36 Action Items
Sooke is growing, and the decisions we make now will shape our community for years to come.
We have listened to residents, reviewed the work already done by our community, and identified 36 practical actions we want to pursue on Council.
A practical plan
for a safe, connected, thriving Sooke
In a hurry? Here's the short version.
Keep Sooke safe
Four firefighters 24/7, stronger policing, safer streets and better emergency preparedness.
Build the housing Sooke needs
More housing choices, including smaller homes, townhouses, mixed-use housing and affordable, non-profit and senior housing.
Protect what makes Sooke special
Protect environmentally sensitive areas, waterfront access, parks, forests and Sooke's natural character.
Fix transportation
Sooke Road improvements, better transit, safer walking and cycling connections and a second Sooke River connection.
Strengthen our local economy
Support local businesses, grow the commercial tax base and bring more activity to the Town Centre.
Plan infrastructure before we build
Plan ahead for wastewater, roads, drainage and the infrastructure needed to support growth.
Make growth pay its fair share
Ensure new development contributes toward the infrastructure its growth requires.
Put residents in the room
Create more meaningful opportunities for residents to participate before major decisions are made.
Want the details? Explore all 35 actions by category above.
THE 36 ACTIONS
Safe & Healthy Sooke:
10 actions for a safer, healthier Sooke
01. Four firefighters, 24/7
COUNCIL ACTION
Implement Council's approved five-year staffing plan to have four firefighters available on a truck 24/7, while strengthening recruitment and retention of paid-on-call members.
02. More policing as Sooke grows
COUNCIL ACTION
Support adding one RCMP officer per year until Sooke reaches a complement of 21 officers by 2031.
03. Safer routes for kids
COUNCIL ACTION
Identify the missing sidewalks, pathways and crossings that prevent children from safely walking or cycling to school, and prioritize the connections that will make the biggest difference.
04. Safer neighbourhood streets
COUNCIL ACTION
Address speeding and unsafe crossings with practical traffic calming, safer street design and targeted enforcement. Prioritize neighbourhoods, school routes and streets where people walking, cycling or using mobility devices feel unsafe.
05. Keep the Urgent Primary Care Centre moving
PARTNERSHIP / ADVOCACY
Provide quarterly public updates as the UPCC health centre and rental housing project on Wadams Way moves through construction, and continue working with project partners to help keep it on track.
06. A co-ordinated response to homelessness
PARTNERSHIP
Bring together unhoused individuals, housing organizations, the District, downtown businesses and service providers to find practical solutions to homelessness and address concerns in the Town Centre.
07. Plan recreation together
PARTNERSHIP
Bring community sports organizations, the Sooke Community Association, Fred Milne Park Society, SD62, SEAPARC and the District together to plan Sooke's future recreation needs, including facilities, fields, access and costs.
08. Advance the Gathering Place
PARTNERSHIP / FUNDING
Subject to the plebiscite, work with community partners and other levels of government to advance the intergenerational Gathering Place while pursuing outside funding to limit the burden on local taxpayers.
09. Build the housing Sooke needs
COUNCIL ACTION
Support a mix of smaller multi-family homes, townhouses, mixed-use housing above shops, infill and other housing choices that fit Sooke and can be supported by infrastructure and services.
10. More affordable and senior housing
PARTNERSHIP / ADVOCACY
Work with non-profit housing providers, senior governments and community partners on affordable housing, co-ops, supportive housing and senior's housing, including opportunities such as an Ayre Manor expansion.
Local Economic Development:
5 actions for a stronger local economy
11. Grow Sooke's commercial tax base
COUNCIL / PARTNERSHIP
Pursue commercial development that fits Sooke, including mixed-use development, accommodation, tourism businesses, shops and services, so residents have more reasons to shop, work and access everyday services locally.
12. Help local businesses grow
COUNCIL / PARTNERSHIP
Build on Sooke's existing Community Economic Development Strategy and work with local businesses and organizations on practical ways to help businesses start, grow and stay in Sooke.
Review zoning and approval processes to remove unnecessary barriers and support appropriate commercial and mixed-use development.
Complete and implement the recommendations in the Employment Lands Strategy.
13. Bring more life to the Town Centre
COUNCIL ACTION
Use the Town Centre Plan and new MRDT revenues to support a more welcoming, walkable and active downtown, including landscaping, public art, gathering spaces, events and better pedestrian connections.
14. Put arts and culture to work
COUNCIL / PARTNERSHIP
Make arts and culture a bigger part of Sooke's tourism and economic development strategy. Our artists, musicians, makers, galleries and cultural organizations are an important part of who we are.
15.Put tourism dollars back into Sooke
COUNCIL / PARTNERSHIP
Support tourism opportunities that are in progress and work with the Tourism Advisory Committee, using new MRDT revenues to support tourism, local businesses, events and improvements that benefit visitors and residents alike.
Transportation & Connections:
7 actions for getting around Sooke
16. Fix Sooke Road
ADVOCACY
Make the promised improvements between the bridge and Church Road, including additional turning capacity to reduce traffic backups, a priority in discussions with the Province.
17. Throup Road: Let Sooke Decide
COMMUNITY DECISION
Sooke has strong and divided opinions on this project. Before proceeding with a major new internal road through a wildlife corridor and a busy school and recreation route, take a sober second look at costs, impacts, alternatives and outside funding.
A decision of this scale and cost belongs to the community. Put it to referendum.
18. Better transit, more often
ADVOCACY
Push BC Transit for more frequent service between Sooke, the West Shore and Victoria, building on strong ridership on Routes 61 and 65.
19. Explore local Sooke transit
PARTNERSHIP
Work with BC Transit to explore better local or on-demand service that makes it easier to get from Sooke neighbourhoods to the Town Centre, shops and services, and connections to regional transit.
20. Connect the missing walking gaps
COUNCIL ACTION
Identify gaps in Sooke's walking network and prioritize sidewalks, separated trails, pathways and safer crossings that connect homes with schools, transit, parks, shops and services.
21. Improve Little River Trail
COUNCIL ACTION
Advance practical improvements to make this important walking and cycling connection safer and more useful.
22. A second Sooke River connection
ADVOCACY / FUNDING
Seek senior-government funding for a pedestrian and cycling connection across the Sooke River designed, if feasible, to provide an additional access route during emergencies.
Planning in the Public Interest: 13 actions
for responsible growth and long-term planning
23. Keep building on our OCP
COUNCIL ACTION
Implement the Official Community Plan and other community-created plans. Review them regularly, update them when evidence supports, and carry on rather than throwing out years of community work and starting over.
24. Protect our new Development Permit Areas
COUNCIL ACTION
Sooke's nine new DPAs set clear expectations for development and provide important protections for environmentally sensitive areas, steep slopes, riparian areas, our foreshore and other areas requiring special consideration.
They also protect homes built in these areas. We will review how they work in practice and fix problems where needed.
25. Make growth pay its fair share
COUNCIL ACTION
Use the tools available to ensure new development contributes to the infrastructure its growth requires, including roads, sidewalks, cycling connections, wastewater, parks and environmental protection.
26. Plan infrastructure before we build
COUNCIL ACTION
Understand the condition and capacity of roads, drainage, wastewater and other infrastructure, and what it will cost to maintain, before taking on additional infrastructure liabilities through development.
27. Plan now for wastewater
COUNCIL ACTION
Complete the Wastewater Master Plan and begin planning early for the next treatment and collection-system investments so Sooke isn't scrambling when capacity becomes critical.
28. Protect sensitive natural areas
COUNCIL ACTION
Complete the identification and mapping of environmentally sensitive areas so streams, wetlands, wildlife corridors, shorelines and other important natural areas are consistently considered in land-use decisions.
29. More public waterfront access
COUNCIL / PARTNERSHIP
Improve Sooke's existing public water-access points and look for opportunities through future waterfront redevelopment to create more public access, trails and amenities, while respecting private homeowners' property rights.
30. Get more from our parks
COUNCIL ACTION
Identify underused public green spaces and look for affordable improvements, including trails, play areas, small sports spaces and other amenities, while ensuring new development contributes appropriately to future park needs.
31. Know what's coming and what it will cost
COUNCIL ACTION
Use long-term infrastructure and financial planning so major costs are identified early rather than becoming expensive surprises. Don't repeat the mistakes of the past.
32. Bring more outside funding to Sooke
ADVOCACY / FUNDING
Make grants, senior-government contributions and other revenue sources a central part of funding major infrastructure before turning to local property taxpayers.
33. Get the basics right
COUNCIL ACTION
Continue reviewing staffing, programs and spending for efficiencies while being clear about the services residents receive and what they cost.
Keep core municipal responsibilities, including roads, drainage, wastewater, public safety, parks and bylaw service, working reliably.
34. Put the public interest first
COUNCIL ACTION
Use clear and consistent development rules shaped by community plans. Rules should be applied fairly, and Council decisions should put the needs of the broader community first.
35. Bring more voices to the table
COUNCIL / ENGAGEMENT
Try new approaches to public engagement, including forums, workshops, community assemblies and neighbourhood conversations, so residents have meaningful opportunities to participate before major decisions are made.
36. Tell us what we’re missing
RESIDENTS
Council’s role is to listen, be guided by community plans and make decisions in the best interest of the overall community. Tell us what priorities need to be updated or added to.