Sooke is a
district municipality
A district municipality is a designation for a class of municipalities found in several locations, including Canada, Lithuania, and South Africa.
Canada British Columbia
Under provincial law, municipalities in British Columbia are to be desig ...
on the southern tip of
Vancouver Island
Vancouver Island is an island in the northeastern Pacific Ocean and part of the Canadian Provinces and territories of Canada, province of British Columbia. The island is in length, in width at its widest point, and in total area, while are o ...
, Canada, by road from
Victoria
Victoria most commonly refers to:
* Victoria (Australia), a state of the Commonwealth of Australia
* Victoria, British Columbia, provincial capital of British Columbia, Canada
* Victoria (mythology), Roman goddess of Victory
* Victoria, Seychelle ...
, the capital of
British Columbia
British Columbia (commonly abbreviated as BC) is the westernmost province of Canada, situated between the Pacific Ocean and the Rocky Mountains. It has a diverse geography, with rugged landscapes that include rocky coastlines, sandy beaches, ...
. Sooke, the westernmost of
Greater Victoria
Greater Victoria (also known as the Greater Victoria Region) is located in British Columbia, Canada, on the southern tip of Vancouver Island. It is usually defined as the thirteen municipalities of the Capital Regional District (CRD) ...
's
Western Communities
The Western Communities, also called the West Shore (e.g.West Shore RCMP or Westshore (e.gWestshore Town Centre, is the suburban municipalities of Colwood, British Columbia, Colwood, Langford, British Columbia, Langford, Metchosin, British Columbi ...
, is to the north and west of the
Sooke Basin
Sooke Basin is a small (10 km²) body of water on the southern end of Vancouver Island in southwestern British Columbia. It is connected to the Strait of Juan de Fuca by Sooke Harbour, a 4 km long narrow natural harbour.
Geography
Sooke ...
.
Tourism and recreation
![Sooke harbour](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b0/Sooke_harbour.JPG)
Sooke's popularity as a scenic tourist destination has existed for generations. Well-known destinations in Sooke, such a
Whiffin Spit Park the
Sooke Potholes Regional Park
Sooke Potholes Regional Park is a 63.5-hectare (157-acre) nature park along the Sooke River, near Sooke, British Columbia. It is known for its rocky pools and canyon-like features and is a popular destination for hiking and swimming.
The Land C ...
and adjacent
Sooke Potholes Provincial Park
Sooke Potholes Provincial Park is a 7.28 hectare provincial park in British Columbia, Canada. It is adjacent to the Sooke River and Sooke Potholes Regional Park, near Victoria, B.C. Intended primarily to provide access to the Sooke River and th ...
attract visitors both locally and from around the world. Sooke is also home to the Sooke Region Museum and Visitor Centre; where visitors and locals are able to get information on regional attractions and history. The area's popularity has increased as a base for visiting the wilderness parks of
Vancouver Island
Vancouver Island is an island in the northeastern Pacific Ocean and part of the Canadian Provinces and territories of Canada, province of British Columbia. The island is in length, in width at its widest point, and in total area, while are o ...
's southwest coast — the
West Coast Trail
The West Coast Trail, originally called the Dominion Lifesaving Trail, is a backpacking trail following the southwestern edge of Vancouver Island in British Columbia, Canada. It was built in 1907 to facilitate the rescue of shipwrecked survivors ...
and the
Juan de Fuca Provincial Park
Juan de Fuca Provincial Park is a provincial park located on the west coast of Vancouver Island in British Columbia, Canada. The park was established on April 4, 1996 by combining three former parks - China Beach, Loss Creek, and Botanical Beach ...
which includes the now highly popular
Juan de Fuca Marine Trail
The Juan de Fuca Marine Trail is a rugged wilderness hiking trail located within Juan de Fuca Provincial Park along the southwestern coast of Vancouver Island. The trail stretches from China Beach, 35 km west of Sooke, to Botanical Beach ...
. Sooke, BC is also famous for its beaches just on the outskirts of its neighbouring communities such as Shirley and Jordan River. These beaches includ
Sandcut French beach, Fishboat bay, China beach, Mystic beach and more.
Mountain biking
Mountain biking is a sport of riding bicycles off-road, often over rough terrain, usually using specially designed mountain bikes. Mountain bikes share similarities with other bikes but incorporate features designed to enhance durability and pe ...
is growing in popularity in British Columbia, and Sooke is establishing itself as a destination for the sport. Local advocacy groups such as the Sooke Bike Club are working to have areas such as
Broom Hill set aside as parkland.
The
Galloping Goose Regional Trail
The Galloping Goose Regional Trail is a rail trail between Victoria, British Columbia, Canada, and the ghost town of Leechtown, north of Sooke, where it meets the old Sooke Flowline. Maintained by the Capital Regional District (CRD), the trai ...
, part of the
Trans-Canada Trail
The Trans Canada Trail, officially named The Great Trail between September 2016 and June 2021, is a cross-Canada system of greenways, waterways, and roadways that stretches from the Atlantic to the Pacific to the Arctic oceans. The trail extends ...
, runs through Sooke and is a popular cycling route to Victoria.
Arts community
The vibrant arts community of Sooke enjoys the annual Sooke Fine Arts Festival (established in 1987) which brings hundreds of tourists to Sooke each summer by featuring the adjudicated art of local and regional artists. Sooke is known for its wealth of painters, writers, sculptors, potters, fabric artists, jewellery crafters and more. The Sooke Community Arts Council plays a large role in fostering art in the region. The Sooke Harbour House art gallery is a main display opportunity for many local artisans.
Real estate
In April of 2022, an average single-family home in Sooke costs $887,500 based on the home price index, drawing from data from the Victoria Real Estate Board (VREB). By June of 2022, that number (directly from VREB) increased to $938,000.
Demographics
In the
2021 Census of Population conducted by
Statistics Canada
Statistics Canada (StatCan; french: Statistique Canada), formed in 1971, is the agency of the Government of Canada commissioned with producing statistics to help better understand Canada, its population, resources, economy, society, and cultur ...
, Sooke had a population of 15,086 living in 6,129 of its 6,431 total private dwellings, a change of from its 2016 population of 13,001. With a land area of , it had a population density of in 2021.
Ethnicity
Religion
According to the
2021 census, religious groups in Sooke included:
*
Irreligion
Irreligion or nonreligion is the absence or rejection of religion, or indifference to it. Irreligion takes many forms, ranging from the casual and unaware to full-fledged philosophies such as atheism and agnosticism, secular humanism and a ...
(9,825 persons or 65.6%)
*
Christianity
Christianity is an Abrahamic monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth. It is the world's largest and most widespread religion with roughly 2.38 billion followers representing one-third of the global pop ...
(4,755 persons or 31.8%)
*
Judaism
Judaism ( he, ''Yahăḏūṯ'') is an Abrahamic, monotheistic, and ethnic religion comprising the collective religious, cultural, and legal tradition and civilization of the Jewish people. It has its roots as an organized religion in the ...
(70 persons or 0.5%)
*
Buddhism
Buddhism ( , ), also known as Buddha Dharma and Dharmavinaya (), is an Indian religion or philosophical tradition based on teachings attributed to the Buddha. It originated in northern India as a -movement in the 5th century BCE, and gra ...
(50 persons or 0.3%)
*
Islam
Islam (; ar, ۘالِإسلَام, , ) is an Abrahamic religions, Abrahamic Monotheism#Islam, monotheistic religion centred primarily around the Quran, a religious text considered by Muslims to be the direct word of God in Islam, God (or ...
(50 persons or 0.3%)
*
Indigenous Spirituality (20 persons or 0.1%)
*
Hinduism
Hinduism () is an Indian religion or '' dharma'', a religious and universal order or way of life by which followers abide. As a religion, it is the world's third-largest, with over 1.2–1.35 billion followers, or 15–16% of the global p ...
(10 persons or 0.1%)
*
Sikhism
Sikhism (), also known as Sikhi ( pa, ਸਿੱਖੀ ', , from pa, ਸਿੱਖ, lit=disciple', 'seeker', or 'learner, translit=Sikh, label=none),''Sikhism'' (commonly known as ''Sikhī'') originated from the word ''Sikh'', which comes fro ...
(10 persons or 0.1%)
Politics
The District of Sooke is its own independent municipality, part of the
Capital Regional District
The Capital Regional District (CRD) is a local government administrative district encompassing the southern tip of Vancouver Island and the southern Gulf Islands in the Canadian province of British Columbia. The CRD is one of several regional d ...
.
Municipal
Sooke is governed by a mayor and six councilors, who are elected every four years.
Mayor Maja Tait
Councillor Al Beddows
Councillor Dana Lajeunesse
Councillor Ebony Logins
Councillor Jeff Bateman
Councillor Megan McMath
Councillor Tony St-Pierre
Provincial
Sooke in part of the riding of
Langford-Juan de Fuca
Langford-Juan de Fuca is a provincial electoral district for the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia, Canada that was created in the 2015 redistribution from parts of Juan de Fuca
Juan de Fuca (10 June 1536, Cefalonia 23 July 1602, ...
represented by
John Horgan
John Joseph Horgan (born August 7, 1959) is a Canadian politician who served as the 36th premier of British Columbia from 2017 to 2022, and also as the leader of the British Columbia New Democratic Party from 2014 to 2022. Horgan has been the ...
of the
BC NDP
The New Democratic Party of British Columbia (BC NDP) is a social democracy, social-democratic provincial political party in British Columbia, Canada.
As of 2017, it governs the province. It is the British Columbia provincial arm of the feder ...
, who first won in 2009.
Federal
Federally the town is in the riding of
Esquimalt-Saanich-Sooke, represented by
Randall Garrison
Randall C. Garrison (born August 27, 1951) is a Canadian politician. Elected to the House of Commons in the 2011 federal election, he represents the electoral district of Esquimalt—Saanich—Sooke and is a member of the New Democratic Party ...
of the
New Democratic Party
The New Democratic Party (NDP; french: Nouveau Parti démocratique, NPD) is a federal political party in Canada. Widely described as social democratic,The party is widely described as social democratic:
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
* t ...
. He was first elected in 2011.
Climate
Sooke has a
Mediterranean climate
A Mediterranean climate (also called a dry summer temperate climate ''Cs'') is a temperate climate sub-type, generally characterized by warm, dry summers and mild, fairly wet winters; these weather conditions are typically experienced in the ...
, with warm summers and mild winters, defined by the
Köppen climate classification
The Köppen climate classification is one of the most widely used climate classification systems. It was first published by German-Russian climatologist Wladimir Köppen (1846–1940) in 1884, with several later modifications by Köppen, notabl ...
as ''Csb''. Although its precipitation is more like dry summer climates, its temperatures resemble
oceanic climate
An oceanic climate, also known as a marine climate, is the humid temperate climate sub-type in Köppen classification ''Cfb'', typical of west coasts in higher middle latitudes of continents, generally featuring cool summers and mild winters ( ...
s as found in
Ireland
Ireland ( ; ga, Éire ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe, north-western Europe. It is separated from Great Britain to its east by the North Channel (Grea ...
, for example.
Education
Sooke is a part of the
School District 62 Sooke
Sooke School District 62 is a school district in British Columbia, Canada. It includes the suburbs of Victoria known as the Western Communities (or WestShore) as well as the mostly rural areas around the sea-side villages of Sooke and Port Renfr ...
. There is one high school,
Edward Milne Community School
Edward Milne Community School is one of three secondary schools in the School District 62 Sooke right now. It is located in Sooke, British Columbia, Canada. Roughly 700 students attend in grades 9 to 12 in both regular and French immersion program ...
, and one junior high school,
Journey Middle School. The four elementary schools in the area are John Muir (in the town's west end), Sooke Elementary (town centre), the French immersion Ecole Poirier (town centre), and Saseenos Elementary (east end). In 2018, SD62 announced it would be building Sooke River Elementary in the Sunriver neighbourhood. Continuing adult education programs are offered by the Edward Milne Community School (EMCS) Society, which also operates with day, evening and weekend programs. The closest post-secondary institutions are
Royal Roads University
Royal Roads University (also referred to as RRU or Royal Roads) is a public university with its main campus in Colwood, British Columbia. It is located at Hatley Park National Historic Site on Vancouver Island. Following the decommissioning of Ro ...
and
Camosun College
Camosun College is a public college located in Saanich, British Columbia, Canada. The college has two campuses, Lansdowne and Interurban, with a total enrollment of around 14,000 students (including Professional Studies and Industry Training) ...
's Interurban campus.
Neighbourhoods
(in order from east to west)
* North Sooke
* Saseenos
* Milne's Landing
* Sunriver Estates
* Sooke Town Centre or "Upsooke"
*
Broom Hill
* Whiffin Spit
*
Otter Point
Otters are carnivorous mammals in the subfamily Lutrinae. The 13 extant otter species are all semiaquatic, aquatic, or marine, with diets based on fish and invertebrates. Lutrinae is a branch of the Mustelidae family, which also includes wea ...
* Kemp Lake
Neighbouring communities
*
Metchosin
The District of Metchosin is a municipality and community in Greater Victoria on the southern tip of Vancouver Island in British Columbia, Canada. It is a coastal community adjacent to the Strait of Juan de Fuca. Metchosin is part of the Wester ...
- East of Sooke
*
East Sooke
East Sooke is an unincorporated community south and east of Sooke, British Columbia, Canada. It consists of over 500 houses (and one volunteer fire department) along with the headquarters of the Royal Canadian Marine Search and Rescue (RCMSAR) ...
- South of Sooke
*
Otter Point
Otters are carnivorous mammals in the subfamily Lutrinae. The 13 extant otter species are all semiaquatic, aquatic, or marine, with diets based on fish and invertebrates. Lutrinae is a branch of the Mustelidae family, which also includes wea ...
- West of Sooke
Publications
* The long-established weekly newspaper is the Sooke News Mirror, edited by Kevin Laird and one of more than 70 Black Press Media community papers in B.C.
Notable residents
* Canadian poet, novelist and playwright
Marilyn Bowering
Marilyn Bowering (born April 13, 1949) is a Canadian poet, novelist and playwright. As well as several adventure novels and many books of poetry, Bowering has also scripted a number of dramatic works and a libretto.
Early life
Bowering was born i ...
lives in the Sooke area.
*
Bryce Soderberg
Bryce Dane Soderberg (born April 10, 1980) is a Canadian-American musician and songwriter, best known as the bassist and vocalist for American rock band Lifehouse.
Early life
Soderberg was born in Victoria, British Columbia, and raised outside ...
, bassist and vocalist for American rock band
Lifehouse.
*
J. Lee Thompson
John Lee Thompson (1 August 1914 – 30 August 2002) was a British film director, active in London and Hollywood, best known for award-winning films such as ''Woman in a Dressing Gown'', ''Ice Cold in Alex'' and ''The Guns of Navarone (film), Th ...
(1914-2002), British film director (
Cape Fear,
The Guns of Navarone), died in Sooke.
* Kevin Wenstob, Canadian logger and subject of the reality TV series ''
Big Timber''.
References
External links
*
*
{{authority control
Populated places on the British Columbia Coast
District municipalities in British Columbia
Populated places in the Capital Regional District
Greater Victoria
Juan de Fuca region