Update: October 2025
The District is introducing a first Community Service Agreement Policy at the Oct. 20 Committee of the Whole meeting.
All existing service agreements will continue for their current terms (most through 2027) and then be up for renewal as per the terms of this new policy. See pp. 107-117 in the agenda.
The policy is part of a new Community Investment Program that will also see updates to the Community Grant and Sponsorship programs.
Traditionally, service agreements as listed below have been awarded over time to the key organizations doing heavy lifting in areas of community life beyond the scope of legislated municipal responsibility.
As per a forward-looking organization dedicated to transparency and equitable access to public funds, the proposed new policy "supports accountability to taxpayers while ensuring community organizations have ample time to adapt to reporting and evaluation approaches, and also work collaboratively with District staff to optimize applications to other funding streams (e.g., Provincial Gaming Grants). This support is intended to balance the operational realities of community organizations with potential adjustments to District service delivery, ensuring a coordinated, sustainable approach to meeting community needs."
Key features of the draft policy include ...
* Clear purpose and scope: Applies to service delivery partnerships, not procurement of goods or capital works.
* Defined process: Outlines how service delivery needs are identified and how agreements may be established through either a Call to Fill Services process or a Direct Award when applicable.
* Principles of accountability: Ensures agreements align with Council’s strategic priorities, promote community wellbeing, and uphold fiscal responsibility.
* Transparency and fairness: Establishes criteria for identifying and evaluating potential partners, while providing flexibility to respond to community needs.
How will the transition to the new policy be managed?
The District is looking to take a phased, change-management approach:
* 2025–2026: Introduce the policy, and update reporting templates.
* Early 2026: Invite current partners to present annual updates to Council at a Committee of the Whole meeting to highlight outcomes and impacts.
* 2026 Budget Process: Identify any emerging service needs under the policy.
* 2027: Transition existing agreements to align with the new policy upon renewal or re-tender."
September 8, 2025 - New Permissive Tax Exemption Bylaw #930 adopted. See council agenda pp. 151-203
MOVED by Councillor Megan McMath, seconded by Councillor Tony St-Pierre:
THAT Council give the District of Sooke Permissive Tax Exemption Bylaw No.
930, 2025, first, second and third reading, as outlined in Option 5 of the staff
report, with the exception that the permissive tax exemptions for Below-Market
Rental Housing will be phased out over five years as follows: 100% in 2026;
75% in 2027; 50% in 2028; 25% in 2029; and 0% in 2030. CARRIED
New Sooke Permissive Tax Exemption Policy adopted in May, 2025 (press release) dictates that below-market rental buildings in Sooke are no longer eligible for these exemptions. This applies to the Knox Vision Centre on Church, the M'akola buildings on Drennan and Charters, and any future non-profit housing.
The logic is that the District is facing increasingly heavy costs to deliver services to all of Sooke, these buildings included. This was a tough decision that attempts to address the soaring costs of police and fire services. Non-profit developers will still be attracted through cost-savings measures under Sooke Town Centre Revitalization Bylaw #408 – 2014 which provides a phased tax exemptions from full in year one, increasing to a full assessment in year four and subsequent years. Local governments can waive or lower Development Fees and Charges for non-market housing - Vancouver Island Non-Profit Housing Providers – “implement financial exemptions for non-profit developers – including exemptions from property taxes, development cost charges and municipal improvement obligations.”
Rough estimate of impacts (my own, unconfirmed):
* Knox - $8,616 in 2025 muni taxes ... 42 units at monthly rate = $17 per month extra (prov. taxes of $9k are waived)
* M'akola - $96,176 in 2025 muni taxes ... 250 units = $32 per month per unit (prov. taxes of $108k are waived)
* Permissive Tax Exemptions explained (Province of BC, March 2025)
May 26, 2025 - Community Investment Plan discussion by staff and council.
See staff report starting on pp. 247 of the regular council agenda
"What’s Working:
* Strong financial and in-kind support for a wide range of community-led programs.
*Reflects the District’s commitment to building partnerships and supporting local organizations.
* Responsive to community needs and evolving priorities.
What’s Not Working:
* Fragmented and ad-hoc approach lacks coordination and consistency.
* Administrative burden on staff exceeds the scope of a single full-time role.
* Absence of a unifying policy framework makes it difficult to evaluate impact or align with strategic planning."
2025 Community Grant recipients - District press release, May 16, 2025
"Twenty-six organizations will receive a total of $106,650 to support a wide range of programs and services."
Funded from the Community Grant Budget
Updates: Spring 2024
The District will this year dedicate fully 7.5% ($924k) of the annual municipal budget to Service Agreements ($367k), Community Grants ($101k) and Permissive Tax Exemptions ($457k).
- Sooke Food Bank new service agreement (to be discussed at May 13, 2024 Council meeting; see agenda pp. 271.
Local data from Food Banks Canada's 2024 Hunger Count
- 8,676 distinct visits made to the Sooke Food Bank in 2023
- 608 adults and 240 children in Sooke were clients in the March 2024
- 59 new clients registered in March, 2024
- Food Bank provides services to ...
The Sooke Shelter
Meals on Wheels
Vital Vittles
EMCS school fruit program
Saseenoos Elementary fruit program
Sooke Elementary fruit program
John Muir Elementary fruit program
Journey breakfast and snack programs
Amber Academy snack program
From the minutes of that meeting:
Kim Kaldal of the Sooke Food Bank presented a request for continued/renewal of their funding for their program. The Presentation/Report included information on: Sooke Food Bank - Community Service Agreement Renewal: Kim Kaldal of the Sooke Food Bank presented a request for continued/renewal of their funding for their program. The Presentation/Report included information on:
* Requesting new 5 year service agreement;
* Requesting increase in funding; and
* General updates including updates on increases in services.
2024-164 MOVED by Councillor Jeff Bateman, seconded by Councillor Megan McMath:
THAT Council provide a new agreement for the Sooke Food Bank with a service fee of $50,000 starting in 2024 with the increase in funding from the COVID Restart Reserve until 2027 with annual CPI increases based on the December annual average in Victoria. CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY
- 2024 Community Grant recipients
- Sooke Permissive Tax Exemptions (see pg. 87 onward in the Annual Report for full list)
- Sooke Family Resource Society three-year service agreement ($45k annually) focused on youth navigator services and pre-natal counselling - March 11, 2024 (see agenda pp. 19-24)
Original Post: Dec. 12, 2022
Municipal Monday last week was reserved for a council review and renewal of the District's Community Service Agreements (example), signed for multi-year terms that expire this month. The agenda guided us through reports from seven stalwart organizations who secure a share of their annual budgets from property-owning residents via council.
In 2022, council has responsibility for $574,853 in District funds (from a $31 million operational budget). Service agreements represent about 40% of our annual discretionary cash.
The following were the service agreement participants up for renewal:
1. Sooke Food Bank
2. Sooke Region Communities Health Network
3. Sooke Community Association
4. Sooke Tourism Association
5. Visitor Information Centre
6. Sooke Lions Club - Canada Day + Santa Parade
7. Sooke Region Chamber of Commerce
One other service agreement not reviewed was a three-year agreement ($30k per year) we approved in the spring with the Sooke Family Resource Society. This supports its Youth Navigator and Adult Counselling programs for vulnerable individuals in need who otherwise could not afford these critical services. Funds for this agreement come from the District's Covid Relief Reserve Fund.
Staff recommended that a 6.4% CPI index increase based on year-to-year inflation be considered for all service agreements.
Also under council's budget purview are ...
* Community Grants Program ($65k, annual application deadline is March 15)
* Permission Tax Exemptions
* Council contingency fund to cover arising requests and our own initiatives ($60k)
* Funds for our own travel to and attendance at regional, provincial and national conventions ($15k)
* Salary contributions for our valued/vital corporate service support ($126k)
* Line-item annual funding for the Sooke Fine Arts Society, Sooke Philharmonic Society, Sooke Community Arts Council and the Wild Wise (Sooke) Society ($7k each).
* Support for the Primary Health Care Services Working Group ($5k)
* Smaller amounts for Sooke School District's Safe and Healthy Schools program, the Vancouver Island South Film Commission, Need2 Suicide Prevention and Education Support, the Intermunicipal Advisory Committee on Disability Issues (IACDI) and Communities in Bloom
*Funding for special events, namely the Santa parade and Canada Day fireworks and logger-sport events.
Sooke Food Bank
Council added cost-of-living increase, taking the Food Bank's funding to $27,132. This was for the one-year term the organization requested. A 12-month renewal will allow the Food Bank to better understand the impacts of both inflation on already vulnerable Sooke families as well as the new town centre BC Housing projects, which are sure to add some new clients.
Significant news: We learned that the Baptist Church wishes to donate land at the front of its ALR property adjacent to Grace Garden as a new home for the Food Bank. Local builder Roy Anderson is part of the steering committee project team along with Food Bank ED Kim Kaldal and the Baptist Church's Rick Eby and Andy Schell. Council is promised more specifics in the new year.
- In 2021, as per the Sooke Food Bank Annual Report ...
- Gave out 3,263 hampers in helping 133 adults and 56 children weekly
- Distributed 134,000 pounds of food at total cost of $257k (stats from 2021 annual report)
- Donations increased by 29.58% to $240k
- 14% raise in requests for hampers, anecdotally demand has continued to climb
- Funding sources: Community donations, Food Banks BC ($25k), Food Banks Canada ($35k), the District of Sooke ($35k), BC Gaming grants ($45k).
- Community initiatives: Christmas Bureau, Santa Run (Sooke Firefighters Association and IAFF Local 4841), the 10,000 Tonight Food Drive (EMCS leadership students), the Meanwhile In Sooke Holiday Food Bank Challenge and multiple others over the years.
- Community partners/donors/sweet-deal cutters: Parkland Poultry, Grace Gardens at the Baptist Church, Western Foods, Village Foods, Sooke Home Hardware, Fields, Bosleys, Pharmasave, Pemberton Holmes, Coast Capital, CIBC, Kelz Bakery, Sooke 2 For 1 Pizza, Guided Films, Meanwhile in Sooke, the Stick in the Mud, Haldane Homes, Sooke Fax and Coppy, the 17 Mile Pub and other businesses.
- Good and long overdue news: Food Banks BC now pays (or did?) honorariums to Kim Kaldal Metzger ($12k per year) and Gerry St. Laurent ($3,600 to cover his travel expenses on behalf of the organization)
Cost of Living Realities
- "Living Wage Jumps 20% in Greater Victoria" - Capital Daily, Nov. 17, 2022 ("The hourly pay necessary for two people to support themselves and two children in Greater Victoria has risen to $24.29 this year")
- The cost of feeding a family of four has risen by 20% since pandemic according to a survey conducted by Ottawa Public Health
- Statistics Canada: Since late 2021, price increases for food sold in stores, measured on a year-over-year basis, have outpaced headline consumer inflation, growing faster than 10% in August, September and October 2022. In September 2022, yearly price increases for food purchased in stores (11.4%) rose at the fastest pace since 1981, remaining elevated in October (+11.0%).
Sooke Region Communities Health Network
SRCHN will return in January with a revised request in seeking an increase to $50k (from $24,355). This would cover a demonstrated need for increased staffing (currently 1.4 FTE) and rental costs for office space at the Knox Centre. (Staffing and operational costs are typically not covered by third-party grants, which SRCHN is a proven master at securing.) To date, the District has matched funds granted through Island Health.
SRCHN is doing intense heavy lifting for the District while taking the lead on major #Sooke needs:
- Planning and coordination for a Community Health & Urgent Care Centre in southeast quadrant of Lot A
- Fundraising, project management for the Gathering Place intergenerational centre and seniors housing on Lot A
- Volunteer education and engagement with assistance available to all Sooke volunteer groups
- Delivery of services (i.e., Better At Home) to Sooke's most vulnerable populations, including youth and isolated seniors.
SRCHN's primary budget items:
- Programs ($152k per year)
- Seniors Bus ($110k per year)
Visit the agenda for its Sept. 2022 annual report (pp. 43-61). It cites ongoing work on the above plus ...
- Sooke region volunteers and resources
- Better At Home program
- Seasonal Free Tax Clinic
- Sooke Region Lifelong Learning
- Seniors Centre Without Walls
- Sooke Region Women's Cancer Group
- Age-Friendly, Mental Health & Addictions, Fundraising and Executive/Finance committees
Sooke Community Association
Council approved a $5k increase in the five-year agreement. Community Hall operating costs have increased in recent years re: custodial services and heat/hydro as the SCA continues to offer no-or-low cost rentals to multiple groups using the space. (See agenda pp. 15-17 for a summary provided by SCA President Dean Haldane.)
- Annual operating costs of the hall paid by the SCA are $60k. Community Hall improvements in recent years: new carpeting in lower hall areas; repainting of interior walls; refinishing of non-carpeted flooring; new chairs for facility users; upgrades to fire-suppression equipment in downstairs kitchen.
- Future upgrades: renovation of washrooms, replacement of elevator, exterior siding and windows.
- Schedule A requirement: "Provide several local non-profit community groups, including the District of Sooke, witih the space, either rent-free or below market value, at the Commuity Hall located at 2039 Shields Road." SCA provides space at no charge or reduced rental rate to Meals On Wheels, Contact Loan Cupboard, Sooke Food Bank, Sooke Lions Club, Sooke Harbourside Lions, Amber Academy, Sooke Salmon Enhancement, Seniors Bridge and Bus Club, Sooke Fall Fair, Sooke Soccer Club, Sooke Martial Arts and community organizations booking the hall.
Sooke Region Tourism Association
Council renewed SRTA's five-year service agreement with a cost-of-living bump to $26,614 per year.
SRTA's Vice-President Daniel Baker of Sooke-based Guided Films shared that he has met recently with the District's Community Economic Development Officer with the goal of fast-tracking Sooke participation in the Municipal and Regional District Tax program. A per-night stipend (2% or 3% of the bill) on hotel and Air B&B visitors would, it's said, provide Sooke with a low six-figure annual budget for tourism destination marketing.
Mayor Milne's "Promote Sooke" Task Force, chaired by then-Councillor Tait, first prioritized what was then known as the Additional Hotel Room Tax (AHRT) as a top wish when it began meeting in April, 2013. The 2021/22 Community Economic Development Committee was mandated to, among other objectives, "complete Municipal and Regional Destination Tax (MRDT) application" and "develop a tourism strategy for Sooke." These objectives have been rolled into the Sooke Community Economic Development Strategy and Action Plan (2021).
SRTA's 2022 membership list features 55 local businesses, accommodation providers, restaurants and local organizations, the District included. Membership dues ($7,300) are SRTA's one revenue source apart from the District grant.
SRTA produces the regional flat map distributed at the Visitor Information Centre and local accommodations. It also produces a Visitor Guide, does social media promotion of the region and enters into co-op partnerships with other regional tourism groups. In 2023, it plans to rebrand itself from the current "Sooke to Port Renfrew" to a more on-point "Sooke Tourism" and will proceed with events and promotional activities over the year.
Visitor Information Centre
Council approved the request to add $20k to the VC's service agreement, taking it to $53k annually. This funding will increase staffing hours; enable a mobile info service that can be rolled out to community events, the Potholes, the town centre and elsewhere; and deliver enhanced social media and online services (live chat, virtual assistants). Successful pursuit of the Municipal Regional Destination Tax will provide future funding for the VC as a full-scale destination marketing office for the region.
- Operated by the Sooke Region Historical Society. Staffed and based out of the Sooke Region Museum since the early 1980s and recognized by Destination BC as Sooke's official visitor information centre.
- States the VC report: "The District of Sooke receives significant added value and benefits operating the VC from the Museum. There would be a much higher cost to operate a VC as a stand-alone operation, or from within the DOS."
Sooke Region Chamber of Commerce
Council approved request for $30,698.00 for 2023, with annual increases to adjust for inflation.
The revitalized Chamber renewed a service agreement with the District in 2019 and has been active ever since in remarkably creative, productive fashion while delivering member services and helping businesses ride out the pandemic. In meeting its Schedule A obligations, the Chamber ...
1. Relaunched the Newcomer's Club, a minimum of 5 meetings per year with groups of up to 35 participants.
2. Free and affordable business courses. The monthly Chamber Newsletter lists low-cost and free online courses. The Chamber also offers in-person courses, including an Indigenous Cultural Training last year and a Dis/Misinformation course recently.
3. Annual business survey (2022 edition) to gather #Sooke business perspectives and metrics
4. Continued networking and support services available to all Sooke businesses regardless of membership status.
5. Promotion of District initiatives, meetings, survey call-outs, etc.
6. Alliance with other Sooke community groups, including SRTA, WorkLink BC and the South island Prosperity Project.
Combined, the tangible services result in about 900 hours of effort and include the work from our single staff person, our team of volunteers (four), and our Board of Directors (8 in 2022, and may increase to 12 in 2023). The hourly cost for these services would amount to $34.11, and would include human effort, office space, materials, equipment, and more.
The District is introducing a first Community Service Agreement Policy at the Oct. 20 Committee of the Whole meeting.
All existing service agreements will continue for their current terms (most through 2027) and then be up for renewal as per the terms of this new policy. See pp. 107-117 in the agenda.
The policy is part of a new Community Investment Program that will also see updates to the Community Grant and Sponsorship programs.
Traditionally, service agreements as listed below have been awarded over time to the key organizations doing heavy lifting in areas of community life beyond the scope of legislated municipal responsibility.
As per a forward-looking organization dedicated to transparency and equitable access to public funds, the proposed new policy "supports accountability to taxpayers while ensuring community organizations have ample time to adapt to reporting and evaluation approaches, and also work collaboratively with District staff to optimize applications to other funding streams (e.g., Provincial Gaming Grants). This support is intended to balance the operational realities of community organizations with potential adjustments to District service delivery, ensuring a coordinated, sustainable approach to meeting community needs."
Key features of the draft policy include ...
* Clear purpose and scope: Applies to service delivery partnerships, not procurement of goods or capital works.
* Defined process: Outlines how service delivery needs are identified and how agreements may be established through either a Call to Fill Services process or a Direct Award when applicable.
* Principles of accountability: Ensures agreements align with Council’s strategic priorities, promote community wellbeing, and uphold fiscal responsibility.
* Transparency and fairness: Establishes criteria for identifying and evaluating potential partners, while providing flexibility to respond to community needs.
How will the transition to the new policy be managed?
The District is looking to take a phased, change-management approach:
* 2025–2026: Introduce the policy, and update reporting templates.
* Early 2026: Invite current partners to present annual updates to Council at a Committee of the Whole meeting to highlight outcomes and impacts.
* 2026 Budget Process: Identify any emerging service needs under the policy.
* 2027: Transition existing agreements to align with the new policy upon renewal or re-tender."
September 8, 2025 - New Permissive Tax Exemption Bylaw #930 adopted. See council agenda pp. 151-203
MOVED by Councillor Megan McMath, seconded by Councillor Tony St-Pierre:
THAT Council give the District of Sooke Permissive Tax Exemption Bylaw No.
930, 2025, first, second and third reading, as outlined in Option 5 of the staff
report, with the exception that the permissive tax exemptions for Below-Market
Rental Housing will be phased out over five years as follows: 100% in 2026;
75% in 2027; 50% in 2028; 25% in 2029; and 0% in 2030. CARRIED
New Sooke Permissive Tax Exemption Policy adopted in May, 2025 (press release) dictates that below-market rental buildings in Sooke are no longer eligible for these exemptions. This applies to the Knox Vision Centre on Church, the M'akola buildings on Drennan and Charters, and any future non-profit housing.
The logic is that the District is facing increasingly heavy costs to deliver services to all of Sooke, these buildings included. This was a tough decision that attempts to address the soaring costs of police and fire services. Non-profit developers will still be attracted through cost-savings measures under Sooke Town Centre Revitalization Bylaw #408 – 2014 which provides a phased tax exemptions from full in year one, increasing to a full assessment in year four and subsequent years. Local governments can waive or lower Development Fees and Charges for non-market housing - Vancouver Island Non-Profit Housing Providers – “implement financial exemptions for non-profit developers – including exemptions from property taxes, development cost charges and municipal improvement obligations.”
Rough estimate of impacts (my own, unconfirmed):
* Knox - $8,616 in 2025 muni taxes ... 42 units at monthly rate = $17 per month extra (prov. taxes of $9k are waived)
* M'akola - $96,176 in 2025 muni taxes ... 250 units = $32 per month per unit (prov. taxes of $108k are waived)
* Permissive Tax Exemptions explained (Province of BC, March 2025)
May 26, 2025 - Community Investment Plan discussion by staff and council.
See staff report starting on pp. 247 of the regular council agenda
"What’s Working:
* Strong financial and in-kind support for a wide range of community-led programs.
*Reflects the District’s commitment to building partnerships and supporting local organizations.
* Responsive to community needs and evolving priorities.
What’s Not Working:
* Fragmented and ad-hoc approach lacks coordination and consistency.
* Administrative burden on staff exceeds the scope of a single full-time role.
* Absence of a unifying policy framework makes it difficult to evaluate impact or align with strategic planning."
2025 Community Grant recipients - District press release, May 16, 2025
"Twenty-six organizations will receive a total of $106,650 to support a wide range of programs and services."
Funded from the Community Grant Budget
- 1st Sooke Scouts – $3,000
- Circular Farm and Food Society – $1,000
- EMCS Community Cultural Kitchen Program – $3,500
- Friends of the Sooke Parks Society – $4,000
- Royal Canadian Marine Search and Rescue – $2,000
- Sheringham Point Lighthouse Preservation Society – $5,900
- Sooke Basketball Club – $4,000
- Sooke Bike Club – $4,000
- Sooke Community Choir – $2,500
- Sooke Community Radio – $7,000
- Sooke Fall Fair – $7,000
- Sooke Minor Fastball Association – $4,500
- Sooke Region Food Community Health Initiative – $7,000
- Sooke Soccer Club – $2,000
- South Vancouver Island Farmers Institute – $500
- Victoria Native Friendship Centre – $3,000
- EMCS – Play & Learn Summer Camp – $2,000
- EMCS – Youth for Sooke Engagement Program – $2,000
- Sooke Autism Support Society – $1,000
- Sooke Hospice Society – $7,000
- Sooke Meals on Wheels – $7,000
- Sooke Region Communities Health Network – $2,650
- Sooke Transition House Society – $7,000
- T’Sou-ke First Nation – $2,000
- Wear2Start Society – $2,000
- Fireweed Learning Commons – $2,000
- Fred Milne Park Society – $7,000
Updates: Spring 2024
The District will this year dedicate fully 7.5% ($924k) of the annual municipal budget to Service Agreements ($367k), Community Grants ($101k) and Permissive Tax Exemptions ($457k).
- Sooke Food Bank new service agreement (to be discussed at May 13, 2024 Council meeting; see agenda pp. 271.
Local data from Food Banks Canada's 2024 Hunger Count
- 8,676 distinct visits made to the Sooke Food Bank in 2023
- 608 adults and 240 children in Sooke were clients in the March 2024
- 59 new clients registered in March, 2024
- Food Bank provides services to ...
The Sooke Shelter
Meals on Wheels
Vital Vittles
EMCS school fruit program
Saseenoos Elementary fruit program
Sooke Elementary fruit program
John Muir Elementary fruit program
Journey breakfast and snack programs
Amber Academy snack program
From the minutes of that meeting:
Kim Kaldal of the Sooke Food Bank presented a request for continued/renewal of their funding for their program. The Presentation/Report included information on: Sooke Food Bank - Community Service Agreement Renewal: Kim Kaldal of the Sooke Food Bank presented a request for continued/renewal of their funding for their program. The Presentation/Report included information on:
* Requesting new 5 year service agreement;
* Requesting increase in funding; and
* General updates including updates on increases in services.
2024-164 MOVED by Councillor Jeff Bateman, seconded by Councillor Megan McMath:
THAT Council provide a new agreement for the Sooke Food Bank with a service fee of $50,000 starting in 2024 with the increase in funding from the COVID Restart Reserve until 2027 with annual CPI increases based on the December annual average in Victoria. CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY
- 2024 Community Grant recipients
- Sooke Permissive Tax Exemptions (see pg. 87 onward in the Annual Report for full list)
- Sooke Family Resource Society three-year service agreement ($45k annually) focused on youth navigator services and pre-natal counselling - March 11, 2024 (see agenda pp. 19-24)
Original Post: Dec. 12, 2022
Municipal Monday last week was reserved for a council review and renewal of the District's Community Service Agreements (example), signed for multi-year terms that expire this month. The agenda guided us through reports from seven stalwart organizations who secure a share of their annual budgets from property-owning residents via council.
In 2022, council has responsibility for $574,853 in District funds (from a $31 million operational budget). Service agreements represent about 40% of our annual discretionary cash.
The following were the service agreement participants up for renewal:
1. Sooke Food Bank
2. Sooke Region Communities Health Network
3. Sooke Community Association
4. Sooke Tourism Association
5. Visitor Information Centre
6. Sooke Lions Club - Canada Day + Santa Parade
7. Sooke Region Chamber of Commerce
One other service agreement not reviewed was a three-year agreement ($30k per year) we approved in the spring with the Sooke Family Resource Society. This supports its Youth Navigator and Adult Counselling programs for vulnerable individuals in need who otherwise could not afford these critical services. Funds for this agreement come from the District's Covid Relief Reserve Fund.
Staff recommended that a 6.4% CPI index increase based on year-to-year inflation be considered for all service agreements.
Also under council's budget purview are ...
* Community Grants Program ($65k, annual application deadline is March 15)
* Permission Tax Exemptions
* Council contingency fund to cover arising requests and our own initiatives ($60k)
* Funds for our own travel to and attendance at regional, provincial and national conventions ($15k)
* Salary contributions for our valued/vital corporate service support ($126k)
* Line-item annual funding for the Sooke Fine Arts Society, Sooke Philharmonic Society, Sooke Community Arts Council and the Wild Wise (Sooke) Society ($7k each).
* Support for the Primary Health Care Services Working Group ($5k)
* Smaller amounts for Sooke School District's Safe and Healthy Schools program, the Vancouver Island South Film Commission, Need2 Suicide Prevention and Education Support, the Intermunicipal Advisory Committee on Disability Issues (IACDI) and Communities in Bloom
*Funding for special events, namely the Santa parade and Canada Day fireworks and logger-sport events.
Sooke Food Bank
Council added cost-of-living increase, taking the Food Bank's funding to $27,132. This was for the one-year term the organization requested. A 12-month renewal will allow the Food Bank to better understand the impacts of both inflation on already vulnerable Sooke families as well as the new town centre BC Housing projects, which are sure to add some new clients.
Significant news: We learned that the Baptist Church wishes to donate land at the front of its ALR property adjacent to Grace Garden as a new home for the Food Bank. Local builder Roy Anderson is part of the steering committee project team along with Food Bank ED Kim Kaldal and the Baptist Church's Rick Eby and Andy Schell. Council is promised more specifics in the new year.
- In 2021, as per the Sooke Food Bank Annual Report ...
- Gave out 3,263 hampers in helping 133 adults and 56 children weekly
- Distributed 134,000 pounds of food at total cost of $257k (stats from 2021 annual report)
- Donations increased by 29.58% to $240k
- 14% raise in requests for hampers, anecdotally demand has continued to climb
- Funding sources: Community donations, Food Banks BC ($25k), Food Banks Canada ($35k), the District of Sooke ($35k), BC Gaming grants ($45k).
- Community initiatives: Christmas Bureau, Santa Run (Sooke Firefighters Association and IAFF Local 4841), the 10,000 Tonight Food Drive (EMCS leadership students), the Meanwhile In Sooke Holiday Food Bank Challenge and multiple others over the years.
- Community partners/donors/sweet-deal cutters: Parkland Poultry, Grace Gardens at the Baptist Church, Western Foods, Village Foods, Sooke Home Hardware, Fields, Bosleys, Pharmasave, Pemberton Holmes, Coast Capital, CIBC, Kelz Bakery, Sooke 2 For 1 Pizza, Guided Films, Meanwhile in Sooke, the Stick in the Mud, Haldane Homes, Sooke Fax and Coppy, the 17 Mile Pub and other businesses.
- Good and long overdue news: Food Banks BC now pays (or did?) honorariums to Kim Kaldal Metzger ($12k per year) and Gerry St. Laurent ($3,600 to cover his travel expenses on behalf of the organization)
Cost of Living Realities
- "Living Wage Jumps 20% in Greater Victoria" - Capital Daily, Nov. 17, 2022 ("The hourly pay necessary for two people to support themselves and two children in Greater Victoria has risen to $24.29 this year")
- The cost of feeding a family of four has risen by 20% since pandemic according to a survey conducted by Ottawa Public Health
- Statistics Canada: Since late 2021, price increases for food sold in stores, measured on a year-over-year basis, have outpaced headline consumer inflation, growing faster than 10% in August, September and October 2022. In September 2022, yearly price increases for food purchased in stores (11.4%) rose at the fastest pace since 1981, remaining elevated in October (+11.0%).
Sooke Region Communities Health Network
SRCHN will return in January with a revised request in seeking an increase to $50k (from $24,355). This would cover a demonstrated need for increased staffing (currently 1.4 FTE) and rental costs for office space at the Knox Centre. (Staffing and operational costs are typically not covered by third-party grants, which SRCHN is a proven master at securing.) To date, the District has matched funds granted through Island Health.
SRCHN is doing intense heavy lifting for the District while taking the lead on major #Sooke needs:
- Planning and coordination for a Community Health & Urgent Care Centre in southeast quadrant of Lot A
- Fundraising, project management for the Gathering Place intergenerational centre and seniors housing on Lot A
- Volunteer education and engagement with assistance available to all Sooke volunteer groups
- Delivery of services (i.e., Better At Home) to Sooke's most vulnerable populations, including youth and isolated seniors.
SRCHN's primary budget items:
- Programs ($152k per year)
- Seniors Bus ($110k per year)
Visit the agenda for its Sept. 2022 annual report (pp. 43-61). It cites ongoing work on the above plus ...
- Sooke region volunteers and resources
- Better At Home program
- Seasonal Free Tax Clinic
- Sooke Region Lifelong Learning
- Seniors Centre Without Walls
- Sooke Region Women's Cancer Group
- Age-Friendly, Mental Health & Addictions, Fundraising and Executive/Finance committees
Sooke Community Association
Council approved a $5k increase in the five-year agreement. Community Hall operating costs have increased in recent years re: custodial services and heat/hydro as the SCA continues to offer no-or-low cost rentals to multiple groups using the space. (See agenda pp. 15-17 for a summary provided by SCA President Dean Haldane.)
- Annual operating costs of the hall paid by the SCA are $60k. Community Hall improvements in recent years: new carpeting in lower hall areas; repainting of interior walls; refinishing of non-carpeted flooring; new chairs for facility users; upgrades to fire-suppression equipment in downstairs kitchen.
- Future upgrades: renovation of washrooms, replacement of elevator, exterior siding and windows.
- Schedule A requirement: "Provide several local non-profit community groups, including the District of Sooke, witih the space, either rent-free or below market value, at the Commuity Hall located at 2039 Shields Road." SCA provides space at no charge or reduced rental rate to Meals On Wheels, Contact Loan Cupboard, Sooke Food Bank, Sooke Lions Club, Sooke Harbourside Lions, Amber Academy, Sooke Salmon Enhancement, Seniors Bridge and Bus Club, Sooke Fall Fair, Sooke Soccer Club, Sooke Martial Arts and community organizations booking the hall.
Sooke Region Tourism Association
Council renewed SRTA's five-year service agreement with a cost-of-living bump to $26,614 per year.
SRTA's Vice-President Daniel Baker of Sooke-based Guided Films shared that he has met recently with the District's Community Economic Development Officer with the goal of fast-tracking Sooke participation in the Municipal and Regional District Tax program. A per-night stipend (2% or 3% of the bill) on hotel and Air B&B visitors would, it's said, provide Sooke with a low six-figure annual budget for tourism destination marketing.
Mayor Milne's "Promote Sooke" Task Force, chaired by then-Councillor Tait, first prioritized what was then known as the Additional Hotel Room Tax (AHRT) as a top wish when it began meeting in April, 2013. The 2021/22 Community Economic Development Committee was mandated to, among other objectives, "complete Municipal and Regional Destination Tax (MRDT) application" and "develop a tourism strategy for Sooke." These objectives have been rolled into the Sooke Community Economic Development Strategy and Action Plan (2021).
SRTA's 2022 membership list features 55 local businesses, accommodation providers, restaurants and local organizations, the District included. Membership dues ($7,300) are SRTA's one revenue source apart from the District grant.
SRTA produces the regional flat map distributed at the Visitor Information Centre and local accommodations. It also produces a Visitor Guide, does social media promotion of the region and enters into co-op partnerships with other regional tourism groups. In 2023, it plans to rebrand itself from the current "Sooke to Port Renfrew" to a more on-point "Sooke Tourism" and will proceed with events and promotional activities over the year.
Visitor Information Centre
Council approved the request to add $20k to the VC's service agreement, taking it to $53k annually. This funding will increase staffing hours; enable a mobile info service that can be rolled out to community events, the Potholes, the town centre and elsewhere; and deliver enhanced social media and online services (live chat, virtual assistants). Successful pursuit of the Municipal Regional Destination Tax will provide future funding for the VC as a full-scale destination marketing office for the region.
- Operated by the Sooke Region Historical Society. Staffed and based out of the Sooke Region Museum since the early 1980s and recognized by Destination BC as Sooke's official visitor information centre.
- States the VC report: "The District of Sooke receives significant added value and benefits operating the VC from the Museum. There would be a much higher cost to operate a VC as a stand-alone operation, or from within the DOS."
Sooke Region Chamber of Commerce
Council approved request for $30,698.00 for 2023, with annual increases to adjust for inflation.
The revitalized Chamber renewed a service agreement with the District in 2019 and has been active ever since in remarkably creative, productive fashion while delivering member services and helping businesses ride out the pandemic. In meeting its Schedule A obligations, the Chamber ...
1. Relaunched the Newcomer's Club, a minimum of 5 meetings per year with groups of up to 35 participants.
2. Free and affordable business courses. The monthly Chamber Newsletter lists low-cost and free online courses. The Chamber also offers in-person courses, including an Indigenous Cultural Training last year and a Dis/Misinformation course recently.
3. Annual business survey (2022 edition) to gather #Sooke business perspectives and metrics
4. Continued networking and support services available to all Sooke businesses regardless of membership status.
5. Promotion of District initiatives, meetings, survey call-outs, etc.
6. Alliance with other Sooke community groups, including SRTA, WorkLink BC and the South island Prosperity Project.
Combined, the tangible services result in about 900 hours of effort and include the work from our single staff person, our team of volunteers (four), and our Board of Directors (8 in 2022, and may increase to 12 in 2023). The hourly cost for these services would amount to $34.11, and would include human effort, office space, materials, equipment, and more.
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