Wednesday, June 23, 2021 – The District is inviting participation to assist with the 2022 budget development.
“Beginning the conversation early helps our team maximize resources and use tax dollars as efficiently as possible,” Raechel Gray, Director of Financial Services shares.
As a relatively small, but growing, and young municipality combined with a tax base that is currently predominantly made up of residential taxes (85% of the District’s operating budget is funded through residential taxes), priorities must be carefully identified and planned. Through open dialogue, the District is excited to work with citizens and support each other’s learning as we enhance communication with the community and deliver on our strategic priorities.
Residents are invited to participate in a quick poll and 3-question “Early Learning Survey” from June 23-July 16 to start shaping the information available for residents and how, together, we engage on the budget process. To participate, visit letstalk.sooke.ca/budget.
In addition to the virtual engagement opportunity, staff will be available throughout the community to answer questions about the District’s service areas. Please stop by and say “hello” to our team at these upcoming meet and greet pop-ups:
Staff Meet & Greet Schedule
From June 21-July 5: meet Jennifer, Corporate Services Assistant, and Christina, Communications Coordinator, to learn more and participate in the “early learning phase” of the 2022 Budget:
| Date | Time | Location |
| Wednesday, June 23 | 2:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. | Broomhill Playground |
| Thursday, June 24 | 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. | Thursday Night Market at the Sooke Region Museum |
| Friday, June 25 | 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. | Western Foods |
| Tuesday, July 6 | 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. | Whiffin Spit |
| Tuesday, July 6 | 11:30 a.m. 1:30 p.m. | Sooke Marine Boardwalk |
From July 8-July 16: learn more about District service areas and have your questions answered by service-area representatives:
| Date | Time | Service Area | Location |
| Thursday, July 8 | 12:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. | Administrative & Corporate Services | Western Foods |
| Saturday, July 10 | 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. | Financial Services | Town Centre Kiosk by the Evergreen Shopping Plaza |
| Monday, July 12 | 8:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. | Parks & Environmental Services | Whiffin Spit |
| Tuesday, July 13 | 2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. | Planning & Development Services | John Phillips Memorial Park |
| Wednesday, July 14 | 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. | Fire & Emergency Program Services | District of Sooke Fire Station |
| Thursday, July 15 | 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. | Operations: Roads & Infrastructure (Public Works) | Thursday Night Market at the Sooke Region Museum |
| Friday, July 16 | 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. | Sooke R.C.M.P. Detachment | Outside the Sooke R.C.M.P. Detachment, 2076 Church Road |
What’s Next
Following this early learning phase of the budget process, the 2022 Service-level Review and Citizen Budget survey will take place between August 30-September 24. This phase of the budget process will inform how we adapt the five-year financial plan and next year’s budget priorities. This tool will allow you to share your ideas for how the budget might be modified and the impacts of the adjustments made.
The current plan includes hosting a virtual and in-person open house in the fall. These open house events will provide residents with an opportunity to learn even more about how the District’s budget is developed, the unique challenges encountered when developing municipal budgets, and our roadmap to implementation of the Transportation and Parks & Trails Master Plans.
At any time during the budget process, residents can ask questions about the District budget or the business process through letstalk.sooke.ca/budget: learn more and participate today!
Quick facts:
- Of property taxes collected, 44% are for District services. The majority, 56%, are collected on behalf of third-party agencies such as Schools (27.1%), Regional District (16.9%), Regional Hospital District (3.5%), BC Transit (3.5%), Vancouver Island Regional Library (3.5%), and BC Assessment (0.7%).
- Within its Operations service area, the District is responsible for 33 km of collector roads, over 72 km of local roads, 5 bridges, 680 catch basins, issuing of over 200 highway use permits, and responds to approximately 500 calls for service each year.
- Within Parks and Environmental Services, the District is responsible for 89 parks and greenspaces, over 287 acres of park land, over 40 km of trails, 10 public washrooms, 37 park benches, responds to over 200 calls for service, and owns 703 street trees.
- Fire Services responds to over 700 calls and completes nearly 200 inspections and investigations each year.
Contact:
Christina Moog, Communications Coordinator
250.642.1634, ext. 678
cmoog@sooke.ca
