Picture Sooke: The Final Frame – Completing our Official Community Plan

The District agrees that upgrading and expanding infrastructure is essential to support our growing community. The Draft OCP makes this a priority by directing growth to the Community Growth Area and Town Centre, where sewer, water, transportation, and other core services can be provided most efficiently.

A few key examples already underway, planned or recently delivered include:

• Sewer service: The District has recently completed a 50% capacity expansion project at the wastewater treatment plant, providing a foundational first step to support additional sewer connectivity.
• Transportation: The Transportation Master Plan (2020) sets out investments in roads, sidewalks, trails, and transit to improve safety and reduce congestion.
• Parks and facilities: The Parks and Trails Master Plan (2020) guides improvements to green spaces, while new schools and community facilities are generally coordinated with School District 62, SEAPARC, and other partners.
• Utilities and climate resilience: The Climate Action Plan (2022) and subdivision servicing standards address water, energy, and stormwater systems, with a focus on resilience and sustainability.

In short, the OCP ensures that new development contributes to these systems through Development Cost Charges (DCCs) and frontage improvements, while the District continues to seek provincial and federal funding to support major upgrades. The intent is to improve existing infrastructure while adding new capacity in step with community growth.

We hear this concern often. The Draft OCP recognizes that growth and infrastructure must be closely linked. That’s why the plan directs most new housing and businesses to the Town Centre and serviced areas, where sewer, water, and transportation services already exist or can be upgraded efficiently.

The District has also adopted long-term plans - including the Transportation Master Plan (2020), the Parks and Trails Master Plan (2020), and the Climate Action Plan (2022) - to guide investments in roads, sidewalks, trails, transit, and utilities. These plans are integrated with the OCP so that when new development occurs, it contributes to building the infrastructure needed to serve it.

In practice, this means:

• Developers are required to pay for on-site and frontage improvements (roads, sidewalks, utilities) and to contribute Development Cost Charges (DCCs) that fund larger system upgrades.
• The District prioritizes infrastructure improvements in step with growth, for example through the planned extension of sewer service within the Community Growth Area.
• Provincial and federal grants are also pursued to fund major projects, since local taxes and DCCs alone cannot cover the full cost.

So, while growth can feel like it is happening quickly, the OCP and related bylaws are designed to ensure infrastructure is expanded alongside development, not after the fact.

Yes - nature, trees, and green space are central to Sooke’s Draft OCP, even as we implement new provincial housing requirements under Bill 44. The OCP includes strong policies in the Natural Environment (Part 4.2), Parks and Trails (Part 4.3), and Green Building (Part 4.4) sections that require new development to integrate with Sooke’s natural character.

Some of the ways this is addressed:

• Tree retention and planting: The OCP calls for protecting significant trees and encouraging tree planting in new subdivisions to preserve Sooke’s “wild by nature” identity. Street trees are also addressed in the Subdivision and Development Standards (SDS) Bylaw, which requires boulevard trees when new roads are constructed as part of a subdivision or building permit.
• Green space in housing areas: Development Permit Area guidelines require landscaped yards, buffers, and screening to soften density and maintain natural character.
• Innovative practices: The plan encourages sustainable site design such as green roofs, rain gardens, and natural stormwater management.
• Partnership with T’Sou-ke Nation: Policies also recognize Indigenous stewardship practices and support collaboration to integrate cultural and ecological values into land use decisions.

While Bill 44 requires municipalities to allow more small-scale multi-unit housing, the Draft OCP balances this by ensuring growth is focused in the Town Centre and serviced areas, while still requiring green space, tree planting, and climate-friendly design.

We are also watching what other communities, like Saanich, are doing to address similar challenges, and will continue to refine our practices based on lessons learned in the region.

Food security is an important part of The District’s Draft Official Community Plan Bylaw No. 800. The OCP includes a dedicated Agriculture and Food Systems policy section (Part 4.6), which sets directions to protect farmland, support local food production, and strengthen access to healthy and affordable food.

Some of the key ways the draft OCP promotes food security include:

• Protecting the Agricultural Land Reserve (ALR) and limiting urban sprawl to ensure farmland remains available for food production.
• Encouraging community gardens, farmers’ markets, and local food infrastructure to increase access to fresh, local food.
• Supporting climate-resilient farming practices and integrating food systems planning with broader climate goals (consistent with the District’s 2022 Climate Action Plan).
• Promoting collaboration with T’Sou-ke Nation and local farmers to sustain traditional food knowledge and enhance community resilience.

On the second part of your question - the OCP does not create a stand-alone “food sovereignty plan.” Instead, it sets policy directions that support food sovereignty principles: protecting agricultural land, encouraging local production, and recognizing the cultural and ecological importance of food systems. These policies are intended to be implemented through future programs, bylaws, and partnerships (for example, with local food groups or regional initiatives).