Carbon Step Code, Sept. 25, 2023) 
* Catalyze action through partnerships with public and private sectors, non-governmental organizations and community organizations and increase public awareness of climate change issues. 
* Liaise with senior levels of government on climate change-related programs, policies and legislation that impact the capital region. 
* Provide scientific information, data and indicators related to local and regional GHG emissions and projected climate impacts. 
* Support the CRD in fulfilling its corporate climate objectives and support execution of climate-related Board priorities. 
 
- Climate Action Strategy (October 2021) 
- CRD Board Advocacy Opportunities for Accelerated Climate Action (2019)
- Taking Action on Climate Change (2017)
- Corporate Climate Action Strategy (2016)

- Climate Action Inter-Municipal Working Group (featuring municipal staff)
- Climate Action Inter-Municipal Task Force (featuring councillor appointees)
+ Ann Baird report + 2009 Terms of Reference

- CRD request that all municipalities declare a climate emergency (2019)

- Climate Projections for the Capital Region (2017; update due in 2023)
- 2022 Climate Action Progress Report (presented April, 2023)
"Overall, in 2022, the CRD progressed on several climate action initiatives and identified where focused efforts need to be made or increased to achieve targeted actions and outcomes. The overall status for the 2022 year was calculated as ‘opportunity for improvement’, meaning 50-75% of the yearly target of actions were progressed as envisioned within the Strategy’s five-year action plan." 

- Climate Action Community Need Summary (Sept. 2023; see item 4.3)• "Transportation mode shift targets: the Regional Transportation Plan established a mode share target of 42% for active transportation and transit combined for the region by 2038, based on 15% walking, 15% cycling and 12% transit.

- The Victoria Regional Transit Commission increased the transit mode share target to 15% in 2020, increasing the regional target to 45%. 
- New public electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure target: 770 public Level 2 EV charger ports and 132 Direct Current Fast Charging (DCFC) ports by 2030."  

- 2022 Regional GHG Emissions Inventory (released Sept 2023) 
- see Appendix B under item 4.4 for municipal breakdowns; Sooke on pp. 61-63
"The 2022 CRD inventory indicates that the capital region emitted approximately 1.86 million tonnes of CO2e. Carbon pollution in 2022 was 7% below the 2007 baseline and increased approximately 1% compared to the 2020 inventory. On a per capita basis, emissions have decreased by 25% since 2007." 

Context: 
- Annual global GHG emissions: 58 billion tonnes CO2e (World In Data + Brookings Institute) 
​- CO2 emissions of all countries: table (European Commission) 
- Canada: 670 million tonnes (Federal government, 2020) 
- British Columbia: 62 million tonnes (Province of BC 2021, -3% vs. 2007) 

The CRD’s 2018 Regional Growth Strategy (RGS) targets a reduction in community GHG emissions of 61% by 2038. 
High/lowlights: 
- On-road regional transportation related emissions accounted for approximately 42% of all carbon pollution.
- EV uptake reduced emissions 12% from 2007 yet total increased approximately 11% over 2020, in part due to reduced traffic during pandemic
- Building heating GHGs dropped 7% below 2007, as a result of heating oil use reductions and the continued greening of the BC electricity grid
- Natural gas accounted for the majority of building carbon pollution in the region and rose 10% above 2020 levels. 
- The province may release updates of its 2012 Community Energy and Emissions Inventories (CEEIs) for local governments later this year. 
- Core communities have seen GHG reductions, i.e., Esquimalt (-22%), Oak Bay (-17%) and Victoria (-16%)
- Outside the core reductions are minimal, i.e., North Saanich (-2.4%), Colwood (-0.5%) and View Royal (+0.8%)
- CRD's fastest growing communities reflect GHG impacts of their population increases, i.e., Langford (+47.6%) and Sooke (+22.6%)

Sooke emissions: 64,405 tonnes of C02e in 2022 
- + 22.6% since 2007 (when the benchmark starting point here was 51,194 tonnes)
- up from 55,790 tonnes in 2020 
- Sooke per capita: 5.1 tonnes (2007) vs. 3.9 tonnes (2022) 
- CRD overall: 5.7 tonnes (2007) vs. 4.2 tonnes (2022) per CRD resident 

Leading sources of Sooke GHG emissions + % increase/decrease over 2007
On Road Transportation
- Passenger vehicles (gas & diesel) - 7,439 tonnes (-22%)
- Light trucks, vans, SUVs (gas & diesel) - 21,428 tonnes (+68%)
- Heavy-duty vehicles (gas & diesel) - 5,874 tonnes (+8%)
- Off-road transportation (incl. marine) - 5,138 tonnes (+26%)

Stationary Energy (Building Heating)
- Natural Gas (residential) - 3,593 tonnes CO2e (+450%)
- Natural Gas (commercial) - 1,804 tonnes (+119%)
- Electricity (residential) - 1,098 tonnes (-57%)
- Electricity (commercial) - 279 tonnes (-59%)
- Diesel (commercial) - 3,099 tonnes (+140%)
- Fuel Oil - 680 tonnes (-82%)
- Wood - 537 tonnes (-3%) 

- Industrial process and product use - 4,943 tonnes (+137%)
TOTAL: 54,695 of full total in 2022 

Not included in summaries: 
Agriculture, Forestry & Other Land Uses 
- Emissions sequestered in Sooke - 11,266 tonnes of CO2e (+13.2% since 2007)
- Emissions released through development in Sooke - 5,442 tonnes (-12.4%) 

Earlier inventories: 
- Community Greenhouse Gas Emissions Inventory (2020)
- Municipal GHG Statistics (2020; see pg. 61 for Sooke numbers)
_________________________________________________________________________

Behaviour Change
- Climate Action Resources (for homes, schools, businesses)
- Climate Action To Go Kits (available through VIRL Sooke library)   

Building Retrofits 
​- Home Energy Navigator Program (personalized help for home retrofits in collaboration with CityGreen Solutions; launched 2022) + case studies & resource library + register here 
- Residential Energy Retrofit Program Business Case (2021)

Charge Your Ride program
- Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Roadmap (2021)
- EV and E-Bike Infrastructure Planning Guide (2018)
- Zero Emissions CRD Fleet Initiative (Jan. 2022)

- Motion unanimously approved at the April, 2023 Environmental Services Committee meeting: "That staff consider increasing the level of ambition in our climate action policies."

- Carbon Budgeting History (Feb. 2023)  
- "CRD Board Rejects Central Saanich Request to Back Out of Climate Action Service" (Capital Daily, July 2022)

Regional Parks and Trails 
"CRD Regional Parks protects and manages more than 13,300 hectares of natural areas in 33 regional parks and 4 regional trails on southern Vancouver Island and the Gulf Islands." 

​- Regional Parks Service Operating and Capital Budget 2024 (Sept. 2023) 

- Parks and Trails Strategic Plan: 2022-2032
"Vision: We have an expanded and connected system of regional parks and regional trails that are rich in biodiversity, respect Indigenous cultural heritage and use, inspire stewardship, are resilient to change, and provide enjoyable outdoor recreation experiences." + engagement page + "what we heard" summary 

- Preceded by:  Regional Green/Blue Spaces Strategy (1997) + Strategic Plans for 2000-2012 and 2012-2022 

- 2022 Regional Parks Strategic Update 
- 2016 Regional Trails Management Plan (Galloping Goose pp. 19-22) 
- Regional Trails Visitor Use Survey + Trail Widening Study (2019/20)
​- Parks Visitor Use Surveys (2018/19)

- Land Acquisition policies  
- New policy reports and documents (Sept. 2021) + Sustainable model for future acquisitions (April 2021)
"The CRD Board established a Land Acquisition Fund (LAF) in 2000 for the sole purpose of acquiring regional park land. The LAF was initially set at a rate of $10 per average residential household and has increased over time. In 2010, the LAF was renewed and an increase of $1 per year was approved.

In November 2019, the Board extended the LAF to 2029 at the rate of $20 per average residential household, with rates set to increase by $1 each year through 2025 to a maximum of $25 per average residential household. The LAF collected approximately $4 million in 2021 for regional park land acquisition.

The CRD's 2022 Financial Plan incorporates a new approach to land acquisition that leverages borrowing capacity to purchase land that would otherwise be unattainable on a pay-as-you-go savings model. This financing structure is anticipated to create a revenue stream that can be used to service up to $50 million of land purchases over 15 years, thereby leveraging a net increase in land values more than $100 million." 

​- CRD Land Acquisition Strategy 2020-21 (to be updated this year) 
​- Maps of Land Acquisitions 2000-2022
- Citified interview with CRD Real Estate Manager Stephen Henderson (2020) 

- East Sooke Regional Park addition near Anderson Cove (Oct. 2022)
- Admiral's Forest purchase as Juan de Fuca Community Park (Sept. 2022) 
- Kapoor Lands Acquistiion
- Sooke Hills Wilderness Regional Park addition (Dec. 2017) 
- Pemberton Pools on Sooke River (May 2017) 
​* North of Jordan River townsite (2012) 
- Sandcut Beach and other regional lands transferred from Western Forest Products (2012) + summary 
- Sooke Potholes (CRD and The Land Conservancy partnership) (2007) 
- Leech Watershed (sold by Timberwest to CRD) (2007) 

- Sea To Sea Management Plan (Ayum Creek, Kapoor, Sea to Sea, Sooke Potholes) (2010) 

- Mountain Biking Guidelines (2021)
- Mountain Biking Opportunities in Regional Parks (Nov. 2021): Report on relationship with South Island Mountain Biking Society (SIMBS) re: trails at Mount Work; progress on Sooke Bike Club trail maintenance at Mount Manuel Quimper; standardized mountain biking on-and-off trail signage; review of trail possibilities at Thetis Lake. 
- Mountain Biking Advisory Committee Report (Dec. 2020) + committee minutes 

- 2023 Parks Operational Update (May, 2023)
- Parks Capital Plan Update (March, 2023) 
- Bylaw Compliance and Enforcement Stats (Feb. 2022)
- Mosquito Management and Control Program + E&N Rail Trail + Conservation Strategy (Oct. 2021)  
- Parks Service Level Review (June, 2021)
​- Revenue Generation Strategy (Feb. 2021)
​- Mapping Sunken Vessels (Oct. 2019) + Abandoned Boats Update (June 2019)
- Invasive Species Program Update (March 2019)
- Parks For All: Action Plan for Canada's Parks Community (2018)
- Todd Creek Trestle Closure (2017)
- Sooke Hills Wilderness Park Reserve re-open for limited public use (2017)

- Sooke motion: Galloping Goose Dog Management KM 49-55 (Oct. 2020) 
- Compliance and Enforcement Program (2020)
- CRD dog management policies in District of Sooke (June 2020) 
- Dog Management Policy Framework (Nov. 2019) 

- Non-Migratory Canada Goose Management (July 2020) 

- Draft Conservation Strategy Framework (2010)
- BC Biodiversity Report Card (Wilderness Committee, 2021) 


Water Supply
"The CRD supplies bulk drinking water for residential, commercial, institutional, and agricultural uses to approximately 400,000 people throughout the Greater Victoria area by the Regional Water Supply (RWS) service. The RWS operates the watersheds, dams, reservoirs, treatment (disinfection) and transmission systems which supply municipal water systems at metered transfer points to each municipality and sub-regional water services. The CRD supplies water to sub-regional water services, including the Juan de Fuca Water Distribution Services, Saanich Peninsula Water Service, bulk water municipal customers, and eight First Nation communities."

- 20,550 hectares of CRD-owned, forested land in the Sooke, Goldstream and Leech watersheds.
- The area includes 11 dams and six reservoirs 

Regional Water Supply Strategic Plan (2017)
Regional Water Supply Master Plan (2022) 
​Greater Victoria Drinking Water Quality Annual Report (2021)
Juan de Fuca Drinking Water Distribution System (map) + overview
​Greater Victoria Sanitary Sewers (map) 

East Sooke Water Supply Study - see pp. 19-95 of the January 3, 2023 JDF Water Distribution Commission agenda 
Insights into how the area south from 17 Mile House to East Sooke Road might develop in the decades ahead. The report identifies four large parcels of land in this area on which developers envision placing 2700 homes. (see pg. 31).

"A water servicing study for the expansion of the Juan de Fuca Water Distribution System to unserviced areas experiencing water issues within the District of Sooke and East Sooke was undertaken. Consideration was made to expand service to properties based on existing zoning densities as well as future development and densification beyond current zoning to try and reduce the cost per connection. Results indicate that the expansion is administratively feasible but would require significant and costly infrastructure to service properties to current zoning. Any new required water servicing bylaws would need to be considered by the CRD Board for consistency with the Regional Growth Strategy."

From the Jan. 3, 2023 minutes: "Discussion ensued and staff stated that the report is presented for information in order to identify the feasibility and costs of expanding to those areas.
Staff responded to questions regarding:
• Costs and approvals processes if a developer wished to proceed.
* Other water systems and Improvement Districts processes.
* Well costs versus connection charges.
*Promotion of rainwater capture systems.
There is no recommendation, the report is for information only."

Transportation 
- Regional Transportation Plan (2014)
- Regional Transportation Report Card (2021)
- South Island Transportation Strategy (2020) 
​- Transportation Priority Areas + Implementation Strategies 
- Transportation Service Feasibility Study (2014)
- Governmental roles within Greater Victoria (infographic) 
- Pedestrian and Cycling Master Plan (2011) + Bikenomics in the Capital Region (2015)

Preliminary consideration for a regional transportation authority: See files on pg. 2 of Transportation Committee meeting agenda of May 17, 2023. <clip> "The CRD shares many of the same transportation goals as other metropolitan regions: Ease congestion during peak travel times, reduce emissions, and support higher rates of walking, cycling and transit use. Similarly, the CRD is not the only jurisdiction trying to integrate different transportation modes into a single planning framework, ensure the right authorities are in place and find dedicated funding to meet service levels." 

Summer 2023: "Broadly engage local governments, BC Transit, Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure (MOTI), BC Ferries and the airport authority and analyze level of consensus of possible change."

- BC Transit Annual Report to the CRD (Sept. 2023, see item 3.2)
- Transit Future Plan Network development 
- RapidBus implementation - Blink West Shore RapidBus Line launched in April, 2023 
​- 10 battery electric buses to be in service on Langford-Victoria routes
- committed to transitioning to a fully electric fleet by 2040
- Island Coastal Inter-Community Transportation Study (July 2023)
- "Transportation Act now allows the Province to acquire land for the purpose of building housing and community amenities to serve people near transit stations and bus exchanges." 


2022 Origin Destination Household Travel Survey
(released Sept. 2023, see item 4.2 ... Appendix A is the final report based on household survey conducted between Sept. 28 and Dec. 17, 2022. The survey documents respondent travel patterns for an average 24-hour weekday.) 

"* Goal 1: Reduce congestion in the morning and afternoon peak periods: People are taking fewer trips, with a 10% reduction in total trips in 2022 despite a 9% increase in population since 2017. This trend can be attributed to changing travel behaviours in the densely populated Core (Victoria, Saanich, Oak Bay, Esquimalt and View Royal). However, trips within the Westshore (Langford, Colwood, Highlands, Metchosin and Sooke), and between the Westshore and the Core and the Saanich Peninsula (Central Saanich, Sidney and North Saanich), are slightly higher in 2022. 
Trip volumes are also slightly down. People taking fewer trips throughout the day correspond to reductions in work and school commutes, as well as shopping, restaurant/bar, social activities and other activities that occur outside the commuter peaks. All these reductions are consistent with the lingering effects of pandemic activity shifts. 
* Goal 2: Increase the number of people walking, cycling and taking transit: Mode share continues to trend in the right direction, with 29% of trips made by walking, cycling and transit use. This is up from the 2017 mode share of 26.6%. The regional mode share goal is 45%. As with trip volumes, mode share varies depending on where you live in the region. 
* Goal 3: Reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from the transportation sector: In addition to gains in mode share, the region is also showing gains in the number of EVs-only. The gain in EVs between 2017 and 2022 is significant from 1,900 to 11,900 vehicles. EVs now represent 4% of the region’s private vehicles, with hybrids at 3% and plug-in hybrids at 1%. Note that the numbers in the OD survey reflect the responses of surveyed households and may not correspond to the Insurance Corporation of British Columbia’s vehicle population breakdown." 

- Surveys are conducted every five years: 
Household Travel Destination Survey (2017) 
Household Travel Destination Survey (2002)

Sooke findings ... 
297 surveys in Sooke … 4.6% sample of 6,400 households
 
2022 Sooke 24-hour analysis of local and regional trips 
- 17,400 "internalized" trips within District of Sooke
- 10,000 trips elsewhere within the CRD
- 10,000 trips from CRD municipalities to Sooke
- 19,900 two-way total … representing 1.6% of total there-and-back trips in CRD 
 
2017 Sooke 24-hour analysis 
- 17,200 internalized trips within DOS
-  9,300 trips elsewhere in CRD
-  9,000 from other CRD municipalities to Sooke
- 18,300 two-way total … representing 1.3% of there-and-back trips in CRD 
 
 "Almost half the trips generated by residents of Sooke District and First Nations and Saanich East remain in the same district, at 48% and 46% respectively. Highlands, Juan de Fuca Electoral Area and First Nations and Metchosin and First Nation have the lowest internalization rates, at 3%, 7% and 12% respectively." 
 

Waste and Recycling
- Solid Waste Management Plan (2021) + Public engagement report + What We've Heard
- Waste Composition Study (2022)
- Community Need Summary 2024 (see item 4.1) 

CRD Goal: Solid-waste disposal rate of 250kg/CRD resident per year by 2030
2022 Actual: 410 kg/person 
2023 Forecast: 375 kg/person
2024 Target: 350 kg/person 
- "CRD Board Approves Plan Aimed At Cutting Waste by One-Third By 2030" (Black Press, May 2021)

​- Hartland Landfill 
- Waste diversion initiatives (ban on carpet, asphalt shingles, wood) + new tipping fees (April 2023)
- "Changes Coming to Hartland" (CTV, May 12, 2023)

- Hartland Renewable Gas Initiative + Landfill Gas Utilization (June, 2019)
- Options for Biosolids (April, 2023) + Monthly statistics
- Lafarge Cement options for biosolids and thermal waste (June 2022)

- Extended Producer Responsibility draft program (2023) 
- Curbside Blue Box Recycling 2024 and Beyond (June 2022) 
- Residential Curbside Recycling update (March 2022) 
- Reducing Single-Use Plastic and Polystyrene Items (2019) 

- Inter-Municipal Waste Diversion Working Group
​- Solid Waste Advisory Committee home page  

CRD Arts 
- CRD Arts Commission 
- Arts funding for qualified applicants based in CRD local governments that have signed up for the service (Sooke included as of 2019) 
​- Grant equity chart 
- Video on arts grants options 
- Strategic Plan development, 2024-2027 (see Appendix C at end of this Sept. 27, 2023 agenda) 
- Arts organizations in the CRD 
- 2020-23 Strategic Plan 
- 2023 Operating Grant Recipients 
- Database of funded recipients. 

​[Sooke grant recipients since joining the service in 2019: Sooke Fine Arts ($11k, 2020/21/22),  Sooke Region Museum ($3k, 2021), Sooke Arts Council ($4k, 2020) and, in our first year with the service, Sooke Community Choir (2k), Sooke Folk Music Society ($2k), Sooke Festival Society ($1.5k), Harmony Project ($2k) and Sooke Philharmonic Orchestra ($5k).]


Regional Food and Agriculture 
- Strategy (2017)
- CRFAIR (Capital Region Food and Agriculture Initiatives Round Table) + research/reports 
- Foodlands Trust Business Case (2022)
- Regional Foodlands Access Program - Preliminary (2022) 
- Foodlands Access Service (June, 2023 update; phased implementation of 10-15 plots of land for a five-year farmer training/incubation pilot program on ALR land within Bear Hill Regional Park; all municipalities will be canvassed re: interest in their own localized programs late this year; Sooke indicated support for the program when first conceived in 2019) 

Planning and Development
- Development and Planning Advisory Committee
- CRD application to the UBCM Complete Communities Growth and Mobility Study grant stream to "inform decisions about zoning densification in areas that are well supported by transit and active transportation infrastructure." (June 2023) 
 
******************************************************************************************

Now for a line by line breakdown of the items in the CRD 2023 requisition statement (screenshot below) 

REGIONAL SERVICES

* Legislative and General Governance  

* GIS and Geo-Spatial Referencing System - Maintenance and updating of the South Island basemap (with photography, streets, topography and other optional layers) and the  CRD Community Map

* Community Health and Wellbeing 

* Regional Parks and Trails - "There are 32 regional parks and four regional trails in the CRD system, comprising over 13,200 hectares of land. Regional parks contribute approximately 27% to the region’s network of protected natural areas." The Parks 2022-32 Strategic Plan was approved in late 2022. 

* Climate Action and Adaptation - Climate Action Strategy (October 2021) + 2022 Climate Action Progress Report (presented April, 2023). 

* Land Banking & Housing - Building a reserve fund to purchase land for future Regional Housing First Program affordable housing projects

* Regional Goose Management - "Recent population studies commissioned by the CRD have shown that the Canada goose population in the capital region doubles in size every four years. This growing population has resulted in increasing ecological, economic, and social impacts to public and private lands, estuaries, and wetlands. The CRD intends to establish a Regional Canada Goose Management Working Group to take a coordinated approach to outreach and education, development of an egg addling program, coordination of Provincial and Federal permits, and conducting strategic harvests. The working group will involve representatives from local government, First Nations, stewardship groups, and key stakeholders impacted by the large goose population." (March, 2023) 

* Regional Planning Services - "The CRD provides information on and analysis of the region's population, development, land use, transportation, housing and employment trends. Developing, implementing, maintaining and updating a regional growth strategy supports regional sustainability and quality of life." + regional fact sheets 

* Regional Emergency Support Program - Responsible for the Regional Emergency Management Partnership, which provides local planning for the CRD in collaboration with the BC Ministry of Emergency Management and Climate Readiness + 2022 Annual Report with details on the Capital Region Tsunami Information Portal and extreme heat planning + 2023-2027 Strategic Plan

* Hazardous Material Incident Response - "Hazmat spills may include chemical, radiation, biohazard, propane, oil and gas, flammable materials, industrial products and mixed waste. These may occur in transportation, industry, businesses and even homes, and may occur after an earthquake or flood ... Over 60 firefighters across the region are trained as Hazmat Response Technicians. The CRD provides a central store of specialized equipment, which is housed and maintained by the Central Saanich Fire Department." 

* South Island 9-1-1/Police Dispatch Centre - "Operational costs for the two-storey, 1200-sq. meter post-disaster facility built and owned by the CRD and operated by E-Comm. Opened in 2019, it consolidates 911 call-answer and police dispatch services for central and southern Vancouver Island police", Sooke RCMP included.

* Regional CREST (Capital Region Emergency Service Telecommunications) Contribution - "CREST serves more than 50 first responder and public service agencies in the Capital Region -- fire, police and ambulance. Over 7.5 million calls per year go through the system, or one call every four seconds."  + 2021 Annual Report 


SUB-REGIONAL SERVICES 

- Victoria Family Court and Youth Justice Committee - Dedicated since 1966 to educating the Greater Victoria community about the juvenile justice system and advocating on behalf of regional front-line service providers. + CRD Commission Bylaw 

- Traffic Safety Commission - "Reviews traffic safety in the capital region and makes recommendations through a committee to the CRD Board to help reduce or eliminate problems." Established in 1981. Current traffic safety programs and promotion of other programs includes Ready Step Roll Active Routes to Schools; Malahat safety (including advocacy for a point-to-point traffic camera pilot program); MOTI's Slow Down, Move Over campaign asking drivers to grant emergency vehicles safe passage; motorcycle safety; child-seat use; and distracted and impaired driving programs. It also recommends that municipalities start traffic safety commissions of their own. 

- CRD Arts and Cultural Services - Grant support for non-profit art organizations based in municipalities that contribute to this service, namely Saanich, Victoria, Oak Bay, Esquimalt, View Royal, Highlands, Metchosin, Sooke and Southern Gulf Islands. + 2020-23 Strategic Plan + 2023 Operating Grant Recipients + Database of funded recipients. [Sooke grant recipients since joining the service in 2019: Sooke Fine Arts ($11k, 2020/21/22),  Sooke Region Museum ($3k, 2021), Sooke Arts Council ($4k, 2020) and, in our first year with the service, Sooke Community Choir (2k), Sooke Folk Music Society ($2k), Sooke Festival Society ($1.5k), Harmony Project ($2k) and Sooke Philharmonic Orchestra ($5k).]

- Regional Housing Trust Fund - Contribution to the CRD's share of funding for affordable housing projects that are largely paid for by the provincial and federal governments under the Regional Housing First Program. [The new social housing complexes at Charters and Drennan are RHFP projects to be managed by the M'akola Housing Society. Drennan shoud be ready for occupany in late 2023/early 2024. The modular building at Charters/Throup built by NRB Modular Solutions has now welcomed occupants to one-third of its 75 units. Negotiations continue with BC Housing regarding occupancy details for the subsidized (13 units) and below-market units.  [Monthly rental prices for one-bedrooms in both projects range from $1,035-$1,300; two-bedrooms rent from $1,300 to $1,775; and three-bedrooms are $2,055.  M'akola selects tenants for the higher-end "near market" rentals. BC Housing uses its housing registry to identify tenants for the below-market units and it's working with the Sooke Shelter Society to fill the subsidized units.]

- Animal Care Services -  "We offer high quality Animal Care and Control with caring and experienced staff trained to look after all domestic animals. Our mission is to provide services with integrity, impartiality and efficiency with the goal of obtaining voluntary compliance. Our goal is to return lost pets to their owners. If this is not possible animals are well cared for at our Animal Shelter, and if unclaimed, animals are found suitable adoption or foster homes. It is the responsibility of dog owners to be aware of and follow animal regulations in the CRD. Failure to do so may result in fines, impounding, or other penalties. Bylaws vary by municipality." + Sooke Bylaw #392 

- Regional Growth Strategy - CRD staff to continue work on tracking RGS progress, with a scheduled five-year review expected this year. 

- SEAPARC Leisure Complex - About the SEAPARC Commission + Agendas and minutes + 2015 Strategic Plan (public engagement for a new plan is set to begin this year) + weight room and fitness studio expansion + CRD Community Needs Study: Recreation (2022)

- Fire Dispatch - "The CRD provides emergency fire dispatch for Juan de Fuca, Salt Spring Island, Southern Gulf Islands, Metchosin, Sooke, Highlands and Langford. The service operates out of Langford Fire Hall #1 utilizing contracted Langford Fire Department staff. Back-up services for the fire dispatch are provided through the BCAS dispatch centre in Langford." 

- Septage Disposal -  "The CRD provides outreach and educational services to industrial, commercial and institutional owners and operators to help promote the proper management of liquid waste that cannot be legally discharged to the sanitary sewer or the stormwater collection system." 

- Millstream Remediation - "Millstream Meadows is located approximately 10km north-northwest of Victoria in the District of Highlands. Millstream Meadows is a 32 acre site used as an unregulated landfill for septic discharge dating from approximately 1941 to closure in 1985. The site was privately owned from early 1941 until 1972. The Province acquired, owned and operated the site for a brief time in 1974, and then transferred ownership to the Capital Regional District (CRD) in 1984." 


LOCAL 

- Sooke Region Museum 
​- Strategic Plan (2015) 
- Sooke Region Historical Society + Constitution 

- Stormwater Quality Management 
- Green Stormwater Infrastructure 
- Design Guidelines for the Capital Region 

OTHER 
- Debt Servicing 
- Capital Regional Hospital District 

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 five.). 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. 

(Council candidates are invited to join me for a Local Government 101 education and refresh here and here.) 

* 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: Pause & 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) 

[I offer for your listening pleasure this Tom Tom Club (Talking Heads offshoot) tune from a bygone era when I was writing about music and the music industry in Toronto, never dreaming back then that I'd one day relocate to the far west coast, get interested in local governance and trade my IBM selectric for the iMacs on which I've typed so many wordy words. Oh, and my debut item still rings entirely true for me. Blessed beyond measure. Period. Full stop. End of post.]
​

Updated: Sept. 30, 2023
* Targets Released For First 10 Municipalities (Province of BC)
* Sample housing target requirement (City of Victoria) 
* "We Can Achieve These Targets: Vancouver Island Mayors Address New Targets" (CTV News, Sept. 27) 
* "'Naughty List' Mayors Wonder Where the $$$ will come from" (Vancouver Sun, Sept. 26)

* Government of Canada Unlocking $20 Billion for 30,000 More Apartments Per Year (Department of Finance, Sept. 26)
* Enhanced GST Rental Rebate To Build More Apartments (Department of Finance, Sept. 13) ~ "For a two-bedroom rental unit valued at $500,000, the enhanced GST Rental Rebate would deliver $25,000 in tax relief." 
* "Trudeau Calls On Municipalities to Step Up on Housing Action" (Global News, Sept. 13)

* CMHC: Estimating How Much Housing We'll Need By 2030 (report released on Sept. 13). "We maintain our 2022 projection that Canada needs about 3.5 million additional housing units by 2030 to restore affordability ... Most of Canada’s housing supply gaps are in Ontario and British Columbia. Quebec and Alberta are also projected to need more supply because of economic growth." 

* Rent Increases ​(+3.5% allowable in 2024) + CBC News (Sept. 11) + Ravi Kahlon statement

* CMHC: Approval Delays Linked With Lower Housing Affordability (July 13)

* "Progress on Homes for BC" (provincial website) 


Updated: April 10, 2023 

Ministry of Housing
- Homes For People Action Plan (announced April 3, 2023) 
- Technical briefing presentation
- Updated map of funded housing projects across BC 
- Newly launched (March 31) Permit Connect BC portal intended to simplify permitting processes  

- Belonging In BC: A Collaborative Plan to Prevent and Reduce Homelessness 
"This Plan sets out the next steps and a framework to be implemented over the next three to five years in partnership with Indigenous peoples and organizations, communities and all levels of government. It is an iterative, responsive and living Plan that builds on successes and measured impacts for future phases." 

Four pillars of the Homes For People plan (detailed on pp. 16-27) 
"Unlocking more homes, faster
- More small scale, multi-unit housing (townhomes, duplexes and triplexes)
- Make it easier and more affordable for people to rent out secondary/basement suites
- Work with municipalities to make sure more homes are built in communities, faster
- Speed up permitting and approvals to get homes built faster
- Become a North American leader in digital permitting
- Deliver more homes and services near transit
- Launch BC Builds – A new program dedicated to delivering homes for middle-income people
- Expand B.C.’s construction workforce and spur innovation
- Explore new ways to get more rentals built
- Build more homes with mass timber

Delivering better, more affordable homes
- Thousands more social housing units
- Deliver 4,000 additional on-campus rooms for post-secondary students
- End discriminatory age and rental restrictions in stratas
- Protect affordable rental units through $500 million fund
- Create more housing through partnerships with Indigenous communities
- Revitalize co-op housing

Supporting those with the greatest housing need
- New income tested renter’s tax credit
​- More homes to support people experiencing homelessness
- New actions to close encampments
- Partner to redevelop and replace single room occupancy units in Vancouver's downtown eastside 
- Revitalize and expand aging BC Housing properties
- More Rent Bank support to help tenants in crisis keep their homes

Creating a housing market for people, not speculators
- Implement a “Flipping Tax”
- Stricter enforcement on short-term rentals
- Solve renter/landlord disputes faster and get tougher on bad-faith evictions
- Turn more empty units into homes by expanding the Speculation and Vacancy Tax to additional areas
- Crack down on criminal activity in real estate
- Offer more protections for renters displaced by redevelopment"

Media coverage of the action plan and housing summit ...  
- "Province's Program to Boost Housing Short on Details" ~ Times Colonist, April 9 (feedback from Oak Bay's Kevin Murdoch, Highlands' Ken Williams, Esquimalt's Barb Desjardins & Saanich's Dean Murdock)
- "Housing Summit Begins Day After Premier Announces Housing Plan" ~ Global News 
- "BC City Planners Embarking on Missing Middle Housing" ~ Times Colonist 
- "Minister Quells Mayors Fears Over Upzoning of Neighbourhoods" ~ Vancouver Is Awesome, April 4 
- "BC Desperately Needs Ottawa to tie Immigration Levels to Housing" ~ Vancouver Sun, April 3
- "BC to introduce house-flipping tax and expand secondary suites" ~ CBC, April 3 
​
Random from my laptop notes taken at the summit ... 
UBCM President Jen Ford in her opening remarks 
"Province should be applauded for hitting re-set and encouraging new approaches. I know our members share the goal of increasingly supply of attainable housing." 

Terry Beech, Burnaby MP and Parliamentary Secretary on Housing
- Federal government is committed to an $80b housing strategy by 2030, less than 40% of which is spent to date
- $7.7b invested in BC so far, 23% of total national funding
- Need for a high-density counterpart to the "Vancouver Special" style of post-war housing 
- "We need to incentivize creative solutions" 

BC Housing Minister Ravi Kahlon
- $4.2b in provincial funding over next three years for housing
- Homes for People priorities to become legislation in fall 2023 
- Goal: Close gaps in supply to meet demand 
- Goal: Create more small-scale multi-unit homes near transit that fit in with existing neighbourhoods

Vancouver Mayor Ken Simm
- City of Vancouver aspires to rapid permitting goals: 3 days for simple renovations; 3 weeks for new SFD and townhomes; 3 months for mid-rises; one year for larger projects
- Explore possibilities for 3D printed homes
- Densify wherever possible, i.e. housing atop schools, rec centres 

Surrey Mayor Brenda Locke
- Acclerated housing must proceed in lockstep with infrastructure needs
- An entire new classroom is birthed daily at Surrey Memorial Hospital 

Victoria Mayor Marianne Alto 
- Prioritization in permit queque to affordable housing projects
- Judicious use of public hearings 
- In our urban environment, building homes for people, not cars 
- Wants to see quicker action at federal and provincial levels; amend the Local Government Act to reward public amenities; eliminate the GST on rental housing. 

Labour Shortages and Supply Chain Disruptions 
- Need to maximize work force participation, recognize & speed-up approval of foreign credentials and temporary work permits ~ Bridgitte Anderson, Greater Vancouver Board of Trade + statement on Homes For People plan 
- "If we're to solve housing shortage, we need contractors at the table. 90% of contractors in BC have less than 20 employees ... we must accommodate new Canadians and rebuild our communities ... contractors will go where there is less risk to do business, so local governments must provide clear, open, predictable processes." ~ Chris Atchison, BC Construction Association 
- Local governments face own hiring problems for building officials (qualified through Building Officials Association of BC) and technical staff drawn from same talent pool the construction industry accesses; supply chain impacts include shortages of fire hydrants and street lights; limited responses to RFPs and lack of competitive bids also delay construction schedules ~ Jeremy Holm, Development Approvals Director, City of Nanaimo 
​
- more to follow ... 

Original Post: March 31, 2023
The Union of British Columbia Municipalities' Housing BC Together Conference is this week in Vancouver with a program covering multiple fronts ~ the need for rapid housing growth to meet accelerating demand in some (if certainly not all) communities, densification best-practices, indigenous housing partnerships, labour and supply chain issues, homelessness, development permit delays and regulation of short-term rentals included. 

Given the evolving policy landscape at provincial and municipal levels, a Sooke staff and council contingent will cross the pond to attend.  In doing the advance homework, I'm assembling another link-heavy explainer for my own use and repeated reference. Again, as with other subjects, I'm encouraged by the degree to which the issue (now routinely framed as a "crisis" given dizzying housing and rental cost increases) is understood, studied, statistically documented and backed by phased strategies leading to decade's end at least. This follows a long period of federal and provincial inattention after the "golden age" of housing starts in the 1960s and 1970s. We're definitely, of necessity, in another such renaissance in the wake of two master plans launched in 2018: the federal National Housing Strategy and, in our part of the country, the Province of BC's Homes For BC. 

Two fundamental documents to start: 
~ Opening Doors: Final Report of the Canada-British Columbia Expert Panel on the Future of Housing Supply and Affordability (June, 2021)
~ A Home For Everyone: A Housing Strategy for British Columbians (UBCM, Jan. 2018)

And this key contextual point: "Canada’s housing system is one in which the vast majority of housing is constructed, owned and operated in the private market. Just over two thirds (68%) of houses are privately owned by their occupants while another 27% are privately operated rental units. Less than 5% of all housing is operated in the public and community “non-market” sector, where rents are set administratively, rather than by market forces."  - Background Primer on Canada's Housing System (April, 2021, prepared for Office of the Federal Housing Advocate)

I've charted the latest wave of incoming (confirmed and potential)  #Sooke development in this September, 2022 blog entry. Our activity is to be contrasted with the relatively sleepy growth in other CRD municipalities (as documented by Greater Victoria advocacy group Homes for Living). Saanich is one example of a relatively slow-growth local government that may be subject to BC's new Bill 43 - Housing Supply Act.  At the outset, it's expected that eight to ten BC municipalities that are falling short of the housing-start targets in their respective Housing Needs Reports will be held accountable. 

While not exceeding growth as dramatically as Langford, for notable instance, the District of Sooke is hitting its own targets with upwards of 1,000 new units to be completed in the short-term future (three-year horizon, probably, pending Development Permit approvals). Nearly half are rentals (a split of market-rate and affordable) in addressing one of the top priorities in our 2019 Housing Needs Report.

As challenging as our rental market has become, it helps that in 2011 Sooke became one of BC's first municipalities to permit secondary suites in all zones, a practice the Ministry of Housing now wants to see legalized province-wide. 

Sooke's still-incomplete new OCP features a set of progressive housing policies and actions (pp. 135-141) that promote an array of housing types in diversifying our SFD (single-family dwellings) monoculture. Recommended actions include: 

"encourage infill in existing serviced lots with ground-oriented buildings, including duplexes, triplexes, fourplexes and townhouses in existing neighbourhoods
- continue supporting small-lot sizes in the Zoning Bylaw to increase densification of existing and future lots
- partner with non-profits and advocate for funding support for local non-market housing initiatives
- facilitate workshops for homeowners and builders on how to develop secondary suites
- enhance rental supply through density bonusing, DCC discounts & reduced parking requirements
- consider using District of Sooke land for housing 
- incentivize construction of smaller-size units and compact developments
- prepare an affordable housing contribution policy
- review of the Housing Reserve Fund (2022 total: $199,912) and the Community Amenity Contribution Policy
- establish minimum requirements for outdoor amenity space and a minimum number of family units
- incentivize accessible, barrier-free housing and universal design standards."  

The pending OCP states (pg. 30) that our growing population will require 1,813 additional residential units by 2030 + an additional 1,567 by 2040 + another 1,658 by 2050. Total: 5,038 within a quarter century atop our current 6,431 units. (If, indeed, this and future councils balance all other factors -- notably the realities of our increasingly congested two-lane highway -- in accepting projected population increases and inviting this volume of new construction.)

If we're to grow smartly, and without further sprawl, as detailed in the current OCP and recommended in the next, then   new market-rate, social and affordable/attainable housing must be rooted primarily in the town centre and town-centre transitional zones (upwards in height, not outwards at single-storey level). Rather than a 15-minute walkability zone, the OCP Background Research Report (2020) discussion of the Sooke "walkshed" (pp. 50-71) notes that "studies have shown that people are much less likely to choose to walk as a mode of travel beyond a 5-10 minute walk, which is roughly 400-800 meters." Hence the compact density requirements for bona fide Sooke Smart Growth. 

"Gentle density," meanwhile, would radiate out into other parts of the car (and ideally BC Transit)-reliant community growth area as multi-family triplexes and other missing middle housing infill housing types pop up and enhance existing neighbourhood character. 
 
Structure of what follows: 
i) Current BC housing issues in brief (Jen Ford, UBCM) 
ii) Foundational documents re: human and housing rights (UN)
iii) CMHC definitions (affordable, attainable, core-housing needs)
iv) Housing solutions (missing middle, New Urbanism, Small Housing BC)
v) Government of Canada - National Housing Strategy 
vi) Province of BC - Homes for BC 
vii) Provincial non-profit housing providers
viii) Capital Regional District Housing Corporation
ix) District of Sooke 
x) Addressing homelessness 


Housing Issues In Brief 
UBCM President Jen Ford summed up the main issues succinctly in a recent Vancouver Sun opinion piece: 

"While there may be a wide range of opinions on potential policy responses, here is what we can agree on: 
* There is an affordability crisis that is disproportionately impacting younger people, urban Indigenous peoples, and those in lower income brackets;
* There is a growing homelessness challenge, inextricably linked with addiction and mental health, that is present in communities throughout the province, not just the largest cities;
* Many households are under stress managing the costs of mortgages or soaring rents; and
* Housing costs are a significant barrier to entry for new Canadians and out-of-province migration." '

(Canada's net population growth in 2022 was 1.05 million people vs. 220k housing starts last year)  

Foundational Documents: Human Rights and the Right to Housing 
- Abraham Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs
- Universal Declaration of Human Rights (United Nations, 1948) 
- United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (2015) + infographic
- UN Economic and Social Council resolution: Affordable housing and social protection systems for all to address homelessness (2020) 

- Global homelessness statistics: "The last time a global survey was attempted – by the United Nations in 2005 – an estimated 100 million people were homeless worldwide. As many as 1.6 billion people lacked adequate housing (Habitat, 2015). In 2021, the World Economic Forum reported that 150 million people were homeless worldwide."
​
Definitions 
* Affordable housing 
"In Canada, housing is considered “affordable” if it costs less than 30% of a household’s before-tax income." (Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation) 

* Attainable housing
1. "Attainable housing refers to housing that is Adequate in condition (no major repairs needed), Appropriate in size (bedrooms appropriate for household), Affordable (costing less than 30% of before-tax income), Accessible to Services (located in areas where common services are available), and Available (a range of housing types)." 

2. "Housing that is affordable to people earning around the Area Median Income (AMI). Households living in attainable housing and earning between 80% and 120% of the AMI should not need to spend more than 30% of their income on housing costs." 

"What Does 'Affordable' Housing Even Mean Anymore? - The Tyee (July 8, 2022) 
"What Do We Mean By 'Affordable' Housing? - The Tyee (Aug. 7, 2017) 

* Core Housing Need 
"A household is said to be in 'core housing need' if its housing falls below at least one of the adequacy, affordability or suitability standards and it would have to spend 30% or more of its total before-tax income to pay the median rent of alternative local housing that is acceptable (meets all three housing standards)." ~ Statistics Canada 

"In 2021, one in 10 Canadian households were in core housing need.
In Canada, the core housing need rate in 2021 was 10.1%, and it fell 2.6 percentage points from 12.7% in 2016.
In British Columbia, the core housing need rate in 2021 was 13.4%, and it fell 1.5 percentage points from 14.9% in 2016."

- Core Housing Need of Private Household 
"Housing indicator thresholds are defined as follows:
* Adequate housing is reported by their residents as not requiring any major repairs.
* Affordable housing has shelter costs equal to less than 30% of total before-tax household income.
* Suitable housing has enough bedrooms for the size and composition of resident households according to the National Occupancy Standard, conceived by the CMHC and provincial and territorial representatives."

* Core Housing Need By The Numbers (CMHC historical trends) 
* Understanding Core Housing Need (CMHC) 


New Thinking: Gentle Density, Smaller Footprints, More Affordability 
Small Housing BC 
- Gentle Density Policy Solutions for British Columbia (January 2023) 
1. Enable strata-title accessory units (i.e., houseplexes) 
​2. Development a province-wide Gentle Housing Density (GHD) mechanism
3. Utilize the PatH (Permanently Attainable Home Ownership model 

​- Toolkit: Innovations in Small-Scale Living from North America 
- Gentle Density Network 
- Permanently Affordable Homeownership Feasibility Study 

"Small Housing BC defines small housing as just enough space to live. Depending on the size of the household, this can be anything between 200 and 1500 square feet; it’s small-scale, ground-oriented housing that is either detached or attached, and well suited to existing single-family neighbourhoods.  Small housing includes:

• Small lot homes
• House-plexes
• Grow homes
• Cottage housing
• Co-housing
• Secondary suites (units within the principal home such as a basement)
• Laneway housing (detached accessory dwelling units)
• Suites in duplexes
• Lock-off suites
• Micro-suites
• Tiny homes
• Collective housing"

- BC Housing: Tiny Homes – An Alternative to Conventional Housing (2021) 
- Tiny House Movement 
- Affordable Living is Possible on Vancouver Island (Times Colonist, Jan. 2, 2023 commentary by Sooke's Lorrie Beauchamp)

- The 2022 average single-family dwelling in British Columbia is approx. 2200 square feet
- "In 1975, the average size of a Canadian house was 1,050 square feet. Fast forward to 2010 and new homes being built almost doubled to an average of 1,950 sq feet. This increase in house size is accompanied by a decrease in the average number of people living in a household. In 1971, it was 3.5; by 2006, that number fell by a full person to 2.5." ~ Globe & Mail, 2012
- Home Grown: 67 Years of US and Canadian House-Size Data 
- 460 Best Minimalist Home Designs (Pinterest gallery) 
- Small Is Beautiful - E.F. Schumacher + Guardian article

Smart Density Toronto 
- Webinar Library 

Missing Middle 
"Missing Middle Housing” was coined in 2010 to define a range of multi-unit or clustered housing types—compatible in scale with detached single-family homes—that help meet the growing demand for walkable urban living. The housing types provide include duplexes, fourplexes, cottage courts, and multiplexes." 

- CMHC: The Missing Middle Housing Delivery Solutions Lab (2021) 
- Canadian Urban Institute: What Is The Missing Middle? (Toronto, 2018)
- Opticos Design: "Top-Five Missing Middle Mistakes" 
- "Why Missing Middle Housing Is An Emerging Trend in Multi-Family Development" 
- "Citizen Developers Ready to Build Canada's Missing Middle" (Globe & Mail, March 17, 2023) 

City of Victoria 
- Missing Middle Initiative 
-  Missing Middle Legislation (in effect as of March 12, 2023)
-  Missing Middle By The Numbers + What's Going On? (Focus on Victoria)
- "Why Does 'Missing Middle' Housing Make People So Angry?" - Times Colonist, Jan. 15, 2023 
- Victoria Finds The Missing Middle (Capital Daily, Jan. 27, 2023)

- Squamish - The Missing Middle
​- Eugene, Oregon - Missing Middle Handbook PDF 

New Urbanism 
New Urbanism is a planning and development approach based on the principles (Jane Jacobs and others) of how cities and towns had been built for the last several centuries: walkable blocks and streets, housing and shopping in close proximity, and accessible public spaces. In other words: New Urbanism focuses on human-scaled urban design.
- Congress for the New Urbanism
- Lexicon of the New Urbanism 
- Building Great Places 
- Project Database 

- :15 City - 15-minute walkable communities 
- Forget the Conspiracies, 15-Minute Cities Will Free Us To Improve Our Mental Health & Wellbeing - The Conversation (March 11, 2023)
- 15-Minute Cities Explainer (Deloitte Global) 
​- Birth of A Conspiracy Theory (CTV) 

- "How Rent To Own Works in BC" (Pemberton Holmes) 
- "Canada is buying into the rent-to-own concept" (CBC, 2020) 
- Federal Liberal 2020 election promise: "A New Rent-to-Own Program"
- Rent To Own Explainer 
- Explainer #2 (Fairstone Law Canada) 

- Renewable Cities/SFU - Hidden Housing Solutions In Single-Famlly Neighbourhoods (2020)


Policy and practice in Canada 
Orders of Government
Backgrounders: 
- "Housing A Nation: The Evolution of Canadian Housing Policy" (UBC Centre for Human Settlements, 1992) 
- Housing and Housing Policy (The Canadian Encyclopedia) 
- Canadian Housing Policy In Perspective (John Bacher, 1986)

- The Municipal Role In Housing (2022, part of the Who Does What series published by the University of Toronto, Munk School of Global Affairs & the Institute on Municipal, Finance & Governance)

Canada
- Canada National Housing Strategy Act (2019) + Progress on the NHS (Government of Canada) 
- Canada's National Housing Strategy + full report + at a glance summary + infographic

- A Primer on Housing Rights in Canada (Parliament of Canada) 
- The Victoria Declaration: A Statement on Governance in Housing & Support Services (Renee Beausoleil, Matthew Wildcat and the UVic Indigenous Law Research Unit, 2020)

- Right to Housing Legislation in Canada
- Assessing Canada’s National Housing Strategy (The National Right to Housing Network)

- Federal government Housing Website 
- Budget 2022: Making Housing More Affordable 
- "Making Housing More Affordable For Canadians" (Budget 2022 statement from the Prime Minister) 

- Multi-Lateral Housing Partnership Framework (federal/provincial agreement, 2018) 
- Agreement with British Columbia (2018) + Addendum (2020) 

Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation
- Aspiration: "By 2030, everyone in Canada has a home that they can afford and meets their needs." 

-  Corporate Plan: 2022-26 + summary ... 5.8 million homes to be built by 2030
-  Annual Report 2021
- Canada's Housing Supply Shortage: Restoring Affordability by 2030 (June, 2022) + PDF 

​-  "Understanding Canada's Housing Supply Shortages" (June 23, 2022) 
"We project that if current rates of new construction continue, the housing stock will increase by 2.3 million units between 2021 and 2030, reaching close to 19 million housing units by 2030. To restore affordability, we project Canada will need an additional 3.5 million units. That means that the housing stock would need to climb to over 22 million housing units by 2030 to achieve affordability for everyone living in Canada ...Two-thirds of this housing supply gap is found in Ontario and British Columbia, as these provinces have faced large declines in affordability in recent years. Additional supply would also be required in Quebec, as affordability in the province has declined markedly over the last few years." 

Launching June, 2023: CMHC Housing Accelerator Fund  + Pre-Application Reference Guide
"The Housing Accelerator Fund provides $4 billion in incentive funding to local governments encouraging initiatives aimed at increasing housing supply. It's goal is to create 100,000 net new housing units over the next five years.It also supports the development of complete, low-carbon and climate-resilient communities that are affordable, inclusive, equitable and diverse." 

Miscellaneous: 
- CBC: How Canada Plans to Jumpstart Housing (Dec. 2021) 
- Scotiabank analysis of the Canadian housing market: "Are We 100,000 or nearly 2 million units short?" (May 2021) 
- The Tyee: Housing article archive 
- Bank of Montreal $12b Affordable Housing Initiative
- Policy Note: "What Happened to Canada's National Housing Strategy" (March, 2022) 
- "Canada's National Housing Strategy Needs A Reset" - The Tyee (March, 2023) 

Province of BC 
Ministry of Housing 
Honourable Ravi Kahlon, MLA North Delta 
- Mandate letter (Nov. 7, 2022)
​- Service Plan 2023-25
- Ministry of Housing News Releases 

Homes For BC: A 30-Point Plan For Housing Affordability in British Columbia (2018)
"It will take years of sustained action to bring housing affordability home. We are acting immediately to stabilize demand by introducing a new speculation tax, increasing and expanding the foreign buyers tax and closing legal loopholes abused by speculators. And we’re working hard to build the right supply. We’re making the biggest investment in housing in our province’s history. Thousands of affordable homes are in development today, with tens of thousands more to come." - Minister of Municipal Affairs & Housing Selina Robinson 

​- Progress on Homes For BC (2022 update; 36,381 homes completed or underway as of Sept. 30 last year) 

​- Planning For Housing (2004 BC Liberal overview of local government initiatives) 

- Opening Doors: Final Report of the Canada-British Columbia Expert Panel on the Future of Housing Supply and Affordability (June, 2021)

- UBCM Housing Policy page (links to submissions and reports since 2017)
- A Home For Everyone: A Housing Strategy for British Columbians (UBCM, Jan. 2018)
- Analysis of MLA David Eby's Housing Plan (UBCM, Sept. 2022) 
​
- Province of BC Housing Needs Report Regulation (2019)

- Bill 43 - Housing Supply Act (First Reading: Nov. 21, 2022)
- Legislative debate - early afternoon + later afternoon (Second Reading: Nov. 22, 2022) 

"The Minister may, by order, establish housing targets for a specified municipality in relation to housing supply, including the availability and affordability of housing." (Clause 2.1) 

Part 1: Definitions
Part 2: Housing target order
Part 3: Housing target progress report
Part 4: Compliance

​- Minister of Housing Murray Rankin (Hansard, Nov. 22, 2022) 
"This bill well help address the housing crisis by allowing the province to take a leadership role in ensuring municipalities are creating a regulatory environment that supports the creation of new housing supply that meets the needs of British Columbians. 

First, it enables the minister to receive and review housing needs reports produced by municipalities together with other information related to supply and demand for housing to ensure municipalities are accurately forecasting and planning for current and future housing needs.

Second, it gives the province the authority to work with specified municipalities to develop housing targets that reflect housing need, set timelines to achieve those targets and create performance metrics to measure progress.

​Third, it allows the province to review the progress of municipalities toward meeting housing targets and ensuring that municipalities are creating conditions to facilitate new housing development.

Last, if a municipality is not making progress toward its housing target, the province may take further progressive compliance actions, including the appointment of an adviser or advisers to review a municipality’s planning and development processes and practices and to report back to the minister.

Actions may also include the minister issuing a directive for a municipality to enact or amend a bylaw or issue or refuse to issue a permit. Finally, the highest level of compliance action: the province directly enacting or amending a bylaw or issuing or refusing to issue a permit by order-in-council."

- Green Party of BC leader Sonia Fursteneau 
"I think it’s really important to recognize that we just had our local elections. A lot of people that ran in those elections would have run on a particular platform. And that platform, in some areas of this province, might have been about limiting density or protecting green space or all kinds of things related to housing or related to the nature of their community. I would expect and anticipate that there’s some anxiety now about this relationship between local governments, municipalities and the province, in light of this bill, around the ability for people who have run on a particular platform to be able to deliver what they promised in their election.But this isn’t my main critique of this legislation. My main critique is that this change overlooks the key issue that is driving the housing crisis in our province, and that’s the fact that housing is treated as an investment, a commodity, and not a human right. To address the crisis that we’re in, the depth of the crisis that we are in, it is true that we absolutely need more housing. We need more supply. But it is the type of housing that counts."

- Liberal Party of BC's Bruce Banman, MLA Abbotsford South
"I think it is worthy within this House for these eight to ten cities — those lucky ones that are going to get the dart thrown at the board or however they’re going to come about doing this — to have an idea as to what that actually means. They must include performance indicators. Well, what’s that? This government sure as heck doesn’t like using performance indicators on themselves, yet they’re now going to ram that down the throats of cities that they’re going to have to come up with some kind of performance indicators. We don’t even have the chance to figure out what they are." 

- "New Legislation Seeks to Expand Housing Supply in BC" - Blake, Cassels & Graydon explainer
- "David Eby's housing law mostly stick with slice of carrot for municipalities" (Vaughn Palmer, Nov. 23, 2022)

- "If You Don't Build It, They Will Come" (Stuart MacDonald Stewart Barristers & Solicitors analysis) 
"Bureaucratic euphemisms aside, Bill 43 sets up a potential showdown between municipal councils and the Province over the very shape and character of communities. No matter the party holding power in Victoria on any given day, the implications of Bill 43 for municipalities are unclear, and much detail about the new regime remains unknown at this time ... Bill 43 will have to make its way through the legislative process, and could possibly see changes before it becomes law. The critical event will be when the Province issues the regulations. Among other things, the regulations should reveal when the legislation will actually come into force, whether the Province intends to provide clarity on unanswered questions in the legislation, such as the scope of record disclosure an adviser may require, and most fundamentally, who the first “specified” municipalities will be." 

- UBCM Analysis of Bill 43 ... "Elements that require further definition include:

• How will housing targets be defined? 
• How will the targets reflect the long (often multi-year) time-frame for delivery of housing following local government approvals?
• Will the Minister hold a local government to a target if applications are refused because developers are not prepared to provide the amenities/services necessary for the development?
• How will targets relate to current Official Community Plans, regional planning and growth management plans, including efforts to limit urban sprawl and address climate adaptation and mitigation?"

- Insights into BC government approaches to housing over the decades: Opinion: Another Groundhog Day in BC for Housing Affordability (Urbanized, Jan. 18, 2023)

- BC Budget 2023 backgrounder: Investing In Affordable and Attainable Housing
- Understanding the Historic Investment in Housing Affordability in BC's 2023 Budget (BC Non-Profit Housing Association, March 2023) 
- BC Invests $4.2 billion in housing as part of refreshed housing plan (Business In Vancouver, Feb. 28, 2023)

Related Media Clips
- BC Is the most unaffordable province in Canada for housing, Census shows (CBC, Sept. 2022)
- New Premier Delivers Action to Expand Housing Supply Within First Days (press release, Nov. 21, 2022)
- Premier Proposes Giving Cities Building Targets (CBC, Nov. 21, 2022)
- BC to launch new housing ministry (CTV, Nov. 21, 2022)  
- Here's How Eby Plans to Tackle the Affordable Housing Crisis (CTV, Nov. 22, 2022)
- BC Ministry of Housing Lays Out 5 Major Performance Targets (Storeys Real Estate Newsletter, March 2023)

- Housing Crisis As Seen By One of Canada's Largest Housing Developers (Vancouver Sun, Douglas Todd, 03/09/23)
- In BC, Housing Is Like A Religion (Douglas Todd, 2022) 
- Five Factors Contorting BC House Prices This Spring (Douglas Todd, 2023)


BC Housing 
"BC Housing develops, manages and administers a wide range of subsidized housing options across the province. We also license residential builders, administer owner builder authorizations and carry out research and education that benefits the residential construction industry, consumers and the affordable housing sector." 

[Similar provincial agencies exist in Saskatchewan (Saskatchewan Housing Corporation), Nova Scotia (Housing Nova Scotia), and Manitoba (Manitoba Housing). In other parts of the country, large urban centres have their own municipal social housing agencies, among them Toronto (Toronto Community Housing Corporation), Montreal (Office municipal d’habitation de Montréal) and Calgary (Calgary Housing Company).]

- BC Housing home page
​- Established under the BC Ministry of Land, Parks and Housing Act 
- Overseen by the BC Housing Management Commission 
​- Mandate letter (2021) 
- Service Plan 2023-25

- Building BC Programs 
i) Homes For BC
ii) Rapid Response to Homelessness
iii) Community Building Fund
iv) Indigenous Housing Fund 
v) Supportive Housing Fund
vi) Women's Transition Housing Fund 

- Housing Hub: Partnering with BC Housing 
- Design Guidelines and Construction Standards 
- Updated project list province-wide 
- Research library  
- BC's New Homes Registry Page (month-by-month housing starts dating back to 2016) + Feb. 2023 report 
- Facts and Stats 
- Subsidized housing (how to apply) 

- Buying A Home In BC: A Consumer Protection Guide 
- A Scan of Leading Practices In Affordable Housing (2017)
- Housing Registry: Zone 8 - Affordable Housing Projects on Southern Vancouver Island 
​
- CleanBC Social Housing Incentives (retrofits, studies, implementation plans)
- BC Housing Community Garden Fund ($3k in seed money) 

- Five Things to Know About BC's Housing Plan (The Tyee, March 7, 2023)

- What Happened to the 114,000 New Affordable Homes Promised in BC (Policy Note, March, 2022)
"Towards the 114,000 target, over 14,300 units are complete or in some stage of development under the various granting programs while another 9,200 are from loan programs. Total completed units from both streams amount to about 11,000 units. Thus, less than 10% of the 114,000 unit target has been completed as of April 2021, rising to 22% if we count units in progress. A large share is merely “initiated” rather than under construction and all categories should show progress almost a year later." 

Residential Tenancy Branch 
- FAQs
- 2023 rent increases maximum of 2%
- Rent Increase Calculator

- BC Rent Bank + FAQ 
- Greater Victoria Rent Bank - Community Social Planning Council 
- Rent Bank program launch announcement (Feb. 16, 2021)

"Rent banks provide:

• financial assistance to tenants who are unable to pay rent or essential utilities due to an unexpected short-term crisis;
• support for tenants who are unable to pay damage deposit or first month's rent;
• critical supports that can lead to more stabilized and sustainable housing.

Critical supports include:

• advocating on behalf of individuals to landlord/tenancy boards, utilities corporations, etc.;
• mediating and guiding conversations between individual tenants and their landlords and others;
• referrals to other agencies for access to food, clothing, transportation support, and more;
• helping tenants access government subsidies, grants programs and/or benefits for which they may be eligible."

 Provincial Non-Profit Societies & Associations 

British Columbia Non-Profit Housing Association (BCNPHA) 
- Annual Reports 
- HousingU Online Education 
- CMHC Housing Solutions: Funding & Financing Opportunities (2021 slide deck) 

Co-op Housing Federation of BC 
"CHF BC has helped 136 co-ops develop and implement plans, supporting them with engineering studies, viability analyses and long-term financial forecasts. In 2022, 35 co-ops started or completed planning activities with CHF BC’s help, nine of them returning to the program for a second round of collaboration. In addition to traditional financing, the program assisted co-ops with loan and funding program applications with Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) and Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM). Both offer grants and financing for energy-efficient projects. To date, CHF BC has helped co-ops secure almost $110M in borrowing to fund their projects."
- FAQs
- 2022 In Review 
- Online resources (meeting tools, template policies)
- Find a BC cooperative map 

Greater Victoria Housing Society 
"Founded in 1956, the Greater Victoria Housing Society is a non-profit charitable organization dedicated to providing affordable rental housing for low-to-moderate income families, seniors, working singles, and adults with diverse abilities who live independently."  
- 1300 tenants living in 933 homes in 17 properties (soon to include Sooke's Talc Place).
- No vacancies as of March, 2023.  
- 2021 Annual Report 

M'akola Housing Society 
"​M’akola is a leader in providing appropriate and affordable homes and assisted living, primarily for British Columbia’s Indigenous communities, including First Nations, Métis, Inuit, and urban Indigenous people."
​- Vancouver Island properties 

The Vancouver Island Housing Leadership Network 
Comprised of 14 organizations including BC Community Renewal Society of the United Church of Canada, Dawson Heights Housing, Gorge View Society, Greater Victoria Housing Society, Island Community Mental Health, Legion Manor Victoria, M’akola Housing Society, Mount Douglas Seniors Housing, Nanaimo Affordable Housing Society, Our Place Society, Pacifica Housing, The Cridge Centre for the Family, Threshold Housing Society and Victoria Cool Aid Society.

Canadian Rental Housing Providers Coalition

​
Capital Regional District
Capital Region Housing Corporation 
​"The Capital Region Housing Corporation (CRHC) is a wholly-owned subsidiary of the CRD. Our mandate is to develop and manage affordable housing to meet the needs of people living within the capital region. The primary activities of the CRHC are the day-to-day management of housing, providing property management services, and providing services to residents who live in 49 housing complexes across seven municipalities ... As leaders in non-profit housing in the capital region, the CRHC delivers affordable, attractive, inclusive, sustainable housing for low-income households." 

​- Minutes and Agendas 
- Regional Housing Affordability Strategy (2018)
- Regional Housing Affordability Strategy Status Report (2022) 
- 2021 Annual Report 

Hospitals and Housing Committee
​- Terms of Reference: "The mandate of the Committee includes providing advice or making recommendations, or both, regarding the following region-wide functions: i) Land Banking and Housing; ii) Community health planning, regulations and enforcement; iii) Implementation of various housing affordability models, the potential formation of strategic partnerships and the creation of alternative corporate entities; iv) Options for the procurement of health care facilities and housing developments; and v) Real estate matters relating to health care facilities and housing." 
- Minutes and Agendas 

Regional Housing First Program 
"The RHFP is an equal partnership agreement between the CRD, the Government of BC through BC Housing, and the Government of Canada through CMHC. The equal partnership has seen a direct investment of $120m to create up to 2,000 units of affordable housing as part of the $600 million program, including up to 400 units renting at the provincial income assistance rate to address the needs of people experiencing homelessness on southern Vancouver Island and the Gulf Islands.

The RHFP currently includes 10 projects, which have created, or are in the process of creating, 1,055 units of affordable housing in six municipalities from Sooke to Salt Spring Island. In 2021, the CRHC opened Hockley House delivering 120 units of mixed-market housing in downtown Langford bringing the total number of completed units under the RHFP to 475." 

District of Sooke 
District of Sooke Housing website page 

Sooke's first Housing Needs Report (2019)
DOS Affordable Housing Strategy (2007)

Sooke Affordable Housing Committee (2018-19) + Terms of Reference
Resolutions arising from its final meeting (Minutes, Nov. 18, 2019) 
1. Support the prioritization of strategies listed in the Housing Action Plan, except for the following:
- The first 4 bullet points under 10.4.2 to be reprioritized from “medium priority” to “high priority”:
o Continue to allow higher housing densities through secondary suites.
o Facilitate the development of duplexes, triplexes, fourplexes and wood frame apartment buildings, which are more affordable compared to other dwelling types
o Enhance the supply of manufactured homes, i.e.the development of MHP zoned lands which contains only 3 vacant parcels in the community. This would be the most efficient short-term way of enhancing the affordable housing supply in the community.
o Consider a land bank (i.e.a large body of land held by a public or private organization for future development or disposal)

2. Support the inclusion of a housing component on Lot A.

3. Support housing developments that include aspects of health and social wellbeing, environmental sustainability and community connectedness.

* Details on Sooke's Land Use & Development committees over the last decade in this blog entry of mine 



T’Sou-ke Indigenous Housing Solutions Lab (2020/22) 
"Project explores the connections between design, policy and community" - Times Colonist 
Overview + Discovering Home (videos) 

Hope Centre Transitional and Emergency Shelter with wrap-around support services

Regional Housing First + Other Sooke Housing Projects
- BC Housing - New Homes Under Construction in Sooke

- Charters: $21m project featuring 75 units,  spring 2023 occupancy. Accessible (8 units), Provincial Assistance (15), Affordable (23), Near-Market (37).  + Sooke's first modular affordable housing

- Drennan and Sooke Rd.: $46m project featuring 150 units, late 2023/early 2024 occupancy. Accessible (20 units), Provincial Assistance (34), Affordable (53), Near-Market (83).

- Knox Centre: $11m, 42-unit affordable housing complex at Church and Wadams Way. Opened April, 2019. 

- Proposed: Sooke Gathering Place featuring 76 units of affordable seniors rental housing atop the multi-generational community space in the northeast quadrant of Lot A. The third stream of funding under BC Housing's Community Building Fund opens late 2023. 

- Frances Gardens Co-operative Housing: 36 unit duplex-style homes on Throup Road

- Lannon Creek Park 

- Harbourside Cohousing 
- West Wind Harbour Cohousing 
- Both are members of the Canadian Cohousing Network and two of 27 co-housing projects in BC 
- What Is Cohousing? + Canadian Senior Cohousing Society

​
Sooke Housing Needs Report 
Effective April 2019, the Province of BC amended the Local Government Act (Division 22) to require that municipalities produce Housing Needs Reports every five years.  Sooke published its first such report in October, 2019.  It detailed Sooke's community context, housing supply, housing market characteristics, land utilization, current gaps in the housing supply, housing needs projections and best practices.  Related: CRD/Juan de Fuca Electoral Area Housing Needs Report (2020)

"Overall, Sooke is expected to display an additional net housing need for 2,014 owner-occupied and 439 renter-occupied housing units during the period 2016-2031."  

Findings and Focus Areas
- Address market-rate housing needs for all age cohorts
- Address non-market housing needs
- Enhance supply of rental housing
- Enhance housing affordability
- Facilitate development on vacant lands
- Prepare for growth in aged 65+ population 

High Priorities
Strategy 1:
- Enhance density on properties that are already serviced with municipal water and sewer lines, particularly in existing urban properties.
- Ensure adequate accessibility in housing for seniors 

Strategy 2:
- Enhance the supply of entry-level housing for young adults/professionals and senior-appropriate housing; 
- Work with other levels of government, community agencies, and the development community to address housing affordability issues in terms of seniors housing and below market-rate rental housing. 

Strategy 3:
- Facilitate rental housing supply
- Review existing Housing Reserve Fund (low) 

Strategy 4: 
- Facilitate more discussion between private non-profits, developers, and landowners concerning new affordable housing developments. 
- Promote the sustainable development of more affordable housing units

Medium Priorities
- 10.1. Enhance supply of entry-level housing for young adults/professionals and "senior-appropriate" (universal access, one storey or elevator-served housing)
- 10.2. Work with partners (government, community agencies, developers) to address housing affordability issues for those on fixed incomes (seniors, disabled, unemployed, minimum wage earners) with universal-access housing and below-market rental options. 
- 10.2.2   "Undertake research and education to support innovation." 
- 10.4.2   "Promote the sustainble development of more affordable housing units." 
- 10.4.3   Review existing Housing Reserve Fund 
 
Survey Results (approx. 275 replies)
~ homes too expensive
~ lack of sufficient housing options for people with unique needs - single people, elders, families
~ 55% of Sooke residents pay between $1k and $3k per month (excluding utilities)
~ 11.11% have paid off mortgage 
~ 26% of Sooke residents pay more than 45 percent of household income on rent; 26% from 30 to 45%
~ I can't afford to live anywhere else: 44.5% 
~ I prefer my neighbourhood: 42% 
~ low household income: 24%


District of Sooke Housing Statistics 
(Statistics Canada Census 2021 numbers from the 
District's Community Data Portal) 

​​Households
Average household size: 2.4 people
Total dwellings: 6,130
Single Family Homes: 3,820
Rentals: 1,160
Mobile homes: 355 

Owners: 4,925
Renters: 1,205

Average single-family home value: $650k (2020)

Sooke single-family home sales value 
(annual Victoria Real Estate Board summaries)
1995: $180,892
​2003: $237,507
2009: $424,146
2010: $440,203
2015: $420,266
2018: $583,251
2020: $664,681
2021: $862,762

Greater Victoria Historical Price-Selling Graph, 1980-2021
Greater Victoria Single Family Home Sales Data, 1980-2021

Private Dwellings By Date Constructed
1960 or before ~ 440
1961 to 1980 ~ 1,485
1981 to 1990 ~ 745
1991 to 2000 ~ 740
2001 to 2005 ~ 430
2006 to 2010 ~ 740
2011 to 2015 ~ 710
2016 to 2021 ~ 840

Spending less than 30% of income on shelter costs ~ 4,780
Spending 30% or more of income on shelter costs ~ 1,325

Home owners spending more than 30% of income on shelter costs - 16.1%
Renters spending more than 30% of income on shelter costs - 44.2%

"Acceptable" housing in Sooke - 4,475 homes
Households in core need - 680
Not in core need - 5,210


Addressing Homelessness 
- Government of Canada: Reaching Home: Canada's Homelessness Strategy + backgrounder 
- Capital Regional District Reaching Home program + FAQ

- An Affordable Housing Plan for British Columbia (BC Rental Housing Coalition, 2015) 
- Medicine Hat, Alta. Plan to End Homelessness (2009) + year nine progress report

BC Housing: Community Acceptance of Non-Market Housing Toolkit (2019)
* Guide One: Building Partnerships with Local Governments
* Guide Two: Design Considerations to Gain Community Acceptance
* Guide Three: Gaining and Maintaining Community Acceptance
* Guide Four: Sample Materials for Non-Market Housing Suppliers 
* Guide Five: Additional Resources  
 
- BC Housing: Community Benefits of Supportive Housing (Infographic) 
- Province of BC Income Assistance Rate Table (updated Oct. 2021) + Support & Shelter page 

- The Roadmap for the Prevention of Youth Homelessness (Canadian Observatory on Homelessness, 2019) 
- Sooke School District #62 Healthy Schools, Healthy People infographic on youth issues (2019) 

- Aboriginal Coalition to End Homelessness Stronger Together Building Community Roundtable (2018)
- Core Service Gaps in Indigenous Wellness (Aboriginal Coalition to End Homelessness) 
- Gender Equality Project (Aboriginal Coalition to End Homelessness)
 
- BC Housing: Emergency Shelter Program Framework (2018) 

 - The Pan-Canadian Women’s Housing and Homelessness Survey (Canadian Observatory on Homelessness, 2021) 
- Ending Working Poverty in Canada: How To Get It Done (Vibrant Communities/Tamarack Institute, 2021) 
 - Situation Tables: A Model for Community Safety and Well-Being in British Columbia (BC Ministry of Public Safety and Solicitor General) 
- Yes, In My Backyard: Welcoming Inclusion, Upholding Human Rights (Pivot Legal Society, 2020) 
- COVID 19: The Beginning of the End of Homelessness (City of Victoria, 2021)

Outcome: On the first pass yesterday morning, we and staff (the chess masters thinking many moves ahead of necessity) reduced the potential hike to "6.99% or less" -- which is congruent with the cost-of-living increase this last year and amounts to just under $100 per average assessed Sooke residential property. More discussion to follow when the formal Five-Year Financial Plan is presented to us on April 10. You're welcome to join council and staff at a budget open house tentatively scheduled for the Muni Hall on Tues. April 18, more details to follow. 

Budget deliberations are here again, so I'm springing forward with a recap of  the initial round of pre-budget discussions held over the last three weeks and a preview of tomorrow and next Tuesday's special council meetings. Structure here: Budget 2023 Overview; Sooke Fire; Sooke RCMP; Climate Action; New Service Agreements; Growing Communities Fund; Tax Hikes Elsewhere.

Bottom line: The Five Year Plan's first look features a 9.34% tax increase in 2023, or $131 for the average BC Assessment-calibrated Sooke residential property ($827,746 as of July 1, 2022).

Staff and council will whittle what it can from this staring point in the weeks ahead in seeking a reasonable, realistic number that keeps existing services intact, factors in some new initiatives and yet doesn't hit folks too aggressively where it hurts at a time when so many are dealing with the rising cost of everything (i.e., 7% year-to-year jump in the Consumer Price Index). We'll discover on Tuesday whether Sooke's recent receipt of $5.9 million from BC's Growing Communities Fund can reduce the figure (more on this unexpected windfall below.) 

Municipalities across BC and Canada are struggling with similar-but-uniquely-their-own dilemmas in this inflationary cycle. [Scroll to the end of this post for a brief overview; tax increases in BC so far this year are ranging upwards from 5% (Central Saanich, Sidney) to 17% (Lake Country) at the upper end.] 

Finance Director/Deputy CAO Raechel Gray is building significant new staffing requests from Sooke RCMP and Sooke Fire Services into the five-year plan starting with requested new positions for each this year. Two other needed jobs -- a Wastewater Engineering Tech and an Emergency Program Assistant -- are also on the books this year.

About 60% of the tax hike is due to "non-discretionary expense increases in wages, contracts and insurance premiums," reads the agenda. These are all locked in through existing agreements with the Canadian Union of Public Employees Local 374, the International Association of Fire Fighters Local 4841 and exempt management employees. Also confirmed this year are community service agreements with the Sooke Food Bank, Sooke Community Association, Sooke Chamber of Commerce, Sooke Family Resource Society and others.

Unstated: No messing with these fixed numbers without consequences, please. 

The remaining 4.15% of the proposed increase is "discretionary," and so let the strategic trimming begin. Very likely we'll start with the proposed (by staff) council travel budget since it's presented first on the list of negotiable items in the agenda.  I don't believe we've overdone our participation in such incredibly valuable learning/networking/collective voting opportunities as the AVICC and UBCM conferences, but no question we need a better strategy to determine how to divvy up who and how many of us attend the annual round of local government shindigs.

Also up for deliberation are expenses for IT software; staff recruitment (critical given how challenging it is these days for local governments, like many employers, to find qualified applicants); extra funds for the next highway maintenance contract; seed money for Community Economic Development; rainwater infrastructure upgrades; invasive species and snow removal; and contract fees for the firehall mechanic, auxiliary parks workers and fire department relief help during the transition to 24/7 staffing at Fire Hall #1. (As you'll later read if you stick with this eye-glazer, we have three solid years of climate action grants to work with, so that critical work doesn't impact the tax rate.)

In my experience, Ms. Gray and her team have the alchemical skill to crunch figures and lower the provisional number we first see as they manage the rolling Five-Year Plan from one year to the next. Yet there's no doubt Sooke will not be an exception to the cavalcade of BC communities delivering larger increases than usual this year. 

Looking ahead, we've also heard a preliminary staff ask that, starting next year, we approve a 2% tax hike in 2024 and 2025 to ramp up the Capital Assets Reserve Fund -- a necessarily wise and mature municipal action to cover long-term infrastructure costs (i.e., maintenance and replacement of civic essentials - roads, equipment, sewer lines, etc.; read the Asset Management BC provincial framework document for the stitch-in-time logic.)

Dive in to the District's comprehensive budget materials here:
- Let's Talk Sooke: Budget 2023 page where you'll find ... 
- Citizen Budget Survey (conducted fall 2022)  
- Budget Information Explainer (Feb. 2023)
- Five-Year Financial Plan 2022-2026 
- Financial Services website page 
  
Also revisit my earlier budget posts for context on how our tax rate has evolved over the last decade: 
- Budget 2022
- 2020/21
- CRD (2019)
- Budget 2019

FYI Tax hikes over the last decade total 27.39% ... 

2022 ~ 6.09%
2021 ~ 3.31%
2020 ~ 0.00%
2019 ~ 7.18%
2018 ~ 2.79%
2017 ~ 5.58%
2016 ~ 0.85%
2015 ~ 0.00%
2014 ~ 0.02%
2013 ~ 1.59%
2012 ~ 0.00%

Municipal taxes comprise approx. 45% of your annual tax bill. Also to be counted: 
- Provincial School Tax
- Capital Regional District
- BC Transit
- Vancouver Island Regional Library 
- Capital Hospital District
- Municipal Finance Authority 

Community Safety 
The Feb. 21 COW featured presentations and discussion regarding the biggest funding asks for this and the next four years ~ namely the hiring of five additional Sooke RCMP officers and eight new IAFF career firefighters so as to enable bona fide 24/7 on-site professional service from each. 

Sooke currently dedicates 42.3% or xxx of the municipal budget to community safety. Police and fire do a comprehensive job as it is yet both departments must keep pace with accelerated community growth.  Sooke Fire Chief/Director of Community Safety Ted Ruiter and Sooke RCMP's Acting Detachment Commander Kevin Shaw provided persuasive cases for their respective asks (see the video replay for their comments and power-points; RCMP presentation starts here; Sooke Fire here.) 

Increased funding for public safety is supported by all of us on council as a foundational necessity.  Extra dollars in these areas is also generally favored in the latest (fall 2022) Citizen Budget Survey, which captures the view of a small (200 residents) yet still meaningful slice of Sooke public sentiment. (Everyone is invited to fill out these annual surveys, which are well-advertised via roadside bulletin boards and other more traditional means; the participation rate is growing slowly but surely.)  

Sooke Fire Service 
Sooke councils since 2015 have committed to a "full-service-operations level fire department" as defined in the "playbook" (2022 update) issued by the Fire Commissioner’s Office of British Columbia. 

Reaching that status requires (as per the lead recommendation in last year's Fire Department Master Plan prepared by Dave Mitchell & Associates) the staffing and establishment of 24/7 service by IAFF career firefighters operating from Fire Hall #1. The request calls for four platoons of four firefighters each by 2027, a scenario that requires eight new hires at a two-firefighter-per-year schedule.  (With two recent additions, Sooke has a current squad of eight career officers.) 

As it has successfully operated over the years, Sooke Fire will remain a "composite" department supported by valued volunteer firefighters. The introduction of a paid on-call system in 2019 as a best-practice request of the Volunteer Firefighters Association was intended to drive increased recruitment to above 50 members. However the ranks remain at a historically consistent number (approx. 30 volunteers) largely due to the realities potential new members face due to busy modern life and work-styles and the unique challenges of the position. 

The new staffing structure will enable professional firefighters to deliver "adequate response times" (i.e., within 10 minutes) to fire and medical emergencies -- just as they do during their day shifts currently yet with added around-the-clock coverage. Volunteers trained so effectively by Cam Norris-Jones will join them ASAP from their homes across the region when their beepers sound at any unpredictable hour.

Chief Ruiter says it all extremely well in his presentation, so please take the time to review it and learn about minimum standards (Fire Services Act, Emergency Program Act, WorkSafe BC, Sooke's Fire Protection Services Bylaw) as well as the Sooke Emergency Program, inspections and educational outreach (i.e. to schools, businesses and, in future, to seniors via the Older & Wiser program).

How to pay for it all? As Ms. Gray told us, starting salary for an IAFF firefighter under the recently ratified contract is $101k per year. In reducing property tax impacts, existing reserves, wildfire revenue from the province ($148k in 2021), potential new service revenue, transfers from the paid-on call budget, non-market-change revenue (i.e. revenue from new tax portfolios) and District surplus funds will be used in the creation of a Future Fire Cost Reserve Fund. In a worse case scenario, she said a 1 to 2% tax increase per year might be required over the next four years. ​Key point to soften the blow: Chief Ruiter noted again that full-service operations dramatically reduces insurance rates for home and commercial property owners; according to one 2015 report, a property valued at $450k would face a $5489 bill annually without fire service; with service, the rate drops to $1491. 

Sooke RCMP
https://www.jeffbateman.ca/blog/sooke-policing
Similar financial wizardry involving reserve funds, shared revenues and property tax contributions will be required to meet Sooke RCMP's request for five additional officers through 2026. This has been coming for a long time, certainly ever since former Staff Sgt. Steve Wright stated the need at a Sooke Protective Services meeting in March, 2012: "Sooke compared to other municipalities is grossly under poiiced. We don't have enough police officers to go to 24-hour coverage and this is a concern to me."

Wright's successors Jeff McArthur, Brett Sinden and Shaw himself have all consistently said as much. (Shaw told us it's also the wish of our new Detachment Commander, Greg Willcocks, who arrives here from Haida Gwaii's Queen Charlotte detachment this spring.)  This is the first time to my knowledge, however, that the RCMP has delivered a comprehensive public ask of Sooke council for a full-bodied solution to this long-standing matter.  

Staff Sgt. Shaw demonstrated how its time for Sooke to get serious about lowering our "Cop to Pop" ratio from the current one officer per 1,194 residents ~ essential if Sooke RCMP  is to be more effective at recruiting and retaining members currently faced with abnormally heavy workloads, incipient burn out, on-call responsibilities and lack of local career opportunities compared to their colleagues in better staffed communities.  

(The BC average, as you'll read in my blog post, is 1 to  764; the current OCP calls for a 1 officer per 1,000 citizen ratio. In keeping its own ratio low, Langford is considering nine new West Shore RCMP officers in expanding to 70 members. Similar stories are playing out in communities across BC where higher taxes will bring in new officers. The City of Victoria is a rare outlier in bucking the trend.) 

Capturing some of Shaw's key points:
- Lowering crime rates is the objective for forces of all sizes; our rate in Sooke (2021) is an annual 54.1 criminal-code offences per 1,000 population. That is higher than the regional average for communities our size (40.4 offences per 1,000).

- Sooke currently has the second lowest policing cost on the south island, trailed only by North Saanich. Our per-capita policing cost is $144 per year vs. comparables paid by residents in Colwood ($230), View Royal ($183), Sidney ($195) and Langford ($245).  The provincial figure is double what we pay at an average $289 per community.

- As mentioned, we have the lowest officer-to-population ratio on the south island. Closest is View Royal (1 to 1002). Elsewhere: Colwood (1 to 985); Sidney/North Saanich (1 to 953); Langford (1 to 815); Central Saanich (1 to 805). 

- Apart from property crime statistics (which have remained stable since 2011), other areas are trending up over time: criminal code offences, mental health calls, violent offences and "other criminal code." 

- "Sooke RCMP officers carry a significantly above-average criminal case load" compared to other municipal departments ~ 65 criminal case investigations per Sooke officer vs. View Royal (52), Colwood (50), Langford (39), Sidney/North Saanich (32), Central Saanich (20). 

- Overall case files per officer for non-criminal matters -- neighbour disputes, mental health calls, suicidal persons, check-wellbeing files -- are again well above average for Sooke -- 317 per officer vs. Westshore (253), Sidney/North Saanich (245), Central Saanich (176). 

- Approximately 1200 new residents will arrive in Sooke with our latest wave of new development and we're predicted to continue growing at a 2.4% annual clip. 

Said Shaw: "Why this matters, importantly, is our ability to provide the service that we’re contracted to provide. It’s challenging for anybody, particularly for a police officer, to stand up and say we’re not doing a good job. But what I will tell council is that we’re not doing as good a job as we should be doing and what this community expects us to do. We hear that all the time, we acknowledge it and it weighs heavily on us." 

The funding ask: 
- 2 new hires in 2024 ... Cop to Pop lowered - 1 to 1027. "This would allow us to begin the transition to 24-hour policing" 
- 2 more in 2025 ... allowing 4 shifts of 5 police officers and a 1 to 939 ratio. 
- 1 more in 2026 ... 1 to 916 allowing dedicated community policing, traffic enforcement and/or major crimes sections. 

These new hires will help RCMP deliver "proactive enforcement and engagement" as follows:
- Reducing crime by targeting prolific offenders
- Proactive traffic enforcement in the pursuit of increased road safety
- Foot patrols downtown to prevent crime, engage with business owners and the public
- Engagement in the schools speaking with students, teachers and parents 

Critical point: "We have a responsibility to always put the best foot forward and conduct quality investigations, but the volume of our files per officer is beginning to affect the quality of what we do because there is always a pressure to move on to the next file. It’s a real issue ... Complex, serious investigations are exclusively the responsibility of Sooke RCMP – stabbings, serious sexual offences, child offences. These cases are time-consuming, challenging and specialized, best served by a team of dedicated investigators versus being investigated by front-line investigators" as is currently the case. 

Ms. Gray stated that the per-capita cost of these hires would add about $30 per tax bill for policing in Sooke, still the cheapest in the region. Each new officer costs $203k per year (including benefits, gear, car, etc.) Two new officers are already accounted for in earlier Five-Year Plans. Traffic Fine Revenue will continue to flow into the reserve fund. Retro pay for the new RCMP unionized contract has been banked in a reserve fund ($450k). With the last census, we're to be billed by the province for police services at a 90 percent rate (vs. 70% previously) however this may not kick in until next year. It takes almost a year for a new officer to be recruited and the District charged, so the impact won't be felt until 2024. 

​Climate Action
The other item on the Feb.. 21 agenda -- involving no municipal taxes and a relative fraction of the cost and yet taking up nearly two-thirds of the five-hour meeting -- was a public safety matter of another kind: Climate action to be undertaken in the context of 2019's declared climate emergency. (To counter persistent disinformation at the outset: No, Sooke's Climate Action Plan does not seek to ban wood-burning stoves - nor even mentions them - and its ask that council explore banning natural-gas hook-ups in new construction to slash methane pollution is a best-practice suggestion that would require council discussion, public hearing and a new bylaw as per all the processes and rules that keep democracies like ours thriving.) 

Here on the south island, Sooke is served by the CRD Climate Action Service at a 2022 cost of $44,697 (or $6.40 per residential assessment). This service expanded significantly last year with new staff members, programs and increased budget (i.e., the comparative 2021 cost to Sooke was $13,809 or $1.97 per tax bill.)  Notable are the Charge Your Ride and Home Energy Navigator programs open to all Greater Victoria residents. 

The service employs a half-dozen staff members led by manager Nikki Elliott and including Sooke's former short-term climate coordinator Maia Carolsfeld. It delivers a broad range of regional programs for citizens, schools, businesses and member municipal governments as documented on its resource page.  Sooke links up to it officially through a pair of Inter-Municipal Climate Task Forces -- one involving elected representatives (Cllr. St-Pierre from Sooke), the other municipal staff (Communications Coordinator Christina Moog). (A first-ever set of minutes from the task force is published with the CRD Environmental Services Committee agenda of March 29.) 

According to the CRD, the service "develops corporate and community-focused mitigation and adaptation strategies; supports local governments to be climate-neutral by 2030; strives for neutral GHG emissions corporately; and responds to Board priorities and the declared climate emergency."

As a municipality responsible for its own biodiverse 56.9 sq. km. today and in future, we must do our necessarily limited but significant part. The BC Community Energy Association has worked with the UBCM to identify best practices at the municipal level. These include adopting the Low Carbon Resilience strategy, participating in peer-learning networks (in our case with the CRD and the FCM's Partners for Climate Protection program) and hiring dedicated climate action staff. We tick all but the last of these boxes at the moment.

There's all-around agreement that we need a staff member focused on implementing the District's climate policies.  The LCR approach which we adopted in 2021 requires all District staff to keep GHG reduction in mind in their every decision. One individual is also needed to coordinate staff action and keep everyone in tune and on track with climate priorities identified in our various master plans, including last year's Climate Action Plan.

Council's job, as we've been reminded lately, is to develop policy in collaboration with our one and only employee, the Chief Administrative Officer. Among our six strategic priorities in 2018-22 was "demonstrate leadership in climate action," and this is again cited in our evolving new Strat Plan. 

For their part, staff are to handle the "how" of implementing these policies.

The lines inevitably blur on occasion. In this particular case, council was asked by last year's Climate Action Committee (of which I was council's liaison) to consider hiring a full-time Climate Action Coordinator to continue the substantial work undertaken by Ms. Carolsfeld in her nine-month stint with us in 2021/22.  

How to proceed with climate staffing this year will be decided during budget talks -- either with this full-time Climate Action Coordinator or, as staff recommend, a senior employee in the planning department with a mandate to cover a diverse range of responsibilities, climate coordination included. 

The municipal commitment to reduce community carbon emissions -- promised when we signed the BC Climate Action Charter (2008) and embedded in the current (2010) and pending Official Community Plans -- is to be funded through 2025 at least by the province's long-awaited, warmly received Local Government Climate Action Program.  

Announced last summer in alignment with the CleanBC Roadmap to 2030, it promises $135k annually to Sooke for three years provided the District contributes $27k of its own funds each year.  The intention of this province-wide program: "To enable community-specific action to reduce emissions and increase climate resilience; and enable robust reporting to track results and help improve the program over time."  Overall we'll therefore have $162k per year to spend on this annually through 2025. 

Like the Growing Communities fund, the program is unusually flexible and recognizes that every community is at a different stage in its response. Suggestions include creation of a climate plan, implementation of GHG-reducing community programs and/or the hiring of climate staff positions. 

Here in Sooke, our short-term coordinator left behind the Sooke 2030 Climate Action Plan (CAP). It calls for the District and the community to do their respective parts in reducing corporate and community GHG emissions in half by a fast-approaching 2030 -- a target in line with the United Nations and the BC Municipal Climate Leadership Council; it's more ambitious than the 40-45% reduction sought by the federal and BC governments. Given our sorry track record to date, these targets are aspirational yet the CAP is nonetheless a realistic, made-in-Sooke effort to get there delivered in creative fashion by asking everyone to rethink how we move, grow, build, lead and relate. 

Council endorsed it last summer and our new group recognizes that it is a living (read: entirely amendable and primed for multiple versions) document that will evolve year-by-year as the District operationalizes the Low Carbon Resilience strategy.  This approach is intended to measure (literally, via comprehensive carbon accounting) every District and council decision through the LCR co-benefits model -- namely a set of 27 social, environmental and economic factors that help ensure positive and balanced outcomes. (The ACT team at Simon Fraser University continues to refine and enhance a strategy they developed in 2018, and its work will funnel down to Sooke as its available.)

The CAP Master List of Recommended Actions (Appendix H)  tabulates 112 climate-related actions already identified in the District's key documents: OCP, Transportation Master Plan, Parks & Trails Master Plan and the Community Economic Development Strategy and Action Plan.  A set of 25 Immediate Actions for the next five years (Appendix I) are also identified.

Recent Deliberations
As already noted, a dedicated full-time CAC was recommended in a motion passed by the Climate Action Committee for council consideration at its July 25, 2022 meeting. (See agenda, pg. 83-86). Council back then forwarded this along with recommendations from our other committees for consideration by the new council. 

This option for a full-time CAC was also recommended by the Committee of the Whole for council approval in a 4-1 vote last month after an initial motion (defeated 3-2) failed to approve the original staff approach. I voted in favour of both since i think either route will significantly advance local climate action.

On Feb. 27, council approve the $27k contribution to release the Local Government Climate Action Program funds.  We also asked for further information on the two options via an A/B comparison, and that is what is presented in tomorrow'a agenda as follows: 

​* Option A: Staff Recommendation (revised significantly for March 17 agenda)  
The  staff report has been significantly revised, fleshed out and improved, so much so that I will have no trouble voting for this option tomorrow after the original left me torn and confused, especially in terms of the climate-action work to be undertaken by the recommended planning staffer.

Now the substantial climate responsibilities of that near-future hire has been delineated fully.  The role of the CRD Climate Action Service in our own local climate work has been clarified, and the actions from the Sooke Climate Action Plan to be tackled in 2023 are better explained.  

Read the report starting on pg. 99, including an Appendix A (2023 Project List) breakdown of this year's 20 immediate actions led by a to-be-hired and climate-focused senior member of the planning department. Its main recommendations: 
​
1. Near-future hiring of this senior planning manager (aka "Manager of Community Planning"; or "Manager of Climate Action, Planning & Development") whose salary is already in the Five-Year budget and won't draw down any of the $162k climate budget. The job description is yet to be written, but we're told he/she/they would focus primarily on: 

i) Coordination of staff in operationalizing the District’s whole-of-organization LCR strategy
ii) Policy development as directed by council 
iii) Continued focus on the implementation and carbon-accounting phases of the Partners for Climate Protection’s five-milestone program (Sooke is one of 500+ local government members of this initiative of the Federation of Canadian Municipalities and ICLEI Canada; Carolsfeld took us to milestone three last year with the creation of the CAP.)   

 2. This individual would coordinate staff from multiple departments in proceeding with 20 CAP actions this year. Most are already built into work plans. Others will require funding from the climate budget. And some can be tackled by willing non-profits should a special climate-action stream be created under the Community Grant program (i.e., Zero Waste pop-up pilot project, food security eduction for residents, e-mobility showcases).

Funded from the $162k climate budget: 
$20k – Grant writing/marketing/communications (i.e., promotion of heat pump/EV incentives, FireSmart) 
$30k - Grant funding (matching contributions held in the Climate Reserve Fund)
$20k – Co-working Hub Pilot
$13k - Municipal Fleet and Facility Assessments 
$15-30k - Transit shelter additions (the aforementioned TMP priority) 
$20k - Expanded Community Grant funding specific to climate-action initiatives 
$20k – Walk'n'Roll Stops (i.e., safe pick-up/drop-off spots away from Sooke Rd. at our schools)
$5k – Invasive species program (i.e., Japanese knotweed in the Sooke River)
$5k – Natural assets program 
$5k – "Welcome to Your Watershed" homeowner educational kits

Extra funds are possible via successful grant applications from sources listed at CleanBC's Community Climate Funding webpage and elsewhere. 

The reserve funds will be there to support TBD initiatives that may arise in the months ahead -- a tree-planting campaign, for instance, food security initiatives or funding for the proposed Climate Education and Community Development Society, which is cited as one of the CAP's 25 short-term priorities.  We'll hear more about this prospective society from former Climate Action Committee members Shandell Houlden and Elizabeth Lange at a Committee of the Whole this spring.


* Option B: Hiring of a Climate Action Coordinator (CAC)
Here's last summer's Climate Action Committee recommendation. 

WHEREAS the District of Sooke’s interim Climate Action Coordinator has, over the nine-month term of her contract, contributed greatly to the District’s planning, preparation and response to its declared Climate Emergency as detailed in the CAC's final report (pp. 301 onward) received by Council on June 21; 

AND WHEREAS these contributions include:

• the drafting of a multi-year Sooke Climate Action Plan rooted in emergency response planning and 7% Solution GHG reduction strategies;
• foundational work on the District’s Sooke 2030 citizen mobilization and awareness campaign;
• ongoing development of the FCM Partners for Climate Protection five-milestone program as applicable to the District;
• staff coordination in operationalizing the District’s Low Carbon Resilience whole-of-organization strategy;
• and the contribution of detailed staff reports to committees and Council on such subjects as a Sooke waste management strategy, telework centre opportunities, metrics and tools for green businesses in Sooke, and LCR co-benefits as applicable to the District’s CED Action Plan.

​AND WHEREAS all of this vital work is in its preliminary stages and will require dedicated staff resources that can only partially be fulfilled through the District's intention to hire a Community Development Coordinator

AND WHEREAS the District of Sooke will receive approx. $130k annually through 2025 from the Province’s newly announced Local Government Climate Action Program, whose flexible guidelines allow for staff funding;

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT [the Climate Action Committee recommend] the District of Sooke commit in the budget planning process, to the hiring of a full-time Climate Action Coordinator.

All good and logical and needed at the time. The difference now, for me at least, is that the CRD Climate Action Service is now established and, critically, we're promised that the  planning department's new hire will address many of these needs, as per the exact language in tomorrow's report: 

~ Coordinate and manage the actioning of initiatives from Sooke’s 2030 Climate Action Plan as identified by Council as priorities during the annual budget cycle;

~  Recommend to Council policies, programs and regulations to protect and enhance the natural environment and reduce GHG emissions;

~ Conduct, research, and develop policy identified as Council priorities through strategic planning and in alignment with the Climate Action Plan and the Official Community Plan (OCP); and

~ Lead, guide, and support initiatives that move Sooke toward a resilient, low- carbon future.

This is by no means an exhaustive list and the “job title” would be updated accordingly (i.e. Manager of Climate Action, Planning and Development; Manager of Community Planning). This list and the sample title are meant to outline the potential of this action and identify how, organizationally, we can ensure we have the in-house industry expertise to help reduce community-wide GHG emissions in a variety of areas, including but not limited to land use, transportation and buildings." 

Even without seeing the still unwritten job description of this future Manager of Community/Climate Action Planning (or whatever the final title), the revised staff approach merits full support from council in 2023. A reassessment based on how things unfold the rest of this year can be done during next year's budget planning. 

With access to a full $162k per year in funding for this and the next two years at a time when money of this kind would be an incredibly hard sell in the Sooke budget (we battled to get just over $100k for climate action in 2022), this to me is the right and appropriate way to launch Sooke 2030 - extending trust and support to motivated staff working in conjunction with the CRD, non-profits and other allies. Others in the community who want a more urgent response will and do disagree, of course, but there you have it. 

Wild-Card: Growing Communities Fund
Excellent, unexpected news of late is that the District will receive a one-time $5.9 million as its share of the Province of BC's $1 billion Growing Communities Fund. Municipalities are free to use this windfall as they wish in addressing their unique infrastructure and amenity needs. "These grants will support projects that each community needs the most, like new affordable housing and child-care facilities, road improvements or recreation centres," said Minister of Municipal Affairs Anne Kang. 

Staff is recommending that the funds be spent as follows:
* $1.4m: Five Year Road Program addition
* $100k: Patch and Pave road improvements
* $1m: Matching funds to complete the DeMamiel Creek crossing 
* $2.4m: Church Road roundabout (its original budget has, rather shockingly, seemingly doubled in three crazy years) 
* $970k: Sports Box at Raven Ridge Park improvements, including landscaping, stadium seating and a basketball court

All good and needed. I'm assuming that previously budgeted funds for this work can be freed up to lessen the overall tax hit and bolster reserve funds. [Council, incidentally, is being presented with no alternatives to this grant-spending menu; other options logically would be drawn from relatively low-cost short-term priorities identified in our 2020 Parks and Transportation Master Plans: nature and urban trail development; John Phillips Memorial Park master planning; waterfront access ramps and staircases; a wayfinding sign program to spotlight local gems (the Rotary Pier, for instance); new water spray park; a downtown public toilet; and/or a percentage of the 20 bus stop improvements identified in the TMP at a cost of $10k each.  I'm curious to know if any of these were considered. We might also want to park $$$ in the Capital Assets Reserve Fund.]

The Growing Communities funding guidelines state the following as eligible expenses: 

• Public drinking water supply, treatment facilities and water distribution;
• Local portion of affordable/attainable housing developments;
• Childcare facilities;
• Municipal or regional capital projects that service, directly or indirectly, neighbouring First Nation communities;
• Wastewater conveyance and treatment facilities;
• Storm water management;
• Solid waste management infrastructure;
• Public safety/emergency management equipment and facilities not funded by senior level government;
• Local road improvements and upgrades;
• Sidewalks, curbing and lighting;
• Active transportation amenities not funded by senior level government;
• Improvements that facilitate transit service;
• Natural hazard mitigation;
• Park additions/maintenance/upgrades including washrooms/meeting space and other amenities; and
• Recreation-related amenities.

Further to the above-noted capital costs, one-off costs can include:

• Costs of feasibility studies (including infrastructure capacity assessment); other early-stage development work; costs of designing, tendering and acquiring land (where it is wholly required for eligible infrastructure projects); constructing eligible infrastructure projects; and, in limited situations, non-capital administrative costs where these are necessary, for example adding staff capacity related to development or to establish complementary financing for local government owned infrastructure or amenities." 


Tax Hikes Elsewhere in BC
The City of Vancouver last week okayed a 10.7% increase, a decision that "sucks," said Mayor Sims, but which is "necessary to improve core city services like policing, fire services, road work, sanitation and  infrastructure maintenance."

Victoria councillors have so far carved an initially proposed 8.99% increase back by two points to meet their commitment to tie hikes to the cost of living yet face pushback from the Victoria Police Department, which isn't interested in freezing its own budget.

Nanaimo is looking at a "public safety budget" requiring a 7.3% increase, while policing costs is at the core Surrey's 16.5% proposed hike. (which it reduced to 12% thanks to its Growing Communities funding.) 

Among towns more comparable to our own in terms of population at least, provisional budgets (i.e., the first figure each council is presented prior to the hard decisions and number crunching): Central Saanich (4.95%), Sidney (4.93%), Colwood (5.48%), Duncan (9.9%).

Looking at these increases in isolation minus the context of tax increases over a decade or longer renders them rather useless; municipalities that froze taxes for a year or more (as we did circa 2011-14 vs. those that have spent wisely in keeping pace with community needs are faced with lower or higher increases based on those earlier decisions.  

Lake Country, BC (pop. 15,000) is on the map this year for its 17% property tax increase, one based largely on increased policing costs.  

Scan to end of this CBC Metro Matters article for a chart of this year's proposed Lower Mainland tax increases, topped by Langley and Port Moody in the 11% range.

Line item listing ... some of these rates are adopted, some are still under consideration (click links for news articles) 
- Colwood ~ 6.43% (final)
​- Saanich ~ 7.1% (provisional)  
​- City of Victoria - 6% (provisonal)
- Powell River ~ 5.4% (final)
- Port Alberni ~ 6.9% (final) 
- Penticton ~ 9.5% (primarily due to police and fire hires) 
- Bowen Island ~ 13.3% (provisional) 
- Nelson ~ 5.8% (provisional) 
- Regional District of Nanaimo ~ 8.9% (final)
​- Cowichan Valley Regional District  ~ 11.49% (final)
- Village of Kelso ~ 6% 
- Prince Rupert ~ 15.7% (provisional) 
- New Westminster - 6.4% (provisional)