District Plans

Updated January 6, 2023

Age-Friendly Action Plan 2015
The document was prepared for the District of Sooke by the Sooke Region Community Health Initiative (CHI) and the Age-Friendly Committee.


Accessibility Inclusion Report
In January 2008 the District of Sooke retained the Social Planning and Research Council of BC (SPARC BC) to undertake research for the preparation of a Plan for Accessibility and Inclusion at the District of Sooke.


Agricultural Plan
An Agricultural Plan is a strategy and policy framework that can be used to guide agricultural-related decision making within the District of Sooke.


Child Care Needs Assessment and Action Plan
The District of Sooke had its first-ever child care needs assessment completed in 2019, which provides a gap analysis, assessment of need, identifies targets for child care space creation and outlines strategic directions.


Climate Action Plan

The Sooke2030: Climate Action Plan encompasses actions the District of Sooke can undertake to help reduce GHG emissions in district operations as well as within the community. It combines both mitigation and adaptation concerns within the same document, providing the Low Carbon Resilience lens that Council has determined is to be utilized for District planning and operations. The plan is strongly rooted in existing, mostly recent Sooke master plans. It provides clear direction for District action, both independently and in collaboration with other levels of government, non-profits, community groups and multiple other partners.

The actions recommended within Sooke2030 are intended specifically to advance the Council-approved 7% Solution, in which transportation and building emissions are identified as key areas for annual emissions tracking and reduction. This document further elaborates on 7% Solution strategies by focusing on five “How We Rethink” themes based on how the community moves, grows, builds, leads, and relates.


Community Economic Development Strategy and Action Plan

Community Economic Development (CED) is about working together as a community and with partners towards a diverse local economy that helps all of Sooke to thrive. It’s also about learning from all sectors of the community, and supporting local businesses, organizations, professionals, service providers and citizens. Council’s commitment to take action on climate change will drive community economic development in Sooke. We are striving for Low Carbon Resilience, and the achievement of social, economic and environmental co-benefits for all Sooke citizens. Read the CED Strategy and Action Plan that District Council that Council approved on December 13, 2021. Watch for updates on implementation at letstalk.sooke.ca/ced


Community Energy and Emissions Plan
Sooke’s CEEP (Community Energy and Emissions Plan) has developed a holistic strategy for reducing GHG emissions from both corporate operations and community-wide sources.  This plan is a comprehensive strategy that guides the next steps for both community and corporate climate action in an effort to reach the reduction targets of the Official Community Plan (OCP).


Community Wildfire Resiliency Plan (2023)

The Community Wildfire Resiliency Plan (CWRP) process (evolving from the Community Wildfire Protection Plan – CWPP) was created in British Columbia (BC) as a response to the devastating 2003 wildfire in Kelowna. As an integral part of the Community Resiliency Investment Program, managed by the Union of BC Municipalities, CWRPs aim to develop strategic recommendations based on the seven FireSmart® principles (Education, Legislation and Planning, Development Considerations, Interagency Cooperation, Emergency Planning, and Vegetation Management) to assist communities in improving safety and reducing the risk of damage to property and critical infrastructure from wildfires. This CWRP is an update to the District of Sooke’s 2011 Community Wildfire Protection Plan. It was presented to Council on October 10, 2023 where Council received the plan for information and directed staff to use the CWRP recommendations to inform future budget requests.


2019 – 2022 Strategic Plan
The goal of the District of Sooke Corporate Strategic Planning process is to set out a decision-making framework that reflects the priorities of the current District of Sooke Council. The Strategic Plan establishes long-term direction and specific, achievable actions to guide the governance and operations of the municipality. 

For updates to the Strategic Plan, including regular “Action Plan” reports on progress made, please see: https://sooke.ca/city-hall/plans-reports/2019-strategic-plan/ 


Downtown Design Guidelines
To provide Sooke with a set of design recommendations that will guide future private and public development of the downtown core, resulting in a strong and healthy community.


Emergency Response and Business Continuity Plan 2013
Emergency Operations Centre Manual 2013
In order to protect residents, businesses and visitors, the District of Sooke require a coordinated emergency response by a number of agencies. The District of Sooke has prepared an emergency plan and manual, which contains distinct arrangements and procedures that are different from the normal day-to-day operations, to ensure that every official, municipal department and partner agency will be prepared to carry out assigned responsibilities in an emergency.


Fire Master Plan
The Sooke Fire Rescue Department (the “SFRD” or the “Department”) was founded in 1913 as an improvement district and became a municipal fire department when the District of Sooke (“Sooke” or the “District”) was incorporated in 1999. It currently provides fire, rescue and medical response to the District, protecting land and improvements assessed at more than $3.3 billion. The Fire Master Plan provides direction for the operation of Fire Services in Sooke.


Liquid Waste Management Plan Rainwater Stage 2 and 3
Liquid Waste Management Plan Sanitary Stage 3
Liquid Waste Management Plan Addendum

The District of Sooke has taken a proactive approach to wastewater and rainwater management and is recognizing the significance of environmental protection of the region.


Official Community Plan
An OCP is the principle municipal planning tool that develops a vision for the future of the Sooke community and establishes a detailed set of policies in a wide range of areas.


Parks and Trails Master Plan
The Parks and Trails Master Plan guides the planning, land acquisition, capital development and operations of parks and trails in Sooke. It provides a vision for parks and trails, goals for achieving the vision, and a series of short, medium and long-term actions for acquiring and improving parks and trails in Sooke. The PTMP was prepared in conjunction with the District’s Transportation Master Plan (TMP), approved in October 2020.


Rainwater Management Plan – Ella Stream, Nott Brook, Throup Stream and Wright Road Creek Watersheds.

Rainwater Management Plans (RWMP) are developed to guide “on-the-ground” solutions to rainwater management issues at a watershed scale. All watersheds in the District were reviewed as part of the Liquid Waste Management Plan (LWMP) study to identify priority streams for RWMP review. The development of the RWMP was guided by the vision and goals of the District of Sooke plans and the RWMP provides a vehicle to manage the rainwater and watersheds of all of these plans.

Rainwater Management Plan – Appendices


Sooke Region Cultural Plan
The Cultural Plan provides a framework that identifies five key strategies that can be implemented over the next five years in order to create a healthy and vibrant arts, cultural, and heritage sector in the Sooke Region that will encourage everyone to participate, support and appreciate.


Sooke River Pedestrian Crossing – Galloping Goose Trail
The District of Sooke initiated the Sooke River Pedestrian Crossing project to develop a stronger pedestrian and cyclist connection over the Sooke River. The purpose of this project was to identify and study potential new crossings and identify and create a preliminary crossing design for future funding and construction. This project met Sooke’s larger vision of increasing connectivity throughout the community.

TIMELINE – Sooke River Pedestrian Crossing


Sooke Sustainable Development Strategy
One of the important steps taken by the District of Sooke toward becoming a leader in sustainable community development is the initiation of this Sustainable Development Strategy.


Town Centre Plan
The process of creating the Town Centre Plan began in early 2008. The results of the consultation for the Town Centre Plan revealed that residents desired a more beautiful and vibrant downtown that allowed for a mix of uses and a strong connection to the waterfront.


Town Centre Revitalization
In an effort to provide meaningful and progressive incentives and stimulus to developers in the District of Sooke, Council on June 22, 2009 adopted the Sooke Town Centre Revitalization Bylaw that will provide incentives to revitalize the Sooke Town Centre Area in an environmentally sound manner.


Transportation Master Plan
The Transportation Master Plan is a long-term guide for the planning, design, and development of transportation facilities and infrastructure. The TMP, approved in October 2020, was prepared in conjunction with the District’s Parks and Trails Master Plan (PTMP) and in consideration to many existing plans and policies including BC Transit’s concurrent Sooke Local Area Transit Plan. The TMP was developed with the participation of Sooke residents, key community stakeholders, District staff and Council to ensure the plan addresses current transportation issues and reflects community values and interests


Wildfire Protection Plan
This Community Wildfire Protection Plan will provide Sooke with a framework to assess the District’s fire risk. Additionally, the information contained in this report will help to guide the mitigation strategies that will best address wildfire risk in the community.