Council Meeting Procedures

Updated January 22, 2024

Council and Committee of the Whole meetings are open to the public unless otherwise permitted to be closed under the Community Charter in very specific (limited) circumstances. All meetings operate in accordance with the Council Procedure Bylaw.

Generally, Regular Council meetings are held on the second and fourth Monday of the month at 7:00 p.m.; Committee of the Whole meetings are scheduled on the third Monday of the month at 1:00 p.m., except on holidays when meetings are held on the following Tuesday.  View the meeting calendar, subscribe to receive meeting notifications delivered to your inbox and be notified of meetings via YouTube:

  • CALENDAR VIEW of the District of Sooke public meeting schedule
  • SUBSCRIBE to Council & Committee Meetings
  • WATCH Council and Committee of the Whole meetings on the District’s YouTube Channel

Committee of the Whole vs. Council Meetings

Committee of the Whole meetings are less formal than Council meetings. Any decision made by the Committee is not formally approved until it is ratified at the following Council session. Typically, more robust discussion occurs at the Committee of the Whole in preparation for decision-making by Council at a Regular Council meeting.

All meetings are conducted in accordance with the Council Procedure Bylaw >>


Before the Meeting

Find out what’s on the agenda:

  • agendas are posted online by 12:00 p.m. on Fridays

Watch or Attend a Council Meeting

  • To watch online please visit the District of Sooke YouTube channel.
  • Meetings take place at the District of Sooke Municipal Hall, located at 2225 Otter Point Road

Public Participation at Meetings

Speaking at a Committee of the Whole Meeting

During the Committee of the Whole meeting, persons may address Council on an item on the agenda.

A Public Questions and Comment period is held at the call of the Chair. Five minutes are available to each person who wishes to address the Committee of the Whole.

Speaking at a Council Meeting

During the Council meeting, persons may address Council on an item on the agenda.

A Public Questions and Comment period is held during each regular Council meeting. Two minutes are available to each person who wishes to address Council.

Submitting written correspondence on an agenda item

Where public input is specifically solicited for an agenda item (i.e. Public Hearings, Public Input agenda items) the public may also participate in meetings by submitting written correspondence on an agenda item to Corporate Services (email to corp@sooke.ca) no later than NOON (12:00 p.m.) on the day of the meeting.

Attending as a Delegation at a Council Meeting

Individuals wishing to “appear as a delegation” to Council should send a letter of request or complete the Request to Appear as a Delegation form, providing sufficient detail to describe the topic, the presenters and the meeting date they wish to appear.

The letter or completed form should be submitted to Corporate Services by 4:30 pm on the Tuesday prior to the meeting. This procedure provides Council with an opportunity to prepare, resulting in a prompt and informed response.


Public Hearings

Public hearings allow affected citizens to provide their views to their elected representatives on planning and land use bylaws. LEARN MORE ABOUT PUBLIC HEARINGS HERE >>