Council’s debate over the Throup Road/Phillips Road connection turned on whether a costly, full road buildout was affordable and safe for people walking and cycling, especially schoolchildren, and whether it would affect the museum and Sea Park. Council did not choose a road design; it directed staff to price options for the Phillips-to-Throup section alone, including three road widths and different walking and cycling facilities. A proposal to negotiate for space for the Sooke Gathering Place in the Catalyst building failed, but the proposed plebiscite was not cancelled and staff said a report was already in progress. Council also approved overnight Highway 14 construction, gave three readings to a sewer bylaw amendment, and endorsed a food-waste resolution for the Union of BC Municipalities convention.
Generated from the recording's captions and the official minutes.
Council adopted the remaining consent agenda items together. Correspondence items 13.A, 28, 29.Q and 30.R were pulled for discussion at a later meeting. The mayor said the natural-hazard assessment was required by the province and would help keep the District eligible for future funding.
Agreement
The remaining consent agenda items were approved unanimously.
Several correspondence items would return to a later meeting.
Routine: approve the listed consent-agenda items together, without separate discussion or votes on those items.
Official wording: THAT the following items on the Consent Agenda be adopted by consent:
7.2 Correspondence
7.3 Report of the Chief Administrative Officer
7.4 Climate Adaptation and Natural Hazard Risk Assessment
Correspondence remaining on the consent agenda was received for information. Council members pulled several letters, including correspondence about provincial responses to resolutions, a family picnic, an annual report and climate-action funding, for a later meeting.
Agreement
The correspondence left on the consent agenda was received for information.
Set aside four pieces of correspondence for discussion at a future Regular Council meeting, and receive the rest of the May 6–20 correspondence for information.
Official wording: THAT the correspondence 13.A Provincial Response to 2025 Resolutions (Union of BC Municipalities) , 20. H All Sooke Day Family Picnic (Sooke Community Association) , 29.Q Annual Report (Victoria Family Court and Justice Committee) and 30.R Local Government Action Program Funding (Mayor of Saanich) be pulled for discussion at a future Regular Council meeting, and that the remaining correspondence from May 6 through May 20, 2026, be received for information.
Council received the Chief Administrative Officer’s report for information as part of the consent agenda. Earlier, staff noted that property-tax notices were going out and that residents would have opportunities over the summer to share priorities for the next budget cycle.
7.4 Climate Adaptation and Natural Hazard Risk Assessment
parks environment1 public speaker42:02 Watch · Read
Council received the climate adaptation and natural hazard assessment presentation for information. A resident who spoke during public input questioned the need for a consultant and said the local First Nation should have been included. The mayor said the province requires local governments to complete this kind of assessment and that it is a condition for eligibility for future funding.
Disagreement
A public speaker questioned the value of hiring a consultant and said the local First Nation had not been included; the mayor explained that the assessment was a provincial requirement tied to future funding eligibility.
The project would connect Phillips Road and Throup Road through three sections, CP4, CP5 and CP6. The design presented ranged from a reduced two-lane road to a wider arterial with separated walking and cycling routes, and estimated project costs ran from about $22.5 million to $49.3 million. Council heard concerns about land acquisition, grant uncertainty, taxes, school-route safety, and possible effects on the Sooke Region Museum and Sea Park. Several public speakers favoured a narrower, lower-cost design or limiting a public vote to CP5; museum representatives and others warned about losing parking, mature trees and access. Council first received the report, then directed staff to prepare cost estimates for CP5 alone at 15.2 m, 20 m and 25 m widths, with options for a bike lane, multi-use trail and/or sidewalk. Staff estimated the cost of this further estimate at roughly $50,000 and hoped to report back by the end of June, but could not guarantee that timing.
Agreement
Council wanted clearer cost information before choosing a design or asking voters to approve borrowing.
CP5 is the only section without an existing road and was identified as a possible first section to price.
Members recognized that the project’s cost, grant funding and tight election deadlines would shape any future public vote.
Disagreement
Some councillors favoured a full, safer corridor with separated walking and cycling routes; others argued that a narrow, affordable road with limited active-transportation features was more realistic.
The mayor emphasized the number of schoolchildren using the corridor and the potential impact on the museum, Sea Park, parking and future recreation-facility expansion; other councillors stressed commuter delays and the need for another route.
Public speakers differed on the project’s scale and value, including whether to build all sections, prioritize CP5, or avoid a large tax increase.
Ask staff to price a smaller option focused only on CP5, with three possible road widths and options for a bike lane, multiuse trail, or sidewalk, so Council can compare costs.
Official wording: THAT Council direct staff to prepare cost estimates for CP5 only, based on 15.2 m, 20 m, and 25 m cross-sections, each to include one bike lane and/or one multiuse trail and/or one sidewalk.
Council chose Ed Macgregor Park for the memorial structure, following staff’s recommendation. One councillor preferred John Phillips Memorial Park because it is greener, away from the highway and has accessible parking. Others supported settling on Ed Macgregor Park, where existing memorial features could be repaired and brought together.
Agreement
Most members supported making a decision and proceeding with the Ed Macgregor Park location.
Disagreement
A councillor preferred John Phillips Memorial Park, citing its setting, distance from the highway and accessible parking.
community services1 public speaker2:09:01 Watch · Read
Council endorsed a resolution asking the provincial government to require large grocery retailers to reduce prices on perishable food approaching its best-before or expiry date, alongside food-waste reduction and recovery measures. A councillor raised concern that discounted sales could reduce donations to food banks; the motion carried with that councillor opposed. Council also instructed staff to seek convention meetings with the Ministers of Transportation and Transit, Public Safety and Solicitor General, and Health, and with the Insurance Corporation of British Columbia (ICBC). A previously endorsed resolution was included for information.
Agreement
A majority supported asking for mandatory price reductions on soon-to-expire perishable food.
Council agreed to seek meetings about transportation, public safety, health and driver-testing access.
Disagreement
A councillor opposed the food-waste resolution because discounted retail sales might displace food-bank donations; the mover argued that making the food available directly to shoppers would still help people.
Carried 5 to 12026-215Item 8.32:13:59 Watch · Read
Ask the province to require large grocery stores to progressively discount perishable food as it approaches its best-before or expiry date, alongside other steps to reduce food waste and recover food. Council would submit that request as a resolution to the 2026 UBCM convention.
Official wording: THAT Council endorse the following resolution for submission to the 2026 UBCM:
Food Waste Reduction and Retail Affordability Framework
WHEREAS
Food waste contributes to landfill emissions and economic inefficiency;
Many edible food products are discarded before consumption;
Food affordability challenges continue to affect British Columbians;
Voluntary retail markdown systems remain inconsistent;
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED That Government of British Columbia develop legislation requiring large grocery retailers to implement progressive mandatory price reductions for perishable food products approaching best-before or expiry dates, alongside complementary food waste reduction and food recovery measures.
Ask staff to arrange meetings at the 2026 UBCM convention with the provincial ministers responsible for transportation, public safety and health, and with the Attorney General about ICBC matters.
Official wording: AND THAT Council instruct staff to seek meetings with the following at the 2026 UBCM Convention:
Minister of Transportation and Transit;
Minister of Public Safety and Solicitor General;
Minister of Health; and
Attorney General regarding ICBC matters.
Council gave three readings to Sewer Use Amendment Bylaw No. 945. Staff said the change would help the District recover costs when someone is caught illegally dumping waste into the sewer system, which can clog equipment or disrupt treatment-plant bacteria. The discussion focused on commercial septic haulers and the need to avoid holding a property owner responsible automatically when someone else causes a discharge. The maximum fine the District can issue is $3,000; a court can impose a higher penalty through litigation.
Agreement
Members supported giving the District a way to pursue polluters and recover cleanup and treatment costs.
The discussion recognized that responsibility should depend on evidence about who caused a discharge, not simply where it happened.
Disagreement
A councillor cautioned that a community association operating a dump station should not automatically bear the cost or legal responsibility for waste caused by another user.
Council allowed overnight construction for Highway 14 civil works at 6569 Sooke Road, from 7 p.m. to 6 a.m. Monday through Friday, June 29 to August 29, with no Saturday or Sunday work. The work includes new asphalt, a sidewalk, a bus pullout, street-lighting improvements and lane changes. The work was linked to access in and out of the development at the site; councillors noted the choice between disrupting daytime commuters and disturbing nearby residents at night.
Agreement
Council supported the time-limited weekday exemption and made no change to the no-weekend-work condition.
Disagreement
A councillor noted the unavoidable trade-off between daytime traffic disruption and overnight disturbance to residents; no opposing vote was recorded.
Allow overnight Highway 14 construction at 6569 Sooke Road from 7 p.m. to 6 a.m. on weekdays between June 29 and August 29; weekend work would not be allowed.
Official wording: THAT Council vary the provisions of Bylaw No. 485, Noise Control Bylaw, 2011, Section 3.2e and Section 3.2f, to permit overnight construction work associated with Highway 14 civil works at 6569 Sooke Road between 7:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m., Monday through Friday, during the period of June 29 to August 29, with no work permitted on Saturdays or Sundays.
Council gave first, second and third readings to the bylaw repealing the zoning bylaw’s density-bonus provisions. Staff said provincial legislation required the change by the end of June unless the District completed a detailed financial analysis and public process, which could not be done in time. Staff said current zoning and the Official Community Plan already provide the additional density that the old provisions allowed; they plan to review the issue again as part of a future zoning-bylaw review.
Agreement
Council unanimously approved the three readings to meet the provincial deadline.
Give the zoning amendment its first three readings to remove the density-bonus provisions from the zoning bylaw.
Official wording: THAT Council give first, second, and third readings to Zoning Amendment Bylaw No. 944 (600-118), 2026 to repeal Section 3.7 (Density Bonus Provisions) of Bylaw No. 600, Sooke Zoning Bylaw, 2013.
A councillor proposed negotiating with Catalyst Development Group to include the Sooke Gathering Place in its building at 6651 Wadams Way. The original motion also proposed cancelling the plebiscite on borrowing up to $5 million for a Gathering Place. Council removed that cancellation clause, leaving the existing plebiscite process in place. The remaining motion to direct negotiations was tied and defeated. Supporters said the Catalyst space could offer a nearer-term option; opponents questioned whether the Gathering Place could afford market rent and said a standalone facility better matched the community’s aim. The mayor and staff said discussions and a report were already underway, including information on lease costs and options.
Agreement
Council did not cancel the proposed plebiscite; its existing work would continue.
Staff said a report on the Gathering Place and Catalyst option was already in progress.
Disagreement
Some councillors supported exploring Catalyst space as an additional or quicker option; others preferred a standalone Gathering Place and doubted the project could afford market-rate rent.
Public speakers split between those urging a permanent community facility and those concerned about taxes, borrowing and alternatives such as modular buildings.
Remove the proposal to cancel the plebiscite on borrowing money for the Sooke Gathering Place from the motion.
Official wording: THAT the following clause be removed:
"AND THAT the plebiscite regarding borrowing $5 million to construct and operationalize the Sooke Gathering Place be cancelled."
Defeated 3 to 32026-220Item 12.13:07:28 Watch · Read
Ask staff to negotiate with Catalyst Development Group about including the Sooke Gathering Place in the planned building at 6651 Wadams Way.
Official wording: THAT Council instruct staff to negotiate with Catalyst Development Group with the aim of including the Sooke Gathering Place in the building to be constructed at 6651 Wadams Way.
Council received correspondence about speeding and a requested speed hump for information. A councillor connected the concern to other reported problem areas and asked when staff would complete a traffic-calming policy. Staff said the policy remained on the work list but gave no target date; they use service calls and correspondence to identify locations for review.
Agreement
Council received the correspondence for information.
Staff said reports from residents and service-call data inform the District’s list of traffic-calming concerns.
Council backed support for the E&N reconciliation rail initiative, a proposed commuter link between Langford and downtown Victoria. The motion was amended so that support would be added to Sooke’s current 2024–2027 strategic plan, rather than merely recommending it to the next council. Members discussed the prospect of easing road congestion and supporting bus connections; staff explained that current strategic priorities continue through the transition until a new council sets its direction.
Agreement
Council unanimously supported adding the rail initiative to its current strategic plan.
Disagreement
A councillor questioned whether the proposal should be a priority for the next council; after staff clarified that the current plan continues through 2027, that councillor supported putting the item in the current plan.
Change the proposed wording so that staff are directed to include the E&N Reconciliation Rail Initiative in the current Council strategic plan, rather than recommending it as a priority for the next Council.
Official wording: Delete the wording 'recommend that the next District of Sooke Council include support for the E&N Reconciliation Rail Initiative amongst its strategic priorities for the 2026-2030 term.' and replace with 'direct staff to include the E&N Reconciliation Rail Initiative in the District of Sooke Council Strategic Plan for the 2024–2027 term.'
Direct staff to put the E&N Reconciliation Rail Initiative in the current Council strategic plan, based on the stated expectation that a Langford–Victoria commuter rail link would ease traffic for Sooke commuters and support transit use and service.
Official wording: WHEREAS a commuter rail link between Langford and downtown Victoria will reduce traffic congestion for Sooke commuters and encourage both increased BC Transit ridership and enhanced intermunicipal transit service levels;
THEREFORE be it resolved that Council direct staff to include the E&N Reconciliation Rail Initiative in the District of Sooke Council Strategic Plan for the 2024–2027 term.