Citizen Budget Survey - What We Heard Report Now Available

The District of Sooke’s participatory budget process includes two phases of engagement:

Phase one: Citizen Budget Survey and community conversations at local markets
Phase two: Budget Open House

The Phase One District of Sooke Public Engagement What We Heard Report is available here.

More on this report

The District of Sooke conducts a citizen budget survey and attends local markets to discuss the district budget annually from mid-June to mid-July.

Using the Citizen Budget survey, residents can enter their assessed property value and see how their tax dollars are distributed between district service areas. Through the survey, residents can also:

advise on satisfaction levels;
rate the importance of services;
propose changes such as increase or decrease to various service areas; and
provide additional comments.

At local markets, residents can participate in a tax dollar distribution activity and have related questions answered.

Key learnings from phase one budget engagement include:

Increased public understanding of municipal budget challenges.

Building a budget that meets the needs of Sooke while balancing what’s possible especially given current economic realities and pandemic recovery is not easy. Residents acknowledged this challenge during this phase of engagement and, generally, recognized not all things can be funded. In short, difficult decisions need to be made.

Understanding that property taxes may need to increase.

When given the option to express an increase, decrease or no change for funding of services areas, most respondents expressed “status quo.” Where a decrease in funding was not possible (with reasons provided to substantiate this claim), survey participants expressed support to increase funding and not remain “status quo.”

Areas of priority: roads, parks and environmental services, and community safety.

Survey respondents including conversations at local markets affirm funding priorities in the areas of roads (maintenance in particular), parks and environmental services, and community safety (both police and fire services).

Shorten survey. Enhance market experience.

Participants describe the interactive market experience as “challenging (in a good way)”, “informative”, “fun” and “a great experience.”

By contrast, the survey has tried to achieve too much and will be adapted to increase its accessibility and enhance the value of the data collected through this mechanism. It is anticipated this will also increase survey participation. To retain the informational value of the content provided in the survey, supplemental PDFs (one-pagers) summarizing service areas can be offered to provide easy access to this information for those seeking it.

Resident feedback is used to inform budget development, along with Council’s strategic priorities and approved master plans.

As staff develop a preliminary budget with your feedback, Service Area Heads will report to Council through the Committee of the Whole to discuss changes to service levels. Examples of service-level discussions include:

the number of police officers or firefighters to minimize call response times;
changes to the roads contract;
resources needed to support the implementation of the Transportation Master Plan and Parks and Trails Master Plan;
scope of services to help meet the District’s greenhouse gas emissions reduction targets; and
priorities for community events, seasonal adornment and local area beautification.

Where are we at in the District’s 2023 Budgeting Process? What’s next?

February 21, 2023: Through the Committee of the Whole, staff will receive direction on fire, police and climate action service levels.
[date to be confirmed]: Through the Committee of the Whole, staff presentations on service levels and preliminary budget considerations.
[date to be confirmed]: Council to consider first, second and third reading of Budget 2023.
[date to be confirmed]: Community Event (Phase two public engagement) - Budget Open House
[date to be confirmed]: Council to consider fourth reading (adoption) of Budget 2023.

What happens after the budget is approved?

Late spring 2023: Director of Finance to receive third-party tax rate information
Late spring 2023: Director of Finance to present tax rate bylaw to Council
Late April/Early May 2023: Tax rate bylaw adopted
Late May 2023: Property Tax notices issued

Questions or comments?

Please email budget@sooke.ca to provide comments on the District’s budget.