December 7, 1999 – a day that will live in … well, not infamy (it's to be sincerely hoped) as was the case 58 years earlier, but certainly in local memories as the official dawn of the District of Sooke.  As we approach the District’s 25th anniversary on Saturday, I'm sharing related links along with material from a few files I have here and via the Times Colonist archive available through VIRL Sooke. This work-in-progress entry is very much incomplete and joins other rainy day blog items that require fuller research -- ideally by some keen student with access to Sooke newspaper archives and a recording device to capture living memories. The District intends to mark the occasion with one or more anniversary events as the next 12 months unfold. 

Incorporation 
* June 12, 1999 referendum:
- Question: "Are you in favour of the incorporation of Sooke as a municipality?"
- 1,439 in favour vs. 937 against 
- 40% of eligible Sooke voters participated. 

* Incorporation documentation, dated Sept. 2, 1999 and signed by the Lieutenant Governor of BC + detailed outline of the District's then-boundaries. 
 
* Press release from the Ministry of Municipal Affairs, Sept. 17, 1999  ... “Sooke will be officially incorporated as the District of Sooke on Dec. 7, 1999, Malahat-Juan de Fuca MLA Rick Kasper announced today on behalf of Jim Doyle, minister of municipal affairs. Sooke residents will elect their first municipal council on Nov. 20. The council will include a mayor and six councillors. ‘Incorporation will bring a number of advantages to the area including easier access to services, greater local governance and more control over taxes,’ said Kasper. ‘It gives the people of Sooke more decision-making authority.’ Incorporation of the district follows a June referendum in which a majority of residents voted yes to incorporation. ‘This move will mean good things for the community. A municipality with a locally elected council will be a major stimulus for managing growth and creating local jobs," Kasper added.’”
 
 * Minutes of District of Sooke inaugural meeting, held in the EMCS Community Theatre on Dec. 7, 1999. 
<cip> “The Minister of Municipal Affairs Jim Doyle thanked Justice of the Peace, Her Worship Kerry Fedosenko, and then presented to Mayor Macgregor the official Letters Patent incorporating the District of Sooke, along with a cheque in the amount of $600,000 for the first installment of the special incorporation grant, a cheque in the amount of $9,205 representing the 1999 portion of the Small Communities Protection Grant and a gift from the Province of British Columbia of a commemorative gavel, water pitcher and water goblets.”  Sworn into office that night were Mayor Ed Macgregor and Councillors Lorna Barry, Ron Dumont, Janet Evans, John Farmer, Marcus Farmer and Jeff Stewart. 
 
* CRD summary of all South Island municipal incorporation dates
* How Did We Get To 13 Municipalities (Bernard von Schulmann writing for Amalgamation Yes). <clip> “Sooke was the final incorporation in the region. Sooke is a viable municipality and could have been incorporated earlier, but given the number of roads in Sooke, the cost of incorporation was potentially more expensive.” 

* District of Sooke flag and coat of arms – letters patent granted in December, 2003. “The axes and salmon refer to the historical importance that the industries of forestry and fishing have had in Sooke. Red and gold are the colours of Spain and hence allude to the first European contact. The gold can also refer to the wealth derived from Sooke's traditional industries, as well as to the Leech River gold rush. The diagonal division of the shield makes an allusion to the flag of Scotland and thus to Captain Grant, the first European settler.” 


​Prelude
* Incorporation referendum #1 -  June 1976 (no official result i can find, but voting was roughly five to one against according to Eric Butler when quoted by the TC years later). The incorporation study group organized by the Sooke Chamber of Commerce was led by Butler and included Len Jones (Sooke Community Association), Jean Robinson (Kemp Lake Waterworks District), John Farmer (Lions Club), James Dunn (Sooke Athletic Association), and, representing the Chamber, architect John Tregear and future CRD regional director Ray Nestman.  Then CRD director Charlie Perkins told the Times Colonist (May 29, 1976) incorporation is "an interesting idea but not essential ... He believes Sooke is managing its own affairs quite efficiently now and there is no immediate need for municipal status." Butler is quoted as saying that "Central Saanich is a good model for incorporation given similarities in population growth, size and rural atmosphere ... one reason Sooke should become a municipality is the shift in development from the Saanich Peninsula to the western part of the Capital district (that) will eventually reach Sooke."  

* Incorporation referendum #2 - Nov. 14, 1991 (1,285 in favour vs. 1,392 against; 50% turnout of the 5,400 eligible voters). 

I have a small collection of incorporation study documents gifted to me by a Sooke resident who was involved in the 1990s incorporation discussions. This file includes: 
 
 * Sooke Incorporation Study dated March 20, 1991, 71 pages in a salmon-pink cover. A June 1991 addendum was also published. It indicated that, with incorporation, home assessment values would rise “an average 45-50%” and that tax rates would decline. Upsides of incorporation stated in these documents:  
 
- Elected representatives would expand from one CRD director (among 19 representing the South Island at the time) to “four or six aldermen/councillors and a mayor … (this would provide) increased political control over local issues through a locally elected council.” 
 
- Community Planning with stronger local input. (The 1986 Sooke Electoral Area OCP was in force at the time.) Council would have “the ability to establish an Advisory Planning Commission to advise on community planning issues.” 
 
- Service delivery as a municipality within the CRD “will change, however it need not change a great deal because a municipality is obliged to provide only a small number of core services: general government, police and road maintenance and construction.” 
 
- Taxation: “It is impossible to estimate the impact of incorporation on tax levels without making some assumptions about the decisions the new Council would make … (but) the most sensible approach is to assume as little change in the status quo as possible.” 
 
- Province of BC provides three types of financial assistance to a newly incorporating municipality: policing costs; road maintenance and rehabilitation costs; and general government costs. 
 
- Multiple “building block” communities from Port Renfrew to East Sooke were considered for inclusion in the incorporated area. The failed 1991 referendum set the boundaries around the current District along with Otter Point, Shirley and East Sooke. 
 
- A delegation of Saseenos residents requested (in 1991) that Saseenos be a separate municipality that would have liberty to keep taxes low, retain rural character and make its own decisions. The study group rejected this request, saying the larger new Sooke municipality would meet these needs.  (Saseenos resident Ellen Lewers subsequently resigned from the study group, saying “nowhere in the report do I see the effect of incorporation on agricultural land with regard to taxation or what will seriously happen to the rural atmosphere in areas of Saseenos … in my opinion, the study has been nothing more than a procedural necessity to justify referendum.”)


* The Feb. 27, 1991 Sooke Standard queries three former CRD regional directors on the subject. Ron Dumont states that Sooke would have better control over its destiny. "A council could take on fire protection, garbage pickup, roads, lights and the physical plan for the community." It's a big step, he adds: "It's like a kid leaving home. It's scary and what you're leaving is secure. But your parents are either going to give you the boot or you'll get aggressive and leave on your own." Don Rittaler told the reporter that "the destiny of Sooke should be run by Sooke" rather than exclusively in CRD hands. He felt the boundary could be expanded to Jordan River. Another former regional director, Howard Elder, was a "staunch opponent of Sooke incorporating," the article states, given what he perceived to be flaws and misinformation in the incorporation report's tax projections. 

* Former CRD Director Charlie Perkins is quoted in The Sooke Standard (no date on clipping, likely early 1991): “At one time (Sooke) was an old-fashioned community and old fashioned answers were suitable. But now we’ve become a megalopolis of Victoria and we have a different set of problems. Its better to have our own control. Whether that is real control or not is another question.” Article indicates that the CRD at this time dedicated a half-time employee to all Sooke planning work. Perkins is uncertain about fate of future referendums due to mistrust in the process: “It’s generated largely by some people who mistrust others with regulating the community. Others feel the community can provide them with a lot of money if handled properly … there’s a fundamental chasm between the ‘Go Slowers’ and the ‘Get Richers’ who will never see eye to eye.” 
 
* Agendas for 1993 public meetings of the Sooke Incorporation/Restructuring Committee. Its members were John Farmer (chair), Margie Wickheim, Mel Dobres, Diane Bernard, Bill Wilson (Information Officer), Dwight Johnston (Treasurer), Peter Langdon, Len Jones, Bob Sykes, Neil Carpenter, Jane Thompson, Hubert Rhodes, Kathy Chaisson, Heather Polichek, Don Reid, Vern Edwards, Bill Bell and John Ferguson. Chief Jack Planes was approached to be the T'Sou-ke representative at committee meetings. Reference is made to the failed 1991 referendum focused on a larger incorporation area.  The new strategy in 1993 proposed a smaller parcel that included the Sooke Fire Protect District, forest lands and the Butler property to the west.  
 
* Imagine Sooke: A Sustainable Community - June 23, 1993 report to the CRD from the Sooke Electoral Area Economic Development Commission suggesting that a public workshop be held “to find out if there is a general concern about the present manner of growth management in Sooke … and whether there is an interest in exploring a better way to manage this growth.” Workshop took place on Sept. 25 that year. 
 
* One outcome of Imagine Sooke was an unsigned position paper titled  A Sooke Charrette as the Nexus to Incorporation (Sept. 28, 1993). It recommends a public engagement session so that “the incorporation debate can move from financial abstractions to focus directly on the resultant changes in the physical environment and how those changes affect people personally.”  Boundaries, road standards and the public waterfront were cited as discussion areas.  
 
 - “Managing Community Economic Development and Growth in the Sooke Electoral Area: A Report to the Capital Regional District” – Earl J. Smith, Sept. 9, 1994
 
 * A new Sooke Incorporation Study Committee was formed in 1996 with a group that included John Stephens and Les Barclay.  It began with the premise that incorporation should not include areas that would later become the Juan de Fuca Electoral Area. 

* The Road to Sooke’s Incorporation – Elida Peers (Sooke News Mirror, May 7, 2020) 
-  first incorporation study in 1963 
 
Deeper background 
- First Nations peoples have lived on Vancouver Island for 13,800 years according to the archeological record

"[Sooke Inlet] was named in 1846 after the region's First Nation inhabitants by Captain Henry Kellet of HMS Herald, who made an early survey of the south end of Vancouver Island. The name of the Sooke people was initially pronounced soak and was spelled Soke or Soake by the area's pioneers; many other spellings have also been recorded, including Sâ'ok, Sock, Sok, and Tsohke. The preferred form today is T'Sou-ke. The word supposedly derives from the name of a stickleback fish that was found at the mouth of the Sooke River. Spanish naval officer Manuel Quimper, who was the first European to explore the area, in 1790, called the inlet Puerto de Revillagigedo, after Juan Vicente de Güemes Padilla Horcasitas y Aguyo, 2nd Count of Revillagigedo and viceroy of New Spain, 1789-94." (p. 556)  - Scott, Andrew, The Encyclopedia of Raincoast Place Names, Harbour Publishing, 2009.
 

Update May 1, 2025
Sooke council by-election set for Saturday, July 12.
All details on the District's Elections home page 

Council appointed Sooke’s Corporate Officer Jessica Bagnell as Chief Election Officer on April 29. She has now posted a calendar of related deadlines required by the Local Government Act on the District's website. 

Yes, for real this time, and i write that knowing that I'd indicated on my Facebook page earlier this year that it was being considered for early April prior to council's majority decision to wait until the federal election was concluded ... this in case two by-elections at near $50k each would have to be scheduled and prior to determination that a road borrowing referendum should wait until the next general election in Oct. 2026. 

Key dates for potential candidates
- Wed. May 21, 6 PM (candidate information session at Municipal Hall)
- Tues. May 27 at 9 AM (opening date for nominations)
- Fri. June 6 at 4 PM (10-day nomination window closes.)

Voting Opportunities 
- mail-in ballot 
- Advance voting on Wednesdays, July 2 and July 9
- Election day, July 12 
​
(yes, this is the start of summer, but adults aged 18+ have opportunities aplenty to vote. There are precedents for early summer elections, including one in North Saanich not long back. August is recognized as the dead zone for elections.) 

Update: April 30, 2025
Details on the Sooke Council Club, a civics education program for children that the District launched in early 2024. Following on from many years of Mayor Tait's engagement with local youth, some 250 Sooke elementary students have learned about local government and their democratic rights in playfully informative sessions the Mayor has led in collaboration with District staff.

Overwhelmingly positive feedback from parents, teachers and the students themselves helped guide council on Monday night in unanimously supporting a recommendation to submit the program for UBCM Excellence in Service Delivery award consideration. Please see the staff report and the four-page guidebook on pp. 117-134 of the agenda.

<clip> "By investing in civic awareness early, the District is proactively addressing barriers to future engagement—such as low voter turnout and confusion over government roles—and laying the foundation for a more accountable, informed, and involved citizenry."


Update: April 29, 2025 
National Election Results 
​British Columbia voting break-down 

Esquimalt Saanich Sooke
Liberal Stephanie McLean - 36,181 - 49.3 %
Conservative Grant Cool - 21,082 - 28.7 %
NDP-New Democratic Party Maja Tait - 13,666 - 18.6 %
Green Party Ben Homer-Dixon - 1,959 - 2.7 %
Christian Heritage Party - David Schaafsma- 159 - 0.2 %
Independent Param Bhatti  - 152 - 0.2 %
Communist Robert Crooks - 136 - 0.2 %

Total number of valid votes: 73,335 
Rejected ballots: 391
Total number of votes: 73,726 
Population: 120,170
Number of electors on list: 98,530
Validation Date: May 01, 2025

Original post: October 8, 2024
Fresh from the lively, informative, well-attended election forum (video replay) at EMCS on Monday night that I helped organize with my Sooke Multi-Belief Initiative colleagues Koshin Moonfist and Andy Schell along with the Sooke Chamber of Commerce's Deb Schenk. I'm now inspired to share this set of links from many BC, Canadian and international sources related to voting, youth engagement, mis/dis/mal-information and the overall state of democracy.  

I'll also post the slide we used the other night showing JDF-Malahat voting opportunities and locations starting next week. Repeating what so many are saying right now:  Please vote at the advance polls or on election day, Sat. Oct. 19. 

I assembled what follows not long after the municipal election in late 2022. While grateful for securing enough votes for a second term on council, I was among the many alarmed at the poor Sooke turnout -- just 26% of all total possible voters, down 16 points compared to 2018 and 11 behind the provincial average (37%). I was advised that this reflected overall voter satisfaction with the status quo (six of the seven in the 2018-2022 council were re-elected) and maybe that's the case. Or is it a puzzling matter of apathy at the level of government that, arguably, has the most direct impact on the lives of citizens. Whatever the case, how very disappointing that more of us didn't exercise our democratic rights.  

Not that we were alone in a depressed turn-out. Similar double-digit downturns were seen in 2022 municipal races in Nanaimo, Abbotsford, Burnaby, Delta, Richmond, Sidney (-21 points), Oak Bay (-22), North Vancouver and Chilliwack. In fact, voter counts dropped just about everywhere in BC apart from Prince George (inching up to 26.2%) and Whistler (+2% to 35%). 

Monday's Sooke forum demonstrated again that Election 2024 -- the 44th in BC's history -- is a tight, competitive race. The tension seen at last night's leaders' debate and the overall high level of interest in a pivotal moment for BC should translate into a high voter turnout, perhaps comparable with the 71% who voted in the 1996 provincial election. More recently, 61.2% cast a ballot in 2017 to elect Premier Horgan's minority government. COVID impacts likely are responsible for a decline to 54.5% in 2020. 

Videographer Frank Antonsen filmed this fifth in a series of non-confrontational evenings hosted by the SMBI and the Chamber. He has now posted it to YouTube for anytime viewing.   It was a fascinating, revealing evening that, for me at least, reconfirmed what I'd written on Faceback back in September: "I look forward to a new MLA from Sooke (and, no, I can't choose between two fine gentlemen I know, like and respect.)" Very much the same indecision for me today as I scratch my head and wonder again why we the people have twice rejected proportional representation. I'll need to make my call when alone in the ballot box with a graphite pencil.

(I take some small pride in having voted in very possible election from my first opportunity in the 1974 Ottawa municipal election. To remind myself of my mildly left of centre and, I believe, common-sense and compassionate worldview, I recently revisited the Political Compass. By answering its several dozen propositions, the bots positioned me on a four-quadrant map that covers the ideological landscape.  I again found myself in the centre of the bottom left quadrant, aka "Left Libertarian." This result reflects my worldview and values, however it's important to note that decision-making at a municipal level doesn't involve many/most of the questions that shape the results. Nor should any political philosophy or party affiliation for that matter. Yet the Political Compass does, in its way, help voters know themselves. By all means try it yourself and see where you land.) 

I agree with others that a minority government akin to what we saw in 2017 is the best possible outcome with three parties having a voice in the Legislative augmented perhaps by a few independents. All to be confirmed shortly after 8 PM two Saturdays from now. 

In the meantime, here's a big picture overview to put this one of many elections past and future in perspective ... 


Structure of This Post ... 
1. Elections BC/Elections Canada
2. BC Municipal Elections Results 2008 to Present
3. BC Ministry of Education; core competencies/curriculum + CIVIX Canada Student Vote 
4. Youth Engagement in Elections
5. BC Local Government Awareness Week (UBCM)
6. State of Democracy: World-Wide 
7. State of Democracy: Canada
8. Misinformation and Disinformation 
9. Voting Age Reduction Campaigns

The next BC general election is to be held on Oct. 19, 2024. 
The next Canadian federal election is to be held on or before Oct. 20, 2025. 
The next BC municipal and school trustee election is to be held on Oct. 17, 2026
  
​
1. Provincial and Federal: Elections BC, Elections Canada
- Elections BC: Democracy Kit
- Elections Ontario/Elections Canada: “Which Election?”
- Elections Canada: 
- Research on Participation
- Elector Personas
- Local Government In BC (Robert L. Bish and Eric G. Clemens, fourth edition, UBCM - free PDF textbook)

- BC’s Electoral Process (BC Legislature) 
 
- Electoral History of BC (1871-1986)
1987-2001
2002-2013
 
- History of Setting Electoral Boundaries (Elections BC)  
 
- Recent Federal Elections – Voter Turnout By Province


2. BC Municipal Elections Results
CivicInfo BC
- Results database for 2008, 2011, 2014, 2018 and 2022 municipal elections
​- BC Election Results 2022
- Election Results 2018  

- Voter turnout in this year's B.C. local elections remained low. So how did so much change?
(CBC, Oct. 16, 2022)

- It Didn’t Used To Be That Way: Why Voter Turnout Is So Low In BC and May Be Worse This Week (CBC, May 7, 2017) 

- The Discourse: Nanaimo analysis (2022) - Fewer than one in four Nanaimo residents who were eligible to vote participated in the local election. Reporter Lys Morton explores what held some community members back 
 
 
3. BC Ministry of Education
- Curriculum
- Core Competencies
“The Core Competencies are sets of intellectual, personal, and social and emotional proficiencies that all students need in order to engage in deep, lifelong learning. Along with literacy and numeracy foundations, they are central to British Columbia’s K-12 curriculum and assessment system and directly support students in their growth as educated citizens.”

- Core Competencies: Personal and Social
“The Personal and Social competency is the set of abilities that relate to students' identity in the world, both as individuals and as members of their community and society. Personal and Social competency encompasses what students need to thrive as individuals, to understand and care about themselves and others, and to find and achieve their purposes in the world.” 
1. Personal Awareness and Responsibility
2. Positive Personal and Cultural Identity
3. Social Awareness and Responsibility

- Social Studies 5 – Canadian Issues and Governance
- Political Studies 12
 
- BC Ministry of Education: K-12 Digital Literacy Framework

Other youth vote sources … 
- CIVIX Canada: Student Vote
 
- Elections BC 
- Students and Youth page
- Future Voters
“One of the best ways young people can become lifelong voters is by voting in their first election. We also know that young people are more likely to vote if they are already registered. That is why the List of Future Voters is so important. It was created in 2019 through changes to B.C.’s Election Act. Anyone who is 16 or 17 years old, a resident of B.C., and a Canadian citizen can sign up so they are automatically registered to vote when they turn 18. Once registered, they will receive important information from Elections BC about where, when and how to vote when a provincial election is called.”

4. Youth Engagement in Elections
- Statistics Canada: Portrait of Youth In Canada
- Chapter 6: Youth Political Participation & Civic Engagement
- City of Duncan Junior Council (council liaison is Jenni Capps) 


5. Local Government Awareness Week
UBCM’s BC Local Government Awareness Week is traditionally the third week in May (May 12-18 in 2024). (scroll to bottom of page for toolkit with sample proclamation, community activities, youth engagement, etc.). BC Local Government Week resolution (Logan Lake) was passed at UBCM in 2009. 
- Logan Lake: Local Government Awareness Week 2022
- CRD Local Government Awareness Week page
- Sample proclamation (Province of BC)
- Kootenay Boundary Regional District “How Well Do You Know Your Local Government” quiz plus prize pack


6. State of Democracy: World-Wide
- The Economist - Democracy Index (2020) 

- The Global State of Democracy - International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance
Co-founded by the European Union: “International IDEA launched the Global State of Democracy (GSoD) Initiative in 2016. This Initiative provides evidence-based, balanced analysis and data on the state and quality of democracy for 173 countries across the world. It aims to contribute to the public debate on democracy and inform policy interventions to strengthen democracy. The Initiative’s primary knowledge products are the Democracy Tracker, the Global State of Democracy (GSoD) Indices, and the Global State of Democracy (GSoD) Reports. The Initiative also includes regional partnership networks and research and advocacy related to Sustainable Development Goal 16.”

- Our World In Data: Democracy

- World Population Review: Countries With Mandatory Voting (2024) 

- 22 Countries Where Voting Is Mandatory (NPR, Nov. 3, 2014)
“22 nations around the world make voting mandatory for its citizens, often starting at age 18, according to the CIA World Factbook. Several of these countries are in Latin America with a handful allowing citizens to age out of compulsory voting by as early as age 65. Altogether, an estimated 744 million people live in nations with compulsory voting laws.”
 
 
7.  State of Democracy: Canada
- Canada: Muniscope
- Country report: Canada
 
- LABEL – Laboratory on Local Elections
LABEL is directed by Sandra Breux. Unlike the previous two research centres, LABEL also conducts qualitative studies. Themes explored include accountability/Responsiveness, information, election by acclamation, incumbent candidates, a survey of 4,000 Quebec electors regarding municipal elections, elected officials in small municipalities, profile of Projet Montréal candidates, young people and municipal elections, electors' stress and health self-assessment and their electoral participation, gender and professionalization of elected officials and election campaigns.

- The Canadian Municipal Election Study (Sept. 2021)  
 
http://www.mmcgregor.ca/other - “I am the Principal Investigator of the Canadian Municipal Election Study, as well as the 2014 Toronto Election Study.  I am a co-investigator on the Electronic Elections Project and the Multilevel Democracy Project. I hold an Early Researcher Award from the Ontario Ministry of Research and Innovation and Science.”

- Voter Participation in Canada: Is Canadian Democracy In Crisis? (Carleton University, 2001) 

- Canada's democracy is growing stronger as world weakens (CTV, Feb. 2021) 
Only 4.5 per cent of the world’s population lives in a “full” democracy, while 44.3 per cent live in a “flawed” democracy – which includes countries like the United States, Japan, India and Colombia, the report says.  The rest of the world’s population live in a hybrid or authoritarian regime – including China, Qatar and Russia. North Korea was the lowest-ranking country on the list.

8. Misinformation, Disinformation and Mal-Information

" UNESCO emphasizes three types of false information:
 
- Misinformation: Information that is false but not created with the intention of causing harm
 
- Disinformation: Information that is false and deliberately created to harm a person, social group, organization or country
 
- Mal-information: Information that is based on reality, used to inflict harm on a person, social group, organization or country."
 
- BC Ministry of Education: K-12 Digital Literacy Framework
 
- Institute for Public Relations: 2022 Disinformation in Canada Report
 
- United Nations: Countering Disinformation
 
- National Endowment for Democracy: "How Disinformation Impacts Politics and Publics" 
 
- Types of Misinformation & Disinformation
 
- University of Victoria - "What Is Fake News?"
 
- Simon Fraser University - "How to Spot Fake News"
 
- Toronto Public Library - Fake News
 
- International Centre for Journalists - History of Fake News
 
- Greater Victoria School District, Spectrum Community School - Media Literacy
 
​
9. Voting Age Campaigns
- Elections Canada: Youth and the Right to Vote
 
- Voting Age Challenge (April, 2021) - David Asper Centre for Constitutional Rights at the University of Toronto 
 
- Why the Voting Age Needs to Be Lowered to Sixteen (The Walrus, July, 2022) 
 
- Why Lowering the Voting Age Is Such a Good Idea (The Conversation, April 2022)
 
- Canada’s Voting Age Should Be Lowered (The Tyee, April 2022) 
 
- Old Enough to Choose (CBC, Dec. 2021)
 
- Canada’s Voting Age Shouldn’t Be Lowered (Toronto Star, Sept. 28, 2022) 
 
- Lowering the Voting Age Sounds Good … But In Practice? (Ottawa Citizen, July 2019)
 
 British Columbia
- Bill 76 Election Amendment Act (1992)
“Although the Canadian government lowered the federal voting age from 21 to 18 in 1970, it wasn’t until 22 years later that British Columbia followed suit with the Elections Amendment Act, 1992, receiving Royal Assent on July 3rd, which lowered the provincial ​​voting age from 19 to 18. This Act added about 40,000 B.C. residents to the list of eligible people that could vote in provincial elections​. At the time, the discrepancy this Act created between the voting age of 18 and the legal drinking age of 19​ was acknowledged as a contradiction, but not one that required a remedy.”
 
- Dogwood BC Campaign: Lower the Voting Age to 16 – #Vote16 (2018)
 
- Premier Horgan Open to Lowering the Voting Age to 16 (CBC, March 13, 2018)
 
- BC Moves to Allow Youth Aged 16 and 17 To Register to Vote (But Won’t Lower Voting Age) (Global News, Oct. 31, 2019)  
 
“The B.C. government introduced legislation on Thursday giving the chief electoral officer the ability to maintain a list of future voters for youth aged 16 and 17 years, so they will be already registered when they reach the voting age of 18. “This bill represents the most significant modernization of elections administrations in a generation,” said Attorney General David Eby.
 
The goal of changing the registration policy is to increase youth voter turnout and engagement.
But the legislation falls short of the BC Greens’ promise to lower the provincial voting age to 16 years old. The government saying it is not considering looking at reducing the voting age at this time.” 
 
- City of Vancouver Endorses Lowering Voter Age to 16 in Municipal Elections (2021)
 
 Prince Edward Island
- Bill to Lower Voting Age Introduced in P.E.I. Legislature (CBC, April 2017)
- PEI MLAs Vote Down Proposal To Lower Voting Age (CBC, April 2021) 
 
Children First Canada
Office in Victoria: 1(877) 837-2258
[email protected]
 
- Lowering the Voting Age in Canada (March 2020 study)
 
- Children First Canada Court Challenge
Toronto, December 1, 2021 – A group of Canadian children and youth are set to make history, opening the possibility that they and their peers may be able to cast a ballot in the next federal election. The 13 young people range in age between 12 to 18 years old and hail from coast to coast to coast, including Nunavut, British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Ontario, Quebec, and Nova Scotia. They have filed an application at the Ontario Superior Court of Justice to challenge the voting age in Canada, and are arguing that the Canada Elections Act, which prevents citizens under the age of 18 from voting in federal elections, is in violation of Sections 3 and 15 of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms and is therefore unconstitutional.
 
- Kid’s Views On Their Role In Decision-Making, Their Rights and Issues In Canada (Oct. 2020, Abacus poll) 
 
- Recommendations from Young Canadians (Young Canadians’ Parliament)
2023: https://childrenfirstcanada.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/YCP-YouthReportandRecommendations-2023_EN.pdf
2022:https://childrenfirstcanada.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/YCP-YouthReportandRecommendations-2022_EN-1.pdf

Canadian Senate bill introduced in 2021, debate continues this year  
S-201: An Act to Amend the Canada Elections Act (Voting Age) from 18 to 16
Now undergoing second reading 
 
 - Sponsor’s speech, Feb. 2022 … Hon. Marilou McPhedran
“Bill S-201 will improve Canada’s democratic representation by giving a political voice to people who are affected by government policy, but who have no significant means to influence it. Lowering the voting age will revitalize Canadian democracy by creating an environment where more young Canadians will vote for the first time and will thus be more likely to continue to vote for the rest of their lives, which will increase voter turnout in the long term. This will strengthen youth engagement. If we want young people to be full members of our society, we must make room for them at the table.”  
 
- Response speech … Donald Neil Plett (Leader of the Opposition)
“Colleagues, as I said earlier, this decision is neither clear-cut nor scientific. But on balance, I believe that we have already struck the right compromise at the age of 18 and that this is consistent with the societal consensus regarding what constitutes adulthood.” 
 
- Second reading debate continued … April 2023 
- Latest round of Senate debate … June 2024 
 
 
National Youth Rights Association (US)
https://www.youthrights.org/issues/voting-age/top-ten-reasons-to-lower-the-voting-age/
 
British Youth Council
https://www.byc.org.uk/campaigns/votes-at-16
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Votes_at_16
 
Voting Age (Wikipedia)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Voting_age
 
Voting Age Around the World
 - 86% of countries – voting begins at 18
Following allow voting at 16: Brazil, Ecuador, Austria, Cuba, Guernsey, Isle of Man, Jersey, Malta, Nicaragua, Scotland, Argentina
 
- Scotland permitted voting at 16 starting with referendum vote in 2014
- Sheffield University study of youth voting from 2014 to 2021
 ​

Okay, now please vote ... 

As I did last year, I'm using this post to prepare for the 2024 Union of BC Municipalities convention in Vancouver during the week of Sept. 16. All of us on council will be attending this year as in the past, just as we typically do at the regional Association of Vancouver Island and Coastal Communities (AVICC) conventions. Smaller groups of us attend the Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM) national conventions, in part given the cost of these excursions. At UBCM this year, we'll be joining over 2,000 other elected representatives from across BC.

The first UBCM convention was held in 1905, and this will be its 119th such gathering -- coinciding, of course, with an increasingly unpredictable provincial election campaign and hence assured of no end of politicking. Yet UBCM is all about apolitical local governments progressing through consensus and collective action. Here's a snapshot of its genesis and history.  This image captures some of UBCM's achievements, including participation in the formation of such keystone organizations as BC Assessment, the Local Government Management Association and the Municipal Finance Authority. Over the many decades, UBCM has worked to ensure welfare payments are not a local government responsibility (which they were circa the Great Depression), pushed for establishment of the Community Charter (2003), lobbied for the federal gas tax (first enacted in BC and other provinces in 2007), and demanded that local governments be recognized as "an independent, responsible and accountable order of government." Sincerest of hoorays for all that. 

Sooke's delegation this year has requested meetings with cabinet ministers as well as senior representatives from a select group of ministries and provincial agencies -- BC Housing, BC Hydro, the RCMP, the Office of the Seniors' Advocate and the Agricultural Land Commission included. In addition to voting on resolutions, soaking up the rich content of workshops and seminars, touring the trade show and networking, these short, hopefully impactful appointments are the major, Sooke-specific reason to attend UBCM -- building relationships with Provincial powers-that-be, expressing local wants and wishes, and starting processes that will eventually (yes, I'm going to stay resolutely optimistic as one need and must in these long-game campaigns) deliver tangible benefits to the District -- next-phase Highway 14 improvements and funding for wastewater expansion to Kaltasin for starters, please.  
​
​Starting Points
- 2024 convention home page  
- Full program schedule 
- 2024 UBCM Annual Report (published Aug. 28)

- 2024 Resolutions Book (258 resolutions this year vs. 202 in 2023. These are comprised of 3 special resolutions from the UBCM executive; 105 in the “Endorse Block”; 14 in the “Not Endorse Block”; 104 in the "No Recommendation" category to spur individual consideration, debate and voting; 35 more resolutions are deemed by the executive to duplicate other resolutions.) 
- Resolutions Results 2023-2024 (at-a-glance summary) 
​- Province of BC 2023 resolution replies package (received Feb. 2024) 
- Province of BC 2023 resolution addendum package (received July 2024) 

- Association of Vancouver Island and Coastal Communities, April 2024 
- Convention Resources
- Resolutions and Decisions
- Resolutions Backgrounders
​
* UBCM Provincial Election Priorities 2024 
- Stretched to the Limit report (PDF) 
- Infographic summary

- UBCM Local Government Financial Review Working Group – Sept. 2024 Annual Report 
- Potential For Change: Responsible Conduct Framework for Local Government Elected Officials (Sept. 2024) 
- Funding and Resources Update: September 2024

- UBCM Policy Papers (archive with 60+ papers dating from 2000) 
- UBCM e-newsletter The Compass (archive) 


Sooke Advocacy Priorities
The Province invites, through its annual Appointment Book, 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 meetings. Mayor Tait will again lead our council delegations and we'll be joined again by CAO Raechel Gray and MLA Ravi Parmar.  As of this writing, meeting confirmations have yet to be received. 

Ministerial Meetings 
Minister of Municipal Affairs Anne Kang:  i) Request a progress report on the District's intent for sewer extension to Kaltasin in association with the T’Sou-ke Nation; ii) Request a second round of the Growing Communities Fund for essential infrastructure funding in Sooke and other communities across BC. (Follow-up to last year's meeting with the Minister). 

Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure Rob Fleming:  i) Discuss the short, medium and long-term vision for Highway 14 while addressing current traffic issues; ii) Request a commitment from the Minister to direct staff to identify the next phase of corridor improvements now that the 2017-22 work is complete and ensure funding for this work is included in the Ministry’s 10-year capital plan; iii) Request that the Ministry prioritize and include Sooke’s need for a second bridge across the river in its near-term plan; iv) Infrastructure funding to support the completion of Sooke's Transportation Master Plan (TMP) to determine transit priority and support taking cars off route 14. 

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

Public Safety and Solicitor General Mike Farnworth:  i) Discuss the inclusion of the Vancouver Island Integrated Major Crime Unit (VIMCU) and the next steps; ii) Advocate for the Victoria Family Court & Youth Justice Committee to secure stable, long-term funding and additional staffing for Greater Victoria’s Mobile Youth Services Team alongside the existing funding for the Vancouver Island Integrated Major Crime Unit. 

Sooke has also requested meetings with senior ministerial staff from the following ... 

* Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure: Highway 14 status update with senior staff as a follow-up on the council presentation by MOTI on April 8 and to augment Sooke input to Minister Fleming. 

* Ministry of Health: Request for status of service planning approvals related to the Community Health Centre/Urgent Primary Care Centre destined through the BC Builds program to be built on the northeast quadrant of the town centre Lot A + request funding for prenatal care given the current necessity of partial District funding for programs delivered by the Sooke Family Resource Society; overall service-level request status. 

* Ministry of Tourism, Arts, Culture and Sport: Introduce the Juan de Fuca Corridor Tourism Plan and seek insights into the status of Sooke's Municipal & Regional District Tax Program (MRDT) application. 

* Ministry of Mental Health and Addictions: Address the mental health and addiction issues affecting main street life in Sooke; Discuss how to locally adapt and implement Peer-Assisted Care Teams (PACT) and/or mobile integrated crisis response teams, which pair an RCMP officer with a nurse and have shown remarkable effectiveness; Request for suicide prevention support. 

* Ministry of Citizens Services: Follow-up on request for a provincial government co-working hub in Sooke as per the Mayor's advocacy letter of July 28, 2022. Some 250 provincial employees reside in Sooke, approx. 10% of our commuter traffic load. Wrote the Mayor: "A co-working facility in Sooke’s town centre is one of the short-term priorities in the District’s Community Economic Development Strategy and Action Plan (2021). A teleworking hub is also cited prominently in the District’s newly released Climate Action Plan as one of other solutions that will cut community transportation emissions. These ambitions are mirrored in our pending Official Community Plan in its Action #8, which calls for teleworking spaces in Sooke’s town centre."  [Minister Beare's reply (Aug. 11) stated: "My ministry is exploring the idea of locating teleworking hubs in other areas of the province based on where employees currently live, and considering future trends and economic activity, as well what provincial assets are available for creating regional hubs. I have forwarded the District of Sooke’s request to staff; please be assured it will be considered in light of these factors as our work progresses."]

And a series of meetings have been requested with reps from the following provincial agencies, commissions and corporations ... 

* Royal Canadian Mounted Police: Share Sooke's plan to significantly grow our policing complement, cost pressures related to new recruits, VIIMCU and EComm charges + our desire to understand the impacts of Surrey's transition to its own police force (the second largest in the province) in lieu of the RCMP (effective on Nov. 29).  

* Office of the Seniors Advocate (OSA): Discuss issues impacting seniors in Sooke, such as isolation and precarious housing, and seek an understanding of how the advocate is addressing these issues.

* BC Housing: Request an operational funding increase at the Sooke Shelter for 19 overnight shelter beds. 

* BC Transit: Advocate for the comprehensive and expedited implementation of the Sooke Local Area Transit Plan, emphasizing the need for increased service hours. This is particularly important given the removal of double-decker buses on Route #61, the anticipated establishment of a RapidBus mobility hub in Langford, and direct service to Victoria during rush hours. 

* BC Hydro:  Request input on accelerating the adoption of the zero carbon step code; Address concerns about the Province's ability to meet future demands as we move towards greater electrification; Discuss continued collaboration on infrastructure upgrades, including hydro wraps for beautification; and Request buyback power as an incentive program for renewable energy. 

* Agricultural Land Commission (ALC):  Small scale farming - update on Homeplate project in Sooke and discussion on challenges for making smaller acreages more productive. 


UBCM Priorities 
Sooke is a member of the UBCM and relies on its collective strength and advocacy power through its representation of 193 local, regional and First Nations governments in BC. 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 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 Executive Priorities (see 2024 annual report, pp. 3-5)

~ Housing and Homelessness - Subject of UBCM's Housing Summit in April, 2023, 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.) 

UBCM's advocacy focus: 
i) "Scale up investments in affordable housing, supportive housing, complex care facilities, and shelter spaces.
ii) Improve BC Housing operations to minimize delays in affordable and shelter housing projects. 
iii) Create new strategies and supports to address the unique needs of rural and remote communities and incentivize affordable development in those areas."

~ 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, 2024 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. 

~ Infrastructure funding renewal. UBCM represents local governments re: the Canada-Community Building Fund (formerly Gas Tax Fund). A new 10-year agreement with Ottawa was signed on April 1 this year and will deliver $3.5 billion to BC over the next decade; half of it 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. See UBCM page + 2018 UBCM outcomes report. 

Sooke received approx. $630k in 2023 + the new agreement will deliver (over the next five years) approx. $750,000 per year through 2027 and $780,000 per year for 2028 and 2029.  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. [A permanent doubling of the $293 million transferred to BC as happened in 2019 and 2021 would be much appreciated, of course.]

- Investing In Canada Infrastructure Program (now in its final year)
- Community transition support via the BC Rural Economic Diversification and Infrastructure Program 

~ Indigenous Relations. "UBCM continues to advocate for local governments to be engaged throughout the reconciliation process on issues that impact them. These issues include land management, local government access to resources for public purposes, property taxation, servicing, and economic development."

UBCM activities over the years have included 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 (2024 national update: "145 long-term advisories have been lifted since November 2015. An additional 31 long-term advisories remain in effect in 29 communities.")

~ Community Safety. From the 2024 annual report: "Local first responders are frequently asked to answer calls for service outside their core expertise, to support the most vulnerable in our communities. This includes local police and fire departments providing front line services to those struggling with substance abuse, mental health issues, homelessness, and other complex situations. As locally funded resources are being used to respond to Provincial areas of responsibility, there is a need for ongoing investments and co-ordination to address this cost pressure for local governments."  

Strong support expressed for Special Committee on Reforming the Police Act and its recommendation #4, which asks that the Province: "Create and appropriately fund a continuum of response to mental health, addictions and other complex social issues with a focus on prevention and community-led responses and ensuring appropriate first response. This includes: a) Increasing coordination and integration across police, health, mental health, and social services; and b) Integrating mental health within 911 call options." 

"The joint UBCM-Province Local Government Financial Review Working Group has begun work on reversing the downloading of jurisdictional responsibility for mental health, addiction, and homelessness services on local governments." 

~ 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) 

Upcoming in 2024/25: "A (UBCM) guidebook is in the works that will share best practices for several relatively attainable solutions to common climate action challenges, such as reducing emissions from buildings and transportation, and preparing for climate-driven disasters such as floods and wildfires." 

 ~ Development of Code of Conduct for elected officials, committee members and municipal staff  + introduction of an online course. More materials forthcoming as local governments introduce codes. 

~  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." 

~ Decriminalization. Provincial response to the opioid crisis -- decriminalization (2021) backed by provincial support for safe consumption, drug testing, detox and treatment. 

"A significant file over the past year for UBCM members has been the decriminalization of illicit drugs in BC. This is a pilot program that began in January 2023 and runs until January 2026, removing criminal penalties for people who possess a small amount of certain illicit substances for personal use. Local governments raised concerns regarding the use of illicit drugs in public spaces, including parks, playgrounds, sports fields, beaches, and bus stops. Health Canada amended the exemption. The first change was made in September 2023 to add additional places such as playgrounds, spray pools, wading pools, and skate parks as areas where the possession of illegal drugs was prohibited. The second amendment was made in May 2024, to prohibit the use of illegal substances in all public spaces, including hospitals, on transit, in playgrounds, parks, and other areas." 


Other areas of policy and advocacy focus in recent years ... 
- Cannabis taxation revenue sharing. Not on the radar this year, it seems.
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. 

- 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 


2024 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 2023 replies package details how the Province is responding on the many and varied fronts raised through resolutions.  (See pp. 34-45 of the 2023 annual report for an overview of provincial responses over the previous five years). 

This year's resolution book features 258 resolutions from 98 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. Like previous years, it will be a challenge to the moderators to work through the entire resolution book, which is 22% thicker this year. 

​(more to follow)

2024 Resolutions Overview
(please reference the resolution book for full details and rationales from municipalities and the executive's responses; these brief notes are for my own reference)  

Special Resolution SR#2 - Infrastructure Funding to Support Provincially-Mandated Housing Growth
"Therefore be it resolved that the Province invest in a long-term, predictable allocation-based funding program to support expansion and operation of local government infrastructure services to support provincially-mandated housing growth including, but not limited to, water and sewer, transit, police and fire, and recreation; And further that the Province invest in its own areas of responsibility where there are already service deficits that will be further affected by housing-related population growth, namely health care (family doctors, ambulances, hospitals, etc.) and education (classrooms, teachers, etc.)." 

Endorsed Block (pp. 33-113) - includes 105 resolutions that the UBCM executive rates as unassailable. 

Non-Endorsed Block (pp. 116-125) - 14 resolutions the UBCM executive has rejected on the grounds that they don't align with the organization's policy directions and/or recent-years voting by the membership -- i.e., lifting the vaccine mandate for healthcare workers (Bulkley-Nechako resolution rejected by its regional association); vacancy controls on rental units owned by corporations and real estate investment firms (City of Victoria resolution, but not consistent iwth the UBCM's housing strategy); free transit for students in grade 12 and younger (Sunshine Coast RD, rejected because similar resolutions have been defeated; not noted in the UBCM response is how relatively tight these votes were and how the free-transit movement is gaining momentum): "wellbeing of future generations" act (Saanich, defeated narrowly in the final moments of the 2023 resolution session; rejected this year on the grounds that the language in this otherwise "laudable" resolution is too vague and difficult to monitor should it become provincial legislation). 

​No Recommendation (pp. 128-209) ... selected highlights (for me) 
* NR1 Addressing the Impact of Provincial Policy on Local Governments,  Taxation Equity, and Interim Policing Cost Support (Langford) - unanimous in favour "Therefore be it resolved that UBCM strongly urge increased provincial funding and support for health care, mental health care, and comprehensive housing initiatives to alleviate the strain on local government resources and enhance public safety; And be it further resolved that UBCM call on the provincial government to demonstrate good faith by covering the heightened share of policing costs, recognizing the provincial responsibility in shifting these public safety costs to local governments due to inadequate provision of social services and health care."

* NR2 - Downloading Costs by the Province to Local Governments for the Resulting Solutions for Homelessness, Mental Health and Addictions Support (Cariboo RD) - unanimous in favour 
”Therefore be it resolved that the Province of BC pay for costs incurred by local governments to address the lack of homelessness support, mental health and wellness issues, and addictions recovery services and supports; And be it further resolved that UBCM mandate their Executives to engage in discussions with the Province of BC to negotiate a fair and equitable reimbursement framework for downloading services related to homelessness and mental health and addictions." 

* ​NR3 Resolving the Toxic Drug Crisis (Kamloops) - unanimous in favour 
"Therefore be it resolved that UBCM request the Province develop and implement a balanced holistic plan, based on these four pillars (prevention, harm reduction, treatment and recovery, and enforcement) for resolving the toxic drug crisis."

* NR6 - Mental Health Mandate for Health Authorities (Nelson)  - unanimous in favour 
"Therefore be it resolved that UBCM encourage the Province to mandate regional Health Authorities to take a proactive approach to developing and implementing regional plans to address mental health and addiction issues."

* NR 10 - Addressing Challenges Faced by Rural Seniors in British Columbia - unanimous in favour; amended to include recommendation of an increase in direct patient care hours (currently 3.36 hours per week over and above direct medical care)
"Therefore be it resolved that the NCLGA and UBCM acknowledge the findings of the Seniors’ Advocate report (Aging Matters) and recognize the urgent need to address the inequities faced by rural seniors in British Columbia." + NR 11 - Creation of a BC Ministry for Rural Seniors as recommended by the Seniors Advocate - passed strongly if not quite unanimously.

* NR12 - Ensuring the Implementation of the Recommendations Found Burnaby in the Seniors Advocate Reports (Burnaby) - passed unanimously - 2023/24 Annual Report – Office of the Seniors’ Advocate 

NR 13 - UBCM Endorse the Period Promise Campaign (Cowichan Valley RD) - unanimous (one in four women in BC cannot afford menstrual supplies) - NR14 (Port Coquitlam) is related. BC Building Code to be revised to include menstrual suppplies and disposal bins in addition to mandatory requirement for toilet paper. - unanimous. (Next mission suggested from the floor: Change tables in men’s washrooms.) 

NR16 - Reducing Neurodevelopment Assessment Wait Times (.   ). Improving treatment of children and youth suspected of having an /autism Spectrum Disorder or other neurodevelopment conditions. - unanimous 

NR17 - Barrier Free Hearing Health Care (Saanich) - funding support for hearing aids for vulnerable children and seniors. A question of community wellbeing - 1/3 of individuals suffer from hearing loss; 3/4 of those over 70 experience hearing loss in both ears. Do people wear hearing aids? Only one in four choose to wear them who need them. $4500 is the minimum cost. Hearing Aid Program. - 

NR18 - RSV Vaccine as an essential preventative measure to eliminate $300 current charge faced by low-income population (Port Hardy). 83% efficiency in preventing severe lower respiratory tract infections. - unanimous 


* NR20 Consultation and Review of Recent BC 2023 Fall Housing Legislation (Maple Ridge) 
"​Therefore be it resolved that UBCM advocate the Province review the new housing legislation after 2 years from
introduction; immediately allow exemption zones for single detached greenfield areas within the containment
boundary that are more isolated; and increase the Official Community Plan review requirement to every 7 years." 
- Maple Ridge; we want to focus on where housing makes sense; areas with wells and septic systems where roads and schools are geting overwhelmed; big changes happening quickly, allow for LGs to create exclusion zones in areas where infrastructure is lacking; OCP requirement puts too much strain on LG staff; addresses lack of consultation from the province before legislation introduced; 

* NR21 - Bill 44, Bill 46, and Bill 47 - Financial Assistance for Local Governments (Langley City)
"Therefore be it resolved that UBCM demand the provincial government expand the scope and provide local governments additional financial support for the hiring of additional staff and or consultants to complete the required updates to Official Community Plans, Environmental Servicing Plans as well as to review the impacts on all community infrastructure, including but not limited to public amenities, recreation centres, hospitals, schools, first responders and aging infrastructure in order to comply with provincial mandates as stipulated in the legislation." - defeated

* NR22 Funding to Offset Municipal costs in waiving development fees for affordable housing - near unanimous. 

* NR23 -  Incorporating Tree Canopy and Climate Goals into Housing Action (Port Moody)
"Therefore be it resolved that UBCM ask the Province to revise Bill 44 and Bill 47 to embed tree protection, tree canopy expansion, and climate resilience into the policy and ensure local governments retain clear authority to: protect mature trees and tree canopy in residential neighbourhoods; and implement locally developed Climate Action Plans." Align housing and climate action. Northern communities with more forested characteristics and FireSmart ambitions should be treated separately to those of us with shrinking tree canopies. - passed strongly 

* NR24 - Provincial Funding for Energy Efficient and Zero Emissions Equipment for Existing Buildings (Metro Vancouver RD) 
"Therefore be it resolved that the UBCM urge the Government of BC to significantly increase funding for provincial incentive programs to support energy efficient and zero emissions equipment for existing buildings, to ensure that incentives can leverage pre‐2030 replacement cycles for residential and commercial building equipment; And be it further resolved that UBCM urge the Government of BC to ensure that existing and future incentives and support programs are available for all building types, prioritizing multi‐unit rental, affordable and non‐ market housing, and building types that are not covered in current incentives and rebates. At the Con mic, delegates speak to the need to push forward rapidly, one size fits all, etc. Yet motion deemed too complicated; two-year review is insufficient; SSMHU is restricted to areas with water and sewer, therefore single-family greenfield areas are exempt already … - defeated by significant margin with recognition that a legislative review is a best practice within five years and that every community in BC is unique and cannot be expected to follow in lockstep with a directive from Victoria. 

* NR25 Housing Authority Feasibility Study Work
"Therefore be it resolved that UBCM petition the Province of BC to provide grant funding for municipalities and regional districts to plan and create entities that provide and manage non-market housing in their communities."  Need for provincial grant funding to support non-market housing.  Whistler staff would be happy to share info from its Housing Authority … Squamish and Bowen Island housing authorities are other example. Big message is start now. Zach de Vries acknowledges non-market housing is utterly essential and we must scale up, but this should not deny local government responsibility. 

- NR27 - /bc Health Effects Anomalous Temperates (HEAT) Committee’s cold-weather response … amended to include “provide necessary funding to local governments and NGOs” Municipalities need help in supporting either its own work and in support of non-profits. We need a standardized process that works collaboratively with local governments and not treat it as an ad hoc scenario. Yes, it does get cold each and every winter. 

(Consensus agreement from those i’ve spoken with this week: there is only one taxpayer; funding across the wide variety of needs identified in these many resolutions is finite; and that a motion such as this and others is absolutely valid and important at the UBCM and regional association level to identify local gaps and needs. To expect the province to respond favourably and, more to the point, actually fund these needs in the short term is naive.) 

- NR28 - Emergency shelter exemption for BC Building Code and BC Fire Code requirements for residential. Variances are required for older buildings run by non-profits who cannot afford to upgrade. Emergency shelters should have their own building code. Safety of life and limb for people sleeping in the street. Slum landlords would take advantage of this resolution, says one delegate at the con mic. 

- NR29 - Expand Secondary Suite Incentive Program into electroal areas. Currently excludes half the regional districts currently not in the program and a number of small municipalities. - carried unanimously 

​NR 30 - 

*  NR40 - Equitable Funding of Police Services (Port Alberni) 
"Therefore be it resolved that UBCM urgently appeal to the Province of British Columbia to develop an equitable Police Services funding program for all BC municipalities and regional districts that takes into account the financial capacity and population size of each jurisdiction, as well as the additional demands placed on police services due to systemic social issues outside of a local government's mandate." 

* NR 42 - Modernize the Police Cost Sharing Formulae (View Royal) 
"Therefore be it resolved that UBCM ask the Province to work with local governments to develop a new RCMP funding framework that gradually increases the cost-share rate for local governments at the 5,000, 10,000, 20,000 and 40,000 population thresholds."

* NR 47 - Noise Camera Pilot Program (Port Moody) 
"Therefore be it resolved that UBCM ask that the Province of British Columbia explore the feasibility of using noise cameras to effectively enforce vehicular noise regulations through the creation of a noise camera pilot project for municipalities to opt into." 

* NR 53 - Black Bear Cub Conflict Response (North Vancouver District) 
"Therefore be it resolved that UBCM request the Province of British Columbia to initiate changes to the British Columbia Conservation Officer Service, Human-Black Bear (Single) Conflict Response Guideline, to include a review of actions through an independent civilian-led oversight board, orphaned bear cubs to be transported to a wildlife sanctuary for health assessment of cubs by qualified wildlife veterinarian, for treatment or euthanasia, and an audit done by the Solicitor General of British Columbia Conservation Officer Service actions, policies and procedures."  - “lazy citizens are to blame for bear habituation,” says the mayor of a northern BC community. “Gun carrying officers from all services require oversight, this motion is not a knock on the honourable, well-intentioned, hard working officers of the BC Conservation service.” - motion defeated by large majority 

* NR54 - Ban on Rodent Glue Traps (Saanich, View Royal) 
"Whereas glue traps are an ineffective method for controlling rodents as they fail to address the root causes of an infestation, including access to food and shelter, and they cause fear, pain and distress for captured animals, including rodents and non-target animals like birds, bats, small mammals, amphibians, reptiles, and household pets; And whereas most users are not capable of humanely killing trapped animals, leaving them to suffer for hours, and even days, before dying of suffocation, dehydration, starvation, exhaustion, or exposure; Therefore be it resolved that UBCM ask the Province of British Columbia to implement a province-wide ban on the sale, purchase, and use of glue traps." Banned in progressive nations around the world (Scandinavia, UK, India, elsewhere). Spca reminds us that all animals should be treated humanely … passed by strong majority … peanut butter beer trap for rats. 

* NR 56 
* NR 63 - Municipal and Regional District Tax Fund Overhaul to Enable Investment in Infrastructure (Fernie) 
"Therefore be it resolved that UBCM advocate to the Province for a comprehensive overhaul of the Municipal and Regional District Tax funding framework to expand the allowable usage of funds, including directing a portion towards essential infrastructure projects."

* NR67 - Provincial Core Funding for Evolving Public Libraries (Nanaimo, Oak Bay, Powell River, qathet RD) 
"Therefore be it resolved that UBCM call on the provincial government to recognize the evolving and challenging situation for public libraries as well as their unique role as community spaces, and increase annual core funding for libraries to $30 million in keeping with the request made by the BC Public Library Partners and the recommendation of the province’s Select Standing Committee on Finance and Government Services." 

- "Public Libraries See Historic Funding Boost from Province"  (March 24, 2023) 
​UBCM Talking Points supplied to trustees by the Vancouver Island Regional Library:
"* Nearly 33% of residents in VIRL’s service area are active library users, and 40% of VIRL’s collection use is digital.
* This (BC NDP) government’s one-time contributions have been necessary funding for public libraries and significantly impact many people’s lives in communities throughout BC. Thank you!
* The cost of delivering library services is being born almost entirely (95%) by local governments.
* Over the last 10 years, the provincial component of VIRL’s funding has gone down from 5% to 4% while local government components have risen disproportionately.
* Endorse the BC Public Library Partners ask for an increase in annual sectoral core funding to $30M per year.
* Endorse VIRL and GVPL’s joint request (that the Minister establish an Advisory Body to review core annual provincial funding of public libraries." 

*NR 74 - Amendments to the Land Title Act (Courtenay) 
"Therefore be it resolved that UBCM urge the Ministry of Attorney General to consider amendments to the Land Title Act that would prohibit and render void any portion of building schemes that purport to prohibit or restrict the installation of roof top solar panels, or any other renewable energy systems" 

* NR 77 - Unfarmed Land Tax (Pitt Meadows) 
"Whereas the purpose of the Agricultural Land Reserve (ALR) is to preserve much-needed land for farming to ensure local food security, and not real estate speculation; And whereas speculation in the ALR can lead to increased land values and the underutilization of ALR land for farming: Therefore be it resolved that UBCM call upon the Province of BC to establish a targeted unfarmed land tax, to discourage speculation and encourage farming in the ALR." 

* NR 79 - Traffic Count Systems Improvements (Saanich) 
"Therefore be it resolved that UBCM request that the provincial government support local governments to improve traffic count systems for evaluating Vehicle Kilometre Traveled reduction interventions and measuring progress towards the CleanBC Vehicle Kilometres Traveled reduction targets."

* NR85 - Free Transit for Seniors in BC (Langford) 
"Whereas transportation costs can serve as significant barrier to mobility for many British Columbian seniors, andthis barrier can contribute to social isolation and adversely affect mental and physical well-being; And whereas removing barriers to seniors using transit encourages a shift towards more sustainable transportation, helping lower emissions and reducing congestion, while simultaneously increasing affordability, access to essential services, social inclusion, health, and well-being: Therefore be it resolved that UBCM lobby the provincial government to make all public transit free for seniors (aged 65 years or older)."

* NR89 - Harassment of Elected Local Government Officials (Central Kootenay) 
* NR90 - Bullying and Harassment by Local Elected Officials (Kamloops) 
​* NR91 - Personal and Defamatory Attacks on Local Government Leaders (Osoyoos) 

* NR97 Eliminate Fossil Fuel Funding of UBCM (Vernon) 
"Therefore be it resolved that UBCM will no longer accept funding from the fossil-fuel industry and its lobby groups in support of conventions and meetings." 

* NR100 Mandatory Holocaust Education in BC’s Elementary Schools (Prince George) 
"Whereas Statistics Canada reported that there were 750 police-reported hate crimes targeting religious minorities during 2022, of which 502 or 66.9 per cent were aimed at Jews; And whereas Ontario recently became the first province to introduce mandatory Holocaust education into the elementary school curriculum: Therefore be it resolved that UBCM recognizes the dangers of Holocaust denial and distortion, which so often targets our young people, and urges the Ministry of Education and Child Care to introduce mandatory Holocaust education to elementary schools." 

David Eby - two month old baby … sixteen diapers until the writ drops 
- global inflation
- record run up in interest rates putting pressure on all governments
- record population growth … the likes of which we have never seen before
- Canfor - the community of Vanderhoof … how do we use the trees and people we have to build a better community rather than supporting corporate profits 

- Pretty stark choice ahead on Oct. 19
- time is now for building not cutting — schools, roads, and maintenance of quality of life 
- hiring not firing in the health care sector - building hospitals not closing them 
- as Premier my commitment to you is to keep working together
- we need to listen and work together 

Specific examples of good work we have done together … 
- housing is one of the biggest issues and challenges, inter-releated to housing for health care, street disorder, 
- together we are implementing a plan to deliver 300,000 homes for middle 

- Record housing starts in the community in Kelowna 
- 90 percent of communities have made the legislative changes 
- we have added more homes per capita than any province over the last seven years 
- four times more rental housing than Ontario
- our rentals are finally starting to come down - rents down 6% in Vancouver this year

Homelessness — 
Chilliwack - Chilliwack Wellness Centre - open during the daytime - police calls are down and businesses are happier 

City of Prince Rupert - vital and strategic port in North America … feds came to the table to secure water 
Terrace - 500% increase in the pothole fixing budget in that city … potholes matter. 
Mission - secondary school is realized along with a transportation overhaul 
Gibsons - BC Builds, can we get a child care added = yes, within two months it was permitted and ground broken 

Abbotsford - pump station, go back to the federal government 

NG 911 … services independent study for financial model for EComm … no financial impact to you 

Health Care … 
- site of the new Surrey Cloverdale Hospital this week — second emergency room, new medical school for BC and 835 new family doctors signed up … 250k people have been connected in the last year, 60k more in the next six months - connected to family doctors 
- new incentive programs to keep emergency rooms open in smaller communities, Port Hardy 
- we cannot cut the health care budget by $4 billion as the Cons suggest

Community Care Clinic - in Courtenay/Comox 
- everyone in the region will have attachment to doctor 

Street disorder 
- expanded care
- face down on sidewalk, or yelling and causing fear in the community
- ensure they are cared for … 
- residents must feel safe in their communities; there is not a person in this province who does not want the vulnerable to be cared for … many of you have identified specific sites for care facilities … it is critical for us to help people stay closer to home … this will take time … Allouette Correctional Institute in Mission … host a site like this, please let us know … smaller communities like Trail, Terrace, Sooke are seeing challenges in the downtown core … in our platofrm is a commitment to you for additional resources for community policing. 
- peer response and PACT teams to ensure our communities are safe and downtowns recover 


Trish questions …
- vulnerable populations … relatively small number, in the 100s across the province, are repeat offenders … downtown Bia initiatives related to vandalism … highly secure care for these people … reduce the impacts on police, etc. Keep supplying more housing … 

Carbon Tax 
- we all place a high priority on addressing climate change
- this is significant because of financial impacts of climate change and next generational future prospects 
- clean electricity in a low-carbon province 
- Rustead says climate change is a lie and a hoax 
- will be prioritize forest fire management and dikes? 
- would he support hydgrogen fueling 
- carbon actually isn’t a problem, says Rustead 

- Carbon tax … people are being put in a position of choosing between climate action and paying for the basics
- people shouldn’t be forced into this 
- everyday British Columbians are protected 
- if the federal government 
- big pollutors will pay a carbon price in British Columbia 
- the Conserviates have pledged to cut taxes on fossil fuel industry 


Local government financing 
- you are seeing same inflation/construction costs 
- we ask you to do more all the time 
- British Columbians want more 
- local government finance reform work that we’re doing 
- predictability rather than one-off funding is crtical 
- issues related to street disorder, homelessness and mental health issues
- 
Adrienne Carr 
- can you ensure you are not in any way 
- we have elminated the deep oil credit 
- we have redone the royalty regime in the province to ensure no artifically low oil rates
- ensure a carbon price for the industry 
- methane regulations 
- and we have more to do 

Will you BC Tansit for under 18
- Comox 
​- fastest recovery in North America to 100 percent ridership post pandemic
- challenge of our success is that there is massive demand for transit across the province
- free for 12 and under 
- we will absolutely 

Small communities … the numbers seem achiveable for housing … modular housing construction. 

NDP will release its platform next week 
Attainable housing program … midlde income housing, very scalable 

​
Jonathan Wilkinson 
- climate change denial 
- climate change is Inflation Reduction Act
- China is now the number one employer and EV … they control much of the critical minerals; a strategy 
- Canada is deploying a strategic - critical minerals and 
- climate change should not be a partisan issue, it is a science 
- you very clearly understand the very urgent need 
- some at hte federal and provincial levels who are advocating for climate denialism 
- this to be frank is shameful - i say this as a politican and a parent 
- we can meet the moment we are living and build stronger, more resilient 


John Rustead 

- this election, like all of them, is pivotal 
- many issues in BC … I want to put my finger 
- financial situation in BC has never been worse … running a $9b estimate … $10-12b by the end of March
- we must get this under control … interest on our debt, combination of a dozen Ministries 

- crime is rampant on our streets
- communities are 
- one in three British columbians wnat to leave
- 50% of our youth are looking at leaving BC - how on earth can I raise a family here. 

- drug and addictions
- one small blue flag for every boy and man … 12k lives on the ground’
- this must be brought to an end
- we cannot carry on with safe supply and decriminalization 
- we need to look at involuntary, compassionate care 
- if you’re a parent with an 11 year old child … a parent should be able to make this call

- homelessness
- it is not okay, we must find long-term housing

- health care is broken as well 
- David Eby talks of more doctors and nurses but we are in a crisis
- ER closures … wait-times of 10 hours in those that are open

- OECD … we are the second most expensive per capita health care system yet have second worst health outcomes (FACT CHECK)
- Germany has twice the population, but Canada has 10 times the number of administrators
- we must eliminate the fat within the bureaucracy 
- deliver services in a timely way 

- chuckle about the advertisiung
- cut $4 billion out of health care
- how easy it is for the premier of BC to lie … 
- we will see health care spending increase
- we must deal with 

- next 28 days - common sense approach 

- Youth - affordability head on … 
- complete removal of the carbon tax in BC
- $3.5 billion by 2025
- we will turn that money back to people in BC 
- we will get rid of the low carbon emissions fuel standard
- between those two taxes, .36 cents a liter in terms of fuels 


- man has impacted the climate, no question
- taxing people into poverty 
- electricity … last year we imported 20 percent of the energy we needed 
- we must address 
- wind and solar 
- where is that power going to come from? 
- nuclear power in British Columbia 
- affordable, reliable, clean energy … 
- we need to do a full engagement with people in the province 
- we must be open and transparent in the 

- 84% are hydro carbons 
- triple amount of electricity 

- $1 billion for water and sewer upgrades 
- $25 to $30 billion over ten years to municipalities 
- this funding comes with an ask - i want to do pre-zoning as part of 

- we will eliminate Bill 44 
- if we can get to a place with pre-zoning 
- people who can 

= repeat offenders 
- SAve On Foods hiring 345 security guards around the province 
- guaranteed minimum sentences
- need to do significant investments in the courts
- prolific violent offenders 
- back on the street 
- the Menatl Health Act
 - if someone is at the risk of harming themselves or others, they


- lies and misinformation … they cannot defend their policies 
- forest sector hollowed out

deal on haidi gwai title
- this title will be underneath your communities
- haida law can override your right as local governments 


Sonbia Fursteneau
- Free transit for youth
- we are aligned in a lot of ways, you and i 
- last fall day as a MLA after 13 years 

- fifth 
- wake of a snap election
- one day from the end of the 42nd parliament 
- fact checking is not a big thing around here these days 
- I think there is the firsttime 
- BC United official opposition 
- you are now hearing from the political leaders for the case for their support 
here is mine …

- BC can and should be the best place to live on the planet 
- we are indeed facing many crises 
- affordability, health care, climate 
- we have let that place 
- housing has been turned into a commodity
- fossel fuel companies 
- a lot of British Columbians feel 
- two months from now she’ll be a grandmother 

- impassioned speeches at the mic at earlier UBCMs as a regional director, pleading with governments to work with us
- telling us to be afraid, telling us to be angry - I don’t find that particulary inspiring
- i am inspired by leaning into what is possible
- that’s what you do at UBCM 
- focused on delivering reliable high-quality public services 
- deliberation, consensus building, openness and transparency, accountability and listening to all voices 
- this is possible 
- this is hte basic thing we should expect from government
- we must not accept hte story that it is too hard or complex 

- this is not an election about two parties in competition
- let’s distribute the power and ensure it is not a winner-take-all election 
- other fear and negativity in this election 
- people are forced to work together and collaborate 

- strongest outcomes
- don’t give in to all the fear and anger, lean into what is possible 

I am willing to take questions … 


we are allowing an industry earning trillions and contributing 
- carbon tax is the one tax being returned to people - revenue neutral 
- getting back to people 
- $1k per year for a family of four 
- stable, predictable and reliable funding 

what will we do with all of our free power - New York Times 
a truly clean energy 
if energy costs are so low that this is not a consideration 
- large scale desalination projects
- how are we going to get ahead of those drought conditions 
- Quantum Technology in Squamish - capture helium to be reused in medical facilities 







- 

Since the previous post is so lengthy and convoluted, here's a somewhat tighter summary of what one of council's letter-writers today termed a "state of emergency" on provincial Highway 14 re: what's variously now known as the Sooke Slink, Crawl, Slog, Stall and/or Standstill.  (Yes, this one gets longer with each update ... Cut to the chase by visiting the District's Transportation Master Plan implementation page.) 

September 23: Tonight's council agenda (pp. 59-87) features a critical analysis of the seven short-term traffic solutions proposed by the Sooke Traffic Committee (STC), an ad hoc group created this summer by the Chamber and the Sooke Builders Association (scan down to the July 29 update for details.) 

Reports are presented from Watt Consulting Group’s Nadine King  (pp. 63-72), Sooke’s Director of Engineering and Operations Jeff Carter (pp. 73-80) and M4 Consulting’s Michelle Mahovlich (pp. 81-87). The latter is Langford's former Director of Engineering and one of the advisors to the STC.  All conclude that the one best short-term fix is continued work on signalization timing of lights at Sooke River Road, Phillips, Church and Otter Point Rd. to favour the westbound afternoon flow. 

Other ideas from the STC have merit, but will have seemingly little short-term impact on westbound congestion, require complicated courses of action and also must necessarily follow on from the long-identified big-budget fixes that must precede all else, i.e., connecting Grant Road East from Wadams to Charters is a mid-term action identified in the Transportation Master Plan. 

Viable Short-Term Actions 
1. Reopening Charters Road (due for completion in six weeks but open to limited afternoon vehicular traffic tomorrow) 
2. BC Transit Advocacy
3. Light Timing Adjustments
4. Ongoing Advocacy with MOTI  

Longer-term: MOTI prioritization of new turning lanes in the core combined with largely District-funded completion of the Throup Road connector (which, as you know, will require your 'yes' votes in a successful borrowing referendum and a significant uptick on your/our taxes.)  

The good news is that the District and Hazelwood Construction have done all in their power to open Charters ahead of schedule -- just as promised in a first press release dated May 23, which stated: "Efforts will be made to expedite the construction process while adhering to budgetary constraints if at all possible." 

<clip> “​We are grateful for the project crews’ commitment and flexibility in balancing the outstanding milestones while prioritizing the needs of the community,” says CAO Raechel Gray. The safety of the public and crews remains a top priority, and the construction site will remain secured as key project milestones are still underway. However, recognizing the impact this closure has had on our community, traffic control measures will allow vehicle (and cyclist) access during peak afternoon and early evening hours ... Once remaining tasks, including line painting, hydro pole relocation, sidewalk installation, railing installation and site inspections are complete, the road will fully reopen to vehicle and pedestrian traffic."


Sept. 9: Facebook post viz. that night's Council agenda and CAO Gray's traffic-focused report (pp. 15-16) ~ 
"Fresh from a reality check of one of the Sooke traffic pages and, sure enough, folks are again reporting out on lengthy westbound afternoon delays now that school is back. The comments are variously and understandably frustrated, fed-up, peppery, sardonic, humorous, stoic and/or flat-out angry, just as was the case near-daily throughout May and June.

The good news is that Charters Road will be back in service as planned at the end of October and can again welcome the roughly 15% of commuter traffic that uses it. Sorry to say, however, that still further reserves of already exhausted patience will be required until then … and beyond, of course, since the Sooke Slink, Crawl, Slog, Stall and/or Standstill requires bigger, costlier fixes than this.

As intended at the July 22 council meeting (called off by Mayor Tait because of that day's start of the wildfire and the potential need for an all-hands-on-deck staff response), we'll discuss Cllr. McMath's motion calling for creation of a District transportation committee involving multiple stakeholders as per the tradition of these select committees. The intent is to invite a group of bright minds to examine the big picture and, far more significantly in my mind, also the micro steps that will alleviate congestion one vehicle at a time.

This is already being tackled by professionals at the Sooke, CRD and Provincial levels, however it can surely only help to have citizen expertise in the mix as we collectively address this growing community nightmare with close reference to our Active Transportation Master Plan and the long history of intentions dating back to Sooke’s first such plan released a quarter century ago. (See pp. 269-86 for the staff report on this potential select committee and
pp. 649-718 for Britt Santowski's traffic impact survey reports from early this summer, still entirely relevant now that the new school year is underway.) 

As Ms. Gray explains, District staff and third-party experts (i.e., M4 Consulting and Watt Consulting) have analyzed the ideas submitted by the Chamber-organized Sooke Traffic Committee (sent to the District on July 19 and itemized in my blog here ~ https://www.jeffbateman.ca/blog/hwy-14 ).

Consultants and staff agree the one best immediate action is to continue tweaking traffic light timings from Sooke River Road into the town centre. Other ideas have merit, but will have seemingly little short-term impact on westbound congestion, require complicated courses of action and also must necessarily follow on from the long-identified big-budget fixes that must precede all else. 

On the subject of the latter, Ms. Gray writes: “We are in the final stages of design updates for (the Throup Road Connector and Phillips Road Corridor), which will allow us to accurately update cost estimates. This is critical as Council considers the possibility of a referendum on borrowing funds to advance these key infrastructure improvements.”

More details in the District's August 30 press release. 

PS Regional traffic congestion is also a huge contributing issue to road weariness, resignation and occasional rage. On Wednesday, the CRD Board considers the next step in establishing a Regional Transportation Service to be nested amidst federal and provincial authorities. It proposes seven areas of prime focus impacting all 13 municipalities: Active Transportation and Road Safety; Multi-modal Network and Connectivity; New Mobility Services; Data Management and Traffic Analysis; Behaviour Change (carpooling programs, for instance); Grants and Funding; Transit and Mobility Hubs; and regional Transportation Planning.

See item 8.8 in the CRD's Sept. 11 agenda. The board must okay the new service and determine its level of funding; for Sooke residents this could work out to between $40 and $70 annually for average assessed households. Yes, it all adds up on the tax bill, but like keen local calls for a referendum, there is seemingly a strong public appetite for a smartly structured user-pay approach to get our regionally networked roads, rapid bus lanes, active transportation routes and future light-rail corridors in order before shared south island traffic grows still worse."

August 1: District's Charters Road Construction Update : “At this time, the project remains on schedule with Charters Road anticipated to reopen by the end of October … The District is monitoring traffic flow and sees peak delays most commonly reaching 18 minutes around 5:30 pm. on Highway 14 approaching the Sooke town core. Traffic delays are greater leading into the weekend, and the most optimal evening travel times appear to be after 6 pm.”

Update: July 29
- The Old Man Lake wildfire was first detected mid-afternoon on July 22. From an "abundance of caution" and to ensure staff were free to act as required, Mayor Tait cancelled that night's meeting. Council was to discuss the potential formation of a "Joint Traffic Committee" as well as a set of District-led initiatives.  See agenda pp. 445-462. 
​
- Sooke's economy is hurting, as we heard at the July 8 meeting. Expect to see the Chamber reinvigorate and promote its COVID-era Better Buy Sooke campaign to ensure we locals are supporting Sooke business. The "Heritage Row" merchants (Sea of Bloom et al.) have organized a block party from 4 to 7 PM on Wed. Aug. 21. 

- The Sooke Region Chamber of Commerce and Sooke Builders Association road solutions working group is comprised of the Chamber’s Deb Schenk, Tracy Snow and Britt Santowski, SBA/Keycorp's Jim Hartshorne, SBA/Keycorp's Shannon Russell, Councillor Kevin Pearson, Councillor/NDP MLA candidate Dana Lajeunesse, SBA builder/BC United MLA candidate Herb Haldane, and Citified's Sooke-based Mike Kozakowski. Advice has been supplied to this group by former Langford Director of Engineering Michelle Mahovlich.  

Its eight recommendations were submitted on July 19 and are now under review by the District (the letter is part of the public record within Council's correspondence file of July 24): 

"1. Access from Evergreen Plaza to Wadams Way ~ Approximate cost: $25,000; local businesses will provide work at a 25% lower rate (possible option to provide taxable receipt). 

2. Create secondary access to Sooke Elementary School via Country Road. A small portion of the school field could be utilized to create temporary access. 

3. Cross walk safety and necessity review. Three crosswalks on Sooke Road near the roundabout are too many. Suggest keeping the middle crosswalk and removing the other two. CIBC crosswalk is particularly unsafe. $10,000 cost at most. 

4. Fully connect the two portions of Goodmere Road. Approximately 60m of roadway. 

5. Connect Grant Road East to Wadams Way. Also, as a longer-term solution for the District's Master Transportation Plan, eventually connect Grant Road to Charters Road.

6. Adjust signal timing at all connecting roads (e.g. Church Road) to allow for more Highway 14 traffic to flow. 

7. Enable a timed crosswalk at Saseenos Elementary School." 

- As of July 17, the District was tracking (via Google Maps) afternoon commute times. On that day, "our monitoring of traffic delays showed a peak delay of approximately 18 minutes. Anecdotally, this duration of a delay appears to be more common in recent days; however, we will continue to monitor and acknowledge it has been far greater previously. We used Belmont Secondary School, located at 3041 Langford Lake Road, as the starting point, and Sooke Municipal Hall, located at 2205 Otter Point Road, as the endpoint, with spontaneous monitoring from 2:15 pm to 6:52 pm. The data indicates that at 4:35 pm, the route took approximately 40 minutes, and at 6:52 pm, it took approximately 22 minutes. (We) understand that these traffic volumes can vary and that this represents just one day for daily commuters."

My Facebook post of July 16: 
"Significant development from the July 8 council meeting is that staff are now tasked with reporting back on what it will take to establish a multi-stakeholder District traffic solutions committee. Council will receive a report at next Monday’s meeting and we're all keen, I’m sure, to get it underway to augment and amplify significant, ongoing efforts by the District and MOTI to address our afternoon commuter traffic woes.

Expect this council select committee to include members from the Sooke Chamber of Commerce-led group about which you'll have read recently in the Sooke News Mirror. Council, via a motion from Cllr. Pearson, requested this undoubtedly savvy group’s short-term traffic fix ideas in writing (not anecdotally, as we’ve individually, to varying degrees, received to date) ~ just as we readily welcome input from you and all in Sooke (as we did in developing the Sooke Transportation Master Plan itself in 2019/20.)

Their likely robust, get-er-done suggestions can be added to the menu of TMP priorities. These will further inform collaborative DOS/MOTI work that is at an advanced stage on a number of fronts, including, as CAO Gray reported the other week, MOTI's promised "build-out of key intersections to support right-turn cueing, including Phillips, Charters and Church."

All actions, including completion of the connector route, will take time – two-to-three years at least for the Throup extension. Significant eight-figure budgets from both the local and provincial government are required; for our part, a $35m (approx.) borrowing referendum is almost certainly ahead of us (and the dotmocracy voting at District pop-up tables continue to fill with supportive blue dots, as I saw at the Country Market on Saturday; these informal voters are told the price of ‘yes’ will be a tax hit of upwards of $250 per year over the long term.)

Weekday traffic challenges are best captured in Britt Santowski's business and resident surveys. You can find the PDFs in the Sooke PocketNews entry of June 24. She has presented them to council, and I asked last week that they be published in full in council's next agenda. (I've also been pulling related Hwy 14 letters from the council correspondence file so that they’ll get a public airing and be more readily available for ongoing advocacy with our MLA and the province.)

During an extended public comment period last week, a series of speakers told us about the dire current and future impacts ranging from day-care pick-up complications for working parents to workforce disruptions to, worst of all, potential business closures.

We heard in particular that Sooke businesses, banged up not long back by COVID impacts, are hurting on all the fronts, specifically “client retention and customer behaviour, operational costs and profit margins, employee management and scheduling, service delivery and client appointments, and general economic impact and community well-being" (to quote the five areas of concern in Britt’s business report.)

I’m deeply curious to see the Chamber group’s recommendations after hearing Mayor Tait speak last Monday of those she'd heard about anecdotally (i.e., punching a temporary road through Lot A to allow Evergreen Mall traffic to exit onto Wadams; extending Grant Road East, as identified in the TMP, to link with Charters at approx. the same spot where work is now taking place; creating, as recommended by one speaker, a rough exit to Country Road through the playing field at Sooke Elementary.)

The Mayor quickly analyzed the arising complications in several of these ideas before echoing council's collective desire to see the full set of them in detailed writing so that council and District staff can give them all-due serious consideration.

Yes, we absolutely need all hands on deck delivering big and small, practical and left-field, cheap or costly, potential or far-fetched solutions alike. Arising from the motion brought to us by Cllr. McMath, the proposed task force or traffic committee (i.e., “active transportation committee,” as I requested given how the TMP so definitively champions all modes of travel) is exactly the right forum for a staff-supported, solutions-driven dialogue to happen.

There’s also the promise of an independent report commissioned from a leading BC engineer by the Chamber and Sooke Builders Association to anticipate. Bring it on (and please submit it formally, in writing, for District consideration, in case that needs saying again.)

And no, i don't believe there is a quick fix out there while sincerely hoping i'm proven wrong. While missing the now urgent need for a borrowing referendum, the image here from the Coffee With Council event early this year neatly summarizes the multiple ways we must act – incrementally at the micro level, thinking creatively, challenging personal habits, cozying up with others in carpool arrangements and finding every way possible to get single-occupancy cars off the road one after next.

[Here’s a thought: The District might consider hiring a “traffic tzar” to focus exclusively on reducing traffic and encouraging mode shift – advocating, collaborating, delivering measured results one less vehicle at a time while knowing fresh waves of them are coming as approved new housing units are built. Montreal has experimented with one, why not Sooke given our common if hardly comparable dilemmas?]

Closing for now with a simple and familiar two words for all of us who live here and may be fortunate enough to not be among the 2,300 or so commuters who endure the slog/stall but still want very much to see our local economy thrive: Shop local! https://betterbuysooke.ca"


​First Reads ... 
~ Addressing Traffic Challenges and Enhancing Community Infrastructure in Sooke (Mayor Tait, June 6, 2024) 
~ Statement on Charters Road Closure and Highway 14 Congestion (DOS, May 31)
~ Closure of Charters Road for Essential Upgrades (DOS, May 23) 

~  MLA Report: Sooke Future Shines Bright With New Infrastructure Investments (Ravi Parmar, Sooke News Mirror, May 30, 2024). Our MLA confirms that Hwy 14 remains on the province's radar and that improvements/planning will continue in collaboration with the District. 

Daily Traffic Reality Check  ... 
~ Highway 14 Camera at EMCS
~ Highway 14 Camera at Sooke Rd./Glinz Lake Road

Social Media 
~ Sooke Traffic et al. 
~ Sooke Rideshare/carpooling/car share (register to join, please; 474 members; just four posts in last month at a time it could/should be rocking) 

Petitions
~ Petition: Immediate and Future Solutions to Traffic Congestion (launched by Webmax's Susan Jones on June 8; 1,048 signatures as of June 13 - 1,623 on June 15; 2,123 on June 21; 3,104 on July 29)
~ Petition: Modify Route 61 Bus to Directly Connect Sooke and Downtown Victoria (launched Feb. 15; 1,256 signatures as of June 13) 

News Coverage and Letters to the Editor
~ Unreal Traffic Congestion Generates Petition (Times Colonist, June 14) 
~ Effective Solutions (CHEK News, June 12)  
~ Petition Addresses Traffic Gridlock ‘Crisis’ In Sooke (Sooke News Mirror, June 11)
~ Bigger Sooke Is Still A One-Road Town (Shannon Moneo, Times Colonist, June 5)
~ Province to Unveil Improvement Plans (Citified, March 11)
~ Traffic Getting Worse on Sooke Road (Mike Strong, Black Press, Dec. 4, 2023)
~ Elephant In The Room Is Crawling Along Highway 14 (John Boquist, SNM, April 18, 2022) 
~ Is Council Sucking or Blowing? (Shannon Moneo, SNM, May 17, 2021) 
~ Highway 14 Expansion for Developers (E.B. Klassen, SNM, May 7, 2021) 


​Full Meal Deals from this Blog 
~ Highway 14 Revisited: Congestion and Safety (updated: June 1, 2024)
~ Highway 14 Revisited: Four-Lane Opening Edition (July 22, 2022)
~ What's Next For Sooke's Evolving Road, Sidewalk and Roundabout Network (Jan. 20, 2021) 
~ Highway 14 Revisited: Spring 2019 Edition (March 29, 2019) 
~ Fresh Paint, Familiar Refrain for Sooke Road (Nov. 17, 2018)
 

Actions Required
Immediate
* MOTI and District staff collaboration under the Memorandum of Understanding guiding the two organizations (ongoing)

* Mayor Tait and Council seeks a fresh meeting with MOTI Minister Rob Fleming, his senior staff and MLA Parmar (requested) as follow-up to the April presentation by MOTI

* District works with Hazelwood Construction to find ways to accelerate project work, i.e. last week's news: "Rock Crusher Mobilizing Alongside Charters Road" (June 12 press release). This eliminates the need for x hundred dump trucks that would have been required to bring crushed rock to the site. (Daytime noise over the summer, it's true, but nothing compared to the multiple years endured by those in proximity of Viewpointe Estates.) 

* Traffic light timings to be reset at Sooke River Road, Phillips and Church to encourage westbound afternoon flow. In addition, if required, use of flagger teams need be considered at one or more of these intersections. 

* Prepare for a Sooke referendum to secure majority citizen approval to borrow x million dollars (upwards of $35m) to pair with future infrastructure grants and Development Cost Charges. This to complete phases seven, eight and nine of the connector route ASAP (i.e., Throup connection from Church roundabout to Phillips and Sooke Road). [Council has yet to begin formal discussion; Mayor Tait in a CFAX interview indicated a tax hike of approx. $250 per year would be required over the long lifespan of the loan.]

* Continued advocacy with BC Transit for more service hours and direct routing to Victoria. (I notice double-deckers are back on some Sooke routes, hopefully providing seats for those who must stand for much of the journey.  Ridership is up 15% over the last year with the latest round of service increases.) 

* Solutions proposed, and calls for action to be issued, by provincial election candidates in the immediate months ahead. 

* District receipt of ideas brainstormed by a new committee formed by the Chamber of Commerce and the Sooke Builders Association (led by Keycorp Development’s Jim Hartshorne) + results of the Chamber’s Community Impact Traffic Survey
​
Big Picture
* Rethink, re-examine and clarify the short, medium and long-term Hwy 14 master plan, to be developed under the DOS/MOTI Memorandum of Understanding with full reference to Sooke and west-shore sections of the South Island Transportation Strategy (2020). [See pg. 82 onwards in its Technical Report #2.  The Hwy 14 section with its two alternatives (costly and costlier) runs from pg. 108 to 112. The less expensive option calls for four lanes between Sooke River and Cooper's Cove. More details below.]
​
* Funding commitments for Hwy 14 in MOTI’s 10-year capital plan along with next phase decisions re: corridor improvements. 
 

Key Actions to Be Prioritized and Funded 
* Near-term completion of east-end of bypass route (as a municipal responsibility; other items are MOTI responsibilities.)   

* Intersection improvements to align Sooke Road with the TMP bypass route, i.e. Phillips and Charters. 

* Right turn-lane addition at junction of Church and Sooke Road. 
 
* Remake of the Idlemore intersection with Sooke Rd. for safety, flow and to accommodate new land uses by the T'Sou-ke on the north side. Question: Will MOTI adhere to Sooke's roundabout-first policy for all major intersections? 
 
* Shovel-ready design completed and funded for raised sidewalks and bike lanes in the town centre from ...
i) Phillips to Church (surveying this year in anticipation of intersection makeover at Charters/Sooke Rd.) 
ii) Ed Macgregor Park to Whiffin Spit Rd. (survey/design completed in 2022/23) 

* Reinvestigation of whether the shoulder east of the Prestige to Maple can be widened to better accommodate boat trailers OR whether no parking signs are required until the new sidewalk is built out. (The latter will create other impacts as boaters seek to park their trailers on neighbouring side streets if Jock's Dock is full.) 
 
* Warning signalization at all crosswalks in the town centre and elsewhere on #14, Ed Macgregor Park included

* Pedestrian safety measures at John Muir Elementary and Saseenos Elementary; expansion of pull-over and drop-off areas at John Muir. 
 
* Explore need for signalized crosswalks at Dover/Sooke Road, near Woodlands at Sooke Oceanside Brewery and at Maple/West Coast Road at Buffy’s. 

* Improvements on the dangerous stretch (for drivers, pedestrians and cyclists) from Ella Road to Kemp Lake Road, crumbling road shoulders included.  
 
* Investigation of whether the logging roads to Shawnigan are in good enough shape to serve as an emergency route. Malahat Segment Detour Route Planning (Nov. 2019; see full report) delivered a resounding 'no' to any possible escape routes on forestry roads through the Sooke Hills. See pages six and seven of the report for reasons why the seven best-possible options have been rejected.  Much consideration was given to the second-best option -- 2A (aka the Far-West Alignment). It follows Butler Main out of Sooke, then uses Jordan Mainland Road in skirting to the west of the future Leech Water Supply Area. After that it connects with West Jordan Main, Kapoor Mainline and Renfrew Road before reaching Shawnigan Lake-Mill Bay Road.  

Council Liaison with School District #62
* Renew the ongoing conversation with trustees about relocation of entrances/exits to schools on the highway. Of particular importance are improved roadside safety measures/solutions at John Muir and Saseenos Elementary. [As we all know, three elementary schools front the main road. Morning and especially afternoon drop-off/pick-up times contribute to congestion. Getting their entrances/exits moved off the road is a key talking point at MOU meetings between Council and SD #62 trustees. The top Milnes Landing priority for  SD #62 is now a new-build Sooke Elementary to replace what is currently the oldest still-operating elementary school in BC. The plan is to locate the school at the Country Road end of its expansive property. (This re-prioritization necessarily bumps the planned Sunriver Elementary into the 2030s; at that point, as I understand it, Saseenos Elementary students will relocate there and that school will close.]


Remedies: Unlocking Gridlock 
​- District of Sooke Transportation Master Plan Implementation website page  
- Navigating the Sooke Commute - Moving Forward (February, 2024)

MOTI's budget only goes so far with communities our size at a time when the big bucks must necessarily be dedicated to this generation's transportation mega projects -- the Pattullo Bridge replacement in New Westminster ($1.4b), the Fraser River Tunnel project ($4.4 billion), Surrey Skytrain extension ($4b) and the Broadway Ave. subway system in Vancouver ($2.8b).  Expecting the Ministry to find another $1b+ to build an alternate route for Sooke's small share of commuters given its mandate to serve all of BC's 3.8 million licensed drivers is unrealistic. But the MOU does commit both parties to systematic improvements over time. 

An outright moratorium on new building permits is the seemingly most logical short-term solution, however landowners have the legal right to build according to the terms of the zoning bylaw. This said, it's important to reiterate that we have approx. 900 new housing units (more than two-thirds of them rentals) approved for construction or recently complete ... and at least 1,000 more in the pipeline. In Sooke, we align with the rest of the country in facing an affordability crisis, but arguably not a housing crisis unless we're talking about our need for more non-profit and cooperative housing. 

Some combination of all of the following (in no particular order) is required to reduce traffic volume and/or improve flow while also reducing GHG emissions and creating a more complete, maybe even happier, community.

* Community Economic Development, i.e. more jobs in Sooke: The District's CED Strategy (2021) identifies an "Employment Lands Strategy" that would kickstart activity on Sooke's limited supply of commercial and industrial-zoned lands ~ much of it east of the Sooke River, dependent on sewer servicing and suitable for light industrial business parks and other commercial activities. 

* Transit Ridership: BC Transit's Sooke Local Area Service Plan is underway with increased service into Langford and slow introduction of new neighbourhood routes. Continued growth of service hours will encourage mode shift, as will  expansion of Blink RapidBus. Its dedicated bus lanes from Langford into the core are shaving significant time off rush-hour travel (as would that much-anticipated day when commuter rail service is available from Langford's West Hills station). A new phase of RapidBus lane expansion from the Hwy #1/Six Mile Road interchange to Atkins Road (near Thetis Lake Park) and Whale Road (at the JDF Recreation Centre) is set to begin later this year.  See Westshore Line Rapid Bus Implementation Strategy (June 2023) +  BC Transit documents progress on the overall system to date.   

Sooke already has the highest per-capita bus ridership in the CRD. Cllr. Tony St-Pierre recently received council approval to approach the Victoria Regional Transit Commission with a request for a cost and benefit analysis into how a free-fare system on underperforming (read: mostly empty) local routes 63 and 64 would boost ridership.  Local Heather Nelson has launched a petition calling for direct service into Victoria. She writes: “Currently, the commute between Sooke and downtown Victoria takes 1.5-2 hours due to having to go to Langford exchange and switch buses to the 95. This not only prolongs our travel time but also makes us dependent on the unpredictable waiting times at the exchange - sometimes as long as 40 minutes. The proposed change would reroute bus number 61 directly to downtown Victoria via Langford exchange without lessening people's access to Langford. This modification would reduce our commuting time by up to half an hour each way.” (1,249 signatures as of June). 

Victoria Regional Transit System's 10-Year Vision (October, 2023) recognizes rapid population growth on the Westshore (+22% by 2038) and the need for additional service out our way. A “Sooke transit hub” on Wadams Way is listed among its short-term priorities. BC Transit is intending to add (given budget approval) 90,000 more service hours as per its 2023-2026 Service Expansion Plan + BC Transit Fare Strategy (Sept. 2023) 

The Province is developing a Clean Transportation Action Plan (delayed, but due pre-election one would assume) that will address five goals: reducing vehicle kilometers traveled (VKT) 25% by 2030; shifting to more efficient modes; increasing vehicle efficiency; transitioning the market to zero-emission vehicles; and cleaner fuels. See UBCM PDF. (BC’s missing-middle housing legislation inviting density where water and sewer services exist is strongly aligned with GHG emission and VKT reduction objectives.)  For more on "traffic evaporation" strategies, see this recent Plan Canada article written by Greater Victoria Acting Together's Eric Doherty. 

* Telecommuting: Both the pending OCP (Action #8) and the Climate Action Plan call for dedicated telecommunicating office space in town as a proven means to reduce traffic. WorkLink has plans to build such a multi-storey space as it continues developing its Church Road property. Through the Climate Action Committee, the District wrote the Minister of Citizen Services in 2022 asking for a Sooke telecommuting hub for provincial government employees -- 237 of whom live in the District. Thanks for writing, came the reply, and we'll consider it. 

* Synchronized Lights: There's a science to ensuring maximal flow in one direction or other based on rush-hour volumes. This is already in play on #14 and is continually reviewed, as I understand it.  See MOTI Signal Design Manual (2019). 

* TMP "Roundabouts First" Policy: Love 'em (as most do) or loathe 'em, the District has embedded this approach in its master planning. As the Ministry states, “roundabouts are the go-to design for improved safety and traffic flow.”  A big question is whether MOTI will incorporate roundabouts into its future highway upgrades. This didn't happen at Sooke River Road circa 2018 given the cost of land expropriation, as MOTI reps told us at the EMCS open house that year. Staff have warned that a roundabout isn't possible at Charters Road given lack of available land, and that a traffic signal is required here halfway up the hill. Next question: Might a roundabout be possible at Phillips and Sooke Road in place of the current light?  It would seem essential to handle traffic flowing on and off the highway when the connector route is completed. 

* Carpooling: The District is exploring the possibility of a mobile app and collaboration with major employers (i.e., UVic, dockyards, CFB Esquimalt, Government of BC) to promote carpooling. Residents are encouraged to join the Facebook Sooke Carpool Group for ride-sharing opportunities. Behavioural change initiatives, carpooling included, are slated to be a significant part of the proposed new CRD Transportation Authority. 

* Reducing Mishaps: Red-Light/Speed Cameras At High-Incident Intersections: A fender bender or worse can create long-lines of stalled traffic. Tailgating on recent motions by the CRD and other local governments, I brought forward a council-approved motion early this year to write the Province seeking admission into an expanded red-light and speed-camera program. We cited intersections with 20 or more "casualty" (involving injuries) and "property damage-only" incidents during ICBC's 2018-2022 reporting period. These are at the Sooke Road intersections of Otter Point, Church, Sooke River Road and, top of the list, Phillips, with 82 crashes.  We'd be happy with one at least given the six-figure cost of the cameras. There are currently 140 such unblinking eyes operating in BC, but only two in Greater Victoria (Shelbourne/Hillside and Tillicum/Hwy #1). After decades of education about speeding and traffic accidents, the CRD Traffic Safety Commission now argues that enforcement is the best way to reduce incidents. As CRD Chair Colin Plant said the other month, "commit the crime, pay the fine" resonates with most people (a recent Mario Canseco survey shows 70%+ public support for the cameras.)

Latest Highway 14 Study
South Island Transportation Strategy (2020) -- pg. 82 onwards in its Technical Report #2.  The Hwy 14 section runs from pg. 108 to 112. It states that the following work would be possible on Hwy 14 given necessary will and budgets: 

"* 3.8 km of urban widening (4 lanes + 1 median lane including curb and sidewalk) from Sooke to the Galloping Goose Regional Trail crossing.

* 12.2 km of rural widening with median barrier from the Galloping Goose Regional Trail crossing to Westshore Parkway. In sections where Highway 14 is already 4 lanes wide, the scope includes widening the road further to accommodate median barrier.

* Replacement of the existing bridge at Veitch Creek. 

* Inter-Modal Nodes expanded and provided for connections to public transportation through park-and-rides, active transportation facilities, full width shoulders and electric vehicle charging stations for public transportation passengers." 
 
This is recommended under Alternative A with its $419m (in deflated 2020 dollars) project costs. 

Alternative B, an entirely new, more direct route running from Sooke River Road and inching into the Sea to Sea and Sooke Hills regional parks before reconnecting with the Sookehalla at Humpback Road, would cost $919m given the bridges (seven) and significant rock cuts required. 

Its conclusion: "The widening and realignment would address mobility and reliability challenges. Considering the limited change in vehicle-km, there are no reductions to GHGs expected. Emphasis has been placed on the Highway 14 widening option as the impacts and costs of the bypass option are significant."

Foretold and Forewarned
Highway 14's limitations have long been recognized. An Urban Systems "Highway 14 Corridor Study" released in Dec. 2008 begins its conclusions thus: "The capacity of the existing two-lane Highway 14 corridor is being reached and will continue to degrade with increased traffic volume associated with continued growth and development in the District of Sooke."  The study rules out four-lane expansion and alternate routes as too costly while recommending incremental and piecemeal upgrades of the kind MOTI has consistently delivered over the last 15 years.

Trending: Too Much, Too Fast
"I Live In Hell: Anti-Growth Fervor Grips US South" (Bloomberg Business Network, June 18, 2024)  <clip> "While not-in-my-backyard activists have long fought new developments, local officials and business groups across the South say they’ve seen a heightened level of anger since the pandemic-era growth ... In some cases, the backlash stems from people mourning the loss of a small-town way of life. In others, public infrastructure simply can’t keep up. In Texas, city water and wastewater systems are over-stressed, while farm bureaus in Tennessee and South Carolina warn their agricultural land is being plowed over for subdivisions." 

World Population Clock: 8,116,558,001 (as of 10:07 AM, June 18) 
Canadian Population: “How We Got to 41 Million” (Macleans Magazine, July, 2024) ​

A closing two words, quoted here for my own personal reference and use, from the late author Douglas Adams:
​"Don't Panic."  

Contents of this increasingly jammed post ... 
* Charters closure
* April 22 update 
* Key points in brief from April 8 MOTI presentation 
* Highlights of winter/spring 2024 public input  
* Congestion: Facts and stats  
* MOTI/District collaboration via the 2011 MOU 
* Master Planning: South Island Transportation Strategy
* Informal Hwy #14 wish list 
* Remedies: Unlocking incipient gridlock 
* An alternative route: Possibilities incl. the "Far-West Alignment"  
* All Ages & Abilities Safety: Sidewalks, crosswalks
* Boat-trailer parking near the Prestige 
* Miscellaneous extras, including ... 
- MOTI traffic data 
- Previous work, incl. 2017-22 corridor improvements 
- Greater Victoria: Regional transportation context
- CRD 2022 Origin Destination Transportation Study 
- BC Transit 
- Missed opportunity: 2005 borrowing referendum 
- Mode shift: RapidBus and light rail from Langford 


Message from Mayor Tait: Addressing Traffic Challenges and Enhancing Community Infrastructure in Sooke (June 6, 2024) 

Charters Closure: May 28
Cue what shapes up as a long summer of local driver discontent. Charters Road has necessarily been closed to through traffic and the afternoon Sooke crawl/slink is immediately/instantly worse than ever. Social media has understandably exploded with outrage, frustration, impatience and existential angst. Most if not all of the suggested fixes that were raised before and during MOTI's evening in council chambers on April 8 are being aired again. Could it get any worse, people have long asked? Well, yes, as it turns out, it can and sadly will this summer and into the fall.

Many raised fingers are pointed squarely at Sooke council and the Province, of course ... but, as you'll read if you stick with this post in its entirety, there is much prelude to this season's latest road woes and no shortage of strategic planning and good intentions (dependent on significant funding) intended to extricate us from a mess created by a confluence of many factors -- not least the undeniable desirability of living out here, traffic notwithstanding, and the population growth patterns that are drawing so many to the South Island -- an estimated 27k (+70%) in Sooke by 2046, according to 2022 BC Stats projections. 
 
The worsened crawl in the months ahead is evidence again that our secondary road network dramatically impacts flow on #14, just as was apparent when Charters was closed relatively briefly this time last year.  As the District explains in last week's FAQ-style release, there are a number of dominos in play as the east-end of the Throup Road connector project unfolds. Given the sustained damage Charters underwent during the heavy rains of November, 2021, it is a necessary next step. 
 
Q: Why is the work not occurring when school is out? A: Due to environmental and cultural sensitivities in the area, there are limitations on when and how construction can take place. These constraints prevent us from scheduling the work exclusively during school holidays.

Q: Why is Charters Road construction occurring before the construction of the Throup Connector? A: The District is currently in the design phase for the Throup Connector and this project is identified for 2027 of our five-year financial plan. Cost is a significant challenge of this project given the topography of the site and this time is needed to secure sufficient funding

Q: Why can’t work take place in the evening? A: During this phase of construction there will not be a continuous road. The road structure will be completely removed to allow for the culvert removal and replacement, and rebuilding of the road. As the project progresses, should there be an opportunity to accommodate single-lane alternating traffic, we will do so.

Q: Why can’t work take place 24/7 to shorten the duration of the closure? A: Human resources as well as financial (cost implications) are key limitations. Safety concerns, while most can be mitigated, also pose limitations.

The District announced the closure in a May 23 press release.  <clip> “The closure is necessary for the placement of a culvert and structural repairs, along with the addition of sidewalks and bike lanes, aimed at enhancing safety for both vehicular and pedestrian traffic. The timing of the culvert placement and subsequent works around Throup Creek accommodate the fisheries window, ensuring minimal disruption to the ecosystem (and is required by Provincial regulation).”  

- Transformation of Charters Road To Begin in the New Year, DOS press release, Dec. 20, 2023
- “Charters Road Revamp Aims to Address Long-Standing Issues,” Sooke News Mirror, Dec. 28, 2023 
 
- Charters Road was closed for tree removals and site preparation in May, 2023.
 
- Single-lane alternating traffic procedures began on Nov. 26, 2021 in the immediate aftermath of the three torrential rainfalls (aka “atmospheric rivers,” a first-time usage of that term for many of us) that closed parts of Highway 14 (on Nov. 15) and washed out Charters at the base of its “dip.” [The epic rain storms across BC at that time caused $675m in insurance-covered damage.]
 
Re: Fish windows
-  BC Ministry of the Environment guidelines
- Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada Code of Practice re: culverts
- BC Marine Timing Windows for Protection of Fish & Fish Habitat (“timing windows of least risk” in the Sooke River Estuary area are between July 1 and Aug. 15). 

In a commentary published in the News MIrror this week, MLA Ravi Parmar states that the Province is committed to further investments in Highway 14. He says he will engage “with the District of Sooke to advocate for and encourage improvement to the interior road infrastructure to maintain smooth traffic flow throughout the community. I am optimistic that the mayor and council will rise to the occasion and collaborate with my office and other stakeholders to foster the growth and prosperity of our beloved community.” 
 
As you’ll read in the following e-pages, District councils have been systematically addressing and improving the local road network for many years while also advocating for all the good work done to date by the Province. 


April 22
CAO Raechel Gray writes in her April 22 report to council (pg. 226):  "In a follow-up to the April 8th meeting with MOTI, our teams are debriefing and we will develop short-term action plan (i.e. emergency axis median removal-turn route during traffic incidents, light signal timing analysis, etc.) and medium (on the 2-5 year horizon). As this is finalized, I will provide further updates in future CAO Reports.
 
An additional short-term deliverable includes the establishment of a quarterly meeting system to ensure regular communication and greater proactive planning.
 
We hope that this will allow both agencies to be more responsive to the needs of our community. While historically, the teams met on an as-and-when needed, this standardized approach will facilitate a deeper understanding of each other's
goals and foster a more cohesive working relationship.
 
Specific to the long term, a greater discussion will be a part of Council’s strategic planning --- scheduled for June. This approach will allow Council to take in the comments received from the public alongside the comments from MOTI staff,
and consider other agencies as Council prioritizes advocacy items and establishes their action plan for service delivery in this area."

Short-Cut (if you'd rather not dive into the density that follows): Regional travel corridors were last studied in-depth as part of the Ministry's South Island Transportation Strategy (2020), notably from pg. 82 onwards in its Technical Report #2.  (Big ideas explored in these pages include Malahat-Goldstream improvements and crossings of the Saanich Inlet at three possible bridge locations.) 

The Hwy 14 section runs from pg. 108 to 112. It states that the following work would be possible on Hwy 14 given necessary will and budgets: 

"* 3.8 km of urban widening (4 lanes + 1 median lane including curb and sidewalk) from Sooke to the Galloping Goose Regional Trail crossing.

* 12.2 km of rural widening with median barrier from the Galloping Goose Regional Trail crossing to Westshore Parkway. In sections where Highway 14 is already 4 lanes wide, the scope includes widening the road further to accommodate median barrier.

* Replacement of the existing bridge at Veitch Creek. 

* Inter-Modal Nodes expanded and provided for connections to public transportation through park-and-rides, active transportation facilities, full width shoulders and electric vehicle charging stations for public transportation passengers." 
 
This is recommended under Alternative A with its $419m (in deflated 2020 dollars) project costs. 

Alternative B, an entirely new, more direct route running from Sooke River Road and inching into the Sea to Sea and Sooke Hills regional parks before reconnecting with the Sookehalla at Humpback Road, would cost $919m given the bridges (seven) and significant rock cuts required. 

Its conclusion: "The widening and realignment would address mobility and reliability challenges. Considering the limited change in vehicle-km, there are no reductions to GHGs expected. Emphasis has been placed on the Highway 14 widening option as the impacts and costs of the bypass option are significant."

Sooke, meanwhile, is dealing with its local road network as per the Transportation Master Plan, about which you can read much more in the sections ahead. The east-end of the priority bypass route from Church to Phillips is currently budgeted at $32m. The lion's share of this work ($25m) is targeted for 2027 action in the latest Five-Year Financial Plan. Funding must come from a combination of Development Cost Charges, provincial and federal grants, and significant borrowing by the District (which will require a referendum.) 


MOTI Meeting Aftermath: April 10 
Well, unsurprisingly, there were no magic solutions nor big announcements arising from the MOTI presentation to Council. Ministry staff confirmed they have received no directions from their superiors to start planning for a second bridge crossing of the Sooke River nor an alternative route out of Sooke.

To raise these subjects as long-term realities that should be planned for now will require, as predicted below, more direct lobbying from Sooke council and our MLA. It will certainly be useful to know i) what will be involved in the next phase of Hwy 14 corridor improvements now that the latest phase (2017-22) is complete; and ii) how much $$$ is dedicated for this work in the Ministry's 10-year capital plan. (The latter is one of the to-dos that Mr. Pearson and Haley promised to report back on.)  

That said, there are reasons to be cheerful about the prospect of smaller, incremental changes that will have positive impacts on road safety by all users and, hopefully, traffic congestion too ... most are pending available funding, of course. (This being an election year, my ten fingers/toes are crossed for one or more juicy #Sooke announcements/promises while also remaining entirely grateful for the $1m in active transportation grant funding recently dedicated to Charters Road and the Little River crossing.) 

- Traffic light timings will be re-examined (last done two years ago) to ensure optimal flow 

- Planning underway by MOTI and District staff for remake of the Idlemore intersection with Sooke Rd. for safety, flow and to accommodate new land uses by the T'Sou-ke on the north side. 

- Additional left-turn lanes off two-lane sections of Sooke Road through the town centre. 

- Confirmation of shovel-ready design for raised sidewalks and bike lanes in the town centre from ...
i) Phillips to Church (surveying this year in anticipation of intersection makeover at Charters/Sooke Rd.) 
ii) Ed Macgregor Park to Whiffin Spit Rd. (survey/design completed in 2022/23) 

- Reinvestigation of whether the shoulder east of the Prestige can be widened to better accommodate boat trailers or whether no parking signs will be required for pedestrian safety until the new sidewalk is complete. 

- Pedestrian safety measures at Saseenos Elementary and John Muir Elementary, with widened shoulders and additional roadside drop-off space required at John Muir

- Signalization at all crosswalks in the town centre and elsewhere on #14, Ed Macgregor Park included.

-  Traffic studies into need for crosswalks at  Maple/West Coast Road, Dover/Sooke Road and near Woodlands at Sooke Oceanside Brewery. 

- Exploration of whether gaps in the cement median along the four-lane stretch can safety be created so as to provide turn opportunities during emergencies. 

Council will renew its ongoing conversation with SD #62 trustees about relocation of entrances/exits to schools on the highway when the two groups next gather for our twice-annual MOU meetings. Of particular importance are improved roadside safety measures/solutions at John Muir and Saseenos Elementary. 

Overall, there is a growing understanding that we must borrow funds to get the next phases (Throup to Phillips) of the connector road competed in the somewhat near-term future in combination with grants and Development Cost Charge revenue from new development. [Council will discuss this during its strategic planning sessions in June, but stay tuned, i suspect, for news of a referendum in the event of any future by-elections late this year or in 2025.]

[I did my best to raise many of the questions/suggestions listed below that were received from the public. I'm sure i missed a few, however. Overall, this was a necessary and valuable exercise on an issue that will always and forever be front-and-centre for Sooke. I was struck by how aware the MOTI staff are of our local road issues (Haley said he monitors Sooke traffic social media pages daily) and their willingness to receive input on any matter, small or large.

Email Mike Pearson at [email protected] (250-713-2815)
Shawn Haley at [email protected] (778-974-2627).] 

Update: April 8 
The BC Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure's​ Vancouver Island District Director Michael Pearson and Operations Area Manager Shawn Haley will brave traffic and attend tonight's meeting. See CAO Gray's opening report in the agenda starting on pg. 51 for her summary of why we're meeting:  1. To acknowledge existing challenges with #14; 2. Recognize current and near-future works (by MOTI and the District alike) within the District's jurisdiction; and 3. Foster a collective understanding of MOTI's role in propelling us towards viable solutions.  

The MOTI reps are pros who’ve been through sessions like this elsewhere in the past, striving to keep local wants in perspective given budget realities and the hot competition for funding from all growing BC communities. Haley spoke to the Cowichan Valley Regional Board, for instance, in January, 2023. That discussion boiled down to two key points: i) “it is a matter of only having so much money for road repairs and upgrades; we have to make it go far and that can be pretty challenging sometimes”; and ii) "yes, of course, going political helps" (or, as the reporter put it, "initiatives by local politicians to persuade ministry officials to get work done can sometimes have the desired results.") Same conclusions tonight, I anticipate. 

The agenda includes 10 random pages of public comment (from 64 respondents). I've divided them up below into categories of primary responsibility while recognizing that any/all work on #14 to address various issues requires collaborative effort from all parties. The following captures (roughly) most of the comments; some suggestions are duplicated. 

Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure
Congestion
- 33 minutes to VGH from Sooke in light traffic … afternoon commute is now 90 minutes 
- What measures to alleviate heavy congestion on Sooke Rd? 
- Bottleneck at Sooke end of new four-lane – severe at rush hours. 
- Afternoon congestion on #14 entering Sooke
- Speed limit of 60kmph too slow in new four lanes 
 
Congestion Solutions 
- Traffic light timings at Sooke River Road, Phillips, Church Rd., Otter Point
- Turn lanes from Saseenos to Otter Point 
- Whole highway as a three-lane route with middle lane switching to handle rush-hour volume
- Left-hand turn lanes to all side streets between Langford and Sooke 
- Roundabouts rather than stoplights at Sooke River Rd., Phillips and Church
 
Safety
- More reflectors needed along highway from the new four lanes west into Sooke.
- Paint on road lines is challenging to see on dark nights in the rain 
- More lights on #14 
- Monitoring of line painting and road reflectors 
- Lack of a streetlight at Charters – previous one not replaced after it was damaged 
- Sooke River bridge crossing is dangerous for cyclists and pedestrians
- Underground tunnel or pedestrian overpass for Saseenos Elementary 
- Galloping Goose Highway 14 crossing near Cooper’s Cove
 
Sidewalks
- Pedestrian safety on West Coast Rd. between Maple and Whiffin Spit Rd. 
- Sidewalks east and west along Route 14 into Sooke core 
- Plans for sidewalk infrastructure 
- Narrow roads with no sidewalks or shoulders and the constant gravel trucks
- Improved sidewalks connecting Sooke core to Whiffin Spit 
- Pedestrian safety in general
- Attention to area from Gordon’s Beach to Ella Road … narrow, crumbling shoulders … logging trucks destroying the shoulders … speeding (80kmph) by semis, gravel trucks. 
 
Crosswalks
- All Hwy 14 crosswalks should have flashing lights, i.e., John Muir Elementary, Ed Macgregor Park, town centre, Sasseenos Elementary 
- Required: Safe crossing/crosswalk at Woodlands near "The Hub" (site of Sooke Oceanside Brewery)
- Dover St. and Drennan St. – crosswalks needed … no safe space to walk along side of the road … separated sidewalk/bike lane required

MOTI Long-Term Planning
- Another road needed 
- Where is the bypass and bridge promised in 2005? 
- Second bridge or twin the current bridge 
- Extend Edward Milne Road to Saseenos elementary 
- Alternate routes in and out of Sooke
- Top priority are four lanes … not bike lanes 
- New highway, no more Band-Aid fixes
- Has a four-lane highway between discussed from west shore to Sooke? 
- Four lanes all the way to Sooke 
​- “Stop this madness, we need a new road”

Alternative Travel Modes 
- Commuter train corridor, LRT or high-speed train tracks 
- Monorail over the Galloping Goose trail
- Railway network system 
 
Miscellaneous
- What became of the “Welcome to Sooke” sign at Connie Road?  
- Left-turn signal at West Shore Parkway 
- What happens when Hwy 14 is closed by a MVI when an earthquake or tsunami hits?
- Provincial housing mandates contradict the realities of #14
- Max speed of 60km on the four-lanes is problematic
- Safe, speedy transit for ambulance, police and fire services is required on a two-lane road subject to closure
- Speeding and tailgating vehicles on #14
- "Remove the carbon tax" 
 
 District of Sooke
- Full and immediate stop to residential growth 
- Stop all building until we get a new road
- Road infrastructure not matching the rate of home building

- Evacuation of Sooke residents during a disaster 
- Emergency evacuation planning 
- "Sooke Fire emergency plan is a joke" [Editorial comment: A classic know-nothing blast from the cheap seats. Check out this blog post, please and thanks.]
 
- Any plan for a bypass road? 
- Winnipeg Road needs paving 
- Pascoe Road connection to Phillips
- Better education for drivers re: speeding, tailgating, overtaking, merging, roundabout etiquette
 
 SD #62
- Get schools off the highway
- School zones along #14 x 3
- pick-up places and vehicle road access need to be located away from the highway
- Sooke Elementary timeline for rebuild
- School zones – John Muir, lack of sidewalks 
 
 BC Transit
- Bring back double-deckers + more bus drivers
- Direct route to Victoria without Langford transfer during rush hours
- Too many, too frequent bus cancellations 


Save the date: Monday, April 8 at 7 PM 
Senior directors from the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure will be in chambers at the invitation of Sooke Council to share their short, medium and longer-term plans for Highway 14.  

District and MOTI staff continue a long-established working relationship guided by a Memorandum of Understanding, however this will be the first MOTI public presentation in Sooke since the Dec. 2019 open house at EMCS that was a prelude to the announcement of the four-lane section at Gillespie Road. Since that $65m project opened last July , the afternoon westbound congestion (at its peak from 3:15 to 5:45 PM approx.) has seemingly only grown progressively worse for our 2,285 (2021 census) commuters who travel into Greater Victoria and back on a more-or-less daily basis Monday to Friday. 

Safe bet: Bumper-to-bumper traffic in chambers that night, with overflow space available in the adjoining firefighters' lounge. Focal points of the Q&A led by Council will resolve around long-term road network planning and current traffic congestion and public safety issues on #14, especially in the vicinity of our three road-fronting elementary schools and the boat-trailer zone east of the Prestige.  

The District invites everyone to submit questions by March 24 for Council to ask. Submit a comment online or phone it in to 250-642-1634. Staff will then organize and compile queries for the Q&A. This approach is necessary since live public comment would result in a marathon meeting and inevitable duplication of shared observations. 

The night's ultimate questions: What, among all its many other BC-wide commitments, has MOTI budgeted for Highway 14 in its 10-year capital spending plan? And what further say does the District have in shaping future iterations of same? (All credit to Don Fast, Sooke region resident and a former Deputy Minister of Community, Sport and Cultural Development, for raising this point at the recent Coffee With Council.) 

For our part, Council and the District remain committed to realistic yet ASAP build-out of the long-awaited/needed bypass route from Phillips to the Ella Road end of Grant Road West. See the map attached below for the current phased plan for the eastern side of this route. (See original District of Sooke Business Case for the Phillips to Charters stretch.)

 Recommended reading to start from the District: 
* Navigating Sooke: Transforming Traffic Challenges into Solutions (January 2024, all you need really) 
* Transportation Master Plan Implementation website page
* Traffic Advisories and related resources (updated routinely) 

Sooke’s pending OCP includes 14 action items related to transportation in its Implementation Plan (see pp. 161-162). Our  OCP, like all others in BC, is on hold awaiting directions from the Province. The transportation priorities (all either ongoing or short-term) include: 

* "Update the existing MOU with MOTI in order to realize shared multi-modal objectives for Highway 14, the Grant Road Connector and associated municipal streets" 

* "Ensure that school site design provides safe access in relation to Highway 14" 

* "Support work-from-home, teleworking and co-work spaces in the town centre, carpooling, car share operators and other initiatives to reduce commuter travel" 

* "Continue to work with BC Transit and MOTI to identify, plan and construct transit priority measures" as well as expanded regional and local service. 

* "Town Centre parking management study" and review of on-and-off street parking management practices. 

As a warm-up for April 8, I'm pulling elements from earlier Highway 14 and local road network blog posts while adding additional content to create the info gridlock that follows ...   

* Highway 14 Revisited: Four-Lane Opening Edition (July 22, 2022)
* What's Next For Sooke's Evolving Road, Sidewalk and Roundabout Network (Jan. 20, 2021) 
* Highway 14 Revisited: Spring 2019 Edition (March 29, 2019) 
* Fresh Paint, Familiar Refrain for Sooke Road (Nov. 17, 2018)
 
Worth noting that Highway 14's limitations have long been recognized. An Urban Systems "Highway 14 Corridor Study" released in Dec. 2008 begins its conclusions thus: "The capacity of the existing two-lane Highway 14 corridor is being reached and will continue to degrade with increased traffic volume associated with continued growth and development in the District of Sooke." The study rules out four-lane expansion and alternate routes as too costly while recommending incremental and piecemeal upgrades of the kind MOTI has consistently delivered over the last 15 years. More please and thanks.  

(I'll be cleaning up and augmenting this post in the weeks ahead ... the road goes ever on, as Bilbo Baggins sang.) 


Motor City Madness: Congestion
I've gratefully not been a commuter since Carolyn and I lived in Vancouver's Kerrisdale neighbourhood in the 1990s and drove a half-hour each way through thick downtown traffic to reach an office on West Hastings. We've both operated home-based businesses during our 20 years here. So I can only empathize with how maddening the current daily slow-moving gridlock (aka the "Sooke Slink") is for our 60% of working adults who commute.  

I've certainly driven the road hundreds of time at various hours these last two decades and experienced traffic hold-ups  and my small share of accident days that require patience and/or the Metchosin/East Sooke loop detour when possible. From what i've read online, and in my limited, once-per-week-at-most experience these last six months, the now routine afternoon traffic jam starts at the Sooke end of the new four-lane and stop-go continues through the town centre. It adds a half hour or more to the commute home. (Use the "Replay of the Day" function at BC Highway Cams – Highway 14 to stream the previous 24 hours at various spots along the route.) 

The morning drive into Victoria famously slows, of course, with the Colwood Crawl (see this Nov. 2018 Times Colonist column by the much-missed Jack Knox: "Is the Colwood Crawl Driving You Crazy?"). My most recent early morning trip  found the Trans-Canada backed-up to the Westshore Parkway at 8 AM last month; congestion, in my experience, usually begins just past Veterans' Memorial and continues through the Mackenzie exchange. At a recent CRD Parks meeting that began at 9 AM, directors from Colwood and Langford noted the heavy traffic; Colwood's Mayor had left home at 7:30 AM and still barely made it in time, he said. 
 
For those in the daily thick of it, this new reality is deeply frustrating at the least and increasingly maddening, the cause of real anger. Drivers understandably want relief from this "new normal," as does Mayor Tait and Council. (I've attached below a file of recent social media commentary, with names removed. It's a brief but telling taste of what commuters  are feeling and sharing daily. The consensus view: Sooke's growth has outpaced road capacities and drivers are suffering the consequences daily.)  

[Also check this lively Reddit thread re: “How do we fix Victoria’s traffic problems”. And this 2013 Vibrant Victoria thread started the day after an accident that generated fears of a "Sooke crawl."  

Stating the obvious yet again, but the one road into Greater Victoria has always been a central fact of life out here. An Elida Peers history of Sooke Road in the Sooke News Mirror (July 2018) is titled "Never Easy to Navigate" for good reason. 

All-day local traffic volume along Sooke Road into the town centre is also alarming, and I'm continually amazed at the dense  flow on weekends.  (No less than 17,390 trips are made daily by Sooke residents within the District according to the CRD’s latest survey of regional travel patterns; that matches the inter-regional commuter volume.) 

Our town's charms remain largely intact once you're off the main drag, but behind the wheel with eyes focused on the road and tail lights winking ahead, it is easy to mistake Sooke for a bog-standard urban nightmare when inching past Woodlands, crossing the river and slowly proceeding up the hill to the Church Road stop light.


​Facts, Stats, Data 
The average there-and-back traffic as measured by MOTI at our end of the Sookehalla was 17,847 vehicles per day in 2022 -- up 4k or approx. 25% since a decade ago. (The summer numbers are +1,000 more per day when tourists and daytrippers are factored in.)  This more or less matches our population percentage increase over this same period. (See links and details re: traffic counts further down this post) 

The number of insured motor vehicles in Sooke rose 12% in the 2018-22 period to 12,964 vehicles, according to ICBC statistics released last fall.

The 2021 census has numbers related to commuting:
~ 2,825 (66%) Sooke residents commute elsewhere in Greater Victoria vs. 1,425 (33%) of us who travel within the DOS
~ Commute times range from less than 15 minutes (26.2% of us) to 30-45 minutes (25.9%) to more than an hour (13.8% or 785 drivers).  

The latest five-year CRD Destination Origin Household Travel Survey released last fall tracks the travel modes and patterns of Greater Victoria residents during an average 24-hour weekday in the fall. Out here and on the peninsula, we're necessarily wed to our automobiles, the study confirms, though the pandemic kickstarted a now sadly diminishing practice of telecommuting from home.  That said, "survey data show that 32% of full-time workers who usually commute to an external workplace now work from home at least once a week." 

The numbers cited in the CRD report are about 5% higher than those in the aforementioned MOTI counts for reasons I'm not clear about. Sooke data (pp. 197/98) reveals that 20,000 total trips (there and back) are made from Sooke on the average fall weekday into other CRD municipalities. It bears repeating that an additional 17,390 trips are made daily by Sooke residents within the District to schools, shops, places of employment, parks ... and surely some joyrides too.  

Worth noting that the average-sized CRD household (2.3 people) has access to 1.56 motor vehicles (8% of them EVs) and a growing number of e-bikes and improving transit services in the core especially (i.e., RapidBus). Sooke has the highest municipal count at nearly 2 cars per household. 


MOTI/District Collaboration 
The Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure (MOTI) is responsible for all works and improvements to Highway 14 (aka Sooke Road until you reach the town centre, as you know, then West Coast Road beyond).

District and MOTI collaboration is rooted in a 2011 Memorandum of Understanding last amended in 2013. It confirms that the two parties will consult on phased work on Hwy 14 as well as the town centre bypass (aka "Grant Road connector"). Among other technical matters, the document cites the need for a second bridge crossing of the Sooke River to facilitate emergency access. 

With the four-lane stretch and road widening in Otter Point/Shirley, MOTI has completed its latest set of multi-year Highway 14 Corridor Improvements. These involved north of $100m in regional road projects this last decade, most of it at the direction of the BC NDP and our former MLA, Premier Horgan. Many since 2018 are captured in this MOTI Flickr photo file.  These include $10m worth of smaller upgrades along the corridor -- bus stops, pull-over lanes (Muir Creek, Sombrio), safety signs, street lighting from Coopers Cove into Langford, line repainting and the installation of hundreds of roadside markers. 

Under the BC Liberals in previous years, MOTI certainly did act when required, i.e., the fix of the flood-prone area near West Coast Tire at Impala Rd. in 2012 and the MOU the Ministry signed with the District in Nov. 2014 that enabled construction of the town-centre roundabout. 

In total, and in my experience these last 20 years in Sooke, #14 is a vastly smoother, safer, better-illuminated route than formerly the case, especially on wet winter nights heading into Langford ~ blinded by an endless stream of halogen headlights and faced with heart-in-mouth corners and dips in the road. It's for good, ICBC-certified reasons that the 4-lanes at 17 Mile were first/foremost a response to incidents at Gillespie and Sooke Rd., the most crash-prone spot in the region.
​
For our part, Council and the District is committed to implementing the District's 2020 Active Transportation Master Plan (TMP). It focuses on a clear-cut, legislated Sooke responsibility, namely our municipal road, sidewalk and bike lane network.

The top TMP priority by far is the build-out of the town-centre bypass in phases over the next decade minimum. (see the image below for project plan for the section east of Church Rd.) The option to exit Sooke Road onto Phillips once across the bridge should ease congestion on #14 and address what the TMP calls "poor network connectivity" issues with secondary streets in town. 

As you'll see in the District project map below, the price-tag for the section from Church to Phillips Road alone is a daunting $32m in 2023 dollars. Funding will require a combination of grants, Development Cost Charges and, if we're willing to accept significant property tax increases over two decades, long-term borrowing from the Municipal Finance Authority (currently lending at a 4.97% rate over 20+ years). The latter option would require a referendum and a majority vote in favour. 

A local $$$$ commitment of that kind by Sooke would certainly need to be matched by significant MOTI action on its responsibilities as defined by the MOU. A decade ago, the District paid for the construction of Wadams Way, and that in turn encouraged the Province to add new sidewalks and a roundabout to the town centre. 


Advocacy With the Province  
Sooke Councils, CRD regional directors and independent community groups and individuals have advocated for improvements over the many decades as the road continues to evolve from trail to stagecoach route to dirt road to today's two-lane highway with a pair of four-lane sections.  Relatively recent examples include: 

* "Mayors Call for Action" (Maja Tait, Stew Young, Jan. 2018 ... this followed and precedes advocacy over the years from Sooke councils. There have also been UBCM meetings with various Ministers and Ministry officials, and the subject has surely been a favourite whenever our Mayors have met with MLAs and MPs.) 

* The #DividedBy14 initiative of the Sooke Economic Development Group (a social media campaign launched in spring 2017 by David Evans, Doug Wittich, Jeremy Wilson and colleagues + Sooke News Mirror follow-up, Sept. 2017)

* Near daily commentary on Sooke social media pages (always) 

​ * Otter Point and Shirley Residents & Ratepayers Association (Aug. 2018, includes road condition report between Otter Point and Port Renfrew)

* Sooke Chamber of Commerce (letter from then-Chamber President Sean Dyble no longer online + related SNM story, Dec. 2015)

* Westshore Voice News article (re: Transition Sooke's "Rethinking Traffic As Usual" workshop in Nov. 2017)


Master Planning 
April 8 is an opportunity to learn more about MOTI's plans for its contribution to our road network, especially the stretch from Kaltasin to Otter Point Rd. inclusive of the planned bypass route.  Its also a chance to renew the conversation on how we can continue with the long-game goals of transforming Sooke into a complete community, reducing carbon pollution and creating a happier, more functional hometown through better, smarter lifestyle choices. 

There's a legacy of much talk and subsequent action over the decades, long before and continuing after first Mayor Ed Macgregor launched Sooke as a municipality 25 years ago.  More practically, MOTI has established wide road dedications in certain key spots to facilitate future road construction.

Regional travel corridors were last studied in-depth as part of the Ministry's South Island Transportation Strategy (2020), notably from pg. 82 onwards in Technical Report #2.  (Big ideas explored include Malahat improvements and a bridge crossing of the Saanich Inlet.)

The Hwy 14 section runs from pg. 108 to 112. It suggests the following work:

"* 3.8 km of urban widening (4 lanes + 1 median lane including curb and sidewalk) from Sooke to the Galloping Goose Regional Trail crossing.

* 12.2 km of rural widening with median barrier from the Galloping Goose Regional Trail crossing to Westshore Parkway. In sections where Highway 14 is already 4 lanes wide, the scope includes widening the road further to accommodate median barrier.

* Replacement of the existing bridge at Veitch Creek. 

* Inter-Modal Nodes expanded and provided for connections to public transportation through park-and-rides, active transportation facilities, full width shoulders and electric vehicle charging stations for public transportation passengers." 

Naturally, Sooke can expect only its far share of funding from MOTI in its 10-year and longer financial plans. I'd be interested in knowing how much money that might be over what time period. It would then be logical to cost out the various wishes, wants and necessities, and determine how best to spend the money. (It's MOTI's call, of course, as with the new four-lane section, which was presented largely as a fait accompli to the District.) 

The #14 Wish List
What might that menu of options include? Our hope is that a flood of good suggestions, already aired repeatedly in many forums recently and over the years, will be submitted for April 8.  Here's a start based on ideas i've heard. 

* Suggestions contained in the Highway 14 Corridor Improvements Community Engagement  (2018), including sections of road realignment, additional pull-overs and transit improvements. (see screenshots below). 

 * Third lane from the new four-lane into Sooke (suggested in the 2018 Corridor Improvement report, possibly an HOV lane reserved for buses and multi-passenger vehicles). 

* Pedestrian bridge @ Galloping Goose road crossing at Cooper's Cove 

* Cooper's Cove traffic safety improvements (as contemplated during 2019/20 four-lane planning) 

* Pedestrian bridge @ Saseenos Elementary (though the school's planned closure at some point in future will render it obsolete.) 

* Roundabout at Idlemore that will take traffic from an extended Edward Milne Rd.  

* Second bridge crossing, either parallel with the current one (at site of the original bridge crossing, perhaps doubled up like the bridge into Duncan) or, as once planned, via straight-shot extension of Edward Milne Rd. to connect with Phillips. 

* Intersection improvements at Phillips, Charters, Church, Otter Pt. and Grant Rd. West (as per TMP Action Item 7.13)

* Addition of turning lanes in the town centre as identified in a 2008 MOTI report (one such lane is planned as an eastbound access to Sooke Elementary pending changes to the current school site) 

* Crosswalk warning lighting at Ed Macgregor Park and the three town centre crossings

* Southside sidewalk from Ed Macgregor to Whiffin Spit Road (incl. possible no-boat-trailer restrictions east of the Prestige)

* Safety improvements and expanded drop-off points at John Muir Elementary

All this is hugely expensive, and MOTI's budget only goes so far with communities our size at a time when the big bucks must necessarily be dedicated to this generation's transportation mega projects -- the Pattullo Bridge replacement in New Westminster ($1.4b), the Fraser River Tunnel project ($4.4 billion), Surrey Skytrain extension ($4b) and the Broadway Ave. subway system in Vancouver ($2.8b).  

Expecting MOTI to find another $1b+ to build an alternate route for Sooke's small share of commuters given its mandate to serve all of BC's 3.8 million licensed drivers could well be unrealistic. But the MOU does commit both parties to systematic improvements over time. 

Patiently executing any master list like this would need to include consideration of related growth factors, including hopefully near-future extension of the sewer system east to Kaltasin and the fact that the CRD Regional Water Supply Master Plan  has identified a new East-West Connector (M12) water line that would link the proposed Goldstream water filtration plant to the Juan de Fuca Water Distribution Service sometime in the 2030s. That new pipeline will follow a stretch of the highway and deliver water to North Sooke. 


Remedies: Unlocking Gridlock 
​- District of Sooke Transportation Master Plan Implementation website page  
- Navigating the Sooke Commute - Moving Forward (February, 2024)

Some combination of all of the following (in no particular order) is required to reduce traffic volume and/or improve flow while also reducing GHG emissions and creating a more complete, maybe even happier, community.

An outright moratorium on new building permits is the seemingly most logical short-term solution, however landowners have the legal right to build according to the terms of the zoning bylaw. This said, it's important to reiterate that we have approx. 900 new housing units (more than two-thirds of them rentals) approved for construction or recently complete ... and at least 1,000 more in the pipeline. In Sooke, we align with the rest of the country in facing an affordability crisis, but arguably not a housing crisis unless we're talking about our need for more non-profit and cooperative housing. 

* Community Economic Development, i.e. more jobs in Sooke: The District's CED Strategy (2021) identifies an "Employment Lands Strategy" that would kickstart activity on Sooke's limited supply of commercial and industrial-zoned lands ~ much of it east of the Sooke River, dependent on sewer servicing and suitable for light industrial business parks and other commercial activities. Development of Sooke's oceanfront "blue/green" economic potential is also highlighted. 

* Telecommuting: Both the pending OCP (Action #8) and the Climate Action Plan call for dedicated telecommunicating office space in town as a proven means to reduce traffic. WorkLink has plans to build such a multi-storey space as it continues developing its Church Road property. A small teleworking hub is set for future residents of the Wadams Farm development. And, through the Climate Action Committee, the District wrote the Minister of Citizen Services in 2022 asking for a Sooke telecommuting hub for provincial government employees -- 237 of whom live in the District. Thanks for writing, came the reply, and we'll consider it. 

* Transit Ridership: BC Transit's Sooke Local Area Service Plan is underway with increased service into Langford (though no longer on double-deckers) and slow introduction of new neighbourhood routes. Continued growth of service hours will encourage mode shift, as well continued expansion of Blink RapidBus. Its dedicated bus lanes from Langford into the core are shaving significant time off rush-hour travel (as would that much-anticipated day when commuter rail service is available from Langford's West Hills station). A new phase of RapidBus lane expansion from the Hwy #1/Six Mile Road interchange to Atkins Road (near Thetis Lake Park) and Whale Road (at the JDF Recreation Centre) is set to begin later this year.  See Westshore Line Rapid Bus Implementation Strategy (June 2023) + 
BC Transit documents progress on the overall system to date.   

- Sooke already has the highest per-capita bus ridership in the CRD, but those numbers must keep rising to reduce traffic volume. Cllr. Tony St-Pierre recently received council approval to approach the Victoria Regional Transit Commission with a request for a cost and benefit analysis into how a free-fare system on underperforming (read: mostly empty) local routes 63 and 64 would boost ridership. Mission successful and a staff report is forthcoming. 

- Local Heather Nelson has launched a petition calling for direct service into Victoria. She writes: “Currently, the commute between Sooke and downtown Victoria takes 1.5-2 hours due to having to go to Langford exchange and switch buses to the 95. This not only prolongs our travel time but also makes us dependent on the unpredictable waiting times at the exchange - sometimes as long as 40 minutes. The proposed change would reroute bus number 61 directly to downtown Victoria via Langford exchange without lessening people's access to Langford. This modification would reduce our commuting time by up to half an hour each way.” (1,249 signatures as of March 31). 

- Victoria Regional Transit System's 10-Year Vision (October, 2023) recognizes rapid population growth on the Westshore (+22% by 2038) and the need for additional service out our way. A “Sooke transit hub” (?) is listed among its short-term priorities. BC Transit is intending to add (given budget approval) 90,000 more service hours as per its 2023-2026 Service Expansion Plan + BC Transit Fare Strategy (Sept. 2023) 

- Metchosin and View Royal recently revived the free-transit dream with successful motions that have triggered renewed advocacy with the Province; a free-fare resolution from the City of Victoria was narrowly defeated at the 2019 (?) UBCM convention. In the first such province-wide initiative in Canada, the BC NDP made transit free for children 12 and under in 2021.

- The Province is developing a Clean Transportation Action Plan (delayed, but due pre-election one would assume) that will address five goals: reducing vehicle kilometers traveled (VKT) 25% by 2030; shifting to more efficient modes; increasing vehicle efficiency; transitioning the market to zero-emission vehicles; and cleaner fuels. See UBCM PDF. (BC’s missing-middle housing legislation inviting density where water and sewer services exist is strongly aligned with GHG emission and VKT reduction objectives.)  For more on "traffic evaporation" strategies, see this recent Plan Canada article written by Greater Victoria Acting Together's Eric Doherty. 

* Alleviating School Congestion: As we all know, three elementary schools front the main road. Morning and especially afternoon drop-off/pick-up times contribute to congestion. Getting their entrances/exits moved off the road is a key talking point at MOU meetings between Council and SD #62 trustees. The top Milnes Landing priority for  SD #62 is now a new-build Sooke Elementary to replace what is currently the oldest still-operating elementary school in BC. The plan is to locate the school at the Country Road end of its expansive property. (This re-prioritization necessarily bumps the planned Sunriver Elementary into the 2030s; at that point, as I understand it, Saseenos Elementary students will relocate there and that school will close.) 

* Synchronized Lights: There's a science to ensuring maximal flow in one direction or other based on rush-hour volumes. This is already in play on #14 and is constantly under review.  See MOTI Signal Design Manual (2019). 

* TMP "Roundabouts First" Policy: Love 'em (as most do) or hate 'em, the District has embedded this approach in its master planning. As the Ministry states, “roundabouts are the go-to design for improved safety and traffic flow.”  A big question is whether MOTI will incorporate roundabouts into its future highway upgrades. This didn't happen at Sooke River Road circa 2018 given the cost of land expropriation, as MOTI reps told us at the EMCS open house that year. Staff have warned that a roundabout isn't possible at Charters Road given lack of available land, and that a traffic signal is required here halfway up the hill. Next question: Might a roundabout be possible at Phillips and Sooke Road in place of the current light?  It would seem essential to handle traffic flowing on and off the highway when the connector route is completed. 

[To quote Sooke's TMP in full (pg. 48): "A roundabout is to be considered first for any intersection requiring traffic control (i.e., signalization). A feasibility study should be undertaken for each intersection as it requires upgrades to determine if a roundabout can be accommodated at the intersection. The evaluation should consider traffic operations (i.e., delays, queues, emissions), intersection geometry, drainage and right-of-way identification. Commonly incorrectly identified as traffic calming, roundabouts are actually a traffic control device that may lead to improved intersection traffic performance benefits, particularly where traffic volumes are balanced on all intersection legs, as well as traffic safety benefits by eliminating the potential for severe collisions (i.e., head-on or t-bone). In order to accommodate all users safely, it is important that roundabouts are designed so that they dedicate space to people walking, people cycling, and facilitate appropriate vehicle speeds."]

* Carpooling: The District is exploring the possibility of a mobile app and collaboration with major employers (i.e., UVic, Esquimalt dockyards, Government of BC) to promote carpooling. Residents are encouraged to join the Facebook Sooke Carpool Group for ride-sharing opportunities.

* Reducing Mishaps: Red-Light/Speed Cameras At High-Incident Intersections: A fender bender or worse can create long-lines of stalled traffic. Tailgating on recent motions by the CRD and other local governments, I brought forward a council-approved motion early this year to write the Province seeking admission into an expanded red-light and speed-camera program. We cited intersections with 20 or more "casualty" (involving injuries) and "property damage-only" incidents during ICBC's 2018-2022 reporting period. These are at the Sooke Road intersections of Otter Point, Church, Sooke River Road and, top of the list, Phillips, with 82 crashes.  We'd be happy with one at least given the six-figure cost of the cameras. There are currently 140 such unblinking eyes operating in BC, but only two in Greater Victoria (Shelbourne/Hillside and Tillicum/Hwy #1). After decades of education about speeding and traffic accidents, the CRD Traffic Safety Commission now argues that enforcement is the best way to reduce incidents. As CRD Chair Colin Plant said the other month, "commit the crime, pay the fine" resonates with most people (a recent Mario Canseco survey shows 70%+ public support for the cameras.)

An Alternate Route
The second last page of MOTI's Highway 14 Corridor Improvement Study (see the "presentation materials" link under June 19, 2018 Open House and the image below) is titled "Why not build a new highway?" (i.e., a four lane from Langford to Sooke). 
 
"The mountainous terrain is a major obstacle in designing and constructing an entirely new highway between Langford and Sooke. Challenges include:

~ Need to route the highway around the higher terrain/mountain peaks
~ Much steeper grades affecting truck traffic
~ Increased snowfall, as some of the route would be above a 200m elevation
~ Need for multiple bridges to span major creeks
~ Environmental impacts
~ Need to pass through one or more regional parks
~ Construction would require major rock cuts and retaining walls
​~ High cost ($20-50M per kilometre)

The distance from the end of the Sookahalla to Cooper's Cove is approx. 12km (if indeed I have worked things out correctly with the Google map calculator). The anticipated project cost of a four-lane Hwy #14 along that stretch, therefore, is $240-$600m in deflated 2018 dollars, and likely approaching $1 billion now. 

- Per the TMP (pg. 44), "a secondary access to Sooke and alternate route to Highway 14 has historically been considered. Feedback received from Sooke residents throughout the TMP process reiterated the importance of this connection in addressing reliability challenges related to closures on Highway 14 ... While a secondary access is not specifically highlighted, the planned improvements identified in the TMP align with and would not preclude the long-term pursuit of a secondary access and alternative to Highway 14. This initiative would be pursued in coordination with the Ministry and is another example of the importance of collaboration between the two organizations in addressing local transportation challenges." 

- The Pacific Marine Circle Route through Renfrew to Lake Cowichan is too long and winding to qualify.

- A leading Sooke community member has mapped an alternate route heading northeast from Sooke River Road through the Sooke Hills watershed. It would then link up at the Langford end of Humpback Rd. and onward to the West Shore Parkway, I believe. This has been presented to MOTI for consideration in the past. 

- Malahat Segment Detour Route Planning (Nov. 2019; see full report) delivered a resounding 'no' to any possible escape routes on forestry roads through the Sooke Hills. See pages six and seven of the report for reasons why the seven best-possible options have been rejected.  

The Niagara Main route (Option 1A) at Goldstream was ultimately judged the best-possible of the Malahat detour routes.
Yet much consideration was given to the second-best option -- 2A (aka the Far-West Alignment). It follows Butler Main out of Sooke, then uses Jordan Mainland Road in skirting to the west of the future Leech Water Supply Area. After that it connects with West Jordan Main, Kapoor Mainline and Renfrew Road before reaching Shawnigan Lake-Mill Bay Road. 

State the authors: "This option was retained for subsequent evaluation as the route features few significant engineering challenges, mitigatable impacts to drinking water supply, and could be made into a public roadway. Additionally, it is one of the three routes that would also act as an emergency detour route for Highway 14 ... The lengthy distance of the route results in a very significant capital cost given the design standards. Additionally, the length results in a lower travel time savings than Option 1A, even though Option 2A would also be able to act as a detour route for long duration closures on Highway 14 between Drennan Street and Gillespie Road. Aside from the capital costs, the two largest drawbacks of this option are the increased number of residents that would be impacted by detouring traffic and the crossing of a watercourse that connects downstream to the Leech River."  

(My SEAPARC book bin find last week is a slim, well-thumbed 1973 paperback titled Logging Road Travel Vol. 1: Victoria to Campbell River. It includes line-drawing maps and commentary on all the Sooke region's back routes.) 


All Ages & Abilities Safety in Sooke: Sidewalks, Crosswalks  
Last week's death of a pedestrian struck pre-dawn by a vehicle east of the Prestige Hotel was a shock to everyone in town (but not necessarily a surprise given the many red flags raised about boat-trailer congestion on this stretch during this later summer fishing season). The driver was ticketed for "driving without due care and attention," yet any number of other mitigating factors are unknown pending Sooke RCMP investigation. (Possibly some combination of the causes found on the ICBC Pedestrian Safety page.)  Heartfelt condolences to friends and family of both the victim and driver -- an incident that happens in a heartbeat yet the sad ripples touch many lives. 

The tragedy definitely brings the spotlight back to safety issues on #14 and on our secondary roads. 

It has been said many times, but to summarize again: Sooke was a rural community under CRD governance prior to incorporation in 1999. Our road network was built by the province to a similarly rural standard, often with narrow roads and dirt or paved shoulders in lieu of sidewalks. Examples of this abound in Sooke and along the District's once-rural-but-no-longer-so sections of #14.) 

​The District and MOTI has been playing catch-up ever since.  Subdivision and Development Standards Bylaw #404 (2014, under revision for release later this year) requires sidewalks or multi-use trails on one side of standard, new-build road cross-sections. 

To quote the TMP: "Sidewalks are in place in certain areas of Sooke, including in the Town Centre, on select streets in the Broomhill and Sunriver neighborhoods, along Phillips Road, Edward Milne Road, some sections of Throup Road, and in newer development areas throughout the community ... The OCP identifies the need for either a sidewalk or pathway on a minimum of one side of all roads. The District is currently committed to ensuring that sidewalks and trails are provided and constructed to serve all subdivisions and developments, and where they are needed to provide pedestrian access to schools, parks, playgrounds, open spaces, recreational areas, transportation facilities, trail systems, beaches, and other community facilities, or for proper circulation of pedestrian traffic." 

Getting all this done will necessarily require long-game strategies. There have been significant walkability improvements up-Sooke over the last decade, i.e.  wide sidewalks from Ed Macgregor Park east to Church Road and on to Solent;  the multi-use sections of Otter Point to Wadams Way and Church Road as far as the near-complete Throup/Church roundabout;  Wadams Way itself (opened in 2014); and now the in-construction Charters Road upgrade with the Troup-to-Phillips corridor to follow.  All this work allows pedestrians to complete a town centre loop walk on a connected sidewalk network, not possible a decade ago. 

​In the meantime, to state the entirely obvious, we must all drive, walk and cycle defensively as is the rule anywhere/everywhere. (The Canada Safety Council continues to engrain hopefully lifelong habits in school kids with old favourite Elmer the Safety Elephant.)

Improving Sooke Road Safety: Current Actions 
~ District and MOTI staff are completing the shovel-ready design of a south-side sidewalk running from Ed Macgregor Park to Whiffin Spit Road. Once completed, funding is required to get it built. 

​~ Among Sooke's 91 crosswalks, five strategic ones are set for upgrades, notably at either end of SEAPARC on Phillips Road, on Grant Road at French Rd. South., Rhodonite and Otter Point, and at the Stickelback Trail crossing of Church Rd. near the dog park. 

~ The District is awaiting word about its application for $20k from the  Vision Zero Grant Program for crosswalk improvements at Townsend and Wadams. 

~ The District is looking at installing solar-powered smiley face speed reader boards, not only to control traffic speeds but also to deliver accurate traffic counts (as does the town's current moveable speed-reader board singular; I don't know if the digital speed clocks on both approaches to Saseenos Elementary also count vehicles.) Funding from the Local Government Climate Action Program (with the logic that improving walkability reduces car use and resultant GHG emissions.) 

- "Enhance Road Safety – Impaired/Aggressive/Distracted Driving" is one of five 2023/24 Performance Plan Priorities for Sooke RCMP.  On Monday night, council asked our Detachment Commander to do what he can with his still understaffed team to prioritize speed enforcement on corridors that we routinely hear are fast tracks, i.e. at potential smiley-face locations on Sunriver Way, Phillips, Rhodonite,  Grant Rd. West, and Whiffin Spit Rd., among others. We also learned that Sooke’s volunteer Speed Watch program is to be revived under RCMP oversight.  (DriveSmart BC offers insights into the law and its flexibility:  "Just how far can you push before the ticket book is exercised? Most drivers seem to feel that 10 over is acceptable, but it depends on the officer and the circumstances.")  

~ Sooke continues to expand its extensive and already remarkably well-connected trail network to encourage more walking/rolling to the town centre and schools.  The Stickelback Urban Trail's eastern half, for instance, travels from Sooke municipal hall to Poirier Elementary and Journey Middle schools; it will connect with Sunriver in future with the completion of the DeMamiel Creek bridge crossing. 

That still leaves major routes with either dirt shoulders (Whiffin Spit Rd. for instance) or cement lanes divided from traffic only by a white line (Grant Road West.) The District does dedicate $40k annually to street lighting and road safety initiatives, but that doesn't go far (though it can be used as matching funds for grants). The Five-Year Road Program was kickstarted in 2018, but it is dormant at the moment given focus on the connector route. It is listed in the new financial plan for revival in 2026. 

Planning ahead, the TMP uses a hierarchy that ensures pedestrians, mobility users and cyclists are given first priority as Sooke seeks to create a connected network of sidewalks, trails and pathways in the core, especially those leading to schools. 

The District recognizes that it has a vital role to play in road safety as guided by the province's Vision Zero In Road Safety program. "A Vision Zero approach recognizes that people make mistakes and sometimes these mistakes can result in road crashes and injury. However, if the government, health professionals, road designers, and road users work together to implement proper safety measures, then the severity of these crashes can be minimized ... Each year, motor vehicle crashes cause injury to over 79,000 British Columbians; result in over 2,500 people being hospitalized; kill around 250 people; and cost the province $639 million in direct and indirect healthcare expenses." 
 

Boat-Trailer Parking Area Near the Prestige
Last week's fatality happened near a consistently problematic stretch of Sooke Road that, from early August through Thanksgiving, is lined on weekends with boat-trailers using the nearby launch at the Prestige. It's a wide dirt shoulder yet the trailers are big and edge near or onto the concrete roadside. As a cyclist myself, I know that navigating this south side stretch to Maple Ave. requires heightened defensive riding and much care.

The District has tested various alternatives, including $2k per month rental of the Butler parking lot on Maple South, but still hasn't found a lasting solution.  Staff delivered a substantial report to the Community Economic Development Committee in Sept. 2021, republished for council deliberation on June 12, 2023 (see agenda, pp. 65-73). Since cars were using boat-trailer slots at the Prestige, Robbins Parking was asked to install "boat-trailer parking only" signage during the fishing season. The larger problem along West Coast Road remains unsolved, however.  

Council asked staff to confer with MOTI and determine if the shoulder has been developed to its maximum width (apparently it has) and whether cutting back the foliage would free up more space (it won't.)  The next necessary step may be the installation of seasonal No Boat Trailer Parking signs along the entire length to Maple Ave. South. If the available slots at the Prestige are full, and there's no room next door at Jocks Dock, then boaters will simply need to find another launch spot elsewhere. (Read about the options on the Sportfishing BC forum). So it must necessarily and rightly proceed, in my opinion, given a master plan that values the safety of pedestrians, cyclists and mobility users above vehicles. 


Miscellaneous Extras
Highway 14 
* Wikipedia entry
* Gord Phillips' "Sooke Highway" (our town's unofficial civic anthem)

* Vintage 16mm clip from MOTI's "Road Trip Time Machine" archive.  Filming took place on May 11, 1966, a Wednesday. The town centre arrives at 2:48, ten seconds after the bridge crossing. Bonus: Slow moo-ving traffic on the approach to Jordan River (where the road ended back then) at the 6:00 mark.

​* Drive BC Road Conditions + BC Map + #14 updates here
​
* Hwy #14 is closed an average of six times a year (usually for two hours, but occasionally much longer when the Nanaimo-based accident investigation unit is required)

​* Most dangerous spots: Cooper's Cove, Parkland, Phillips/Sooke Rd., Otter Point/Murray
 
Source: 2018 MOTI report. Clip: "Annual average daily traffic (AADT) volumes along the corridor have increased by approximately 25% over the past 10 years. The corridor is experiencing increasing platoons of commuter traffic (where congestion causes vehicles to travel closely together), and areas west of Sooke lack shoulders, pullouts and pavement conditions are of concern for this important tourism and commercial route." 

- Google live traffic map

Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure  
Highway 14 Coordinator Improvements website page (last updated: Jan. 11, 2024) 
"The Highway 14 - Corridor Improvements project is now complete. The project aimed to shorten commute times, improve safety and add better connections to public transit and active transportation routes." 

* MOTI Service Plan 2023-2026 for British Columbia 
Details on 25 capital projects across the province identified since 2017 and ranging in cost from $50 million to over $4 billion. Includes the Hwy 14 corridor project ($87m) and the Keating Cross Road overpass ($77m) on the south island and such mega Lower Mainland projects as the Pattullo Bridge replacement in New Westminster ($1.4b), the Fraser River Tunnel project ($4.4 billion), Surrey Skytrain extension ($4b) and the Broadway Ave. subway system in Vancouver ($2.8b).  Much lesser amounts for various highway improvements elsewhere in BC.  

Total provincial investment in the 25 projects will be $11b over this three-year period; contributions from federal government and other partners covers the full costs of $13.2b. 

* MOTI, regional districts, municipalities and logging companies are variously responsible for nearly 50,000 km
​of paved + 22,000 km unpaved roads in BC

MOTI Traffic Data 
- Traffic Data home page
- Traffic Reports User Documentation FAQ (2019)
"AADT (Annual Average Daily Traffic): Represents an average of the number of vehicles travelling past a traffic measurement site location in a day for a given year." 

TM Site ID: P-11-3EW (Route 14, 0.8 km west of Humpback Rd.) 
Average Annual Daily Traffic (i.e., there and back) 
2023 - 17,847 vehicles 
2014 - 13,790  vehicles
Summer Average Daily Traffic 
2023 - 18,871 vehicles
2014 - 14,661 vehicles

"Legacy Data"  ~ 1986-1990 + 1997-2012  
~ I can't interpret these low-grade PDF spreadsheets; if you can, please let me know. Suffice to say, volume was dramatically less as many fondly remember. 

Four-Lane Expansion 2019-2022
* MOTI visualization of the road network near 17 Mile House from the presentation materials released at the 2019 Open House at EMCS. Flip towards the back of this PDF to see visualizations of other impacted intersections. ​

* Premier's press conference (April 29, 2019) formally announcing the four-laning of Hwy #14 from Connie to Glinz Lake Road. "It will make life better and safer for the people of Sooke," said Premier Horgan. The project will cost $65 million in federal and provincial funding ~ 80 percent of the cost of the McKenzie overpass and proof once more that a bona fide alternate route to Sooke is a short-and-mid-term fantasy given the $500 million (minimum) costs that would be involved. 

* March, 2019:  Sooke River Rd intersection project 
* Aug., 2018: Hwy 14 Engagement Summary Final Report.
* June 2018: This preliminary report from MOTI kickstarted the Sooke community engagement process
* Jan. 2018, Premier Horgan announces $10m in funding for road improvements.

* Contractor R.F. Binnie and Associates work on the project was nominated for a 2024 Award for Design and Contract Preparation. <clip> "R.F. Binnie successfully designed a 2.3 kilometre segment of Highway 14, addressing safety issues around the historic 17 Mile House and improving access to side roads between Victoria and Sooke.

The design created a safer location and design of the road by focusing on straightening sharp corners, providing two lanes in each direction with barriers, and incorporating two-meter shoulders. Notable features include a 40-vehicle park-and-ride with eight EV charge stations, enhanced drainage, wetland improvements, and lighting at intersections.

Overcoming challenges such as acquiring property and preserving a 125-year-old building, the project showcased innovative solutions like a "turnaround road" and bridge overpass. Collaboration with property owners and the Beecher Bay First Nation led to additional improvements on East Sooke Road, contributing to strong partnerships with local communities." 

Urban Systems' Highway 14 Corridor Study (Dec. 2008)
Prepared for MOTI, not available online; I have a single page from it with the following conclusions:
"* The capacity of the existing two-lane Highway 14 corridor is being reached and will continue to degrade with increased traffic volume associated with continued growth and development in the District of Sooke. 
* Difficult road-way geometry, limited access control, and increasing traffic volumes contribute to safety performance concerns along the corridor. 
* It is unlikelly that four laning of Highway 14, either in the form of the proposed '5-lane concept' through Sooke's urban core or the proposed #14 realignment in the rural areas, will be considered viable improvement options. 
* A combination of other improvement measures will be required to address the identified performance deficiencies over the long term in both the urban and rual areas of Sooke and the Highway 14 corridor." 

* 2012: Highway 14 improvements (MOTI newsletter re: fixing the flood zone west of Kangaroo Rd.) 
* Aug. 2011: "Sooke-tacular Improvements Come to Highway 14" (MOTI newsletter; link now dead) 


Greater Victoria: Regional Transportation Context 
* South Island Transportation Strategy (MOTI, Sept. 2020)

Capital Regional District 
- 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)

* CRD Origin Destination Travel Household Survey (2011) 
* CRD Pedestrian and Cycling Master Plan (2015)
* CRD Household Travel Survey (2017)

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." 

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." 


BC Transit
-  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 (update: complications!) 
- 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." 


Colwood (and Malahat) Crawl
* Westshore Parkway Langford
* Jack Knox Times Colonist column: "Is the Colwood Crawl Driving You Crazy?" (Nov. 2018) 
​* "New 'Urgency' to find Malahat Highway Alternative" (CBC interview with Minister of Transportation Trevena) 
​

District of Sooke  
​Transportation Master Plan Implementation website page  
Navigating the Sooke Commute - Moving Forward (February, 2024)

The Transportation Master Plan (2020) states that "Highway 14 experiences traffic volumes up to 20,000 vehicles per day. Otter Point Road is the busiest Collector Road with volumes up to 9,500 per day." The projected Average Daily Traffic entering Sooke in 2038 will be 25,000 vehicles. See the map on page 41.

Sooke Local Road Issues 
​* District of Sooke Business Case Phase Two (Phillips to Charters) of Connector Road Project
* Wadams Way opening (Oct. 2014) 
* "Roundabout part of $9 million in Sooke roadwork" (July 2015) ​
* "Sooke's new Brownsey Blvd. Now Open" (June 2016)   
  
MIssed Opportunity: 2005 Sooke Borrowing Referendum
* Sooke Borrowing Referendum backgrounder
Understandable resistance back then for various reasons, not least school safety and the desire to keep our small-town charms intact and resist the rapid population increase we've seen this last decade. But much of the bypass route would be complete and paid for in mid-00s dollars had the good citizens of Sooke not voted against borrowing $2.5 million in the 2005 referendum for our share of many millions more in provincial and federal project funding.  [i can't find the results, but I think the voter turnout was less than 20 percent. As the backgrounder states: "The connector project includes a new two-lane road complete with sidewalk, curb and gutter, from the gazetted Gatewood Road (located halfway between Pyrite and Otter Point Roads) to Church Road, near Throup Road. The Highway 14 project will upgrade two km of the road from just west of Atherley Close to Charters Road. It includes sidewalks on both sides, widening to allow for left turn lanes, curb and gutter, a median, 75 more streetlights and a traffic light at Sooke and Charters Road ... the projects would cause a maximum tax increase of $56.62, based on the average home assessment of $187,000."]


Alternatives: Light Rail & Rapid Buses 
* Victoria Regional Rapid Bus Project (BC Transit, spring 2011) 
* Premier Horgan: "Rapid-bus system from Westhills to downtown Victoria would be a better bet." (May, 2018) 
* "Region's Politicians Laud Movement" re: Langford-Victoria LRT (May 17, 2018) 
* Better Transit Alliance of Greater Victoria
* Victoria Region Bus Lanes Project (BC Transit, updated 2018)

​* Island Corridor Foundation (reviving the E&N Rail line from Victoria to Courtenay)
* E&N Rail Reports & Studies (Province of BC)
​* "Rail for Vancouver Island" Facebook group
* MOTI Trans-Canada/Malahat Corridor Study (2007)    

​* Victoria Transport Policy Institute  
* Regional Transit Funding Options (CRD, 2012) 
* Transportation Service Feasibility Study (CRD, 2014) 

* Save The Sooke Hills

* A note from MOTI: "The province historically used lead based paint, but due to environmental issues, MOTI has switched to a material that’s water based. We are working on finding the perfect balance between being environmentally friendly, and highly reflective and durable. Here’s a link to a blog outlining our quest for the perfect paint: https://www.tranbc.ca/2017/09/27/new-tool-shines-a-light-on-line-paint-brightness/"

Trans-Canada and BC 
* Canada's National Highway system
* Canadian Encyclopedia: Roads & Highways in Canada
* Province of BC's Driving & Transportation home page 
* BC's 12 Deadliest Highways (#14 does not feature on this list based on ICBC stats from 2004-13)  

Contacts 
Honourable Rob Fleming
Minister of Transportation & Infrastructure 
PO Box 9055 Prov Stn Govt
Victoria, BC V8W 9E2
Send an e-mail to the Minister
Phone: 250 387-1978
Fax: 250 356-2290

Kaye Krishna
Deputy Minister of Transportation & Infrastructure
PO Box 9850 Stn Prov Govt
Victoria, BC V8W 9T5
Send an e-mail to the Deputy Minister
Phone: 250 387-3198
Fax: 250 387-6431

Government Communications & Public Engagement
PO Box 9850 Stn Prov Govt
Victoria, BC V8W 9T5
Telephone:  250 356-8241

* MOTI Transition 2022 File (Personnel, Capital Project priorities, etc., Dec. 2022) 

​Images
​* First three drawn from Highway 14 Corridor Improvements Community Engagement (July 2018)

* #4 ~ The prioritized project map for the east end of the town centre bypass route was presented at a recent council meeting  as staff sought approval for a provincial grant application for Phase 5. 

* #5 ~ Overview chart from pg. 27 of MOTI's South Island Transportation Strategy (2020) 

Sept. 11 - My comment at close of today's Transportation Committee meeting prior to a strongly unanimous vote to move the establishing bylaw for the CRD Transportation Service forward to this afternoon's Board meeting ... modified a little in the delivery. 

"I’ll vote in favour of this motion now and will leave it to Director Tait to address this at the board this afternoon. As a prelude to her comments, let me say that we have very significant future taxpayer impacts here in Sooke … “holy mackeral” said Director Kobayashi in reference to Colwood’s tax hikes, well I’ll Sooke-ify that and say “holy coho salmon” here where we are looking at a huge, by our standards, borrowing referendum to build-out our bypass route ... this in a long-planned and delayed bid to alleviate increasingly dense rush hour afternoon traffic that is dramatically impacting our more than 2,000 commuters and everyone else using Highway 14 ... which we now and in future will argue is a regionally significant route. 
 
We absolutely recognize that we must deal with our own road network here in Sooke, yet as Director Desjardins said, many of us also recognize that all the regional routes, roads and trails that feed into Hwy 14 and our own region will benefit from this new service.  
 
* Mode shift (transit use, carpooling, telecommuting) will be encouraged and facilitated
* Coordinated action will continue in building out BC Transit's rapid bus network.
* And serious attention will finally go to developing light rail/rapid transit corridors linking the west shore to the core.  
 
Our hope, of course, is that given the volume of Greater Victoria traffic that does use Highway 14 to reach our magnificent beaches and parks, this vital road rates very much as a, quote, "high priority capital project of regional significance" which does indeed pass through multiple municipalities. We look forward to championing this point as this service moves ahead and begins its important work." 

Update: September 10, 2024
The establishing bylaw for the Regional Transportation Service (RTS) goes to the CRD Transportation Committee and, if approved, the CRD Board today.  It's intended to be the next logical and needed piece of a regional transportation puzzle at a time when traffic, transit, BC Ferries and transportation woes in general related to the south half of Vancouver Island are of growing public concern (read: alarm). All of us want to travel, as we've long been accustomed for the most part on the south island, smoothly, swiftly and as efficiently as possible via whatever our chosen mode. 

Building on existing services and introducing new ones, the RTS is designed to further advance the CRD's three key transportation goals: "reduce carbon pollution; support higher rates of walking, cycling and transit use; and address congestion."  

To do so, it would focus on eight service categories: Active Transportation and Road Safety; Multi-Modal Networks and Connectivity; New Mobility Services; Data Management and Traffic Analysis; Behaviour Change; Grants and Funding; Transit and Mobility Hubs; and short, medium and long-term transportation planning. This work would be to the benefit of all 13 municipalities, including those of us at the perimeter given that we too use and rely on the same linked south-island networks and must participate in this generational shift if we're ever to unclog our road system.  

Bottom line on the Sooke tax bill: The $39.10 now paid annually on an average assessed property for current CRD transportation services will slightly more than double over time (perhaps five years) to $75.91 at a maximum as the RTS evolves. [Other municipalities would pay considerably more. (Victoria residents, covering 23% of the total $20m annual budget, will pay $100; Saanich (25%) - $111; Oak Bay (6%) - $175.)] Sooke continues to contribute 2.8% overall. 

[Yes, full acknowledgement that all this is adding up big-time, especially when the potential tax payback on build-out of the Throup connector should a referendum a) be called; and b) approved is now estimated to be upwards of $350 per average assessed household over a 20+ year period -- this being the figure cited by CAO Gray at council on Monday night.] 

The CRD already undertakes a wide range of transportation functions, however the new service would enhance and expand regional ambitions. First step: Creation of a new Regional Transportation Plan along with expanded existing programs related to data collection, monitoring, behaviour change (higher transit use and carpooling, for notable instance) and transportation demand management (in the latter case generating a plan such as that guiding the City of Vancouver.)  

Reads the staff report (see item 4.1): "Through the ongoing implementation of the RTS, the CRD will be well-positioned to support local governments in developing transit-oriented communities and to work with BC Transit, the Province, and the federal government to pursue expressions of higher-order transit for the region, including working collaboratively as a regional partner in pursuing Canada Public Transit Fund investment opportunities." (The latter fund was established this year and will "permanently" deliver $3 billion per year for public transit and active transportation infrastructure projects across Canada starting in 2026/27 -- always with the proviso that a new government doesn't slash it.) 

​"The goal of creating a RTS is to create more tools to advance regional connectivity and integrated mobility. CRD's existing transportation functions are focused on a coordinating and monitoring role, limited to planning, data collection and analysis, and policy support, collaboratively working with local governments, the Province and partner agencies. A new transportation service would consolidate existing CRD transportation functions, with additional scope to develop new programs in approved service categories that the CRD can deliver without requiring legislative change." 

Of necessity given this a regional government, the RTS will focus on "high priority capital projects of regional significance." That rules out investment in our own road network here in Motor City, yet all the routes, roads and trails that feed into Hwy 14 and our own region will benefit. Mode shift (transit use, carpooling, telecommuting) will be encouraged. Coordinated action will continue in building out BC Transit's rapid bus network. And serious attention will go to developing light rail/rapid transit corridors linking the west shore to the core.  All this is of significant interest to our commuter population and anyone who travels into the core. 

Elsewhere on an increasingly congested southern Vancouver Island:  Old dreams have resurfaced to the point that, in June, the Province issued a FAQ  re: a Salish Sea-spanning link from Richmond to a suitable point in the Nanaimo/Duncan area. (Conclusion: "The costs of a fixed-link construction project may not be affordable for the provincial government to undertake for many years to come. As technology advances, the ministry would be willing to look at any proposals the private sector brings forward.")  

Much more realistically, the Island Rail Corridor Foundation continues its long, frustrating and yet increasingly tangible campaign to re-establish passenger and freight rail service from Courtenay to Victoria (with a notable, for us in Sooke, addition of frequent rush-hour commuter service from the West Hills station in Langford into downtown and back, a dream that this new CRD service could fast-track in association with multiple partners.) 


Original post: May 23, 2024 
Home from the second of three straight days of driving to and from Victoria. Yesterday's return trip began at 5:30 PM from the parking garage next door to the CRD HQ on Fisgard Street. I turned left onto Douglas and within blocks was trapped in a slo-mo jam that extended for at least 45 minutes until traffic began to flow as we approached Helmken. No apparent accidents, just heavy late rush-hour congestion. Today all was well on leaving Victoria (again from Fisgard) at 2:30 until the traffic slowed at Woodlands in response to the congestion caused by the schools as they broke for the day. Gratefully back by 3:45. (Yes, I could have taken the bus.) 

Tomorrow, I'm carpooling with Mayor Tait and Cllr. St-Pierre to attend the CRD's day-long Regional Transportation Governance workshop at the University of Victoria. It begins at 9:30 and ends at 3:30, so we will collectively experience the rush hours both ways. Wish us well. (And if you're a regular commuter, we understand if do not routinely experience your daily pain and uncertainty.  What a shut-in like me discovered anew is that South Island traffic is still atrocious, period, full stop/crawl -- regardless of the Mackenzie exchange and other six-figure road projects. Clear evidence we need better all-of-region strategies as well as local fixes.) 

The workshop will bring together senior CRD staff and elected representatives from CRD municipalities and regional First Nations "to gain clarity, discuss benefits and concerns, and provide input on all eight categories of functions being considered for potential inclusion in the service establishment bylaw (for a first-time Regional Transportation Authority)." 

Desired examples
~ TransLink
~ List of Public Transit Authorities in Canada
 

Starting point: CRD Regional Transportation web page
- Regional Transportation Plan (see pg. 72) predicated on establishment of a regional transportation service authority
-  CRD Transportation Priority Area Implementation Strategies (2022) 

2011-18: "ln 2Q11, the Board agreed that the CRD would move to take on a significant transportation role, including requisitioning for capital projects and pursuing a role in transit. Changes in grant funding allocations and provincial approaches subsequently rendered those roles less feasible. ln response to these changes, in 2016 the CRD Board unanimously directed staff to draft a Transportation Service Bylaw reflecting the new landscape. The draft was reviewed with municipalities and electoral areas and adjusted in response to their feedback. The bylaw resulting from that feedback was given third reading on January 10, 2018. The Board is now seeking your Council's support for the revised bylaw (Bylaw 4093)." - CRD Board Chair Steve Price, Jan. 2018

Regional Transportation Service Establishment FAQ (January, 2018) 

Result: "A service feasibility study was completed, a service establishment bylaw was drafted and all municipalities and electoral areas were consulted. The Board chose not to establish a service due to insufficient support. The CRD lost its core funding source when the Federal Gas Tax Fund, which had originally been dedicated to regional transportation priorities, was redirected to local governments. No new funding has been allocated to transportation at a regional level." 

- See March 14, 2018 CRD Board agenda item 6.6. Proposed Transportation Service Bylaw 4093 stalled out as per municipal responses in Appendix B. 

Support: Highlands, Oak Bay (conditional), Saanich, Sidney, View Royal 
Opposed: Central Saanich, Colwood, Esquimalt, Langford, Metchosin, North Saanich, Sooke, Victoria 

Colwood and Metchosin replies from then-Mayors Hamilton and Ranns were especially damning. (Wrote Hamilton: "The CRD's eagerness to create a vague ill-defined service for the purpose of political gain is very short sighted." She argued that the Victoria Regional Transit Commission was sufficient to need. Hamilton also stated that MOTI was not in favour of the proposal).  

Both letters were included in the Sooke agenda package of Feb. 13, 2018. As per the minutes that night:
 
"Council discussion:
• Similar proposal has come before Council in the past. 
• Colwood, Langford and Metchosin have all stated their opposition. 
• Benefit to Sooke vs. cost of implementation. 

MOVED by Councillor Berger, seconded by Councillor Parkinson: THAT Council reject Bylaw No. 4093 “Capital Regional District Transportation Service Establishment Bylaw No. 4093, 2018”.  CARRIED. 
In Favour: Mayor Tait, Councillor Berger, Councillor Kasper, and Councillor Parkinson 
Absent: Councillor Logins, Councillor Pearson, and Councillor Reay"

 2022: Transportation governance re-established as a goal in the CRD Board Strategic Plan, 2022-2026 

2023: CRD Transportation Governance Engagement Workbook (distributed in July 2023 for feedback from all municipalities; example: Response from Saanich)

- My thoughts shared in Sooke's response:
- "Key question: What will the new service cost Sooke residents relative to those in the core communities who, per-capita, will most benefit from the work of a transportation authority?
- Highway 14 is unlikely to rate highly in regional priorities given our relatively light (20,000 vehicles there-and-back daily) traffic volume compared to elsewhere in the CRD. What role might the TA play in addressing our unique, challenging, MOTI-controlled, one road in/out circumstances along a regional corridor?
- Sooke has growing “internalized” traffic congestion - 17k trips daily. Would the TA have any role in helping the District implement its 2020 Transportation Master Plan?
- Level 2 behavioural change work would be welcome. How would the TA work with the District on its own initiatives, i.e. the new Active Routes to School program?
- Would the authority assist Sooke in lobbying BC Transit for fuller implementation of the Sooke Local Area Transit Plan?

Challenges? 
- The  growing volume of vehicles – often single-occupancy – on Highway 14
- BC Transit’s decision to remove double-deckers for the #61 and the hardships this imposes on passengers 
- Delays in implementation of BC Transit’s Sooke Local Area Transit Plan for neighbourhood routes

Why is transportation governance change important? 
- Regional planning on identified corridors to ease congestion, encourage mode shift
- Collaborative work together with a regional perspective
- Behavioural change campaigns: Road and pedestrian safety, carpooling
- Regional car-sharing and ride-hailing coordination
- Ability to advocate collectively with the province and Ottawa + grants
- Staff and funding capacity to undertake projects beyond current scope of smaller municipalities." 

Times Colonist, Sept. 2023: "The major benefits [of a transportation authority] will be that we can speak with a unified voice instead of 13 or 14 different opinions on what the priority is for transportation in our region,” said Saanich Mayor Dean Murdock, chair of the transportation committee.
​
The last time the board attempted to establish a regional transportation authority was in 2018, but that fell apart when the West Shore pulled its support. Opponents worried their ­priorities might be ­overshadowed by those of the core municipalities and that a new CRD service would only add bureaucracy and cost.

Only five of 13 area municipalities supported the idea, with those in support arguing a new transportation authority would enable the identification of regional transportation priorities and allow local governments to speak with a unified voice to senior ­governments when seeking funds.

The difference this time seems to be new directors around the board table who are willing to work together.

Murdock said the region’s residents want local governments to work better together to create better transportation options, so people can get around more easily. He noted the key goals are to ease congestion during peak travel times, reduce emissions and support higher rates of walking, cycling and transit use.

The idea is to gradually increase levels of regional authority, starting by bringing planning for the transportation network together with regional trails. The next level would give the CRD tools to raise and administer funds and attract more funding to the region, which would lead to establishing a new authority that would make decisions about service levels and investment."

- CRD Board, Dec. 13, 2023 ~ see item 8.10 for results of municipal surveys in form of a What We Heard report. One excerpt from it ...  

​"General Observations 
Regional approaches were supported for new mobility services, behaviour change, and transit and a local approach was preferred for active transportation 

The categories without majority agreement are connectivity, grants, traffic flow and congestion, funding, and transportation planning. 

• Respondents show very high levels of agreement on shared expectations, concerns, benefits and high-level priorities related to the Regional Multi-modal Network. Responses to values-based questions could be used to develop principles to help guide CRD Board decision-making about transportation governance.

• A majority of respondents support taking a regional approach to new mobility services, behaviour change, and transit. A majority of respondents also support taking a local approach to active transportation. Areas of majority agreement should be the focus of governance changethis CRD Board term.

• Respondents have mixed levels of support for taking a regional or local approach to the other transportation functions explored in the questionnaire. Connectivity, grants, traffic flow and congestion, funding and transportation planning require additional dialogue to build higher levels of agreement before they can be considered in scope for governance change.

• A funding strategy will be needed to advance governance changes. Grants and funding should be considered as part of developing this funding strategy."  '

Eight categories of functions being considered for a CRD Transportation Authority

1. Active Transportation and Road Safety 
- Active Transportation Infrastructure and Policy (coordinated regional approach)
- Vision Zero with a Safe Systems approach (municipal responsibility but potentially with regional guidance and assistance) 

2. New Mobility ... 
- defined as anything that isn't a traditional mode (bike, bus, personal vehicle)  
- Ride Sharing (Uber, Carpooling, etc.), Car Sharing (EVO, Modo, etc.), Bike Sharing 
- Micro E-Mobility ~ "electric micro-mobility is the use of small, lightweight vehicles, typically two-wheeled or single-wheeled, powered by an electric motor with a rechargeable battery and a range suitable for getting around town. From pedal assist bicycles to electric scooters, from hoverboards to monowheels and Segways, these "new entries" in urban mobility will likely play an important role in the sustainable mobility of the future." 

3. Behaviour Change
- Transportation Demand Management, Education and Engagement/Outreach 
"TDM focuses on understanding how people make their transportation decisions and influencing people’s behavior to use existing infrastructure in more efficient ways, like reducing single occupancy vehicle trips and getting people to use transit, ridesharing, walking, biking, and telework." - Mobility Lab

- BC Transit examples: 
* EcoPASS for New Developments: "The BC Transit EcoPASS for New Developments is a transit pass program offering developers the option to purchase annual passes for the occupants of a new residential, commercial, or mixed-use development ... a potential transit-oriented solution for parking variance requests." 
 * ProPass for employers: "A convenient annual program available to employees through employer facilitated payroll deductions. The ProPass program saves almost 15% off the cost of a monthly bus pass, over a 12-month period this is an annual savings of $144.50." 
* U-PASS: "Gives students at the University of Victoria, Camosun College, and Royal Roads unlimited access to travel on all Victoria Regional transit services during their enrolled term. Fee included in a student’s tuition payment."

- Supportive Development Management Policies 
(see CAA Ridesharing and Carpooling Report, 2020) 

​- Expanded resources for ... 
i) Ready Step Roll (Sustainable School Commute Planning)
ii) Sustainable Commute Planning (Workplace; City of Vancouver example) 

4. Transit and Mobility Hubs
- Long-Range, Regional Transit Planning
- Focus on "Higher-Order Transit," defined as "transit that operates in whole or in part in a dedicated right of way, including light rail and buses." 
- Mobility Hubs at Major Transit Exchanges 
* BC Transit: Victoria Region Rapid Transit - What's Happened So Far
* Identifying Best Practices for Mobility Hubs (UBC, 2019) - i.e., suitable parking, sheltered bike space and 

5. Multi-modal Network and Connectivity
- Regional Multi-modal Network (RMN) 
- as defined by the Regional Transportation Plan. See map of Mobility Hubs. 
- Built Environment Network Consistency
* creating model bylaws and policies for CRD-wide standards for road classifications, complete-street design and wayfinding
- Equity and Accessibility 
- Regional Collaboration and Relationships 

6. Data Management and Traffic Analysis
- Multi-modal Data Collection and Analysis 
"A new CRD service could deliver an expanded traffic data monitoring program, including implementing a system of sensors to provide real-time continuous vehicle volume counts and travel time for buses, vehicles, and trucks on key corridors in the RMN." + 10 Ways to Count Traffic + Colwood's Traffic Dashboard 
 - Establish an Open Data Portal 

7. Grants and Funding 
- Regional Granting Body 
"Currently, most grants are applied for separately by each municipality. A regional service is needed to apply for and distribute grants to prioritize projects on the RMN." 

- Joint Procurement 
"Joint procurement is when two government bodies work together to purchase goods and services to achieve cost savings through economies of scale and reduced redundant procurement procedures. Currently, local governments and electoral areas in the CRD procure transportation-related goods and services individually, with some cases of joint procurement done on a per project basis." 
- example, e-fleet group purchases 

- Regional Advocacy Approach 

8. Transportation Plans
- Regional Transportation Planning 
"Under the current structure of transportation governance, the CRD is limited to planning and policy support, working with partners to advance actions in the 2014 Regional Transportation Plan.  In recent years, the region's municipalities have completed various transportation (and active transportation) plans and studies within their boundaries. There is also the Transit Future Plan (BC Transit, 2011), RTP (CRD, 2014), and South Island Transportation Strategy (MoTI, 2020). Some aspects of these plans align, and some aspects are out of sync." 

- Goods Movement Strategy
​ 
- Climate Change Risk Assessment 
"With a new CRD transportation service, staff could support other departments in undertaking risk assessments of critical transportation services and infrastructure on the RMN related to the potential impacts of a changing climate. 


Potential Timeline 
- Service establishment (2024): Pending direction, undertake service approval and enact a service establishment bylaw. 
- Implementation and delivery (2025-ongoing): Implement the required internal changes to increase service levels and prove the feasibility of the service, measured against performance indicators. 
- Business case for a transportation authority (2025-2026): Pending level of support, begin a business case for a new authority, which could include transit integration. 
- Delivery (2026): Advocate for legislative change and implement a new authority, as directed. 


From the CRD Board Update of May 8, 2024
Transportation Governance Update

"The purpose of the regional transportation governance initiative is to create more tools to advance regional connectivity and mobility by establishing a new regional transportation service. To support the development of a service establishment bylaw, targeted engagement is needed to seek input from mayors, councillors, electoral area directors, First Nations, senior local government staff and senior staff from the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure and BC Transit." 

From the staff report:  "The next phase of engagement is divided into two streams. One stream is ongoing consultation with local government staff, BC Transit and the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure (MOTI). The other stream is a regional workshop in May 2024, bringing together political and staff representatives from local governments, electoral areas and First Nations.  The workshop will seek input on potential service categories, including what new programs are possible to add to consolidated CRD functions if the category is included in the establishment bylaw." 


Background
From my CRD Overview 2023 blog entry last spring 

Transportation 
- Regional Transportation Plan (2014)
- Regional Transportation Report Card (2021)
- South Island Transportation Strategy (2020) + Technical Report #2

​- 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." 

Image from the What We Heard report re: municipal support for various service categories 

Update: March 31
​Council settled (March 13) on a 10.53% general municipal tax hike based on all the good reasons listed below. This works out to $147.12 per year or $12.26 per month for the average assessed ($785k) property in Sooke. 
 
As the staff report states: “The focus of the budget is on continuing the current levels of service, transitioning to 24/7 policing, continued support of 24/7 fire rescue services, bylaw services, and implementation of the asset management plan. With the proposed changes Sooke remains one of the lowest tax rates on Vancouver Island and comparable-sized municipalities in the province.” The District’s annual Budget Open House is set for Wed. April 3, 2 to 7:30 PM. 

The District keeps refining its budget messaging. You'll see in the storyboards prepared for the open house that the latest number crunching reveals that our municipal taxes are, in fact, the lowest in BC on a per-capita basis among communities sized between 10k and 20k people. Interestingly, there has been little feedback (two letters) to what amounts to the biggest tax increase in the District's short (25 year) history. Good evidence that we, the taxpayers, are prepared to invest in this growing community's future. 

Starting Points 
District of Sooke: Let's Talk Budget 2024 
Website home page with links to all relevant materials, including: 

- Budget 2024: What We Heard citizen survey (1,000 persons surveyed in June-August, 2023 period)
- Budget Brief 2024 -  4-page explainer (Nov. 22, 2023) 

- Five-Year Financial Plan 2024-2028 (presented to the Committee of the Whole this afternoon, next step in meeting a May 15 provincial deadline to finalize this annually updated legislative requirement... today to be followed by an in-depth departmental service review (March 13, 7 PM); the presentation of a revised budget to Council; a Community Budget Open House; and then final adoption and the near-immediate start of the next year's budget cycle with a Budget 2025 public survey.) 

[IMO observation at the outset: Bravo to District staff led by Interim CAO/Director of Financial Services Raechel Gray, her deputy Ben Currie and Communications Coordinator Christina Moog for delivering a best-ever budget package --  comprehensive, colourful, chart-packed, reader-friendly, persuasive and rooted in best-practice community engagement. This is light years removed from the daunting spreadsheets blanketed in black numbers that I first began stumbling blindly through when i got interested in municipal life a decade ago. Bonus: Spreadsheets are back in this year's budget, with five years of Capital Plan spending starting on pg. 36.]

Pocketbook Top Note
- Initial proposed tax hike of 13.3% on our 2024 property tax bills to cover an increase of $1.45m in new District operational expenses. 
- This equates to $185.16 per year based on the average BC Assessment-rated Sooke home value of $782,905
- Note: As in years past, this is a first bullseye targeted increase. Council has and will again inevitably reduce this number (likely back into single digits if at all possible) while also recognizing the importance of continued investment in Sooke by homeowners (85%) and businesses who call for a functional, safe, connected community. Last year, we started at 9.34% and whittled it to 6.99%. 
- A +1% increase in taxes equates to $109k approx. in new revenue


Leading Rationales for the Increase
- + 7% ($755k) in Community Safety funding for Sooke Fire, Sooke RCMP and District Bylaw Services. [See my Budget 2023 Starter for the reasons why Sooke council voted last year to support 24/7 unionized service with the hiring (through 2027) of eight new Sooke Fire Service career officers and five more Sooke RCMP officers.] 
 
• + 2% ($218,154) to begin building an essential and so-far largely non-existent Asset Management reserve fund for use as needed over the next many decades. [See the Dec. 11 Council agenda  (pp. 49-182) for the council-endorsed Asset Management Plan and Policy. We approved 2-to-3% per year for this good community housekeeping necessity, just like communities across Canada that are struggling to deal with their respective infrastructure deficits.]
 
• + 3.7% (roughly) increase to account for inflationary, contractual, and wage rate increases. This figure aligns with the Greater Victoria Consumer Price Index rolling 12-month average as of December 2023. [BC Stats CPI Highlights - Jan. 2024]

Further Rationale: Budget 2024 Community Feedback 
The budget is based solidly in public feedback gathered from June 21 to Aug. 20 last year and crunched in Budget 2024: What We Heard. Its top citizen priorities are addressed to some necessarily partial but still significant degree in the budget: 
 
"- Traffic planning and management, including road maintenance and the ability to walk or bike safely around Sooke; 
- Emergency Response (police and fire rescue services); 
- Parks and greenspaces, including care for the environment; 
- Health and wellness services; and 
- Community Planning." 

Limited Wriggle Room
The draft  Five-Year Financial Plan 2024-2028 (pg. 10) cites discretionary (optional for council to approve or cut) and non-discretionary (in process, contracted and unavoidable) expenses in the operational budget. If all are approved, then these items account for the $1,452,155 in new expenses that would be covered by the 13.31% tax increase.  As this year's budget package clearly states, property taxes are primarily used to fund District staffing and benefits. 

Non-discretionary includes:
- RCMP contract (+$392k)
- CUPE and IAFF wage increases (+262k)
- New firefighters and support staff (+$363k)
- WorkSafe BC premium (+$199k) 
- Council annual CPI increase (+$6,519, which equates to a raise of $21,466.88 to $22,260.64 for councillors; $50,752.24 to $52,630.07 for Mayor ... This is fine enough, I've long accepted, for my and Carolyn's modestly comfortable lifestyle, yet future councils must necessarily draw fresh, engaged, committed councillors and this minimum-wage nonsense for what could/should be full-time work has to end eventually. Our delayed but forthcoming Strat Plan will call for another salary review, I'm sure.) 

Discretionary includes: 
- Asset Management reserve fund (+$218k - essential, common sense)
- Auxillary Bylaw Officer (+$42k - essential to assist the two-person bylaw team deal with multiple issues, including working with the homeless)
- CUPE contract CPI adjustment ($60k - essential for employee retention in a hugely competitive job market)
- Parks, facilities, fire and administration operation cost increases ($167k total - all valid and needed, I'm sure, as to be explained at the service review meeting) 


Major Capital Projects Cited in the Draft Plan
See pg. 20 for capital project funding sources. These are highlighted by $3.5m in successful grants + road, sewer and parks Development Cost Charges arising from new development (i.e., $5.16m this year) + the Community Building Fund (aka Gas Tax) + other reserves (Casino, Asset Replacement, Playing Field, Sooke Program of the Arts and Fire Equipment reserves.) 

1. Church/Thoup Roundabout and the Charters Road Corridor
2. Throup Road Connector design
3. Highway 14/Charters Intersection design
4. Phillips Road connector design
5. Wadams Transit Exchange design
6. Ella Road design
7. Whiffin Spit Master Plan 
8. Ravens Ridge Park enhancements
9. Little River (Demamiel Creek) Pedestrian Crossing
10. Playground equipment safety replacements

* Note: It is critical for Sooke Transportation Master Plan priority routes to be blueprinted out to shovel-ready status to meet criteria for provincial and federal grant opportunities.  

Future Big-Ticket Anticipated Expenses in the Five-Year Plan (grant and borrowing dependent) 
Operations - TMP implementation 
- Charter Corridor North (Throup to Gollege) - $2.2m (2025, already budgeted)
- Charter Corridor South (Gollege to Sooke Rd) - $2m (2025)
- Frances Gardens stormwater management - $1m (2025)
- Ella Road rebuild - $1.35m (2025)
- Brownsey Blvd. stormwater management - $500k (2026)
- Throup Road (Charters to Church roundabout) - $2.6m (2026)
- Throup Road connector (Phillips to Charters) - $18m (2027)
- Phillips Road Corridor (Sooke Rd. to north of SEAPARC) - $7m (2027) 
- Five Year Road Program - $500k annually 

Sewer 
- West Coast Road force main (Townsend to Atherley) - $1.5m (2025)
- Sewer extension to Kaltasin - $9.8m (2026)

Parks 
- Deamiel Creek Crossing Bridge - $990k (2025, already budgeted) 
- Municipal Hall interior/exterior upgrades - $800k (2026)
- Broom Hill playground replacement - $900k (2026)
- Pier and boardwalk upgrades - $150k (2026)
- Playground equipment safety replacements - $100k annually

Breakdown (2023) of our total tax bill 
District of Sooke – 44.1%
SD 62 – 28.1% 
CRD – 15.8%
BC Transit – 4.4%
Library – 3.4%
CRD Hospital District – 3.2%
BC Assessment – 1%

Increases from Other Sources 
* CRD: 3.9% increase in 2024 ($21.54) to cover regional, sub-regional and local (i.e., SEAPARC and Sooke Region Museum) services provided to the Sooke by our regional government. SEAPARC and regional parks are, by a considerable margin, the two biggest line items in the CRD budget. 

Tax hikes over the last decade total 34.38% ... nonetheless, Sooke at $1,594 in municipal residential property taxes (for the average assessed property) is second only to Lake Cowichan ($1,540) 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 $2,381 (i.e., what folks in Port Alberni, Colwood, Qualicum Beach approximately pay). Oak Bay tops the list at $5,063 per tweed-curtain household. Not that this alone justifies major local increases, of course. 

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%

Other BC Tax Increases in 2024
This is the tax comparison list in order from the 2024 draft financial plan. Among these communities, Sooke ranks as the second lowest in terms of residential property tax. 

* Lake Cowichan (4% proposed)
* District of Sooke (13.3% proposed)
* District of Lantzville (0% final)
* North Saanich (no budget presented yet) 
* Comox 
* Duncan (7.54% proposed) 
* North Cowichan 
* Metchosin 
* Courtenay
* Ladysmith

 * Langford (15.6% proposed. Council has decided to “rip the band-aid off” as per this rationale from three of its councillors, which is common sense, practical and responsible to future taxpayers IMO.  It, in turn, generated this response by residents. Deep gratitude for not residing in a community this divided and politicized.) 

* Sidney
* Highlands
* View Royal
* Campbell River
* Port Alberni
* Colwood
* Qualicum Beach (7.7% proposed) 
* Central Saanich (7.76% proposed)  
* Nanaimo
* Esquimalt
* Tofino
* Saanich 
* Victoria
* Oak Bay 

Other property tax increases this year ... 
* Cowichan Valley Regional District (16.35% proposed) 
* Parksville (6.6% proposed) 
* City of Vancouver (7.75% final) 
* Osoyoos (24% current following 41% initial proposal) 
​
Archive of my earlier budget posts 
- Budget 2023 Starter
​- Budget 2022
- 2020/21
- CRD (2019)
- Budget 2019

Updates to follow in the weeks ahead, including insights into the tax hits being felt in other BC communities this year. 

April 23
Sooke is happily (IMO) not among the score of municipalities on the second "naughty list" of BC communities released today.  We were, however, cited among the 47 identified last June in the Housing Supply Act. All CRD and Metro Vancouver municipalities are on that long list -- Langford with its explosive growth included. Sensibly enough, it's not on the new list, and neither is Metchosin, Highlands and View Royal.

What all this means isn't clear -- but one interpretation is that the Province recognizes that Sooke and these other communities are on track with their tailor-made housing targets as per each of our housing needs reports. With close to 1,000 starts completed recently or in the permitting stages here in Sooke (fully 650 of them rentals) and likely 1,000 more in the pipeline, we are well ahead of demand for a growing community that must face the reality of no significant short or even long-term planned upgrades for Highway 14 as confirmed recently by Ministry of Transportation staff. 

North Saanich is on the new list of 20, and that will certainly trigger outrage in Deep Cove and Ardmore as the slow-growth lobby that stalled out its latest OCP revs back into action.  Neither the Mayor of North Vancouver nor her counterpart in New Westminster are happy about this outcome either, both saying they want to know how the Province will bolster their resultant infrastructure needs. ("I'm calling BS on this priority list," said New West Mayor Patrick Johnstone.)

For the record, the next 20 priority municipalities identified to receive housing targets are: Central Saanich; Chilliwack; Colwood; Esquimalt; Kelowna; City of Langley; Maple Ridge; Mission; Nanaimo; New Westminster; North Cowichan; North Saanich; City of North Vancouver; Port Coquitlam; Prince George; Sidney; Surrey; View Royal;  West Kelowna; and White Rock. "This includes some communities who are taking important actions and many who need to do more," said Minister Kahlon.  

The first set of 10 BC communities announced on June 1, 2023 (with housing targets in brackets) were: 

• City of Abbotsford: 7,240 units 
• City of Delta: 3,607 units  
• City of Kamloops: 4,236 units  
• District of North Vancouver: 2,838 units  
• District of Oak Bay: 664 units  
• City of Port Moody: 1,694 units  
• District of Saanich: 4,610 units  
• City of Vancouver: 28,900 housing units  
• City of Victoria: 4,902 units  
• District of West Vancouver: 1,432 units  

Rapid housing starts are underway. Example: Saanich Uptown (see District of Saanich's Uptown-Douglas Plan page). 
All housing announcement starts are mapped on the Homes for BC website. 

All this is arising from the April 3, 2023 release of BC's trendsetting  Homes For People Action Plan. 
​See Housing 101 for my comprehensive (read: exhaustive) blog entry from last spring  

​
Update: March 22 
~ Secondary Suite Incentive Program 
- 3,000 forgivable grants over three years to cover up to 50% of construction costs up to a maximum of $40k 
- first-come applications open on April 17
- Province of BC: Secondary Suites home page 
- Home Suite Home: Guidelines on How to Add and Manage a Secondary Suite or Accessory Dwelling Unit in BC (PDF booklet) 

~ Form and character for a streamlined permitting future
Ministry of Housing release of RFP for Standardized Housing Design Project (released March 22) 
Technical briefing + News release

"The anticipated outcome of the Project is a provincially owned catalogue of standardized, customizable small-scale building designs that local governments, builders, and small-scale developers can employ to help streamline development approval processes.  The Contractor will assist the Ministry by producing a minimum of ten (10) small-scale multi-unit housing designs in accordance with the design parameters set out in this RFP.

Produce at least ten (10) designs for the Province that align with the design parameters specified in Appendix D and include the following: 
o At least one prime Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) design and two meaningful variations; 
o One prime duplex design; 
o One prime quadplex design; 
o One prime four-unit townhouse design; 
o One prime triplex design; and 
o At least three additional meaningful variations to be determined with Ministry staff that may include the following typologies (duplex, quadplex, four-unit townhouse or triplex) 

The designs must be capable of adaptation to site-specific considerations. A meaningful variation is intended to provide a functional difference. The meaningful variation can be substantially based on the Prime design. 
A meaningful variation must include a different bedroom count from the prime design (additional variations are encouraged but not requirements of the scope of work). 
Other meaningful variations could include: 
• Difference of form and character (e.g. roofline variation for different snow loads) 
• Different interior layout (e.g. size or location of particular rooms) 
* Different interior or exterior finishes are not considered to be a meaningful variation." 

Precedents
* The Vancouver Special 
* Plan Book of Ideal Homes (T. Eaton Company, 1946) 
* Small House Designs (CMHC, 1954) 
​* Small House Designs (CMHC, 1965)
* Mail-Order Houses in 1910s/1920s (Canadian Museum of History) 

Today's Pioneers
- Williams Lake "Pre-Reviewed Accessory Dwellings" - five pre-reviewed design plans that can be issued for free to builders within the City who have a valid ADU building permit + How To Guide 


Feb. 27
* Bill 46 Housing Statutes (Development Financing) Amendment Act, 2023  + FAQ
Introduces optional Amenity Cost Charge (ACC) system province-wide to potentially replace or augment the discretionary Community Amenity Charges (CAC) now charged to new development by local governments. 

"ACCs can be collected for a wide variety of amenities including, but not limited to, a community, youth, or senior’s centre; a recreational or athletic facility; a library, a public square. Additional examples of amenities could include community arts spaces, community museums, and streetscape gardens. Like DCCs, ACCs can only be used to fund the capital costs of amenities, which includes planning, engineering, construction, and interests costs attributable to an amenity project. 

Bill 46 also introduces new Development Cost Charge categories in addition to the current set of road/sidewalk, wastewater and parks projects. 

"Examples of projects that can be included under the new DCC categories include: 

• Fire protection facilities: fire halls, training facilities, staff quarters, and maintenance facilities. 
• Police facilities: Municipal jails, cells, and holding facilities, training facilities, and community policing centres. 
• Solid waste and recycling facilities: landfills, recycling depots and processing facilities, and compose facilities. 

Capital projects under the new DCC categories must directly or indirectly service the new development and must be owned or controlled by the local government."

BC Builds Announcement (Province of BC, Feb. 13)
"BC Builds, an initiative delivered through BC Housing that leverages government, community and non-profit owned and under-used land to speed up the delivery of housing and help bring costs more in line with what middle-income households earn. All BC Builds projects have a target of middle-income households spending no more than 30% of their income on rent."

Federal Government Contributes $2 Billion to BC Builds (Government of Canada, Feb. 20) 
"Combined with the Province’s investment, the $2 billion in low-cost loans, available through the Apartment Construction Loan Program, will help build a minimum of 8,000 to 10,000 additional new homes for the middle class. As more land is secured, thousands more units will be built – fast‑tracking construction and ensuring that more of these homes are available at below-market rates."

UBCM Housing Summit, Feb. 13/14, 2024
- Powerpoint presentations 
i.e. CRD Affordable Housing overview + legal issues + population growth. 

- "Tacking the Housing Crunch: Outcome of the 2024 Summit" (MLA Canada) 
- "BC Housing Reforms Meet Mixed Response Among Mayors" (Vancouver Sun, Feb. 13)
- "Can BC Build Its Way Out of the Housing Crisis?" (Business In Vancouver, Feb. 13)

- "How BC Plans to Build Rental Housing for Middle-Income Canadians" (CBC, Feb. 17) 
- "Capacity and Scale Questions Greet New Program" (Victoria News, Feb. 14)

HousingHub Program Overview (BC Housing, Feb. 2024) 
Housing Projects Across BC (map)

Local Government Housing Initiatives (Province of BC, updated Feb. 9)

Provincial $51m fund to support local governments adopt housing legislation (Jan. 17 announcement) 
Sooke receives $223k from the total distribution "to update housing needs reports, zoning bylaws, development cost charge and amenity cost charge bylaws, and community plans by hiring consultants and staff, and to do research and community engagement" ​


Red-letter day: Feb. 12, 2024 
First District of Sooke rezoning applications without requirement for public hearings  ~ Agenda (see pp. 175-216 for the proposed 19 townhomes at the entrance to Sunriver; and pp. 225-272 for the town centre rezoning) + District of Sooke explainer re: new policy and public notices

Pro-Active Planning (Province of BC, Feb. 2024)
"Currently, rezoning processes, including public hearings, for stand-alone housing projects are creating lengthy delays and adding costs. ​In many cases the housing being discussed is supported or encouraged in the OCP. To speed up the building of homes for people and support pro-active planning, one-off, site-by-site public hearings for rezonings have been phased out for housing projects that are consistent with OCPs (which already have a public hearing).  

There will instead be more frequent opportunities for people to be involved in shaping their communities earlier in the process, when OCPs are updated. These opportunities, including a public hearing, provide for more meaningful engagement opportunities for a greater number of community members to participate.
Public hearings will continue to be required whenever local governments update or develop new OCPs or consider rezonings for projects that are not consistent with the OCP. People will also still be able to engage with their local elected officials about housing projects through other channels and forums."

Council moved (Feb. 26) that District staff prepare a Public Participation Policy that will outline these alternate channels and forums for public input above and beyond regularized OCP updates with full public input (refreshed every five years, as per provincial legislation with the first due no later than December, 2025).

These are to include: 

- Expanded public comment time (from 10 to 20 minutes) at regular council meetings regarding any item on the agenda, including rezoning applications proceeding without a public hearing. The time alloted may be extended upon majority vote of council (as per Sooke's Council Procedure Bylaw, Section 24) 

- A requirement for pre-rezoning public information nights hosted by the developer with matching online materials for anytime viewing (as directed by Sooke's next Development Procedures bylaw ~ an update on the 2011 model to be introduced soon. Open houses are currently optional.) 

- Improved and more creative/informative notice of application signage at development sites (also as per the Development Procedures bylaw)

- More community open houses and public engagements, i.e. Coffee With Council, market pop-ups and other events at which the public can bend the ears of staff and council in-person. 

- Residents encouraged to write to [email protected] and [email protected] on any subject they wish as is their democratic right

- Informal petitions on any subject. As noted on the BC Government website: "There is no requirement for a local government to take action if a petition is received; however, an informal petition can be a useful tool to bring a local matter to the council or board's attention ... The Community Charter specifies that the full name and residential address of each petitioner must be included on informal petitions to municipal council." 


Updates: Late December
* Small-Scale, Multi-Unit Housing and Transit-Oriented Development Area Scenarios (Province of BC, Dec. 8)
* SSMU Policy Manual and Site Standards (Dec. 7) 
* TOD Policy Manual (Sooke is not included among the 52 identified high-transit junctions in BC; on the South Island, these are at the BC Legislature, University of Victoria, Uptown, Victoria General Hospital, and the Royal Oak, Colwood and Langford bus exchanges)

* BC Drafted A Bold Housing Blueprint: The Rest of Canada Should Copy It (Globe & Mail Editorial Board, Dec. 21) 
"Change will still take time. An analysis the NDP put out showed most of the new housing would be built in the back half of a decade-long outlook. The estimated tally is at least 216,000 more homes than would have otherwise been constructed. The B.C. analysis also suggested those additional homes, over the next five years, could reduce the price of buying or renting by roughly 9 per cent compared with business as usual. The NDP got the big picture right. It’s also working to get the details right." 

* Opinion: Higher Density Means Losing Trees, Gardens and More (Times Colonist, Dec. 21) 

* Reflections on BC NDP Housing Policy (Adam Olsen, MLA, Dec. 19). <clip> "I disagree with the BC NDP’s one-size-fits-all approach in Bill 44. It erodes local government democracy and the mass upzoning of vast swaths of British Columbia is non-planning." 

* Low-Density Development Carries Much Higher Costs (Trevor Hancock, Dec. 17)
* Chasing Higher Density - But To What End (Ex-North Saanich Mayor Alice Finall, Dec. 16)
​* New Legislation Brings Changes to Public Hearings (BC Law Institute, Dec. 15) 
* Many Misconceptions In The Debate About Housing (Times Colonist, Dec. 11)
* BC's Dramatic Plan to Tackle Housing Sparks Alarm About Unintended Consequences (Globe & Mail, Dec. 6)
* Former NDP Premier Mike Harcourt Blasts Top-Down Housing Solution (Vancouver Sun, Nov. 30)

* "The Last Public Hearing" - View Royal Town Hall, Nov. 23 -- What We Heard Report (agenda; see pp. 26-113)

* BC Standardized Housing Design Project (Nov. 16) 
- "Standardized designs can substantially streamline the permitting process to make it easier for local governments to give building-permit approvals quickly and save builders and homeowners the costs that come from expensive design services." +  RFP (deadline: Dec. 12, 2023) ~ "The consultation process will inform the design parameters for up to ten provincial designs for accessory dwelling units and multi-unit buildings up to four units per design that can be accommodated on a single detached lot." 

* Ottawa To Launch Pre-Approved Home Design Catalogue (CBC, Dec. 12) 
* Bring On the Standardized Housing Catalogue (Globe & Mail, Dec. 18)
* In Praise of Cookie-Cutter Housing Design (Globe & Mail, Dec. 13)

​- Small Housing BC + Gentle Density Network 
- Small Housing Toolkit (PDF with 10 housing-type case studies). Defined in the glossary: Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) ... Basement suite ... Coach homes ... Comprehensive development ... Cottage housing ... Cluster housing ... Detached townhomes ... Efficiency suite ... Granny flat ... Laneway housing ... Lock-off suite ... Mother-in-law suite ... Micro-suite ... Multi-flex family housing  ... Pocket Neighbourhood ... Secondary suite

* The Vancouver Special 
* Plan Book of Ideal Homes (T. Eaton Company, 1946) 
* Small House Designs (CMHC, 1954) 
​* Small House Designs (CMHC, 1965)
* Mail-Order Houses in 1910s/1920s (Canadian Museum of History) 

​* The Big Bet On Tiny Homes to Help the Homeless (Vox, Nov. 29) 
* Kelowna To Build 120 Tiny Homes (Oct. 2023) + Operators Selected (Dec.) 

Original Post: Nov. 15
Following up on MLA Ravi Parmar's op-ed on the BC NDP's new housing policy announcement and its impacts on Sooke, published online last week and likely in this week's newspaper.  

Key points I want to make which aren't captured in the MLA's high-level editorial: 

i) YES, we need non-profit housing and smaller-footprint, truly affordable market-priced homes and rentals in Sooke. Yet our unique situation as a still small town served by a congested (during peak-hour flows) two-lane (mostly) road doesn't accommodate what, on first exposure, seem to be one-size-fits-all directives from Victoria. (Guarantee: The new regs will surely prove to be more nuanced and flexible than many fear.)  

ii) Tough choices ahead: Either we in Sooke recognize our capacity under current circumstances and start planning to consciously/mindfully pump the brakes on our rapid population increases; or we acknowledge that significant, character-changing growth is inevitable to the point where we absolutely require a secondary road/four-lane/transit-upgrade traffic solution. (The message in the current and pending OCPs is that most of us want to retain, to a significant degree, the Sooke we know and love.) 

iii) Either way, we require significant road infrastructure funding far exceeding our annual allotment of Canada Community Building Fund dollars from Ottawa, the $5.9 million we received this spring through the province's one-time Growing Communities Fund and other grant sources (which we've capitalized on nicely if unpredictably since 2017). Relying on property taxes and Development Cost Charges alone is insufficient and unfair, as Deputy Mayor Al Beddows told the CBC last week. 

iv) Unfair because, as the Federation of Canadian Municipalities reminds us in its Municipal Growth Framework campaign, Canadian municipalities received 16.7 cents of every tax dollar collected in the 1960s. This share has plummeted 50% to 8 to 10 cents today. (The UBCM is doing its part with BC advocacy focused on local-government $$$ needs for attainable housing, community safety and climate change.) 

v) Builders across Canada, not just in Sooke as our MLA notes, have famously been frustrated by building permit delays for decades now. Sooke councils have been trying to fix the local system since at least 2012. No local government I'm aware of, including Langford with its mythic and misleading 48-hour permit turnarounds, is immune to these systemic delays.  

vi) Regarding building timelines, the District is in the home stretch of a permit approval review process that will make a dramatic difference to how applications are both accepted (only when 100% complete) and processed expeditiously once a radically overhauled system is implemented at the District next year. (Expect to see the final Urban Systems report late this year or early next); and

vii) Sooke is, in fact, well ahead on its housing needs targets with as many as 800 units (rental and owner-occupied) approved for construction and likely 1,000 more in discussion/process/pre-approval design stages. To repeat the old refrain: How much more can we accommodate before our quality of life here suffers irreparable harm? 

First, a recap of recent first-read legislation and announcements from Housing Minister Ravi Kahlon  

* Bill 46 Housing Statutes (Development Financing) Amendment Act, 2023 
* Bill 44 Housing Statutes (Residential Development) Amendment Act, 2023 
* Bill 35 Short-Term Rental Accommodation Act, 2023 

* Small-Scale, Multi-Unit Housing (SSMUH) + Changes to Local Government Act 
+ Technical Briefing (Nov. 1) + Update (Nov. 7) 

"In most areas within municipalities of more than 5,000 people, these changes will also require bylaws to allow for: 
- three to four units permitted on lots currently zoned for single-family or duplex use, depending on lot size; and 
- six units permitted on larger lots currently zoned for single-family or duplex use and close to transit stops with frequent service. 
- Municipalities covered by the legislation (population 5k-plus) may permit additional density if desired, but cannot have bylaws that allow for fewer permitted units than the provincial legislation."

Directions to local governments: 
"- All local governments: Update housing needs reports (HNR) using a standard method, for a more consistent, robust understanding of local housing needs over 20 years; (logical given every housing report I've seen is markedly unique)
- Municipalities: Plan for and engage communities on these needs in official community plans (OCP), updated every five years to reflect the most recent HNR so communities can plan together; (previous best-practice was every 10 years)
- Municipalities: Align zoning bylaws with the OCP and HNR to pre-zone for the 20-year total amount of housing their communities need; and
- All local governments: Eliminate redundant processes and one-off public hearings that slow down housing projects that already fit with community plans, and instead make best use of more frequent opportunities for people to be involved in shaping their communities earlier in the processes." (read Simon Fraser University's Renovate the Public Hearing reports for the pros/cons and possibilities)  

"Timelines 

• December 2023 – SSMUH policy manual and site standards provided to local governments. (Done)
• January 2024 – Housing Needs Report instructions provided to local governments.
• January/February 2024 – Details announced for $51 million funding allocation.
• June 30, 2024 – Local governments must have updated their bylaws to accommodate SSMUH requirements
• June/July 2024 – OCP/zoning review/update instructions provided to municipalities.
• Jan. 1, 2025 (date subject to regulation) – Local governments must have completed their interim HNR.
• Dec. 31, 2025 (date subject to regulation) – Municipalities must have completed their first review and update of their OCPs and zoning bylaws (based on interim HNR)."

* More Homes Near Transit Hubs + Policy Framework (Nov. 8)
- Target: 100,000 new units to be built in TOD (Transit Oriented Development) areas in 30 BC municipalities
(unidentified to date, so the are-we/aren't-we question is unanswered. Our relatively modest transit hub is currently outside Village Foods, and is to be relocated to east of the library on Wadams Way as Lot A is developed. If we are to be included, then 10-storey buildings are to be allowed within 400 meters of the hub vs. our current maximum of six storeys anywhere within the town centre north of Sooke Rd.)

* Short-Term Residential Accommodations Act (Bill 35) - Oct. 16, 2023 
​* New rules for short-term rentals (Province of BC) 

* Homes For People Action Plan (April 3, 2023) 
- See Housing 101 for my comprehensive (read: exhaustive) blog entry from this spring 


The Sooke context ... 
* The red-tape issues that Sooke builders and our larger-scale out-of-town developers (based in Langford, Saanich, Campbell River, Vancouver, Richmond and elsewhere) face in working with the District have, in point of fact, existed here and everywhere else in BC and Canada as a whole for many years/decades.  

* A solution to BC-wide permitting inefficiencies has been sought ever since Premier Horgan's newly formed government recognized that the province was facing a housing crisis after decades of inaction by Ottawa and the BC Liberals. Its Homes For BC housing affordability masterplan (2017) was followed a year later by the Development Permit Process Approvals Review (final report, 2019). The latter identified needed reforms to the system and was based on consultation with UBCM staff, local government officials, builders and developers, non-profit housing providers, academics and community representatives. 

* The recommendations were backed by the UBCM's provincially funded Local Government Development Permit Approvals Program, which since 2021 has funded permit process reviews in  43 BC local governments. 

* Sooke is one of these 43. In our case, we received $494k to undertake a top-to-bottom review and finance needed e-application software upgrades. A draft report from Urban Systems was sent to council last month and an information session attended by councillors Beddows, Pearson and myself followed. The final report will be released late this year or likely in early 2024. Existing bylaws, processes and statistics have been reviewed. Capacity levels, organizational structure and existing policies were discussed at length with District staff. Members of the building community (Sooke Builders Association included) were consulted at length. Best practices were adopted from sister reviews undertaken -- in a dozen cases by Urban Systems itself -- in other similar-sized local governments. And a full set of action items/recommendations are delivered so as to kickstart implementation ASAP in 2024. 

* Without sharing any spoilers pending the final report, Urban's Development Application Processes Assessment and Recommendations summary report smartly addresses the key issues identified in BC's 2019 review, namely:

- 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 

​* Question I ask again: Was there ever a golden era of fair and speedy building permit turnarounds as some seem to believe? Langford continues to be applauded for its so-called 48-hour permit approvals, but what's misunderstood (as I comprehend it) is that this speedy guarantee only kicks in following untold months of necessary groundwork by applicants and municipal staff; it requires submission of a complete building permit application, site plans, construction drawings, geotech review, professional engineering and other reports, and completion of all City of Langford approvals. That done, two working days is a breeze. 

* Reality Check: The District is short-staffed and employees are hard to find here as in other local governments and employment sectors. Still to be hired is a Chief Administrative Officer, for most notable instance. The planning and building departments currently lack multiple key staff. The help-wanted list includes a Director of Planning (with this week's news that Matthew Pawlow has taken a position with the Ministry of Housing), Chief Building Official, a Building Official II, and a Planning and Development Administrator. Good news: Manager of Community Planning Jayden Riley has been hired recently. And former CBO Stan Dueck is pitching in part-time to help with building inspections. 

* Two questions that District staff will bring forward for discussion with council in months ahead ...

1. What does the Province's Nov. 1 announcement mean for our pending Official Community Plan? Should we go ahead as intended once the new CAO is hired ... or wait until the promised June/July 2024 delivery of "OCP/zoning review/update instructions provided to municipalities"?

2. Likewise, the Local Government Act requires a new Housing Needs Assessment every five years. Our first-time 2019 version is due for an update a year from now. Directions on how to proceed with it will flow from Victoria in early 2024. 

* "Patience, grasshopper, all is coming ..." (Source: Anonymous) 

Feedback 
* BC housing legislation impact on democracy (Oak Bay Mayor Kevin Murdoch video, Nov. 17)
* Taking Stock of the BC NDP's Housing Blitz (The Tyee, Nov. 16 ... see comments)
* BC Housing Bills Transformational But Will Take Time (CBC, Nov. 11) 
* BC United's Kevin Falcon Responds (Rob Shaw, Nov. 12) 
* View Royal Mayor Sid Tobias Schedules Last Public Hearing On Housing - Times Colonist (Nov. 11, 2023) 
* View Royal Wants Audit of BC Housing Legislation - Times Colonist (Nov. 10, 2023) + request letter 
* BC Government Mulls Legislation to Stop Giving Housing Cash Directly to Munis - Vancouver Sun (Nov. 8)
* All Housing Theme Is All Consuming - Times Colonist (Nov. 8, 2023) 
* Public Hearings Curbed In Housing Bill - Les Leyne, Times Colonist (Nov. 4, 2023)
* Burnaby Mayor Slams Housing Policy - Vancouver Sun (Nov. 4, 2023)
* Deputy Mayor Al Beddows' interview with CBC's Gregor Craigie (Nov. 3, 2023)
* Housing Bill Oversight Could Cost Municipalities Tens of Millions, say Mayors  - Vancouver Sun (Nov. 3, 2023)
​* Conservative Party of BC Platform incl. housing 

- Urban Planning (Wikipedia) 

- Young Anderson Bulletins
​* Local Government and the Provincial Housing Agenda (Nov. 24)
* Province Introduces Significant Renovations (Nov. 3) 
* Bill 44 Housing Statues (Residential Development) Amendment Act (Nov. 10)
"One of the significant impacts of Bill 44 will be the reduced scope for local governments to require amenities and amenity contributions in connection with Bill 44’s mandatory zoning requirements. Bill 46 attempts to alleviate this by amending the Local Government Act: (i) to expand the scope for development cost charges to provide funding for fire protection facilities, police facilities and solid waste and recycling facilities and (ii) to allow for the imposition of new “Amenity Cost Charges” (ACCs)." 

- British Columbia Real Estate Association: The Province Goes Big On Housing Policy (Nov. 23)
​- Urban Development Institute: Taxing Growth - Analysing the Taxes and Fees on New Development (PDF)


Related from this blog ... 

- Building/Developing Sooke (May 30, 2023) ... I remain wholly confident that a productive new relationship with the revamped Sooke Builders Association will develop in time as everyone patiently, professionally moves forward as the new system gets established next year and proves itself to the point that understandable frustration, anger and past trauma begins to diminish. 

- Our Up-Sooke-Sized Building Boom (August 26, 2022) ... Zoning and permits are in place, but ground remains resolutely unbroken in a number of situations for reasons I'm not privy to ... inflation, supply chains, labour shortages and the high cost of building anything/everything, most likely. 

​- Sooke's Evolving Road, Sidewalk and Roundabout Network (January 20, 2021) ... Town-centre portions of Otter Point and Church now complete; roundabout work well underway for Church/Throup with the Charters rebuild to follow next year. 

- X Homes + Y People + Z Cars = ? (December 18, 2018) ... Still the defining equation in Sooke, I figure. 

  
Screenshots from the Ministry of Housing Technical Brief ... 

Update April 8: Sooke council has approved a motion I brought forward asking the Mayor to lead a delegation seeking additional staffing at the Sooke Shelter to oversee as many as 19 ground-floor overnight shelter beds at Hummingbird Place (formerly known as the Hope Centre).

The original plan (2020) for the soon-to-open ground-floor hub space run by the Sooke Shelter Society had included a half-dozen 7 PM to 7AM emergency beds in a lay-out that would also feature a common area, commercial kitchen, washer/dryer/shower facilities and, critically, clinic space for support staff, i.e., mental health/addictions professionals and Shelter employees associated with the Reaching Home program who work with the unhoused, the working poor and those at-risk of homelessness.   

It's now recognized that six beds are insufficient for current and especially potential future needs. In response, Shelter staff led by Sherry Thompson and Kristie Miller have re-envisioned use of the common space and pencilled in the extra shelter beds. These would be set-up as needed, operate year-round, and also double as an Emergency Weather Shelter during cold snaps in the winter. To run this expanded operation, the Shelter requires three additional employees as part of its contract with BC Housing.

Securing these new beds would be a game-changer in terms of delivering safe shelter for tenters who currently overnight in public parks and other locations around Sooke.  The problem at Ed Macgregor Park detailed below has seemingly been solved for now, however individuals who camped there have relocated elsewhere, notably the private land behind Hummingbird Place. Add up the Ed Mac tenters (four per night on average in the early winter, rising to a high of 9 last summer) and those elsewhere, and the need is clear and growing. Some individuals want to live rough outdoors, but many want a safer environment. 

The Shelter is home to an evolving group of support staff, residents, drop-ins and peers with lived experience. Collectively they're creating the kind of interconnected community that's central in the social determinants of health. This latest initiative is entirely worthy of new funding, we believe.   [See the advocacy letter in full on pp. 193/94 of the April 8 council agenda.]

Feb. 1, 2024: Attached at the end of this post is the Sooke Homelessness Coalition's 2022-25 Strategic Plan along with a recent power point prepared for the first meeting of the SHC's Community Advisory Team (CAT). Facilitated by the SHC's Don Brown, the CAT includes reps from the Sooke Shelter, DOS Bylaw Services, Sooke RCMP, Sooke Food Bank, Sooke Chamber of Commerce, Sooke Council, local business and resident appointees (including the  Rev. Al Tysick). 

In the note below that I wrote to a resident and which inspired this post, I didn't mention that Budget 2024 will include a funding request for a third Sooke bylaw officer to ensure teams of two are available to do daily checks at tent sites ... necessary given the unpredictable behaviours of individuals who may be dealing with addiction or mental health issues ... in addition to responding to multiple other bylaw needs in our growing community.

The District has also developed a new homeless action plan that kicked off last week ahead of the schedule I mention in my reply below. Ed Mac's stage has now been cleared of the incredible pile of stuff (read: junk to some, treasure to others) that had accumulated there. Such situations will be monitored closely in future.

On Jan. 31, Councillors Beddows, Pearson, St-Pierre and I met in the park with approx. 25 neighbours profoundly concerned about tenting impacts on both the park and the surrounding area. The meeting was organized by the District's CAO Raechel Gray and Communications Coordinator Christina Moog. Two of the group's members are invited to the next CAT meeting to share more. 

The text that Deputy Mayor St-Pierre read aloud at the Jan. 29 Coffee With Council included the following timely remarks about  "homelessness and park safety" in Sooke: 


"Speaking of challenges with housing and our unhoused population, on Saturday, January 20th there was a fire in Ed Macgregor Park where some members of our community are sheltering overnight. 

Upon arrival, crews discovered an unoccupied tent engulfed in flames, which was quickly brought under control. The affected area was promptly sectioned off for further cleanup efforts. 

On Monday, January 22, the District initiated a comprehensive park cleanup, addressing not only the aftermath of the fire but also the surrounding area. 

District staff collaborated with the owner of belongings stored near the park’s amphitheatre, coordinating the securing of personal items while facilitating the disposal of remaining materials. 

The District is committed to ensuring the safety of all park users, including visitors, staff, and individuals experiencing homelessness. 

The public is reminded that, following a Supreme Court ruling, where there is limited accessible shelter space in the community, overnight sheltering in parks is permitted from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 a.m. However, it is crucial to emphasize that this provision is not intended to serve as a long-term storage solution for personal belongings. 

The District has reestablished an action plan to provide increased maintenance to help ensure Ed Macgregor Park is a safe and welcoming space for everyone to enjoy. Those visiting the park can expect an increased presence of bylaw services and outreach workers. 

Staff will continue to evaluate the park use and related maintenance while also understanding more about shelter capacity and available shelter space. 

We are tracking these costs and will seek to recover associated expenses, if at all possible. 

Over the weekend, MLA Ravi Parmar highlighted his commitment for helping us realize an integrated health centre in Sooke. The identified site for this facility is on Wadams Way by the library."

PS This year's Coldest Night of the Year march to raise funds for the Sooke Shelter Society is on Saturday, Feb. 24. Sign up or donate as the SSS strives to exceed the record $30k raised last year. https://cnoy.org/location/sooke
 

Now onwards with the original post ... 

A resident wrote recently (Jan. 22) with concerns about unhoused individuals in the town centre and tenters in Ed Macgregor Park, the latter sparked by the potentially extremely dangerous fire at one campsite there last weekend (identified early on by a neighbour and fortunately extinguished by Sooke Fire in short order). She was also concerned by the growing collection of material (read: stuff and/or junk) piled under cover on the bandshell by one group of campers.

As Council's appointee to the Sooke Homelessness Coalition,  I wrote back ... 

Mayor Tait has forwarded your email for reply in my role as co-chair of the Sooke Homelessness Coalition along with the Sooke Shelter Society's Melanie Cunningham. 

You're far from alone in feeling unsafe in the park and being disturbed by the scenes there. Some demand strong enforcement, others call for compassionate alternatives and solutions to a growing human crisis that is common across Canada.  Unquestionably, all of us want to feel safe and secure to enjoy our seaside park and the town centre. 

As I'm sure you're aware, homelessness and the risk thereof, related mental health and addictions issues, poverty and the lack of affordable housing are among the top issues of our times.  Sooke is not immune. 

The BC Supreme Court ruled in 2015 that tenters may set up in public parks from 7 PM to 9 AM when shelter space is unavailable.  A group of unhoused (individuals and some family groups) have opted to overnight in Ed Macgregor since 2022 given its proximity to the services and supports across the road at the Sooke Shelter.  Tenters in years previous would camp out-of-sight on private land behind the Hope Centre and in various spots around Sooke. 

The average number of tents at Ed Mac is about four per night, according to Sooke Bylaw Services. Our two Bylaw Officers enforce the guidelines. Sooke RCMP are also involved at times. District Parks staff frequently are on site to remove garbage, sodden blankets and other trash.

A new wrinkle is the volume of random stuff several groups have brought to certain tent sites,  in particular the sheltered area under the bandshell. 

In response, the District has notified tenters that they have until Feb. 1 to clear out these items. A week next Thursday, staff will collaborate with Victoria Contracting and outreach workers from the Shelter to help individuals remove, store and/or dispose of this material. Staff will continue to keep a close eye on the park as ever and there will be subsequent clearances as and if new possessions accumulate. Materials with any personal or financial value will be held for 30 days so they can be reclaimed. 

We're fortunate that the issue is on a relatively small scale in Sooke compared to larger centres. The Province has established and continues to fund the Sooke Shelter at the Hope Centre (now known as Hummingbird Place).

Langford, as you may be aware, lacks any such shelter and homelessness has evolved into a significant issue with no easy solutions despite the action you reference.  I know that this is a matter MLA Parmar is committed to addressing, just as he is here in Sooke where he cheers on and supports our proactive grassroots work on what is a provincially mandated matter.  

The Sooke Homelessness Coalition was founded in 2018 and much dedicated work on this "wicked" (i.e., incredibly complex and multi-faceted) issue continues. Participants include the Shelter, the T'Sou-ke Nation, Sooke Bylaw, Sooke RCMP, Sooke Fire, BC Housing, Island Health, the CRD's Reaching Home program, the Alliance to End Homelessness in Greater Victoria and others. We are unfunded, rely on volunteer participation and are entirely grateful for the remarkable work of Sooke Shelter staff 24/7. 

A new SHC advisory working group is underway involving many of these groups along with Councillors Beddows and St-Pierre. I'll cc them and others here to share your concerns and my response.  ​

sincerely, 
Jeff 

And in answering further questions, I wrote: 
District staff have enforcement authority as per Sooke bylaws. Council has the authority to enact and amend bylaws. There are exceptions when the District must comply with other orders of government or judicial authorities. In this case, the BC Supreme Court has ruled that when there is insufficient shelter space, then the unhoused are permitted to stay overnight in parks.  

Staff and RCMP work with the unhoused, and cleaning up Ed Mac and other Sooke parks is part of their operational duties year-round. I cannot provide you with specific costs for either their time or the clean-up that took place yesterday. I'm told the District continues to drill down and better understand costs of this kind, and will explore opportunities to recover the costs, if possible, as part of our advocacy with the Province. 

Apart from staff time, the District has a service agreement with the Sooke Shelter ($7k in 2023) funded through the Province's COVID Recovery Fund. The lion's share of its funding is through BC Housing, grants and its own fundraising efforts (Coldest Night of the Year, for instance). 


**********************************************************************************************************************************************
While I'm here I'll share more as is tradition on this blog. 

In November 2021, shortly before the first of three community consultations that produced the SHC's first three-year Strategic Plan, I assembled this long and winding post on this subject. 

In brief, it states that the Coalition was launched in 2017 by Mayor Tait and the District in association with Sooke Shelter's Sherry Thompson and Sooke Region Communities Health Network's Mary Dunn and Christine Bossi. The Coalition's goal is to gather "local housing, health and social service providers, businesses, people with lived or living experiences of homelessness, and concerned citizens" in a collaborative mission "to develop and drive solutions to end homelessness." 

The SHC is a satellite of what is now known as the Alliance to End Homelessness in the Capital Region. 

The SHC's terms of reference dictate that it advocate for and support those who do the hard front-line work at the Shelter while also more generally addressing homelessness and the risk-of-it in the Sooke region. It has no operational budget nor staff support. Meetings are attended by reps from the SSS, SRCHN, the T'Sou-ke Nation, the CRD's Reaching Home program, and DOS Bylaw, among others. Participation has declined now that the Shelter is established and operational vs. the critical period when strong advocacy and liaison was required prior to BC Housing's purchase of the Hope Centre as Sooke's first shelter in February 2021.

This said, I'm happy to report that the newly formed SHC Community Action Team is bursting with new energy. The membership list is attached below. We've met twice to date. This month's meeting led by facilitator Don Brown featured presentations by MLA Ravi Parmar, M'akola Housing Society's Kevin Albers and Alita Torcher (as managers of the BC Housing buildings on Charters and and Drennan), Bylaw Officer Medea Mills, RCMP Detachment Commander Greg Willcocks and the Food Bank's Kim Kaldal. [The Sooke News Mirror previewed the CAT last year.]

The SHC Strategic Plan, completed in mid-2022, features recommendations tackled to varying incomplete degrees by the SHC and, much more efficiently and fully in its case, by the SSS team led by Sherry Thompson and Kristie Miller. 

Sooke Homelessness Coalition
* Advocacy for stable, long-term funding (notably with District of Sooke for the first SSS Service Agreement)
* Ongoing stakeholder engagement via regular meetings (six times per year)
* Establishment of a Sooke Community Advisory Team
* Advocacy for an addiction treatment centre in the Sooke region (support in principle from T'Sou-ke, DOS and Island Health and much groundwork by SHC working group member Kelly Roth, ex-ED of the Coalition to End Homelessness)
* RV/Homeowner Matchmaking pilot project and other alt.housing solutions (recommendations presented to MLA's Horgan and Parmar in 2022/23.)

Sooke Shelter Society
* Ongoing day-to-day operations and management for 33-unit residence
* Out-reach workers dealing with 225 individuals in Sooke (unhoused and those at-risk of homelessness) 
* Management of a $1.4 million annual budget  
* Operationalize the Sooke Hub at the Hope Centre, i.e. ground-floor complex featuring office space for support workers, six emergency shelter beds, commercial kitchen, showers, washer/dryer. 
* Fundraising Campaigns (including Coldest Night of the Year)
* Grant writing and research 

The Strategic Plan captures the seven chief recommendations in Gemma Martin's Beyond the Paradise: Homelessness in the Sooke Region (2021), prepared for the Sooke Region Communities Health Network. 

1. Housing First With Wrap-Around Support - roof over head for the chronically homeless + on-site mental health and addiction services (as championed by many, including the City of Victoria's Breaking The Cycle of Mental Illness, Addictions and Homelessness report, related housing-first case studies in the region and the Medicine Hat, Alta. Plan to End Homelessness.)

2. Transitional Housing - 33 units at Hummingbird Place (formerly the Hope Centre) managed by the Sooke Shelter Society following BC Housing's purchase of the Hope Centre in February, 2021.  There was a surge in attention to and care for the homeless in Sooke during COVID (i.e., the temporary shelters at SEAPARC, Ed Mcgregor Park and the former Mulligans/Speed Source building at John Phillips Memorial Park.) 

3. Hub Service Model - Hummingbird Place provides one-stop access for vulnerable populations to case workers, support services and information about available services,  including healthcare, housing support, washing facilities, food, employment, training opportunities. The ground floor of the Hope Centre (former St. Vincent de Paul store) is slated to become this hub with full-time staff, six shelter beds for temporary visitors, programming space and a commercial kitchen/dining space where upstairs residents will have communal meals. 

4. Meaningful Alliances with First Nations in the Sooke Region

5. Education & Communication - Outreach to the community to explain the problem and how its being addressed, "using in part the voices of people with lived experience." (Misunderstanding abounds, of course. A Winnipeg Free Press article, for instance, quotes Carolann Barr, executive director at Toronto-based non-profit Raising the Roof, as saying that "people who are homeless are more often victims than criminals. The general public might think that people who face homelessness are actually perpetrators of crime, but most research and most statistics available indicate that people who are homeless are at greater risk of violence and attack, obviously because they don’t have a safe place to go home to.'") 

6. Access to Affordable Housing - Martin quotes one of her lived-experience survey subjects as saying "it's getting to the point (in Sooke) that it's feeling like a lottery to get a viewing even at an apartment, let alone being selected."  Rent Smart service ... BC Non-Profit Housing Association

7. Investment in Localized Specialized Services  


Wanted: Truly Affordable Non-Profit Housing
This requires a blog post of its own. In it, I would cite ...

- Housing section of Sooke's pending Official Community Plan, pp. 135-142 + Actions # 84-101 in the implementation plan (pp. 170-71)
 
- Sooke Housing Needs Report (2019) - a new report is required by the province every five years and is due this year  

- Sooke Affordable Housing Committee (2018/2020) recommendations, minutes and agendas 
i.e., https://sooke.ca/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/Nov-28-2019-Affordable-Housing-Comm-mins.pdf

- Sooke Affordable Housing & Social Housing Policy, 2007 

- Depending on the results of the  Alternate Approval Process that closed on Feb. 5, the CRD may be going ahead in increments with an $85m loan allowing it to ante up with federal and provincial funds to fast-track the Regional Housing First program. This equates to a maximum of $26 per average assessed CRD taxpayer on our tax bills this year and ongoing.  

From the CRD FAQ: "If the borrowing bylaw is adopted the CRD would be able to leverage potentially hundreds of millions of additional funds from provincial and federal government partners who are also highly motivated to advance housing affordability. An example of this is the Regional Housing First Program where the CRD contributed $40 million that was matched by the BC government through BC Housing and the federal government through CMHC. This resulted in $120 million available to finance affordable housing properties and ultimately more than 1500 rental units, ranging from shelter rate units at $375/month to near-market rentals geared to households with moderate incomes. 

The increased capacity for borrowing that the CRD is seeking, when combined with funding from other orders of government, could deliver as many as 2,000 new units of affordable housing in the coming years, doubling the CRHC’s portfolio, and providing a regional approach to increased affordable housing options."  

Sooke represents 3% of the CRD total population. Ipso facto, this means we're due at least 60 of the promised new units under the Regional Housing First program should this borrowing go ahead. The M'akola/BC Housing projects on Charters and Drennan are under the Housing First banner.  ​


Challenging Situations 
If you have concerns about the mental health of an unhoused person and potential outcomes of their actions, you're advised to contact Sooke RCMP.  Officers have the power to apprehend under the BC Mental Health Act. If a medical incident, they will call an ambulance. 

In the event of an immediate emergency, call 911.

Island Health’s Integrated Mobile Crisis Response Team covers the South Island, including Sooke. Call the Vancouver Island Crisis Hot Line at 1-888-494-3888. 

Section 28 of the Mental Health Act authorizes police to apprehend an individual if satisfied that he/she/they is behaving in a way that will endanger their own safety or the safety of others. This is in situations where individuals apparently have a disorder of the mind that requires treatment and which seriously impairs their ability to react appropriately to their environment or to associate with others.

If an individual is apprehended under the MHA, the police officer must take them to a physician for examination. If the physician completes a medical certificate for the involuntary admission, they may be admitted to a designated facility. If the physician does not complete a medical certificate for the involuntary admission, the individual must be released.

- List of BC mental health facilities and psychiatric hospitals (2022). VGH, Royal Jubilee and Cowichan Valley Hospital are those in our vicinity. 

- Province of BC Safer Communities Action Plan (announced Nov. 23, 2022) includes the following measures and initiatives:

• New repeat violent offender coordinated response teams that include police, prosecutors and probation officers;
• Expanding the use of mental-health crisis response teams, to alleviate the burden on local police and improve response to those in crisis;
• A new addictions care initiative at St. Paul’s Hospital that helps individuals more easily transition between various forms of care and response;
• Opening ten Indigenous Justice Centres to provide culturally appropriate support to Indigenous Peoples involved in the justice system;

~ Ending Encampments and Housing Insecurity
~ B.C. premier's expansion of involuntary medical treatment infringes on human rights: advocates (CBC, Nov. 27, 2022)

- The Canadian Mental Health Association has established Peer-Assisted Care Teams (PACT) on the lower mainland and in Victoria (AVI Health and Community Services). The latter served Sooke at one point through its now-closed Langford office.  
 
- Province of BC Mobile Integrated Crisis Response: “The provincial government committed $3 million to launch additional Mobile Integrated Crisis Response (MICR) teams in nine communities throughout B.C. Vernon’s was announced on Dec. 1, 2023, Penticton’s on Jan. 22, 2024, and there are teams upcoming on the Westshore and in Prince Rupert, and Squamish.  Lower Mainland MICR teams operating in Coquitlam/Port Coquitlam, Burnaby, Abbotsford and Chilliwack were recently launched. Teams have previously been established in Kamloops, Kelowna, Prince George, Fort St. John, Richmond, Surrey, Vancouver, North Shore, Nanaimo and Victoria.” (Global News, January 2024)

- Examples: Victoria Car 87 program + Nanaimo Car 54 program 

- Province of BC Toolkit: Interfaces Between Mental Health and Substance Use Services and Police (2017) 
​
- BC Ombudsperson’s 2019 report Committed to Change: Protecting the Rights of Involuntary Patients Under the Mental Health Act + infographic + 2022 update.   <clip> “In British Columbia, around 15,000 mentally ill people were involuntarily detained in one of B.C.’s over 70 psychiatric facilities in 2016/17 – a number that has grown by approximately 70 percent in the last decade.”

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Addendum
I prepared this library of links for the Strategic Plan. Since they're not live in the document itself, I'll share it again here with connected links ... Some are unfortunately broken, including all from the late, lamented Sooke Pocket News and a remarkable read from former Victoria councillor Stephen Andrew documenting a Pandora St. walkabout with city bylaw officers. 

Sooke and Greater Victoria  
- Sooke Region Communities Health Network Amidst the Paradise (2021) 
- Greater Victoria Coalition to End Homelessness Community Plan to End Homelessness (2019-2024) 
- Aboriginal Coalition to End Homelessness Reports and Resources

- SRCHN's Sooke Region Food Security Report (2021) 
- Sooke Multi-Belief Initiative Compassionate Action Plan (2020 update) 
- Greater Victoria Point In Time Homeless Count and Housing Needs Survey (2020) + 2018 + 2016
- The Sooke Navigator Project: Using Community Resources and Research to Improve Local Service for Mental Health and Addictions (Dr. Ellen Anderson, 2009) 
 
Housing in the Sooke Region 
- District of Sooke Housing Needs Report (2019) 
 - CRD/Juan de Fuca Electoral Area Housing Needs Report (2020) 
 - Hope Centre Transitional and Emergency Shelter with wrap-around support services 
- T’Sou-ke Indigenous Housing Solutions Lab (2021/22) 
- Capital Region Housing Corporation 
- BC Housing - New Homes Under Construction in Sooke
- BC Housing - Subsidized housing (how to apply) 
- M'akola Housing Society (management of new BC Housing projects) 
 - Coming Home: The Story of the Hope Centre Mural (Natassia Davies, Dahlila Charlie, Nicole Neidhardt, Jesse Campbell) 

Regional, Provincial and National
- Government of Canada Reaching Home: Canada's Homelessness Strategy + backgrounder 
 - Capital Regional District Reaching Home program + FAQ 
 - Aboriginal Coalition to End Homelessness Stronger Together Building Community Roundtable (2018) 
 - City of Victoria's Breaking The Cycle of Mental Illness, Addictions and Homelessness report (2007)
 - Medicine Hat, Alta. Plan to End Homelessness (2009) + year nine progress report
 - Government of Canada Canada’s Poverty Reduction Strategy (2016)
 - Province of BC: TogetherBC, British Columbia’s Poverty Reduction Strategy (2019) 
 - BC Ministry of Mental Health & Addictions - A Pathway to Hope: Roadmap to 2030 (2019) + Progress Report(2021)
- BC Ministry of Social Development & Policy Reduction + reports page  
 
Sooke Region Agencies and Front-line Service Providers 
- Sooke Shelter Society 
- Sooke Food Bank Society 
- Sooke Community Paramedic 
 - District of Sooke Bylaw Services
 - Sooke RCMP
- West Coast Family Medical Clinic 
- Sooke Family Resource Society 
- Sooke Place Housing Society 
- Sooke Transition House Society 
- Sooke School District #62 - Healthy Schools, Healthy People program 
- Holy Trinity Anglican Church Vital Vitals program 
- Sooke Baptist Church Big House Breakfast program
- AVI Health & Community Services + Westshore clinic
 
Related Organizations & Resources
- BC Housing Homelessness Services and Programs
- BC Housing Homelessness Prevention Program 
- BC Toward the Heart harm reduction program 
- Backpack Project  
- Doctors of the World Mobile Health Clinic  
- University of Victoria – Canadian Managed Alcohol Program Study
- Housing Overdose Prevention Sites (HOPS)  
- SOLID Outreach Victoria (Peer-based health education and support services) 

 Selected Greater Victoria Coalition to End Homelessness Reports 
- Archive of Reports and Resources
- Homelessness in Greater Victoria: 2014/15 Report on Housing & Supports (2015)
- Creating Homes: A Community Guide to Affordable and Supportive Housing Development (2019) 
- Community Planning Day Summary (2019)
-  Health and Housing Think Tank Summary Report: A Vision for Greater Victoria (April, 2021) 
-  Functional Zero Working Group Report (Jan. 2022)
- 940 Caledonia: A Framework for Sanctioned, Self-Managed & Supported Encampments for People Experiencing Homelessness (2022) 
- Face To Face with Stigma (Participant Package) 
 
Miscellaneous Resources and Reports 
- 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 
- Sooke School District #62 Healthy Schools, Healthy People infographic on youth issues (2019) 
- The Roadmap for the Prevention of Youth Homelessness (Canadian Observatory on Homelessness, 2019) 
- 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) 
- BC Housing: Tiny Homes – An Alternative to Conventional Housing (2021) 
 
- The Pan-Canadian Women’s Housing and Homelessness Survey (Canadian Observatory on Homelessness, 2021) 
- An Affordable Housing Plan for British Columbia (BC Rental Housing Coalition, 2015) 
- 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) 

Media Coverage 2018/2022 
- "Homeless In Sooke for Safety" - CBC (March 20, 2018) 
- “Members of Sooke Affordable Housing Committee Appointed” – Sooke Pocket News (July 10, 2018)
- “Homelessness in Sooke – It Exists” – Sooke Pocket News (July 27, 2018)
- “More Information on the Sooke Extreme Weather Shelter” – Sooke Pocket News (Feb. 9, 2019)
- "Sooke Delivers on Helping the Homeless" - News Mirror (Jul. 13, 2020) 
- "Sooke Mayor Pleads for Help with Homeless" - Times Colonist (Oct. 8, 2020) 
- "Affordable Housing Projects Planned for Sooke Badly Needed" - Times Colonist (Feb. 17, 2021) 
 - “New Affordable Rentals, Supportive Homes Coming to Sooke” – CHEK News (Feb. 17, 2021) 
- "Sooke Homelessness Report Highlights Lack of Services" - News Mirror (March 11, 2021) 
- "How A Sooke Family Fell Through the Cracks into Hidden Homelessness" - Capital Daily (June 15, 2021)
- "Sooke Receives Over $400k to Improve Homelessness Services" - Victoria Buzz (Aug. 23, 2021) 
- “My Morning with Victoria Bylaw and the Street Community” – Stephen Andrew (Oct. 9, 2021) 
- “Shelter Residents Help Keep Sooke Clean” – Sooke News Mirror (Feb. 10, 2022) 
- “Coldest Night of the Year Back to Raise $20k for Sooke Shelter Society” – Sooke News Mirror (Feb. 10, 2022) 
                        
Foundational Documents on Human Rights and the Right to Housing
- Abraham Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs
- Universal Declaration of Human Rights (United Nations, 1948) 
- National Housing Strategy Act (2019) + Progress on the NHS (Government of Canada) 
- 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)
- United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (2015) + infographic
- Right to Housing Legislation in Canada + Assessing Canada’s National Housing Strategy (The National Right to Housing Network)
 
In an RV outside Walmart, a senior dreams of housing - Canadian Press, Jan. 27, 2024 
"He's been on BC Housing's waiting list for subsidized housing for two years now. Every time he contacts the agency, staff ask him to check back in another six months, he said. FLight is among a large population of elderly people living in poverty or on its brink in British Columbia, where perennially high housing costs exacerbate countrywide cost-of-living woes. Government statistics show people 65 or older in B.C. are twice as likely as younger adults to be classified as having low incomes in 2021. But it wasn't always like this. Twenty years earlier, it was the other way around. Low-income rates among B.C. seniors have almost doubled since 2001, and are almost seven times higher than in 1996, according to government statistics."

~ "What Does It Look Like To Tackle Homelessness: Lessons from Medicine Hat" (Times Colonist, March 6, 2024)
"Even keeping track of the numbers is challenging; federal government statistics dating from 2017 indicate 235,000 Canadians experience homelessness in any given year and acknowledge that the hidden homeless, such as couch surfers or those going from shelter to shelter, were not included in those estimates. In 2021, Statistics Canada asked Canadian households whether they had ever experienced homelessness, and one in 10 respondents said they had. Advocates warn of a “humanitarian crisis,” and in some parts of the country, critics say government responses have been inadequate." 
​

Summary: The CRD banned land-based application of biosolids on the South Island in 2011 and this has remained a tricky, creative and consistent operational practice ever since. We are unique among regional districts in BC. It is a brave, progressive, complicated and, in due course, will be a hugely expensive move that puts us in league with Switzerland and the Netherlands among the small handful of governments that have opted for something other than the traditional, long time-honoured practice of spreading human waste on farm fields and in forests given its effectiveness as a growing medium.

Starting point: Biosolids Pose A Threat to Healthy Waters - October, 2023 - Raincoast Conservation Foundation article.

Perspective: United Nations Global Atlas of Excreta, Wastewater, Sludge and Biosolids Management - 41 percent worldwide (± 2.6 billion people) live without proper sanitation facilities; BBC: Why It’s Time to Talk About Poo – 8 billion pounds of it excreted daily world-wide. 
 
The CRD determined it was wise to follow the precautionary principle and honour the red flag raised by the trace presence of Contaminants of Emerging Concern -- aka "former chemicals" or PFAS (per-and-polyfluoroalkyl substances) in Class-A biosolids. These originate largely from packaging, cosmetics, food products and pharmaceuticals, all flushed into sewer systems and persisting in dried, pelletized biosolids.

There are over 15,000(!) such chemicals in circulation today, only 40 of which are measured by top labs like SGS-AXYS in Sidney. Evidence of no less than 600 different pollutants were found in a recent sampling of Saanich’s Tod Creek. Good news is that these pollutants from Hartland Landfill, faulty septic systems, forest fire smoke and even traces of explosives from the DND's firing range did not exceed Health Canada's guidelines for healthy water. 

As required by the Province, the CRD initiated a three-tier system for biosolids management this summer as the foundation for its short and long-term Biosolids Management Strategy. 

- The tier-one best solution is incineration -- currently in cement kilns on the lower mainland but, with time and significant expense, in a future incinerator to be established on the South Island. The CRD is currently developing a $10m prototype as a prelude to exploration of a full facility. 

- Tier two options see local biosolids shipped out of region to relatively near-by sites within local governments that allow and even welcome land-based application, i.e., currently an abandoned mine site in Cassidy south of Nanaimo. 

- Tier three options cover last-ditch alternatives should tiers one and two be impossible. This includes disposal in industrial sites, forest fertilization and in the severely limited space available at Hartland Landfill. In requesting a long-term strategy, the Province demanded that in-region options be included.

Quote from then-Minister Heyman: "Options considered should include a range of beneficial uses including, but not limited to, forestry (for example, fertilizer/soil conditioner), reclamation (for example, mines), landfill closure and agriculture ... The CRD's policy banning the land application of biosolids unnecessarily limits the options available for beneficial use. While respecting the Board's authority to create such a policy, it is the ministry's position that the land application of biosolids, in accordance with the Organic Matter Recycling Regulation (OMRR), will benefit the environment and potentially reduce costs to the taxpayer." 

November 2024 update
As the CRD's monthly biosolids reports reveal, a combination of Tier One and Tier Two strategies continue as they have these past 13 years apart from a number of occasions when space at Hartland has had to be used. Here's a clip from the November update (see item 11.3 in this CRD Board agenda) ... every month has its challenges, which only underlines the importance of fast-tracking an incinerator in-region. 
 
“Cement Kiln in Richmond, BC: The kiln was shut down for maintenance for two weeks in early October. Regular shipments resumed in late October, with approximately 50% of the monthly biosolids sent to the cement kiln for use as an alternative fuel. Market driven and maintenance shutdowns are planned for two weeks in early November, and all of December. 
 
Land Reclamation in Cassidy, BC: Biosolids not sent to the cement kiln were mixed with sand at Hartland Landfill and shipped to the Cassidy quarry. Staff anticipate sufficient contingency capacity at the quarry for the remainder of 2024. However, the Cassidy site is not able to receive biosolids during periods of significant wet weather. Staff are actively exploring possible solutions and potential contingency options. 
 
Landfilling at Hartland Landfill: There was no landfilling of biosolids in October. Landfilling is not a beneficial use, as per provincial regulations and consumes valuable airspace at the landfill.”
 
- October update (item 7.3) 
- September update (item 7.3)
 
-  Healthy Waters for Tod Creek study phase one (see agenda items 5.1.1 and 6.1). Raincoast Conservation Foundation study of impacts of Hartland Landfill run-off on nearby water system leading into Prospect Lake. “The report indicates that water quality in the Tod Creek Watershed is good, relative to available guidelines, background measurements, and other watersheds. The report highlights the known issue of elevated nitrates associated with aggregate storage on the Hartland site. Further collection, analysis, and reporting of water quality in the Tod Creek Watershed will be undertaken in two subsequent sampling events.” 
 
 - 2024 Organic Matter Recycling Regulation report from the Ministry of the Environment’s Technical Working Group (item 7.3). Includes a discussion of “Contaminants of Emerging Concern.” <clip> “Advancing science will continue to evolve our understanding. The 2022 TWG report stressed the challenges in keeping pace with evolving science due to continued advances in testing methods and instrumentation. These advances have allowed the detection of concentrations of substances in biosolids that were previously too minute to detect. Further, methods to reduce and treat pollutants, including CECs, are also evolving … The ministry is working to update the OMRR to provide more tools to increase sampling, monitoring, and reporting for CECs in the environment and in biosolids. However, the 2022 TWG stressed that the presence of a CEC does not equate to an unacceptable risk.” 
 
 - July 2024: Biosolids Advanced Thermal Demonstration Plant - Project Update (item 6.8) 
“At the April 12, 2023, meeting, the Capital Regional District (CRD) Board directed staff to issue a Request for Expressions of Interest (RFEOI) for the design and operation of a Biosolids Advanced Thermal Demonstration Plant. An open call was posted on BC Bid and ten submissions from companies world-wide were received and evaluated, resulting in six proponents being shortlisted for the next step, an invitational Request for Proposals (RFP). On October 11, 2023, the Board also provided direction that consideration should be given to the processing of a secondary waste stream as part of the demonstration project.
 
- July 2024: Biosolids Beneficial Use Options - Request for Expressions of Interest (item 6.7). “On June 12, 2024, the CRD Board approved a long-term biosolids beneficial use strategy that outlined and prioritized how biosolids will be beneficially used in the coming years. The strategy includes creating a portfolio of out-of-region compliance options that the CRD will utilize to ensure regulatory compliance is continuously achieved until the preferred option (advanced thermal processing) is available. Staff have also identified an immediate need for additional contingency capacity for biosolids management and have identified an out of region option that aligns with the Board’s strategy and will meet regulatory requirements. Staff are seeking approval to pursue a contract to address the immediate need for biosolids management and Issue a Request for Expressions of Interest for biosolids management under Tier 2 of the Long-term Biosolids Beneficial Use Strategy.”

Sooke region concerns ... 
Local reps have made it clear that biosolid application won't be tolerated in JDF forest lands. 

- Sooke council seeks clarity on CRD biosolids plan (Sooke News Mirror, July 11, 2024) 
(Mayor Tait and I as Sooke's CRD reps have tried to explain the three-tier approach, but wholly understand why my colleagues want a professional perspective. No such presentation has been booked to date.) 

- Otter Point and Shirley Residents and Ratepayers Association -  May 27, 2024 presentation titled Biosolids Facts: Seeing Clearly Through the Sludge by Biosolid-Free BC's Phillipe Lucas 
 
- Juan de Fuca director opposes CRD biosolids disposal in electoral area (Victoria News, April 8, 2024)  

Update: May 8
The CRD Board is today receiving the draft Long Term Biosolids Management Strategy. Requested by the Province with a five-year deadline in 2019, it is on track to be submitted on schedule in late June. See item 7.2 in the agenda package with its slide-deck presentation and appendices. 
Staff Report: Long-term Biosolids Management Strategy
Appendix A: Long-Term Options for the Beneficial Use of Biosolids - Tavola
Appendix B: LT Biosolids Management Plan - FN Engagement (Input from the Pacheedaht, T'Sou-ke and Pauquachin (North Saanich) First Nations to date.) 
Appendix C: TCAC - LT Biosolids Management Strategy Pres.
Appendix D: GHD Technical Memo: LT Biosolids Beneficial Use Strategy
Appendix E: Biosolids - Class A Biosolids Analysis - April 2024 ("The results indicate low, detectable concentrations of several contaminants, typical of low-industrialized urban communities ... During the wastewater treatment process, residual solids are removed from wastewater and conveyed to the Residuals Treatment Facility for further treatment. The residual solids undergo anaerobic digestion in which microorganisms break down biodegradable material in the absence of oxygen and produce biogas. The residual solids are then dewatered and heated at a very high temperature to create Class A biosolids. In 2022, in support of the biosolids management program under our core area wastewater service, the CRD collected and submitted samples of Class A biosolids being produced at the Residual Treatment Facility for high resolution analysis of a wide range of contaminants, including emerging contaminants of concern."
Presentation: Long-term Biosolids Management Strategy

 "Based on its analysis, (CRD will) pursue a portfolio of biosolids management options to ensure beneficial use of biosolids is resilient and sustainable into the future. This is consistent with the CRD’s experience to date with options that are not continuously available or reliable, as well as a review of the experiences of other jurisdictions. 

Tier 1: Advanced thermal option
Constitutes the preferred long-term solution and will be pursued concurrently with options in other tiers. Current projects include:  a) Develop a demonstration facility for advanced thermal processing, as planned. Outcomes from the demonstration project will serve as the basis for a scaled, long-term solution.
 
Tier 2: Out-of-region compliance options
Constitute measures that the CRD will utilize to ensure regulatory compliance is continuously achieved while the Tier 1 thermal processing option are being implemented and when options in Tier 1 are unable to process the totality of biosolids produced in the region. These include (in priority order):
 
a) Industrial land reclamation, such as mine and quarry sites (acknowledging that some reclaimed sites may eventually have a pasture land end use)
b) Forest fertilization
c) Production of biosolids growing medium and/or feedstock in soil production
d) Partnerships with established biosolids programs
e) Continue alternative fuel combustion in the cement manufacturing facility in Richmond, BC. Prioritize this option, when available.
 
Tier 3: In-region contingency options
Constitute contingency options to ensure compliance with regulatory requirements. The CRD would implement Tier 3 options on a contingency basis, only when options within the Tier 2 portfolio are unavailable. These include (in priority order):

a) Industrial land reclamation such as mine and quarry sites (acknowledging that some reclaimed sites may eventually have a pasture land end use)
b) Forest fertilization
c) Maintain the option of biosolids application in engineered cover systems at Hartland Landfill to act as an emergency support option; subject to space availability and cover needs of the Landfill
 
Note: The CRD will continue to explore beneficial use opportunities with those Nations that express interest both in-region and out-of-region. The CRD will also listen to any concerns Nations may have regarding the beneficial use options and is committed to working with individual Nations to address their concerns." 

The main discussion in today's debate, I suspect, will focus on the recommended Tier 3 option. This would allow disposal in-region at mine/quarry sites and in forest fertilization if all the other options won't work (i.e., shipping Class A biosolids to one of the many jurisdictions -- Nanaimo, Metro Vancouver -- that aren't following the precautionary imperative.) 

Staff have offered an alternative option allowing board member to vote for the first two tiers and not tier 3 ... thereby reaffirming the board's 2011 position and eliminating even the possibility of land application in the CRD. 



Original Post - Jan. 31, 2024
That headline could lead in a number of directions: 
* Meditation 101 techniques (experiential weekends recommended: https://victoriaims.org/)
* Psychological growth and self-understanding
* Techniques to navigate one's own Window of Tolerance (https://www.mindmypeelings.com/blog/window-of-tolerance)

Instead, it's the cue for a look at the tricky, controversial, long-running subject of biosolid management in the Capital Region. Another related CRD public survey is now live. And CRD Board Chair Colin Plant called a special meeting this week to discuss the survey itself, which several non-profits have loudly claimed is biased. (Update: The Board is satisfied with the survey and the process that led to it, but its companion FAQ page will be updated to better address risks.) 

The survey is the next micro-step in a multi-decade process that has generated exhaustive debate, numerous studies, and a variety of proposed short-and-longer term ways to meet provincial requirements and, yes, deal with our own s**t ... or, rather, the spun-dry, pelletized Class A biosolids that, in many parts of the world, are applied as nutrient-rich additives to parks, forests and farmlands. (But not here since 2011.) 

Five years ago, the Province asked the CRD to develop a "Definitive (Long-Term) Biosolids Management Plan."  The deadline for doing so is June 30, and hence there's an urgency now for staff to collate all its board-approved work to date and finalize a plan to be introduced at the Environmental Services Committee meeting in April and to the Board in May.

Start with this CRD summary of its patient, persistent development of a legislated "biosolids beneficial use strategy" ~ https://www.crd.bc.ca/project/biosolids-beneficial-use-strategy.

Current Survey: https://getinvolved.crd.bc.ca/biosolids (options presented neatly/simply/effectively on the home page)
Related FAQ:  https://getinvolved.crd.bc.ca/biosolids/widgets/170487/faqs#34017

As you'll learn, in 2011 the CRD Board ended regional land application of biosolids from the Saanich Peninsula and Sooke wastewater treatment plants while also anticipating the dramatic uptake in volume flowing from Victoria's new treatment plant.  The Board acted on calls from citizens and non-profits to heed the precautionary principle and recognize that the trace "forever chemicals" (PFAS, or per-and-polyfluoroalkyl substances) we absorb and excrete from numerous sources (including textiles, cosmetics, food packaging and food itself) will recycle back into the environment. [How harmfully remains the question ~ https://www.canada.ca/en/environment-climate-change/news/2023/05/government-of-canada-taking-next-step-in-addressing-forever-chemicals-pfas.html]

Minister Heyman stated, in 2019, that while respecting the CRD Board's authority, "it is the ministry's position that the land application of biosolids, in accordance with the Organic Matter Recycling Regulation (OMRR), will benefit the environment and potentially reduce costs to the taxpayer." ​

In the '00s, CRD staff identified two lead options: i) Shipping biosolids to cement plants outside the region for use as an energy source in firing their kilns; and ii) Developing "waste-to-energy" thermal processing that would transform biosolids into BFM (Biofuel Methane) and feed it into the grid.

Continuing problems with the first approach and the long-term prospects for the latter are documented in the CRD link above. Staff and consultants have subsequently identified further options (clipped from that same link):  

"The following non-agricultural land application options located on Vancouver Island are under consideration:

• Silviculture: forest fertilization through standard land application at a site under an existing land application plan near Nanaimo, BC, that is already accepting municipal biosolids.
• Mine Reclamation: generation of a blended growing medium used for reclamation of a gravel pit site near Nanaimo, BC, under a new land application plan.
• Land Reclamation: fabrication of biosolids growing media to address topsoil nutrient deficiencies, and aid in reclamation of disturbed areas at a forestry site near Nanaimo, BC.

Other options being considered are:

• Incineration of biosolids as an alternative to fossil fuels.
• Pyrolysis or Gasification Technology to Create Biochar/Gas.
• Fertilizer: bagged fertilizer for residential use, fertilizer for agriculture, wholesale fertilizer for landscaping.

Any land application contingency alternative will include regular sampling to confirm compliance with Organic Matter Recycling Regulation (OMRR) criteria." 

Interestingly, the Nanaimo Regional District board pointedly asked (May 2023) why the CRD can't come up with its own local solution while not ruling out receipt of CRD biosolids.  The lengthly debates at the CRD board and committee levels continued thereafter, leading to this latest public survey now open until March. 

Get up to speed, as I ever struggle to do with this complicated topic, by reading the Jan. 31 agenda contents here ~ https://www.crd.bc.ca/docs/default-source/crd-document-library/committeedocuments/capitalregionaldistrictboard/20240131/2024-01-31agendacoverrb.pdf?sfvrsn=fb6bc9ce_3

Staff Report: Long-Term Biosolids Mgt Planning- Engagement/Consult
Appendix A: Letter from Environment Minister Heyman - Oct 29, 2019
Appendix B: CRD Public Participation Framework (guiding all CRD public engagements) 
Appendix C: CRD Staff Long-Term Biosolids Management Engagement Plan (how & who the new survey targets) 
Appendix D: Request for Estimate - Biosolids Consultation Services - Tavola (survey contractor) 
Appendix E: GHD Long-Term Biosolids Beneficial Use Option Analysis (July 2023 assessment of CRD strategy) 
Appendix F: Presentation from Tavola - Oct 2023
Appendix G: Get Involved - Biosolids Engagement Website Content & Survey


Back Story 
(also see Times Colonist clips below) 
* Pre-2011: Biosolids from Saanich Peninsula and Sooke were applied in forests and CRD parkland.  Pilot project alternatives were investigated, including as farmland cover in Qualicum, shipment to a compost facility in Duncan, and disposal at a "Colwood gravel pit" (Royal Bay, I assume). A home-use biosolids program (2006-2009) involved 1,000 household subscribers ... yet this "bagged fertilizer" program represented just 5% of tonnage produced on the peninsula. https://www.crd.bc.ca/docs/default-source/crd-document-library/committeedocuments/saanichpeninsulawastewatercommission/20120216/item-8---biosolids-management-program---annual-updateR.pdf

*  July 13, 2011: After much debate, the CRD Board voted to ban the land application of biosolids within the CRD and seek alternative solutions.

~ Be it so moved that the CRD will harmonize current and long‐term practices at all CRD‐owned regional facilities and parks with the approved policies of the regional treatment strategy, including ending the production, storage, and distribution of biosolids for land application at all CRD facilities and parks; and

~ Be it further moved that the CRD does not support the application of biosolids on farmland in the CRD under any circumstances, and let this policy be reflected in the upcoming Regional Sustainability Strategy.”

- Sept. 2012: An Expression of Interest from the Saanich Peninsula Wastewater Commission seeking biosolid disposal options produced six responses, all from companies offering land-based disposal, and all summarily dismissed as contrary to CRD policy. 
https://www.crd.bc.ca/docs/default-source/crd-document-library/committeedocuments/saanichpeninsulawastewatercommission/20120419/item-4-biosolids-management-program---result-of-call-for-expressions-of-interestR.pdf

*  2017: CRD Beneficial Reuse of Biosolids Jurisdictional Review: Down To Earth Biology (EDI Environmental Dynamics study of 15 local governments in North America with established biosolids programs.) https://www.crd.bc.ca/docs/default-source/irm-reports/consolidationreportnov17/appendixq.pdf

*  2019: The BC Ministry of Environment gives the CRD five years to develop a long-term biosolids strategy to be implemented by Jan. 2025. Wrote Minister Heyman: "Options considered should include a range of beneficial uses including, but not limited to, forestry (for example, fertilizer/soil conditioner), reclamation (for example, mines), landfill closure and agriculture ... The CRD's policy banning the land application of biosolids unnecessarily limits the options available for beneficial use. While respecting the Board's authority to create such a policy, it is the ministry's position that the land application of biosolids, in accordance with the Organic Matter Recycling Regulation (OMRR), will benefit the environment and potentially reduce costs to the taxpayer." 

*  2019-22: The CRD continues seeking solutions via the Biosolids Beneficial Use Strategy (Definitive Plan), released in March, 2019.  One promising approach was to ship pelletized waste to the Lafarge cement plant on the Lower Mainland as an alternative fuel source. After some early success, this approach has stalled, for now at least, for a variety of economic and operational reasons. (see Lafarge Cement options for biosolids and thermal waste).  In a resulting short-term measure, a small portion of the Hartland Landfill was opened to biosolid application but it too generated public pushback and, besides which, has rapidly reached capacity.  June 16, 2021: CRD Environmental Services Committee votes to end land application at Hartland. 

* Dec. 2020: McLoughlin Point Treatment Plant opens. (Times Colonist's The Road To Treatment: A Timeline.) ​

* 2023: In February, the CRD Board votes to "amend its policy to allow non-agricultural land application of biosolids as a short-term contingency alternative," thus allowing potential shipments of our biosolids to other regions; in July, the Board clarified that this motion specifically ruled out "in-region land application."  See also: Options for Biosolids (April, 2023) + Monthly statistics


Pro: Land-Based Application
* "For generations, biosolids have been safely used around the world by farmers, landscapers and foresters. More recently in other countries, biosolids have been used in thermal [heating] processes to generate renewable energy sources" (CRD 2023 FAQ) 

* Land Application of Wastewater Biosolids: Concise Literature Review of Issues for CRD (Stantec, 2011) which concluded "there is no scientific evidence indicating that the risks of environmental damage or public health concerns for either Class A or B bio-solids land application would be high."  https://www.crd.bc.ca/docs/default-source/crd-document-library/committeedocuments/corearealiquidwastemanagementcommittee/20110427/2011-may-25-item-04(b)-report-presented-to-esc-and-spwwc-re-land-application-of-class-a-biosolids---literature-reviewR.pdf?sfvrsn=0

* Biosolids Risk Assessment and Literature Review Update (Golder, 2014) 
https://ehq-production-canada.s3.ca-central-1.amazonaws.com/d085ba667d3e1bd5259bf38ee52d727ebf1900ce/original/1704419404/889f670c21a8d846f20780d1e1d63ede_GHD_-_Long-Term_Biosolids_Beneficial_Use_Report.pdf

* Organizations that have endorsed spreading biosolids on land include the Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment, the US Environmental Protection Agency and the European Commission on the Environment.  

Con: Land-Based Application 
* The Dogwood Initiative, the Sierra Club of B.C., the Island Organic Producers Association, the Island Chef’s Collaborative, the Farmlands Trust, and local First Nation bands advocated for the 2011 ban.

* The Mount Work Coalition outlines its primary concerns here and in its 2020 Five Reasons infographic, i.e.,
- Contamination of Drinking Water
- Local Food Supply Contamination
- Loss of Business
- Contamination of Fish and Wildlife
- Health Risks at Popular Recreation Sites

* New Approach Needed to Our Broken CRD Biosolids Plan - Dec. 2, 2021 Times Colonist editorial by Coalition VP Hugh Stevens 

* Raincoast Conservation Foundation: "Biosolids Pose A Threat to Healthy Waters" (Oct. 2023) https://www.raincoast.org/2023/10/biosolids-pose-threat-healthy-waters
Option 1: Implement high-resolution contaminant monitoring in biosolids destined for land application
Option 2: Clean up biosolids through source control initiatives and local regulations
Option 3: Inform federal policies and regulations
Option 4: Focus on energy capture from biosolids

* In 2016, four Canadian scientists affiliated with the David Suzuki Foundation, the University of British Columbia and the Precautionary Group penned an "open letter on the dangers of biosolids." In it, they stated that "the science doesn't support the disposal of sewage sludge across the landscape. The supposed benefits are more than offset by the risks to human and environmental health."  <clip> "An unimaginably large number of chemical and biological contaminants exist in these materials, and they persist in the product up to, and after, land disposal. Scientific investigations have identified only a tiny fraction of the total contaminant load. We cannot even say with any degree of confidence what the true range of contaminant risk is from the sludge."   [Four other scientists provided a counter-point here: Canadian Researchers Respond to Biosolids "Hysteria" (Water Canada, August, 2016)]

* Peninsula Biosolids Coalition ~ "The Peninsula Biosolids Coalition says the tonnes of biosolids that are being dumped at the landfill run a risk of harming the local environment, with the Hartland area being used for recreation – such as mountain biking – and bordering residential areas. The group is also concerned that potential contaminants could escape the landfill and make their way into nearby waterways, such as the Tod Creek Watershed."


Latest CRD report: Long-Term Biosolids Beneficial Use Analysis
(GHD Consultants, July 2023) 

"There is no option currently available that meets the Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment criteria for beneficial use, meets Organic Matter Recycling Regulation criteria and meets the CRD Board restriction on land application other than Lafarge and Biogas Methane (BGM).

Non-land application options could be developed in 24-months or greater that could partially meet the CCME criteria for beneficial use and CRD Board restriction on land application are presented below:

• Off-Site Thermal Options – Thermal options in addition to Lafarge are possible in 24-months or greater working with existing facilities such as Envirogreen in Princeton, Lehigh Cement Plant (nearest in Bamberton), or the Metro Vancouver Waste to Energy Facility in Burnaby. Changes to ENV permits/approvals, consultation with stakeholders may be needed and biosolids receiving, handling and dust mitigation procedures and potentially equipment would need to be developed. The off-Site thermal options do not beneficially use the ash from the biosolids, and as such may not meet CCME guidelines
• On-Site Thermal Options – A pilot pyrolysis or gasification facility could be established at Hartland. This would require construction of the pilot facility, and an approval from ENV to operate the facility, which would require 24-months or greater to develop. During the pilot stage the syngas would be flared, and the pilot would be used to characterize the quantity and quality of the syngas to provide information towards the long- term beneficial use (e.g., as a fuel). The quality of the biochar produced would be evaluated and ultimately marketed as a biochar product if feasible. Fulsome GHG implications would also be determined.  (RFP issued in June with deadline of July 14, 2023)
• Land application options exist that meet CCME criteria and are used by other jurisdictions in many cases to cost effectively manage biosolids. If the CRD Board limitation on the land application of biosolids was beyond contingency use at the land fill and for non-agricultural land application, then these options could likely be implemented within 1 to 2-years, with some options being available immediately, and without additional infrastructure." 

Miscellaneous and Related 
Press Clippings
- CRD Seeks Proposals for Demo Plants to Show What Can Be Done With Biosolids (Times Colonist, June 22, 2023)  
- CRD Won't Spread Biosolids Locally But Could Still Ship Them to Nanaimo Area (Black Press, June 21, 2023) 
- Biosolids Dumped At Hartland Cause Controversy (CTV, March 17, 2023) 
- Greater Victoria Biosolids to be Shipped to Nanaimo for Use as Tree Fertilizer (Times Colonist, Feb. 23, 2023)
- Sewage Plant Biosolids Fail to Meet Standard, Go Into Landfill Instead (Times Colonist, June 16, 2021) 
- CRD Ban Could Be Eased to Allow Use of Sewage Biosolids As Fertilizer (Times Colonist, Jan. 14, 2020)
- CRD Flip-Flop On Biosolids (Judith Lavoie, Focus Magazine, Nov. 24, 2020) 


Literature Review of Risks (2016)
Last August, Director Desjardins suggested UVic students might prepare a review of the existing scientific literature on the risks from land-based and other uses of biosolids. She shelved the proposal upon learning that the Province is conducting just such a study, but it is behind schedule and not available yet.  In 2016, the Ministry of the Environment commissioned a study by LRCS Land Resource Consulting Services focused on the Nicola Valley but also valid elsewhere. 

https://www2.gov.bc.ca/assets/gov/environment/waste-management/organic-waste/biosolids/lit-review-biosolids-nicola-valley.pdf

"In our review we have focused on the risks such as the issue of emerging substances of concern (ESOC). Further we have highlighted best practices in treatment and land application guidelines to further reduce the risks associated with the land application of biosolids ... Appropriate management for human sewage is not finding some deep, dark hole where we can “dispose” of this material “out of sight, out of mind” but rather safely harvesting the energy and returning the nutrients contained in this resource to the ecosystem. The issue is not whether the nutrients contained in human sewage should be returned to land, but how and where it can be done safely and sustainably." 

A History of Human Waste as Fertilizer - JSTOR Daily (November, 2019) "In 18th century Japan, biosolids were an esteemed substance (aka "night soil"). Japanese citizens did not view human waste as unwanted muck, but rather as something of value." https://daily.jstor.org/a-history-of-human-waste-as-fertilizer/


Biosolid Classes A&B and Beneficial Uses
Like provinces across Canada, BC has determined that "Class A Biosolids" have "beneficial" upsides.  
Class A biosolids contain no detectable levels of pathogens. 

At Hartland, "micro-organisms will digest the organic material in the sludge, turning it into what is known as Class-A biosolids, a soil supplement." 

"The biosolids from Hartland's Residual Treatment Facility are characterized as Class A, under the BC Organic Matter Recycling Regulation (OMMR). Accordingly, Class A biosolids must have undergone pathogen reduction treatment, vector attraction reduction, and specific sampling protocols.

Class A biosolids also have specific limits on their heavy metal and coliform concentrations. The criteria and treatment protocols for Class A designation are outlined in Section 3.2.6. of the OMMR, which regulates the production and land application of compost and biosolids.

Class B biosolids are known to contain bacterial and viral pathogens at varying levels."

According to the Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment, beneficial use of biosolids is based on sound management that includes (clip) ... 
- Consideration of the utility and resource value (product performance).
- Strategies to minimize potential risks to the environment and health.
- Strategies to minimize greenhouse gas emissions. 
- Adherence to federal, provincial, territorial, and municipal standards and regulations.

The CCME policy is upheld by these principles:
"- Municipal biosolids contain valuable nutrients and organic matter that can be recycled or recovered as energy.
- Adequate source reduction and treatment of municipal sludge and septage should effectively reduce pathogens, trace metals, vector attraction, odours, and other substances of concern.
- The beneficial use of municipal biosolids, municipal sludge, and treated septage should minimize the net GHG emissions.
- Beneficial uses and sound management practices of municipal biosolids, municipal sludge, and treated septage must adhere to all applicable safety, quality, and management standards, requirements, and guidelines."

Further on the Lafarge Cement Plant 
- The 3,650 tones of "dried pelletized Class A biosolids" produced annually through anaerobic digestion processes at Hartland have been (since 2020) and are ideally in future to shipped to the Lafarge Cement Plant in Richmond, BC for incineration and subsequent use as an ash addition to its cement. Lafarge is striving to be "Canada's most carbon-efficient cement plant."  As it shared in June, 2020: "We’re pleased to announce a long term contract with the CRD to provide a reliable, steady and safe supply of biosolids to use as fuel in our cement manufacturing at the Richmond plant."

Problem: "Over the course of 2022, disposal of biosolids at Lafarge was unavailable for approximately 10 months, due to both planned shutdowns and unplanned operational issues. As a result, CRD managed approximately 2,700 tonnes of biosolids at Hartland Landfill, 600 tonnes of which were used to produce Biogas Methane under the Contingency Plan and the remainder were landfilled." 

Biology 101 
"The average person poos about 30 millilitres of stool for every five kilograms of body weight a day. So for the average 70 kilogram person, that works out to about a half a kilogram (one pound) of poop per day."  ~ CBC's The Nature of Things
https://www.cbc.ca/natureofthings/features/is-my-poop-normal-heres-the-scoop

One pound x 440k residents in the CRD as of 2023 = You do the math. 

International Context 
Progress on Wastewater Treatment (United Nations, 2022) https://www.unwater.org/sites/default/files/app/uploads/2021/09/SDG6_Indicator_Report_631_Progress-on-Wastewater-Treatment_2021_EN.pdf  "Globally, 56 per cent of household wastewater flows were safely treated in 2020 (extrapolated from data from 128 countries representing 80 per cent of the global population)."


Sooke  
An earlier post explored how Sooke has traditionally and will in future manage and, eventually (grants willing), extend its sewer system.  https://www.jeffbateman.ca/blog/bathroom-reading-sooke-sewers
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As District wastewater staff have shared with council, our treatment plant uses a Sequencing Batch Reactor (SBR) treatment process with UV disinfection to provide secondary wastewater treatment. This process removes over 95% of the total suspended solids and high levels of other contaminants. Solid waste is spun dried through a centrifuge system that also involves sludge pumps and a polymer system.  This "dewatering" process results in a crumbly dry product that the professionals refer to as "cake." In 2017, Sooke sent 824,990 kgs of biosolids to Hartland, nearly triple the amount hauled away in 2007 (300k kg). 

Sooke paid H L Disposal & Lawn Services $123k in 2022 to truck these biosolids to Hartland, where this organic waste is placed in care of the CRD along with the more than 3,000+ tonnes from the McLoughlon Point Wastewater Plant and the Saanich Peninsula Treatment Plant. 

Archived at the Times Colonist
Searching my online TC subscription, I've found the following: 

- Piping of Sewage Sludge Across Town to Hartland Gets the Nod (Oct. 17, 2013)
"The CRD said it examined 58 alternatives to Hartland in the last four years. Politicians remained unhappy with Hartland as recently as July, calling it “insane” to pump sludge across the region.CRD staff researched seven alternate sites in Saanich, View Royal and Langford — including land held by The Land Conservancy on Luxton Avenue in Langford, a site with power lines on Prospect Lake Road, agricultural land on Burnside Road, and previously-contaminated land at Millstream Meadows ... The committee felt the alternatives were just as far away as Hartland, and in many cases were too close to residences, said CRD sewage committee chairwoman Denise Blackwell. Hartland, where the region’s garbage is buried, offers the possibility of adding kitchen waste to the sludge process, she said. “If you put it at Hartland, this is the beginning of an integrated waste management solution.”

- CRD Directors Uphold Ban on Applying Sewage Sludge to Land (Oct. 30, 2013)
"In a move projected to add millions of dollars to the cost of treating Greater Victoria’s sewage, Capital Regional District politicians Wednesday overwhelmingly decided against overturning a 2011 ban on applying sewage sludge to land ... CRD staff had recommended that directors reconsider the policy, which would have maintained a ban on applying biosolids on agricultural land used for food production, but would have opened the door for use in applications such as silviculture, mine reclamation, fertilizer soil amendments, landscaping and forage crops. But many directors said changing the policy wasn’t worth the risk.The CRD banned use of sludge on land in 2011 amid worries that farmland and the food grown on it could be polluted by pharmaceuticals and heavy metals. Then the CRD planned to dry the sludge left over from sewage treatment as fuel for cement kilns. But experts say the market for it simply isn’t there. Without a buyer, and the policy banning land application in place, staff say there are few options. The policy change would have brought the CRD in line with what staff said is common practice throughout North America.

- Editorial: Seeking A Sludge Solution (Nov. 1, 2013)
"The CRD voted Wednesday to uphold its ban, imposed amid concerns about pollution from heavy metals and pharmaceuticals. That leaves burning and burying as potential sludge-disposal solutions, each of which raises its own concerns. The development of the sewage project has been a rocky road; it’s not going to get any easier. Everyone wants to flush their toilets; no one wants to live next to a sewage plant. Technical solutions are available or can be developed; political solutions are much more difficult."

- Sewage Sludge A Golden Opportunity (March 29, 2015) ... (a pre-April Fool's Day joke?) 
"Researchers announced in January that they had identified and successfully extracted appreciable amounts of rare metals from biosolid samples collected from cities across the U.S. Their study focused on 13 high-value minerals, including gold, silver, copper, iridium and platinum. Extrapolating their results, the researchers estimate $16 million worth of metals could be accumulating every year in the sewage of a city with one million residents ... The scientists who struck pay dirt in dirt speculate that the biosolid precious metals come from households, medical offices and industry. Dental offices, for example, work with gold and silver, and minute amounts of that might wash down the drains. Hospitals use some metals in tests and treatments. Our own dental fillings and jewelry could shed molecules daily ... Based on estimates of how much — ahem — raw materials the good residents of Greater Victoria produce each year, our sludge attains a theoretical value of almost $11 million on the commodities markets." 

- CRD Looks For Ways to Benefit from Sewage Sludge (April 21, 2016)
"CRD directors created a new select committee Wednesday with a $250,000 budget to spend the next six months investigating and evaluating options for “integrated resource management” such as gasification — a process whereby solid wastes that would normally go to the dump are mixed with sewage biosolids (the sludge that remains after sewage treatment) and used to generate power."

- CRD To Consider Second Look At Sewage Sludge Application Rules (Dec. 1, 2016)
"This week, directors agreed to have staff develop a survey to determine how many farmers and foresters would be willing to consider applying treated sludge to their lands. They also agreed to ask proponents to outline technologies that might address board concerns about applying sludge to land. The moves are part of directors’ search for an integrated waste-management solution for dealing with liquid and solid waste in the region."

= CRD Directors 'Handcuffed' On Sludge Ideas, Saanich Mayor Says (May 13, 2017)
"With millions of dollars of taxpayer money at stake, Capital Regional District directors expressed frustration this week at their lack of control over the CRD’s $765-million sewage treatment plan. The province last year appointed an independent project board to take over the mega-project due to the CRD’s inability to come up with a plan."

- CRD Dumps Sewage Sludge Trip to Europe (Sept. 13, 2017)
"In the face of a public backlash, Capital Regional District directors have dropped a proposed tour of European and North American sewage-sludge processing sites. Last week, CRD directors at a meeting of the integrated resource management committee voted to send two staff and three directors, at an estimated cost of $8,500 each, to tour plants in Spain, France, Germany and Belgium. The aim was to help determine criteria for local integrated resource management, which processes different types of waste together to create a beneficial end product — and, hopefully, revenue."

- Comment: Keep Sewage Sludge Off Farms, Fields and Forests (Phillipe Lucas, Feb. 23, 2020)
"While using sludge as ground cover at Hartland might seem like a reasonable approach with limited impacts on the local environment, the evidence is clear that biosolids simply do not stay where they are applied. Studies have found that when applied to land, the contaminants in biosolids become windborne, and can be transported dozens of kilometres from their site of application, threatening local animals, habitats, residents, and especially CRD staff at Hartland.

1. We can make the biosolids safer by putting in technologies to remove heavy metals, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and pharmaceuticals, but the CRD has found this to be too expensive at this time.

2. We can turn biosolids into energy through proven technologies like gasification, which is among the CRD’s longer-term options.

3. We can ship these biosolids to cement kilns on the mainland for use as fuel, the current strategy.

4. We can ship biosolids to a biochar facility in Prince George where the carbon they carry can be safely sequestered and turned into a high value end-product."

Converting our biosolids into biochar is by far the most affordable and environmentally friendly short-term solution for when the cement kilns are under maintenance."   + 2013 comment by Lucas 

Hartland Landfill 
- Residual Treatment Facility at Hartland Landfill 
- Information Sheet 
​- Project Details 
- Biosolids Fact Sheet 
- Spill at Hartland (Sept. 2020) - report 

Provincial Regulations 
- The BC Organic Matter Recycling Regulation sets requirements for the production of high-quality biosolids and subsequent beneficial use in land application and composting.

* Organic matter defined: "Organic matter can originate from plants, animals or humans, as well as from residential, commercial, institutional, or industrial sources. Examples of organic matter include: food scraps, grass clippings, and animal manure and human waste. A feature of organic matter is that it is biodegradable, and therefore amenable to composting. Organic matter can be recycled to create products for beneficial uses." 

- The province is guided by the Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment (CCME), comprised of Environmental Ministers from all provinces. In 2012, CCME developed a national approach to encourage the beneficial use and sound management of biosolids. Ministers approved the Canada-Wide Approach for the Management of Wastewater Biosolids. It's based on these four principles: 

"1. Municipal biosolids, municipal sludge and treated septage contain valuable nutrients and organic matter that can be recycled or recovered as energy.

2. Adequate source reduction and treatment of municipal sludge and septage should effectively reduce pathogens, trace metals, vector attraction, odours and other substances of concern.

3. The beneficial use of municipal biosolids, municipal sludge and treated septage should minimize the net greenhouse gas emissions.

4. Beneficial uses and sound management practices of municipal biosolids, municipal sludge and treated septage must adhere to all applicable safety, quality and management standards, requirements and guidelines."

Organic matter recycling regulation and review home page
- Environmental Management Act 
- Public Health Act 
- Organic Matter Recycling Regulation - "In 2002, the Province of BC enacted the OMRR under the Environmental Management Act and the Public Health Act to regulate the following activities: the construction and operation of composting facilities, and the production, distribution, sale, storage, use, and land application of biosolids and compost. The purpose of the regulation is to facilitate the recycling of organic material (through land application and composting) while protecting the environment and human health." 
- Organic Matter Recycling Intentions Paper (Ministry of Environment and Climate Change Strategy, 2018)
- Summary of Public Input into Organic Matter Recycling Regulation (2019)

- Mine Sites: "Organic matter can be used to reclaim areas which have been disturbed through mining or other industrial activities, including for the purposes of improving soil quality. Currently under the OMRR, land application and distribution of managed organic matter may only occur at those sites meeting specified soil quality standards. In certain circumstances, as in the case of specific mine site reclamations or landfill closures, it may be reasonable for managed organic matter to be applied and distributed to sites that may already exceed the specified soil quality standards. In these circumstances it would be reasonable to enable land application that would otherwise be prohibited." 

Understanding and Solutions To Challenges For Optimizing Land Application Of Biosolids Outcomes In BC - Kaiwen Xiao (University of British Columbia, 2021)  
https://lfs-mlws-2020.sites.olt.ubc.ca/files/2021/10/Xiao-2021-Understanding-and-Solutions-to-Challenges-for-Optimizing-Biosolids-Land-Application-Outcomes-in-BC.pdf
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This UBC grad student sums it up neatly ... 
"Although the pro-biosolids coalition is very confident in providing scientific evidence and successful experience from other developed countries, the anti-biosolids coalition usually use long and engaging arguments to connect with public emotions. The pro-biosolids coalition argues based on probabilities of risk while the anti-biosolids coalition focuses on fairness, voluntariness and health effects. It is recommended that more scientific public education programs will help the residents themselves to make rational choices without subjective emotions, which is more significant than simply overwhelming the public with pure science." 

Image: From the survey home page - ​https://getinvolved.crd.bc.ca/biosolids