Update Post-COW
* Council (Beddows, Haldane, Tait and myself) sitting as the COW this afternoon voted in favour of asking staff to "provide additional reporting on an updated 2026-2030 Financial Plan based on a maximum annual tax increase of 12% including associated service-level impacts and reserve implications."
* Policing discussion focused (at Mayor Tait's suggestion) on adding a third RCMP officer to this year's budget so as to serve as a Community Police Officer with a particular focus as Sooke's first dedicated School Police Liaison Officer. (District of Mission SPLO example.) The requested office manager would be deferred to a future year.
* This potential hire shapes up as a significant act of "upstream intervention." The SPLO officer would work in concert with SD #62 at all Sooke-area schools, delivering straight talk and sound advice about drugs, gangs and sexual exploitation, facilitating restorative justice interventions, and generally ensuring students steer well clear of the youth justice system. (See the Victoria Family Court & Youth Justice Committee SPLO backgrounder on the high-profile debate/controversy in recent years at the Victoria School District. SD #62 schools in the west shore have a SPLO program through West Shore RCMP. Modified Sooke school engagement of this general kind ended some years back when Constable Sam Haldane moved to a new position.)
* The community policing part of the job is timely given the rising fears around safety in the town centre following a string of arson incidents and the results of the Chamber of Commerce Business Walk survey that captured up-Sooke business concerns related to theft, vandalism and homelessness. The TBA officer (budget approval pending) would be the "face of Sooke RCMP," said Staff Sgt. Willcocks. She/he would be a visible presence around town and would liaise on community safety initiatives, including with the business community.
Starting Points
- Budget Deliberations Start on Feb. 17 (press release)
- Let's Talk Budget 2026 (DOS microsite)
- Budget and Finance - District website home page
- Five-Year Financial Plan, 2025-2029 (adopted: April 7, 2025)
- Five-Year Financial Plan 2024-2028 (adopted in April, 2024)
Committee of the Whole - Feb. 17, 2026
We now enter the phase in the annual budget cycle when things get, as they say, real. Crunch time, and nobody is likely to be happy (to quote BC Finance Minister Brenda Bailey regarding the province's own budget to be delivered tomorrow.)
Brace yourself, Sooke: You'll again be paying more in this year's needs-not-wants budget as the District continues to strive to make up lost time (and tax dollars) by addressing essential municipal responsibilities - fire, police, asset management and union contract increases. There is arguably again zero fluff in this budget -- at least not if you recognize support for non-profit organizations through Sooke's Community Investment Program as a must, not a nice-to-have.
The key points in tomorrow's agenda:
- District staff will present potential tax increases ranging from 10.23% to 18.51% this year
- This hike will be subject to council decisions regarding discretionary and new-funding budget asks
- Average household increases will range from $182 to $330 per year ($15 to $28 per month) pending the final determined % increase.
- In 2026, a 1% tax increase = $144,488 in additional municipal revenue. In comparison, other municipalities gather considerably more from a +1% hike, i.e. Saanich ($1.75m), Langford ($450k), Colwood ($212k).
Catching Up: Critical Context
In 2025, Sooke yet again ranked as the third lowest among 26 local governments on Vancouver Island in residential property taxes collected for municipal services -- $2,022 on the average assessed residence.
If we opted for the maximum $330 (which I'm confident we will not), we'd still be among the lowest 10 communities on the island given increases by those immediately ahead of us on last year's chart. Oak Bay ($6,139), Victoria ($4,065) and Saanich ($4,002) lead the CRD in general municipal tax. We're in the ballpark with North Saanich ($2,059), Metchosin ($2,122) and Sidney ($2,444).
The VI average is approx. $2,500 per average household. We slipped behind our own growth curve in 2012-16 back when Sooke RCMP first began calling for more officers. Despite bold tax increases since 2017 (60.22% total), we continue to need additional funds in the areas of police, fire and asset management in particular.
Staff recommendation that the Future Policing Cost Reserves fund be left untouched ($433,597 as of Dec. 31, 2025). This will ensure available funding for any potential cases involving the Vancouver Island Integrated Major Crime Unit and is a starter on funding for the one-day need for a new RCMP/emergency services building.
2026 General Fund Operating Costs
- General Government - $5,011,303 (26%)
- Planning, Development & Building Services - $1,537,234 (8%)
- Operations - $3,715,339 (19%)
- Police - $5,237,952 (27%)
- Fire & Emergency - $3,753,895 (20%)
TOTAL: $19,255,733
Budget Components
Municipal Services (excluding RCMP)
7.59% is non-discretionary
- 5.51% - labour cost increases (CUPE 374 Sooke and IAFF Local 4841)
- 0.45% - debt servicing
- 0.01% - election costs
- 0.24% - contractor and maintenance
- 0.49% - IT software and licensing
- 0.14% - insurance and banking fees
- 0.16% - BC Hydro rate increase
- 0.10% - materials and equipment
- 0.03% - fuel
2.0% - Asset Management Reserve Fund increase is discretionary
2.71% is discretionary
- 0.46% - Firefighter #14
- 0.31% - Parks Auxiliary labourers
- 0.26% - Geographic Information Services co-op student
- 0.55% - Community Service Agreement increases (SCA)
- 0.42% - Zoning & Building Bylaw consultancy
- 0.35% - Rainwater infrastructure maintenance
- 0.10% - Streetlight contract maintenance
- 0.10% - Parks vehicle & small-machine maintenance
- 0.07% - Connector road engagement for referendum
- 0.06% - Tree maintenance
0.22%+ in new funding requests
- TBD – Deputy Mayor’s pay
- 0.21% - Foundry BC contribution
- 0.1% - The Village Initiative coordinator contribution (shared with West Shore communities & SD #62)
Sooke RCMP
2.64% is non-discretionary
- $198,855 to cover latest RCMP union contract increases for 14 budgeted RCMP members
- $42k to cover pay and benefits for three public-service employees
- $430k for a full year of E-Comm 9-1-1 service
3.69% is discretionary
- $532,452 for two more RCMP officers
1.57% in new funding requests
- $130k – new office manager position
- $97,500k – new GIS Disclosure Clerk (to handle heavy paperwork now managed by officers)
Total request: 7.90%
- $1.14m = $141 per household per year
"Policing is the largest single service within the District’s operating budget. RCMP contract costs, staffing levels, equipment requirements, and provincial standards strongly influence overall municipal expenditures and property tax scenarios." - DOS
Budget Next Steps
As we have in years past, council will likely ask the District's finance team to chop what and where it can even given all the preparation and preamble that has led us to this place. [The District's budget survey was completed last fall. The service review presentations by all District departments, Sooke RCMP, Sooke Fire Service and service-agreement participants ended last month. And now, in the agenda for this meeting, council and the public are seeing the first projected tax increases for 2026.
Ahead of us at near-term council meetings prior to the Province's May 15 deadline applicable to all local governments: i) First, second and third reading of the budget; ii) the annual Community Budget Open House; and iii) budget adoption.
The Province is introducing an austerity budget tomorrow. Ideally, we should as well, however the needs of Sooke Fire and Sooke RCMP are critical to community safety as this council has strongly recognized at budget time since 2023.
Backgrounder
Who Gets What: Sooke Property Tax Bill
District of Sooke - 45.4%
Provincial School Tax - 26.2%
Capital Regional District - 15.3%
BC Transit - 5.9%
VIRL - 3.7%
Hospital District - 2.7%
Municial Finance Authority - 0.8%
Sooke Budget 2026 Citizen Survey
- Budget 2026: What We Heard Report (public survey in summer 2025) + presentation
- Fire Rescue Services: Transition to 24/7 staffing model — now 92.7% satisfaction, highest of all service areas
- Policing: Enhanced local presence and coverage — satisfaction at 80.5%
- Bylaw Services: Expanded team from 2 to 3 officers, improving reliability and weekend coverage
"The District recognizes that the recent rate of property tax increases is not sustainable over the long term. This year’s survey asked residents to share perspectives on revenue diversification — how the District can reduce reliance on residential taxes ... Strong support for:
• Shared revenues with other levels of government (e.g., cannabis and cell service taxes)
• Attracting new businesses to expand the commercial tax base
• Hosting community events to generate local revenue
"Balancing Affordability and Service Delivery
- Residents recognize the need for fiscal responsibility but do not support reducing service levels
- 40% of respondents said they trust the District to find effective, responsible ways to manage trade-offs
Community priorities:
• Expand staff cross-training to improve flexibility
• Share services with neighbouring governments and nonprofits
• Use technology and automation to improve efficiency
Residents emphasized that cost-saving measures should:
• Maintain service quality and responsiveness
• Avoid over-stretching staff or reducing community access
Frequently Asked Questions page from Let's Talk, Budget
Example: Can’t we just cut costs to keep taxes low? "It’s a fair question - and one we hear often. The District is always looking for ways to be more efficient. We’ve already made improvements, like offering more digital services, streamlining internal processes, and working with partners to share costs where we can. But the reality is, most of the budget goes toward people and infrastructure—the staff who provide services and the facilities, roads, and systems we all rely on.
Cutting too deeply in these areas doesn’t just mean fewer services. It can lead to:
"The tax increases since 2012 average to 4.3% -- highlighting that increases in 2025 (15.29%) and 2024 are not typical. Stabilizing tax increases and diversifying funding sources is a priority."
Taxation in Sooke since 2012
Municipal tax hikes since 2012 total 61% ... nonetheless, to dive into the stats cited above, Sooke has the third lowest residential taxes on Vancouver Island. Sooke at $1,758 in municipal residential property taxes (for the average assessed property) is second only to Lake Cowichan ($1,593) and Lantzville ($1,744) in having the lowest bills on Vancouver Island amongst communities south of Campbell River. The median tax among the 25 jurisdictions cited in the draft plan is $2,524 (i.e., what folks in Port Alberni, Colwood, Central Saanich and Qualicum Beach approximately pay). Oak Bay tops the list at $4,976 per tweed-curtain household. Not that this alone justifies major local increases, of course.
2025 - 15.29%
2024 ~ 10.53%
2023 ~ 6.99%
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%
2019-2024 ~ 49.31%
2012-2024 ~ 61.0%
Working five-year projections in the 2025-2029 plan approved last spring ...
2026 – 9.70%
2027 – 7.71%
2028 – 10.72%
2029 – 7.34%
Optional: Property Tax Deferment Program
BC Tax Deferment Program
- Regular program (for people who are 55 or older, are a surviving spouse or a person with disabilities), or
- Families with children program
- Eligibility requirements
- Changes introduced in Feb. 2026 BC Budget
i) Changing the interest rate structure for the Property Tax Deferment Program from simple to compound and adopting a prime plus 2% rate for loans. Prime rate as of Feb 17 is 4.45% so with the above would mean a 6.45% interest rate.
- As of this time last year, BC residents deferred $2.33b in property taxes (2024/25) vs. $2.13b a year earlier
Policing Services - Sooke RCMP
See Committee of the Whole agenda, Jan. 19, 2026 for the power point presentation
delivered by Staff Sgt. Greg Willcocks
Municipal Requirements under the BC Police Act
15 (1) Subject to this section, a municipality with a population of more than 5 000 persons must bear the expenses necessary to generally maintain law and order in the municipality and must provide, in accordance with this Act, the regulations and the director's standards,
(a) policing and law enforcement in the municipality with a police service referred to in section 3 (2) [responsibilities of Provincial and municipal governments for providing policing and law enforcement services] of sufficient numbers (i) to adequately enforce municipal bylaws, the criminal law and the laws of British Columbia, and (ii) to maintain law and order in the municipality,
(b) adequate accommodation, equipment and supplies for (i) the operations of and use by the police service required under paragraph (a), and (ii) the detention of persons required to be held in police custody other than on behalf of the government, and
(c) the care and custody of persons held in a place of detention required under paragraph (b) (ii).
(1.1) The duties of a municipality under subsection (1) of this section include the duty set out in section 4.03 to use and pay for specialized services provided by a specialized service provider.
(2) If, due to special circumstances or abnormal conditions in a municipality, the minister believes it is unreasonable to require a municipality to provide policing or law enforcement under subsection (1), the minister may provide policing or law enforcement in the municipality, subject to the terms the Lieutenant Governor in Council approves.
The Province can step in and order municipalities to ensure sufficient policing budgets (2022 Esquimalt example)
Current Staffing
- 14 municipal officers (budgeted strength)
- 10.92 Full-Time Equivalent employees as of Dec. 31, 2025 (due to extended leave, sick leave, etc.)
- 18 authorized positions*
- 6 provincial officers (to cover regional responsibilities as far west as Port Renfrew)
- Sooke RCMP is undertaking a Core Policing Service Review.
- Police Resources in BC (2024)
* Definition: "Authorized strength represents the maximum number of positions that the detachment or department has been authorized to fill as of December 31 of each calendar year. The authorized strength for both municipal police units (RCMP) and municipal police department jurisdictions represents the number of sworn officers/members and sworn civilian officers/members assigned to a detachment or department, but does not include non-sworn civilian support staff, bylaw enforcement officers, the RCMP Auxiliary program or municipal police department reserve police officers."
Trends in Sooke Municipal RCMP Budget
- $1.2m in 2010 (70% cost share with the Province as per the BC Police Act based on a community's population size)
- $2m in 2017
- $3.02m in 2023 (90% cost share as population exceeds 15k)
- $3.99m in 2025 (includes $684k increase last year)
- $6.2m projected in 2029 according to the current Five-Year Financial Plan
Approx. 400% increase since 2015
2025 expenditures included ...
- New vehicles - $202k
- Radio communications systems - $22k
- Computer equipment - $60k
- Office workstation upgrades - $50k
2026 Budget Ask
-- Increase budgeted officers from 14 to 16 officers.
* This will budget for the GIS position and one front line general duty position (2025).
* Increase authorized officers from 18 to 20 officers.
* Both these officers will be front line policing (one being a supervisor).
- Authorize the creation of a detachment municipal manager.
- Authorize the creation of GIS disclosure clerk.
* This is the minimum amount necessary to prevent service reductions in 2026.
Sooke RCMP COW Report
(see agenda, pp. 7-53)
* "The budget plan addresses the two primary directions from the residents of Sooke which are: maintain strong public safety by strengthening police while balancing costs.
* Creates a safer environment for the officers with better access to backup so they can better manage call volume and high-risk situations. Also supports member wellness.
* Allows the detachment to better respond to critical incidents in Sooke.
* Allow the detachment to continue to address the growing rate of serious crime and overall calls for service with an emphasis on front line policing (boots on the ground).
* Significantly reduces risk of being over budget in 2026 (reduction of 1 million dollar gap).
* Provides critical administrative support for the officers and allows for the detachment to remain open.
* The detachment will continue to focus on maintaining safe roads while increasing our presence on the roads and coming back to a focus on impaired driving, speeding, and school zone enforcement."
Rationales
- Policing staff in Sooke has increased 27% since 2010 vs. population increase of 62% (11 officers then, 14 now)
- Detachment switched to 24/7 policing due to increase in provincial officers
- Struggling to maintain basic services due to population increase and accelerated service calls
- Cop to Pop ratio is "dangerous for the public and the RCMP officers who serve here."
- "There is a narrow window to avoid service cuts in 2026 with the proposed budget plan."
- "Overtime will continue to be high to maintain minimum levels"
- "Without action, we would be putting additional pressure on future councils and budgetary years to close the gap."
Sooke – 2025 Cop/Pop Ratio
- 1:1,250 ... one officer per 1,250 residents, second highest ratio in BC
- Victoria ~ 1:472
- Langford ~ 1:788
- Colwood ~ 1:939
- North Saanich ~ 1:1103
- Without new hires, Sooke will be 1:1,484 in 2030
- Cost per capita for Sooke taxpayers is $203 per year
- Central Saanich with similar population has 23 officers at $284 per capita
Call for Service Trend
- up 23% from 2023 and 14% from 2024
- Sooke RCMP on pace for approx. 6,686 calls this year (5,288 or 79%) in Sooke
- Sooke has the fourth highest call volume in the CRD in 2025 and the largest increase in calls for service
Crime Severity Index
- The Crime Severity Index (CSI) is a measurement used by Statistics Canada to track changes in the level of severity of police-reported crime. In B.C., recent data from 2026 shows a significant 11% drop in the province's CSI for 2024, the largest decrease in the country.
- CSI index in Sooke = 79.5 (up 44% since 2020)
- BC average is 92.98
- CSI rises when major criminal activity is apprehended; the District established a General Investigative Services (GIS) unit in 2024 that has cracked major cases, hence increasing our indexed number.
- In smaller municipalities a few serious incidents can dramatically inflate CSI as the index is scaled by population
- The CSI does not include calls for non-criminal matters (mental health, traffic, missing persons)
- An increase in the CSI may actually reflect better policing or improved reporting methods (such as new online tools) rather than more actual crime.
Budget 2026 Community Survey
- " Support for RCMP: 63% of respondents indicated they somewhat or strongly support increased investment, with 42% strongly supportive before a tax value was applied.
Fire Rescue Services Plan
"The Fire Master Plan recommends adding two full-time firefighters per year over the next three years to improve response times and maintain safety standards. Support: 65% of respondents indicated they somewhat or strongly support this investment, with 31% strongly supportive."
Issue: Organized Crime in Sooke
- Organized drug trafficking and weapons
- Sexual exploitation investigation
- Youth assault
- add media clips
Issue: Proactive vs. Reactive Policing
Because of funding shortfalls and recruitment issues, some BC municipalities have been forced to shift from proactive to reactive policing services … Prince George, Cranbrook, Terrace are three examples. There is currently a 20% RCMP staffing vacancy rate across BC.
Calls that are impacted under reactive policing model
- Property crimes (minor)
- Non-emergency traffic issues
- Proactive patrols – foot and bike patrols that deter crime and social issues
- Wellness checks
- Administrative and low-priority disturbances
Community Impacts
- increased dispatch wait times
- erosion of public trust
- burnout and safety risks to officers
- delayed investigations
- resource strains on small municipalities
Dangers of the reactive model
- property crime becomes normalized
- small stuff escalates
- upstream intervention and determent
- trust goes down when you call emergency lines and nobody shows up
Triage and Prioritization of Calls
- While the RCMP processes all calls for service, officers do not necessarily respond in person to every call they receive. The RCMP uses a triaging system, similar to a hospital emergency room, to prioritize urgent incidents over non-urgent matters to ensure resources are used effectively.
Possible Community Initiatives
- Canadian Citizens On Patrol Program
- Block Watch Society of BC + BC RCMP affiliation
- Business Improvement Associations – hiring of private security
- Advocacy for integrated units: Peer Assisted Care Teams (PACT), Mobile Integrated Crisis Response (IMCRT)
- RCMP Online Crime Reporting Tool
- Restorative justice engagements (West Shore RCMP example)
- Advocate for regional policing models
Option: Community Safety Officers (Tier 2)
- One way to somewhat affordably ease the load on the Sooke RCMP team
- Enabled in 2024 amendments to the BC Police Act (see UBCM release)
- A new class of peace officers to work in conjunction with police
- Salary: $70k (Saanich) … less than half the price of an RCMP officer (now factored all-in at $260k)
- Examples: Langford, Saanich and Delta
- Cannot issue speeding tickets
- Cannot conduct field sobriety tests
- CSOs free up RCMP time from everyday tasks so that RCMP officers can focus on higher-risk work
Potential CSO duties:
1. Community patrols – visible foot, bike and vehicle patrols
2. Administrative support – document service, front-desk inquiries and taking reports for minor incidents
3. Operational support – crime scenes, traffic patrol, detention guard duties
4. Focused engagement in schools, care facilities and transit hubs
5. Limited peace officer powers: lower-risk functions
6. Sooke Shelter and Drennan St. calls
7. EMCS School Police Liaison Officer role
8. Administrative and other support requested by Sooke RCMP
Additional RCMP Cost Pressures
* "Local Governments Advised to Prepare for RCMP Collective Bargaining Settlement" - UBCM, Feb. 4, 2026
<clip> "The second RCMP Collective Agreement, which included a 4% annual salary increase for two years, expired on March 31, 2025. Based on the timelines outlined in the second Collective Agreement, the National Police Federation could submit a notice to bargain as early as December 2024, which it did. Bargaining has picked up since the April 2025 federal election, but an agreement has not yet been reached.
Local governments continue to emphasize the importance of cost containment, given the rising cost of RCMP policing. The 2024 Police Resources in British Columbia publication notes that BC local governments over 5,000 in population spent $855.5 million on RCMP policing in 2024. This represents an increase of approximately 10% ($76.4 million) compared to the previous year. This amount does not include costs incurred as part of the Surrey Police Model Transition or by local governments under 5,000 in population, who contribute through the Police Tax.
Although the federal government has been unwilling to meet directly with UBCM and the BC Local Government RCMP Contract Management Committee, the cost concerns expressed by local governments, including members of the CMC, have been acknowledged."
Archive of my earlier budget posts
- Budget 2025
- Budget 2024
- Budget 2023
- Budget 2022
- 2020/21
- CRD (2019)
- Budget 2019
* Council (Beddows, Haldane, Tait and myself) sitting as the COW this afternoon voted in favour of asking staff to "provide additional reporting on an updated 2026-2030 Financial Plan based on a maximum annual tax increase of 12% including associated service-level impacts and reserve implications."
* Policing discussion focused (at Mayor Tait's suggestion) on adding a third RCMP officer to this year's budget so as to serve as a Community Police Officer with a particular focus as Sooke's first dedicated School Police Liaison Officer. (District of Mission SPLO example.) The requested office manager would be deferred to a future year.
* This potential hire shapes up as a significant act of "upstream intervention." The SPLO officer would work in concert with SD #62 at all Sooke-area schools, delivering straight talk and sound advice about drugs, gangs and sexual exploitation, facilitating restorative justice interventions, and generally ensuring students steer well clear of the youth justice system. (See the Victoria Family Court & Youth Justice Committee SPLO backgrounder on the high-profile debate/controversy in recent years at the Victoria School District. SD #62 schools in the west shore have a SPLO program through West Shore RCMP. Modified Sooke school engagement of this general kind ended some years back when Constable Sam Haldane moved to a new position.)
* The community policing part of the job is timely given the rising fears around safety in the town centre following a string of arson incidents and the results of the Chamber of Commerce Business Walk survey that captured up-Sooke business concerns related to theft, vandalism and homelessness. The TBA officer (budget approval pending) would be the "face of Sooke RCMP," said Staff Sgt. Willcocks. She/he would be a visible presence around town and would liaise on community safety initiatives, including with the business community.
Starting Points
- Budget Deliberations Start on Feb. 17 (press release)
- Let's Talk Budget 2026 (DOS microsite)
- Budget and Finance - District website home page
- Five-Year Financial Plan, 2025-2029 (adopted: April 7, 2025)
- Five-Year Financial Plan 2024-2028 (adopted in April, 2024)
Committee of the Whole - Feb. 17, 2026
We now enter the phase in the annual budget cycle when things get, as they say, real. Crunch time, and nobody is likely to be happy (to quote BC Finance Minister Brenda Bailey regarding the province's own budget to be delivered tomorrow.)
Brace yourself, Sooke: You'll again be paying more in this year's needs-not-wants budget as the District continues to strive to make up lost time (and tax dollars) by addressing essential municipal responsibilities - fire, police, asset management and union contract increases. There is arguably again zero fluff in this budget -- at least not if you recognize support for non-profit organizations through Sooke's Community Investment Program as a must, not a nice-to-have.
The key points in tomorrow's agenda:
- District staff will present potential tax increases ranging from 10.23% to 18.51% this year
- This hike will be subject to council decisions regarding discretionary and new-funding budget asks
- Average household increases will range from $182 to $330 per year ($15 to $28 per month) pending the final determined % increase.
- In 2026, a 1% tax increase = $144,488 in additional municipal revenue. In comparison, other municipalities gather considerably more from a +1% hike, i.e. Saanich ($1.75m), Langford ($450k), Colwood ($212k).
Catching Up: Critical Context
In 2025, Sooke yet again ranked as the third lowest among 26 local governments on Vancouver Island in residential property taxes collected for municipal services -- $2,022 on the average assessed residence.
If we opted for the maximum $330 (which I'm confident we will not), we'd still be among the lowest 10 communities on the island given increases by those immediately ahead of us on last year's chart. Oak Bay ($6,139), Victoria ($4,065) and Saanich ($4,002) lead the CRD in general municipal tax. We're in the ballpark with North Saanich ($2,059), Metchosin ($2,122) and Sidney ($2,444).
The VI average is approx. $2,500 per average household. We slipped behind our own growth curve in 2012-16 back when Sooke RCMP first began calling for more officers. Despite bold tax increases since 2017 (60.22% total), we continue to need additional funds in the areas of police, fire and asset management in particular.
Staff recommendation that the Future Policing Cost Reserves fund be left untouched ($433,597 as of Dec. 31, 2025). This will ensure available funding for any potential cases involving the Vancouver Island Integrated Major Crime Unit and is a starter on funding for the one-day need for a new RCMP/emergency services building.
2026 General Fund Operating Costs
- General Government - $5,011,303 (26%)
- Planning, Development & Building Services - $1,537,234 (8%)
- Operations - $3,715,339 (19%)
- Police - $5,237,952 (27%)
- Fire & Emergency - $3,753,895 (20%)
TOTAL: $19,255,733
Budget Components
Municipal Services (excluding RCMP)
7.59% is non-discretionary
- 5.51% - labour cost increases (CUPE 374 Sooke and IAFF Local 4841)
- 0.45% - debt servicing
- 0.01% - election costs
- 0.24% - contractor and maintenance
- 0.49% - IT software and licensing
- 0.14% - insurance and banking fees
- 0.16% - BC Hydro rate increase
- 0.10% - materials and equipment
- 0.03% - fuel
2.0% - Asset Management Reserve Fund increase is discretionary
2.71% is discretionary
- 0.46% - Firefighter #14
- 0.31% - Parks Auxiliary labourers
- 0.26% - Geographic Information Services co-op student
- 0.55% - Community Service Agreement increases (SCA)
- 0.42% - Zoning & Building Bylaw consultancy
- 0.35% - Rainwater infrastructure maintenance
- 0.10% - Streetlight contract maintenance
- 0.10% - Parks vehicle & small-machine maintenance
- 0.07% - Connector road engagement for referendum
- 0.06% - Tree maintenance
0.22%+ in new funding requests
- TBD – Deputy Mayor’s pay
- 0.21% - Foundry BC contribution
- 0.1% - The Village Initiative coordinator contribution (shared with West Shore communities & SD #62)
Sooke RCMP
2.64% is non-discretionary
- $198,855 to cover latest RCMP union contract increases for 14 budgeted RCMP members
- $42k to cover pay and benefits for three public-service employees
- $430k for a full year of E-Comm 9-1-1 service
3.69% is discretionary
- $532,452 for two more RCMP officers
1.57% in new funding requests
- $130k – new office manager position
- $97,500k – new GIS Disclosure Clerk (to handle heavy paperwork now managed by officers)
Total request: 7.90%
- $1.14m = $141 per household per year
"Policing is the largest single service within the District’s operating budget. RCMP contract costs, staffing levels, equipment requirements, and provincial standards strongly influence overall municipal expenditures and property tax scenarios." - DOS
Budget Next Steps
As we have in years past, council will likely ask the District's finance team to chop what and where it can even given all the preparation and preamble that has led us to this place. [The District's budget survey was completed last fall. The service review presentations by all District departments, Sooke RCMP, Sooke Fire Service and service-agreement participants ended last month. And now, in the agenda for this meeting, council and the public are seeing the first projected tax increases for 2026.
Ahead of us at near-term council meetings prior to the Province's May 15 deadline applicable to all local governments: i) First, second and third reading of the budget; ii) the annual Community Budget Open House; and iii) budget adoption.
The Province is introducing an austerity budget tomorrow. Ideally, we should as well, however the needs of Sooke Fire and Sooke RCMP are critical to community safety as this council has strongly recognized at budget time since 2023.
Backgrounder
Who Gets What: Sooke Property Tax Bill
District of Sooke - 45.4%
Provincial School Tax - 26.2%
Capital Regional District - 15.3%
BC Transit - 5.9%
VIRL - 3.7%
Hospital District - 2.7%
Municial Finance Authority - 0.8%
Sooke Budget 2026 Citizen Survey
- Budget 2026: What We Heard Report (public survey in summer 2025) + presentation
- Fire Rescue Services: Transition to 24/7 staffing model — now 92.7% satisfaction, highest of all service areas
- Policing: Enhanced local presence and coverage — satisfaction at 80.5%
- Bylaw Services: Expanded team from 2 to 3 officers, improving reliability and weekend coverage
"The District recognizes that the recent rate of property tax increases is not sustainable over the long term. This year’s survey asked residents to share perspectives on revenue diversification — how the District can reduce reliance on residential taxes ... Strong support for:
• Shared revenues with other levels of government (e.g., cannabis and cell service taxes)
• Attracting new businesses to expand the commercial tax base
• Hosting community events to generate local revenue
"Balancing Affordability and Service Delivery
- Residents recognize the need for fiscal responsibility but do not support reducing service levels
- 40% of respondents said they trust the District to find effective, responsible ways to manage trade-offs
Community priorities:
• Expand staff cross-training to improve flexibility
• Share services with neighbouring governments and nonprofits
• Use technology and automation to improve efficiency
Residents emphasized that cost-saving measures should:
• Maintain service quality and responsiveness
• Avoid over-stretching staff or reducing community access
Frequently Asked Questions page from Let's Talk, Budget
Example: Can’t we just cut costs to keep taxes low? "It’s a fair question - and one we hear often. The District is always looking for ways to be more efficient. We’ve already made improvements, like offering more digital services, streamlining internal processes, and working with partners to share costs where we can. But the reality is, most of the budget goes toward people and infrastructure—the staff who provide services and the facilities, roads, and systems we all rely on.
- Wages make up the largest part of the operating budget. These are based on union agreements and reflect the cost of hiring qualified staff to do important work.
- Emergency services depend on having enough trained responders available when residents need them.
- Parks, trails, and roads need regular maintenance to stay safe and prevent bigger, more expensive problems later on.
Cutting too deeply in these areas doesn’t just mean fewer services. It can lead to:
- Slower emergency response times
- Delayed repairs that cost more to fix later
- Less safety and cleanliness in public spaces
- Higher staff turnover and burnout, which brings extra costs for recruiting and training new employees
"The tax increases since 2012 average to 4.3% -- highlighting that increases in 2025 (15.29%) and 2024 are not typical. Stabilizing tax increases and diversifying funding sources is a priority."
Taxation in Sooke since 2012
Municipal tax hikes since 2012 total 61% ... nonetheless, to dive into the stats cited above, Sooke has the third lowest residential taxes on Vancouver Island. Sooke at $1,758 in municipal residential property taxes (for the average assessed property) is second only to Lake Cowichan ($1,593) and Lantzville ($1,744) in having the lowest bills on Vancouver Island amongst communities south of Campbell River. The median tax among the 25 jurisdictions cited in the draft plan is $2,524 (i.e., what folks in Port Alberni, Colwood, Central Saanich and Qualicum Beach approximately pay). Oak Bay tops the list at $4,976 per tweed-curtain household. Not that this alone justifies major local increases, of course.
2025 - 15.29%
2024 ~ 10.53%
2023 ~ 6.99%
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%
2019-2024 ~ 49.31%
2012-2024 ~ 61.0%
Working five-year projections in the 2025-2029 plan approved last spring ...
2026 – 9.70%
2027 – 7.71%
2028 – 10.72%
2029 – 7.34%
Optional: Property Tax Deferment Program
BC Tax Deferment Program
- Regular program (for people who are 55 or older, are a surviving spouse or a person with disabilities), or
- Families with children program
- Eligibility requirements
- Changes introduced in Feb. 2026 BC Budget
i) Changing the interest rate structure for the Property Tax Deferment Program from simple to compound and adopting a prime plus 2% rate for loans. Prime rate as of Feb 17 is 4.45% so with the above would mean a 6.45% interest rate.
- As of this time last year, BC residents deferred $2.33b in property taxes (2024/25) vs. $2.13b a year earlier
Policing Services - Sooke RCMP
See Committee of the Whole agenda, Jan. 19, 2026 for the power point presentation
delivered by Staff Sgt. Greg Willcocks
Municipal Requirements under the BC Police Act
15 (1) Subject to this section, a municipality with a population of more than 5 000 persons must bear the expenses necessary to generally maintain law and order in the municipality and must provide, in accordance with this Act, the regulations and the director's standards,
(a) policing and law enforcement in the municipality with a police service referred to in section 3 (2) [responsibilities of Provincial and municipal governments for providing policing and law enforcement services] of sufficient numbers (i) to adequately enforce municipal bylaws, the criminal law and the laws of British Columbia, and (ii) to maintain law and order in the municipality,
(b) adequate accommodation, equipment and supplies for (i) the operations of and use by the police service required under paragraph (a), and (ii) the detention of persons required to be held in police custody other than on behalf of the government, and
(c) the care and custody of persons held in a place of detention required under paragraph (b) (ii).
(1.1) The duties of a municipality under subsection (1) of this section include the duty set out in section 4.03 to use and pay for specialized services provided by a specialized service provider.
(2) If, due to special circumstances or abnormal conditions in a municipality, the minister believes it is unreasonable to require a municipality to provide policing or law enforcement under subsection (1), the minister may provide policing or law enforcement in the municipality, subject to the terms the Lieutenant Governor in Council approves.
The Province can step in and order municipalities to ensure sufficient policing budgets (2022 Esquimalt example)
Current Staffing
- 14 municipal officers (budgeted strength)
- 10.92 Full-Time Equivalent employees as of Dec. 31, 2025 (due to extended leave, sick leave, etc.)
- 18 authorized positions*
- 6 provincial officers (to cover regional responsibilities as far west as Port Renfrew)
- Sooke RCMP is undertaking a Core Policing Service Review.
- Police Resources in BC (2024)
* Definition: "Authorized strength represents the maximum number of positions that the detachment or department has been authorized to fill as of December 31 of each calendar year. The authorized strength for both municipal police units (RCMP) and municipal police department jurisdictions represents the number of sworn officers/members and sworn civilian officers/members assigned to a detachment or department, but does not include non-sworn civilian support staff, bylaw enforcement officers, the RCMP Auxiliary program or municipal police department reserve police officers."
Trends in Sooke Municipal RCMP Budget
- $1.2m in 2010 (70% cost share with the Province as per the BC Police Act based on a community's population size)
- $2m in 2017
- $3.02m in 2023 (90% cost share as population exceeds 15k)
- $3.99m in 2025 (includes $684k increase last year)
- $6.2m projected in 2029 according to the current Five-Year Financial Plan
Approx. 400% increase since 2015
2025 expenditures included ...
- New vehicles - $202k
- Radio communications systems - $22k
- Computer equipment - $60k
- Office workstation upgrades - $50k
2026 Budget Ask
-- Increase budgeted officers from 14 to 16 officers.
* This will budget for the GIS position and one front line general duty position (2025).
* Increase authorized officers from 18 to 20 officers.
* Both these officers will be front line policing (one being a supervisor).
- Authorize the creation of a detachment municipal manager.
- Authorize the creation of GIS disclosure clerk.
* This is the minimum amount necessary to prevent service reductions in 2026.
Sooke RCMP COW Report
(see agenda, pp. 7-53)
* "The budget plan addresses the two primary directions from the residents of Sooke which are: maintain strong public safety by strengthening police while balancing costs.
* Creates a safer environment for the officers with better access to backup so they can better manage call volume and high-risk situations. Also supports member wellness.
* Allows the detachment to better respond to critical incidents in Sooke.
* Allow the detachment to continue to address the growing rate of serious crime and overall calls for service with an emphasis on front line policing (boots on the ground).
* Significantly reduces risk of being over budget in 2026 (reduction of 1 million dollar gap).
* Provides critical administrative support for the officers and allows for the detachment to remain open.
* The detachment will continue to focus on maintaining safe roads while increasing our presence on the roads and coming back to a focus on impaired driving, speeding, and school zone enforcement."
Rationales
- Policing staff in Sooke has increased 27% since 2010 vs. population increase of 62% (11 officers then, 14 now)
- Detachment switched to 24/7 policing due to increase in provincial officers
- Struggling to maintain basic services due to population increase and accelerated service calls
- Cop to Pop ratio is "dangerous for the public and the RCMP officers who serve here."
- "There is a narrow window to avoid service cuts in 2026 with the proposed budget plan."
- "Overtime will continue to be high to maintain minimum levels"
- "Without action, we would be putting additional pressure on future councils and budgetary years to close the gap."
Sooke – 2025 Cop/Pop Ratio
- 1:1,250 ... one officer per 1,250 residents, second highest ratio in BC
- Victoria ~ 1:472
- Langford ~ 1:788
- Colwood ~ 1:939
- North Saanich ~ 1:1103
- Without new hires, Sooke will be 1:1,484 in 2030
- Cost per capita for Sooke taxpayers is $203 per year
- Central Saanich with similar population has 23 officers at $284 per capita
Call for Service Trend
- up 23% from 2023 and 14% from 2024
- Sooke RCMP on pace for approx. 6,686 calls this year (5,288 or 79%) in Sooke
- Sooke has the fourth highest call volume in the CRD in 2025 and the largest increase in calls for service
Crime Severity Index
- The Crime Severity Index (CSI) is a measurement used by Statistics Canada to track changes in the level of severity of police-reported crime. In B.C., recent data from 2026 shows a significant 11% drop in the province's CSI for 2024, the largest decrease in the country.
- CSI index in Sooke = 79.5 (up 44% since 2020)
- BC average is 92.98
- CSI rises when major criminal activity is apprehended; the District established a General Investigative Services (GIS) unit in 2024 that has cracked major cases, hence increasing our indexed number.
- In smaller municipalities a few serious incidents can dramatically inflate CSI as the index is scaled by population
- The CSI does not include calls for non-criminal matters (mental health, traffic, missing persons)
- An increase in the CSI may actually reflect better policing or improved reporting methods (such as new online tools) rather than more actual crime.
Budget 2026 Community Survey
- " Support for RCMP: 63% of respondents indicated they somewhat or strongly support increased investment, with 42% strongly supportive before a tax value was applied.
Fire Rescue Services Plan
"The Fire Master Plan recommends adding two full-time firefighters per year over the next three years to improve response times and maintain safety standards. Support: 65% of respondents indicated they somewhat or strongly support this investment, with 31% strongly supportive."
Issue: Organized Crime in Sooke
- Organized drug trafficking and weapons
- Sexual exploitation investigation
- Youth assault
- add media clips
Issue: Proactive vs. Reactive Policing
Because of funding shortfalls and recruitment issues, some BC municipalities have been forced to shift from proactive to reactive policing services … Prince George, Cranbrook, Terrace are three examples. There is currently a 20% RCMP staffing vacancy rate across BC.
Calls that are impacted under reactive policing model
- Property crimes (minor)
- Non-emergency traffic issues
- Proactive patrols – foot and bike patrols that deter crime and social issues
- Wellness checks
- Administrative and low-priority disturbances
Community Impacts
- increased dispatch wait times
- erosion of public trust
- burnout and safety risks to officers
- delayed investigations
- resource strains on small municipalities
Dangers of the reactive model
- property crime becomes normalized
- small stuff escalates
- upstream intervention and determent
- trust goes down when you call emergency lines and nobody shows up
Triage and Prioritization of Calls
- While the RCMP processes all calls for service, officers do not necessarily respond in person to every call they receive. The RCMP uses a triaging system, similar to a hospital emergency room, to prioritize urgent incidents over non-urgent matters to ensure resources are used effectively.
Possible Community Initiatives
- Canadian Citizens On Patrol Program
- Block Watch Society of BC + BC RCMP affiliation
- Business Improvement Associations – hiring of private security
- Advocacy for integrated units: Peer Assisted Care Teams (PACT), Mobile Integrated Crisis Response (IMCRT)
- RCMP Online Crime Reporting Tool
- Restorative justice engagements (West Shore RCMP example)
- Advocate for regional policing models
Option: Community Safety Officers (Tier 2)
- One way to somewhat affordably ease the load on the Sooke RCMP team
- Enabled in 2024 amendments to the BC Police Act (see UBCM release)
- A new class of peace officers to work in conjunction with police
- Salary: $70k (Saanich) … less than half the price of an RCMP officer (now factored all-in at $260k)
- Examples: Langford, Saanich and Delta
- Cannot issue speeding tickets
- Cannot conduct field sobriety tests
- CSOs free up RCMP time from everyday tasks so that RCMP officers can focus on higher-risk work
Potential CSO duties:
1. Community patrols – visible foot, bike and vehicle patrols
2. Administrative support – document service, front-desk inquiries and taking reports for minor incidents
3. Operational support – crime scenes, traffic patrol, detention guard duties
4. Focused engagement in schools, care facilities and transit hubs
5. Limited peace officer powers: lower-risk functions
6. Sooke Shelter and Drennan St. calls
7. EMCS School Police Liaison Officer role
8. Administrative and other support requested by Sooke RCMP
Additional RCMP Cost Pressures
* "Local Governments Advised to Prepare for RCMP Collective Bargaining Settlement" - UBCM, Feb. 4, 2026
<clip> "The second RCMP Collective Agreement, which included a 4% annual salary increase for two years, expired on March 31, 2025. Based on the timelines outlined in the second Collective Agreement, the National Police Federation could submit a notice to bargain as early as December 2024, which it did. Bargaining has picked up since the April 2025 federal election, but an agreement has not yet been reached.
Local governments continue to emphasize the importance of cost containment, given the rising cost of RCMP policing. The 2024 Police Resources in British Columbia publication notes that BC local governments over 5,000 in population spent $855.5 million on RCMP policing in 2024. This represents an increase of approximately 10% ($76.4 million) compared to the previous year. This amount does not include costs incurred as part of the Surrey Police Model Transition or by local governments under 5,000 in population, who contribute through the Police Tax.
Although the federal government has been unwilling to meet directly with UBCM and the BC Local Government RCMP Contract Management Committee, the cost concerns expressed by local governments, including members of the CMC, have been acknowledged."
Archive of my earlier budget posts
- Budget 2025
- Budget 2024
- Budget 2023
- Budget 2022
- 2020/21
- CRD (2019)
- Budget 2019
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