Strongwind4Sooke

BC Transit ran a similar survey last year and we got a small win with Route 61 but getting to the airport and ferry is still a headache.

Sooke needs real fixes: a free local feeder route to move people around town, and a seasonal electric shuttle from the Park & Ride to the Potholes so we’re not clogging up parking or forcing long highway walks.

Surveys help, but a community‑driven push for better transit will actually move the needle 🚌.

Moving Together: Regional Transportation Plan The Capital Regional District (CRD) is developing a Regional Transportation Plan (RTP) that will set the big-picture direction for how people and goods move across the region. The plan will help guide transportation planning and investment in the capital region over the

It's a good day to be Indigenous! 🪶🦅

Today, on National Indigenous Peoples Day and the summer solstice, we honour the strength, love, and brilliance of Indigenous Peoples, families, and communities. We have carried our identities through separation, who rebuilt what was taken, who kept our stories alive even when the world tried to silence them.

Standing in the light today on the lands of the T’Sou‑ke Nation, we lift our hands in gratitude to the people whose teachings, stewardship, and leadership continue to ground our healing and our work.

On this longest day of the year, we stand in that light together, healing, reclaiming, and rising.

"We are still here, powerfully" ~ Michelle Good

Happy Father's Day to all the good Dads and male role models today too 🙏




Image from the Helping Hands Society of Brandon

Sooke can’t wait. We need real transit, an urgent care centre, and infrastructure that keeps up with our growth. It’s time to build stronger ties with the federal and provincial governments and get this done.

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Ottawa and the province are setting up a $5-billion fund that municipalities can tap into to pay for transit, hospital and infrastructure upgrades needed to keep up with growing communities.

“Canada and B.C. have mad a major landmark agreement to help build more homes, bring down housing costs and modernize infrastructure across the province,” said Prime Minister Mark Carney from Vancouver Thursday.

Ottawa will be investing alone:

$2.5 billion over 10 years for transit projects
$284 million to B.C. “to reduce barriers to new construction”
$50 million over 5 years for infrastructure projects

Ottawa and B.C. will be splitting equally:

$3.2 billion over 10 years to lower development charges for multi-unit housing
$1.2 billion over 3 years to upgrade hospitals/ER/urgent care centres

Both B.C. and Ottawa also pledged to convert condos sitting vacant, mainly in Vancouver, into affordable homes through “innovative financing tools”.

Watch the full story in the video below:

https://cdn.jwplayer.com/previews/P5AKr5vK

Unclear how and who money will be awarded to

Details on how, and who, the money will be handed out to at this point are vague.

“The numbers are large and the thresholds are also a little bit unclear yet. I’ll be working very closely with our Member of Parliament to understand the details,” said Victoria Mayor Marianne Alto.

“I would hope that, given we’re the capital city of British Columbia and we’ve been stellar in our ability to create affordability housing and housing in general, that we’d be top of the pile, but we don’t know that yet.”

Some of the dollars, designed to replace developer fees, will be dolled out “in priority communities”.

The lack of clarity has some mayors skeptical.

“When it actually comes to accessing these funds there’s always some big roadblock,” said Burnaby Mayor Mike Hurley.

Can the province even pay?

Other mayors are concerned the province might not actually be able to pony up and match what the federal government can.

“We’ve seen in this most recent budget pause a lot of the capital funds that local governments in particular rely on, as [the provincial] government tries to reconcile its budget and deficit,” said Saanich Mayor Dean Murdock.

“This is going to involve turning on the taps again.”

Murdock wonders how and where the province is going to come up with the money.

Will this actually help with affordability?

Murdock also has questions on how the subsidy of developer fees will translate into savings not just for developers, but for buyers.

“That will certainly be the devil will be in the details. We’ll have to see how that is actually formulated,” said Murdock.
161 municipalities to jostle for funding

Other municipalities, like North Cowichan, hope they’re not lost in the fray, as B.C.’s 161 municipalities now begin to vie for funding.

“We’re hopeful we’re going to access some of this funding,” said Rob Douglas, North Cowichan mayor, who says his community is struggling to update sewage and water infrastructure alongside population growth.

He worries larger urban centres will secure the bulk of the funds.

The meeting agenda is out for Monday's Council meeting, and the Throup-Phillips connector is once again back up for discussion: https://www.sooke.ca/municipal-hall/meeting-agendas-and-minutes/

✅The CP5 Throup-Phillips connector, which could cost between $20.5M–$27.5M, adding 9–12.5% to municipal taxes over thirty years.

This may be a necessary project, but it's also a major financial commitment that will shape affordability in Sooke for generations.

That’s why I believe voters deserve a direct say. A non‑binding plebiscite combined with the election this fall would give Council clear guidance before committing to land purchases, design work, or borrowing millions of dollars.

Big decisions need big consent.

sooke.civicweb.net

🎉 2nd Annual Seniors Fair! 🎉

The Sooke Region Communities Health Network (SRCHN) is excited to welcome everyone to the 2nd Annual Seniors Fair this Saturday from 1:00 to 4:00 pm at Murray Park, across from Forbes Pharmacy.

Come discover local organizations, programs, and services that help seniors stay active, connected, healthy, and engaged. Meet community groups, gather valuable information, and enjoy an afternoon celebrating all that our region has to offer.

✨ Don't miss the crowning of the 2026 Sooke Spectacular Senior! Join us as we recognize all our outstanding seniors who embody the spirit of community, volunteerism, and positive aging.

Whether you're a senior, a family member, a caregiver, or simply interested in learning more about local resources, everyone is welcome.

📍 Murray Park, Sooke
🕐 Saturday, June 20th | 1:00–4:00 pm

Come celebrate, connect, and be part of a vibrant community afternoon 🎉

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SRCHN provides valuable and vital services to seniors and community members in Sooke. I support their efforts in creating a community gathering space in Sooke 🙏💙

Times Colonist - June 17, 2026

Sooke’s sign restrictions work against candidates

Sooke council’s decision to adopt the most restrictive option for election sign timing, to allow signs on road rights‑of‑way only during the official 28‑day campaign period, raises serious concerns about fairness and accessibility in our local democracy.

The staff report presented to council made it clear that any limits on election signage must be carefully justified because they restrict a Charter‑protected form of political expression. It also warned that overly restrictive rules can “distort the playing field” by giving an advantage to candidates who are well-resourced and able to mobilize quickly or who have already placed signs elsewhere.

Despite this, council chose the option that imposes the greatest impairment on grassroots candidates’ ability to reach voters.

This decision may seem minor, but its impacts are not felt equally.

Well‑funded campaigns with paid installers or large volunteer teams can blanket the community the moment the campaign period begins. Candidates with limited budgets, smaller teams, or full‑time jobs simply cannot compete in a compressed 28‑day window.

The result unintentionally favours those with more resources, not necessarily those with stronger ideas or deeper community ties.

Local elections should be accessible to everyone, not just those with the means to run a rapid‑fire campaign. When council chooses the most restrictive option available, despite staff outlining less intrusive alternatives, it risks undermining the fairness and inclusivity that should define our democratic process.

And in Sooke, the people most affected by this decision are exactly those we should be encouraging to participate: Young candidates, working parents, renters, newcomers, and community advocates who don’t have deep pockets or political machines behind them.

These are often the voices that bring fresh ideas and lived experience to local government. By narrowing the window for visibility, council has unintentionally made it harder for these everyday residents to step forward and be heard.

Sooke deserves election rules that protect public safety and reduce clutter without creating barriers for grassroots candidates. Council’s decision may have been well‑intentioned, but its consequences will be felt most by those who can least afford them.

Katherine Strongwind
Sooke

Have your say! I felt it was good, but didn't leave room for tax savings ideas, commercial taxes and economic development recommendations, or any First Nations partnership initiatives.

Check it out for yourself:

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Sooke residents have until the end of August to help shape the community’s financial priorities for 2027 and beyond.

The District of Sooke is inviting public feedback as engagement begins for Budget 2027 and updates to their Five-Year Financial Plan.

Community members have until Aug. 31 to share their feedback through an online survey at letstalk.sooke.ca/budget

“Your voice helps lay the foundation for Budget 2027 and updates to the District’s Five-Year Financial Plan,” said Mayor Maja Tait.

“Sooke is growing, and this engagement will help ensure our financial strategies reflect both the immediate needs and long-term aspirations of residents. I encourage everyone to participate, whether online or by connecting with us at local parks and markets this summer.”

In addition to the online survey, the district is launching a summer outreach program.

Residents can speak with district representatives at local markets and parks throughout the summer. The full schedule of in-person events is available on the engagement page.

Additionally, 500 randomly selected households will receive a paper survey by mail. The district asks selected participants to complete and return the mail-out survey to Municipal Hall by Aug. 31.

“Public input is key to organizational planning and fiscal responsibility,” said Chief Administrative Officer Raechel Gray.

“The data gathered through this process gives staff clear direction as recommendations are brought forward to Council for decisions. It also helps align service delivery with community expectations while balancing infrastructure needs with sustainable financial management.”

Feedback gathered through this engagement period will be compiled into a final report.

The survey takes approximately 10 to 15 minutes to complete. To participate, residents will need to create an account on the Let’s Talk Sooke platform.

It will be presented to council at the Nov. 16 committee of the whole meeting. The full report will also be made available on the engagement webpage.

Special thanks and shout out to Karen at A Sea of Bloom Floral Design! Before their normal hours, I emailed Karen to see if I could send some flowers delivered same day in Sooke. Not only did she answer me, she sent pics of different options and wrote a lovely note to go with the delivery.

Karen and her team continually go above and beyond to help our community. Let's show her some love today for being such an awesome person 🌷⚘️💕

Sooke friends - our Council is meeting on June 8 to discuss major changes to the election sign bylaw, and the decisions they make will shape how fair and accessible our next municipal election will be.

Right now, Sooke has no rules on when election signs can go up, which means well‑funded campaigns can dominate the landscape months before the official election period even begins. The proposed changes also risk limiting signage on public land - a move that would disproportionately silence renters, low‑income families, and Indigenous candidates who don’t have access to private property for visibility.

If you care about fair elections, equitable access, and keeping public space open for democratic expression, now is the time to speak up.

Please take a moment to email Mayor and Council before June 8 and ask them to:
• set a 30‑day limit on election signage
• protect public spaces for all candidates
• ensure our election rules support fairness and freedom of expression

Your voice matters in shaping a healthy democracy. Let Council know this matters to you - [email protected]