Sooke

---

title: "Sooke" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["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"] description: "District municipality in British Columbia, Canada" topic_path: "geography/united-kingdom" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sooke" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::summary District municipality in British Columbia, Canada ::

::data[format=table title="Infobox settlement"]

Field	Value
name	Sooke
official_name	District of Sooke
settlement_type	District municipality
image_skyline	Aerial photograph of Harrison Point.jpg
image_map	{{Location map
label	Sooke
mark	Western Canada Map Assets Town.svg
marksize	6
position	top
lat_deg	48.382193
lon_deg	-123.728946
map_caption	Location of Sooke within the Capital Regional District
pushpin_map	Vancouver Island#Canada British Columbia
pushpin_map_caption	Location of Sooke within British Columbia
subdivision_type	Country
subdivision_name	Canada
subdivision_type1	Province
subdivision_name1	British Columbia
subdivision_type2	Regional district
subdivision_name2	Capital
leader_title	Mayor
leader_name	Maja Tait
leader_title1	Councillors
leader_name1	Jeff Bateman, Al Beddows, Megan McMath, Kevin Pearson, Tony St-Pierre.
leader_title2	MP
leader_name2	Stephanie McLean (Liberal)
leader_title3	MLA
leader_name3	Dana Lajeunesse (NDP)
established_title	Incorporated
established_date	December 7, 1999
established_title3
area_footnotes
area_land_km2	56.60
population_as_of	2021
population_footnotes
population_total	15,086
population_density_km2	266.6
timezone	PST
utc_offset	−8
timezone_DST	PDT
utc_offset_DST	−7
coordinates
elevation_footnotes	tags--
elevation_m	50
postal_code_type	Forward sortation area
postal_code	V9Z
blank_name	Highways
blank_info	14
website
::

| name = Sooke | official_name = District of Sooke | settlement_type = District municipality | motto = | image_skyline = Aerial photograph of Harrison Point.jpg | image_caption = | image_flag = | flag_size = | image_seal = | seal_size = | image_shield = | shield_size = | image_map = {{Location map |CAN BC Capital |label = Sooke |mark = Western Canada Map Assets Town.svg |marksize = 6 |position = top |lat_deg = 48.382193 |lon_deg = -123.728946 | map_caption = Location of Sooke within the Capital Regional District | pushpin_map = Vancouver Island#Canada British Columbia | pushpin_map_caption = Location of Sooke within British Columbia | subdivision_type = Country | subdivision_name = Canada | subdivision_type1 = Province | subdivision_name1 = British Columbia | subdivision_type2 = Regional district | subdivision_name2 = Capital | government_footnotes = | government_type = | leader_title = Mayor | leader_name = Maja Tait | leader_title1 = Councillors | leader_name1 = Jeff Bateman, Al Beddows, Megan McMath, Kevin Pearson, Tony St-Pierre. |leader_title2 = MP |leader_name2 = Stephanie McLean (Liberal) |leader_title3 = MLA |leader_name3 = Dana Lajeunesse (NDP) | established_title = Incorporated | established_date = December 7, 1999 | established_title2 = | established_date2 = | established_title3 = | established_date3 = | unit_pref = | area_footnotes = | area_total_km2 = | area_land_km2 = 56.60 | area_water_km2 = | area_water_percent = | population_as_of = 2021 | population_footnotes = | population_note = | population_total = 15,086 | population_density_km2 = 266.6 | timezone = PST | utc_offset = −8 | timezone_DST = PDT | utc_offset_DST = −7 | coordinates = | elevation_footnotes = tags-- | elevation_m = 50 | postal_code_type = Forward sortation area | postal_code = V9Z | area_code = | blank_name = Highways | blank_info = 14 | blank1_name = | blank1_info = | website = | footnotes =

Sooke () is a district municipality on the southern tip of Vancouver Island, Canada, 38 km by road from Victoria, the capital of British Columbia. Sooke, the westernmost of Greater Victoria's Western Communities, is to the north and west of the Sooke Basin. It is a regional centre for residents in neighbouring communities, including Otter Point, Shirley and Jordan River.

Geography

Climate

Sooke has a Mediterranean climate, with warm summers and mild winters, defined by the Köppen climate classification as Csb. Although its precipitation is more like dry summer climates, its temperatures resemble oceanic climates as found in Ireland, for example.{{Weather box | width = auto | collapsed = | open = | metric first = y | single line = y | location = Sooke (Park-Isle Marine), elevation: 32 m, 1967-1990 normals and extremes

| Jan mean C = 4.2 | Feb mean C = 5.4 | Mar mean C = 6.6 | Apr mean C = 8.1 | May mean C = 10.5 | Jun mean C = 12.6 | Jul mean C = 14.0 | Aug mean C = 14.3 | Sep mean C = 13.0 | Oct mean C = 9.7 | Nov mean C = 6.6 | Dec mean C = 4.5 | Jan high C = 6.7 | Feb high C = 8.4 | Mar high C = 10.1 | Apr high C = 11.9 | May high C = 14.2 | Jun high C = 16.4 | Jul high C = 18.2 | Aug high C = 18.6 | Sep high C = 17.1 | Oct high C = 13.1 | Nov high C = 9.3 | Dec high C = 6.9

| Jan record high C = 15.1 | Feb record high C = 15.6 | Mar record high C = 16.0 | Apr record high C = 23.6 | May record high C = 28.2 | Jun record high C = 28.3 | Jul record high C = 29.4 | Aug record high C = 29.6 | Sep record high C = 27.2 | Oct record high C = 21.5 | Nov record high C = 21.8 | Dec record high C = 15.9

| Jan low C = 1.6 | Feb low C = 2.4 | Mar low C = 3.0 | Apr low C = 4.3 | May low C = 6.7 | Jun low C = 8.8 | Jul low C = 9.9 | Aug low C = 10.1 | Sep low C = 8.8 | Oct low C = 6.2 | Nov low C = 3.8 | Dec low C = 2.0

| Jan record low C = -10.6 | Feb record low C = -12.5 | Mar record low C = -6.2 | Apr record low C = -2.2 | May record low C = 0.0 | Jun record low C = 3.3 | Jul record low C = 5.0 | Aug record low C = 4.4 | Sep record low C = 1.7 | Oct record low C = -2.8 | Nov record low C = -10.8 | Dec record low C = -13.9

| Jan precipitation mm = 193.1 | Feb precipitation mm = 142.2 | Mar precipitation mm = 108.8 | Apr precipitation mm = 75.6 | May precipitation mm = 44.7 | Jun precipitation mm = 28.6 | Jul precipitation mm = 21.0 | Aug precipitation mm = 26.5 | Sep precipitation mm = 54.8 | Oct precipitation mm = 121.3 | Nov precipitation mm = 213.0 | Dec precipitation mm = 197.2

| Jan snow cm = 11.7 | Feb snow cm = 3.9 | Mar snow cm = 1.6 | Apr snow cm = 0.4 | May snow cm = 0.0 | Jun snow cm = 0.0 | Jul snow cm = 0.0 | Aug snow cm = 0.0 | Sep snow cm = 0.0 | Oct snow cm = 0.0 | Nov snow cm = 3.4 | Dec snow cm = 8.2

| humidity colour = green | Jan humidity = 84 | Feb humidity = 83 | Mar humidity = 81 | Apr humidity = - | May humidity = - | Jun humidity = 82 | Jul humidity = 83 | Aug humidity = - | Sep humidity = - | Oct humidity = 87 | Nov humidity = 86 | Dec humidity = 85 | year humidity = 83

| Jan rain mm = 181.5 | Feb rain mm = 138.4 | Mar rain mm = 107.2 | Apr rain mm = 75.2 | May rain mm = 44.7 | Jun rain mm = 28.6 | Jul rain mm = 21.0 | Aug rain mm = 26.5 | Sep rain mm = 54.8 | Oct rain mm = 121.3 | Nov rain mm = 209.4 | Dec rain mm = 189.0

| unit rain days = 0.2 mm | Jan rain days = 18 | Feb rain days = 16 | Mar rain days = 17 | Apr rain days = 15 | May rain days = 12 | Jun rain days = 9 | Jul rain days = 5 | Aug rain days = 6 | Sep rain days = 10 | Oct rain days = 15 | Nov rain days = 20 | Dec rain days = 20

| unit snow days = 0.2 cm | Jan snow days = 3 | Feb snow days = 1 | Mar snow days = trace | Apr snow days = trace | May snow days = trace | Jun snow days = 0 | Jul snow days = 0 | Aug snow days = 0 | Sep snow days = 0 | Oct snow days = 0 | Nov snow days = trace | Dec snow days = 2

| unit precipitation days = 0.2 mm | Jan precipitation days = 20 | Feb precipitation days = 17 | Mar precipitation days = 17 | Apr precipitation days = 15 | May precipitation days = 12 | Jun precipitation days = 9 | Jul precipitation days = 5 | Aug precipitation days = 6 | Sep precipitation days = 10 | Oct precipitation days = 15 | Nov precipitation days = 21 | Dec precipitation days = 21

| source = NOAA{{cite web | url = http://geodata.lib.ncsu.edu/fedgov/noaa/clino/TABLES/REG_IV/CN/GROUP1/01018642.TXT | title = Sooke (01018642) - National Weather Station | access-date = July 10, 2019 | publisher = NOAA}} | precipitation colour = green|rain colour = green}}

Demographics

In the 2021 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada, 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 56.6 km2, it had a population density of in 2021.

|title = Historical census populations – Sooke |align = none |cols = |percentages = |footnote = Population counts are not adjusted for boundary changes. |source = Statistics Canada | 2001 |8735 | 2006 |9704 | 2011 |11485 | 2016 |13001 | 2021 |15086

Ethnicity

::data[format=table title="[[Panethnicity|Panethnic]] groups in the District of Sooke (2001−2021)"] | Panethnic group | 2021 | 2016 | 2011 | 2006 | 2001 | Pop. | % | Pop. | % | Pop. | % | Pop. | % | Pop. | % | Total responses | 14,975 | 12,895 | 11,355 | 9,690 | 8,715 | Total population | 15,086 | 13,001 | 11,435 | 9,704 | 8,735 | |---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---| | European | 13,135 | | 11,565 | | 10,380 | | 8,850 | | 8,170 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Indigenous | 1,065 | | 865 | | 655 | | 390 | | 315 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | East Asian | 215 | | 190 | | 75 | | 120 | | 85 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Southeast Asian | 190 | | 100 | | 55 | | 50 | | 50 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Latin American | 90 | | 20 | | 40 | | 20 | | 40 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | South Asian | 85 | | 65 | | 70 | | 120 | | 15 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | African | 85 | | 35 | | 80 | | 80 | | 30 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Middle Eastern | 25 | | 10 | | 0 | | 20 | | 10 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Other/Multiracial | 75 | | 45 | | 0 | | 45 | | 10 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Note: Totals greater than 100% due to multiple origin responses | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | ::

Religion

According to the 2021 census, religious groups in Sooke included:

• No religion or secular perspectives: 9,825 persons
• Christianity: 4,755 persons
• Judaism: 70 persons
• Buddhism: 504 persons
• Islam: 10 persons
• Muslim: 50 persons
• Indigenous Spirituality: 20 persons
• Hinduism: 10 persons
• Sikhism: 10 persons

Governance

The District of Sooke was incorporated as a municipality on December 7, 1999. It is one of 13 municipalities within the Capital Regional District and is located in the traditional territories of the T'Sou-ke and Scia'new First Nations.

Municipal

Sooke is governed by a mayor and six councillors, who are elected every four years. The current council was elected on October 15, 2022.

• Mayor: Maja Tait
• Councilor:
  • Jeff Bateman
  • Al Beddows
  • Herb Haldane
  • Megan McMath
  • Kevin Pearson
  • Tony St-Pierre

Dana Lajeunesse, who had served on council since replacing the late Brenda Parkinson following a September, 2019 by-election, was elected to the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia in the 2024 British Columbia general election. His successor on Sooke council, Herb Haldane, was elected in a by-election on July 12, 2025.

Federal

Federally the District is in the riding of Esquimalt-Saanich-Sooke, represented by Stephanie McLean (Liberal) since April 28, 2025.

::data[format=table title="'''Sooke federal election results'''{{cite web |url=https://www.elections.ca/content.aspx?section=res&dir=rep/off/44gedata&document=bypro&lang=e |title=Official Voting Results Raw Data (poll by poll results in Sooke)|publisher=Elections Canada |access-date=March 7, 2023}}"]

Year	Liberal	Conservative	New Democratic	Green	2021	2019
CA	NDP}}			17%	1,256
	15%	1,089		24%	1,728
::

Provincial

Sooke was part of the riding of Langford-Juan de Fuca, represented by the BC NDP's Ravi Parmar. He succeeded John Horgan, the former Premier of British Columbia (2017–2022) who first won the seat in 2009 and retired from politics for health reasons in 2023.

In April 2023, the BC Electoral Boundaries Commission created the new riding of Juan de Fuca-Malahat. It encompasses 44,980 people in Sooke, Port Renfrew, Jordan River, Otter Point, East Sooke, Metchosin, Malahat, Mill Bay and Shawnigan Lake. Its first elected representative, Dana Lajeunesse, won election in a tight race in October, 2024 following a recount.

::data[format=table title="'''Sooke provincial election results'''{{cite web |url=https://catalogue.data.gov.bc.ca/dataset/44914a35-de9a-4830-ac48-870001ef8935 |title=Official Voting Results by polling station (poll by poll results in Sooke)|publisher=Elections BC |access-date=March 7, 2023}}"]

Year	New Democratic	Liberal	Green	2020	2017
BC	NDP}}			70%	3,282
	54%	2,745		25%	1,263
				Conservative
	2024	39%	9,308	38%	9,167
::

Tourism and recreation

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/3c/Sooke_British_Columbia_Canada.jpg" caption="Sooke Harbour"] ::

Well-known destinations in Sooke include Whiffin Spit Park, the Sooke Potholes Regional Park and adjacent Sooke Potholes Provincial Park.

Sooke is home to the Sooke Region Museum.

The area is the base for visiting the wilderness parks of Vancouver Island's southwest coast — the West Coast Trail and the Juan de Fuca Provincial Park, which includes the Juan de Fuca Marine Trail. Beaches near Sooke include Sandcut, French Beach, Fishboat Bay, China Beach, and Mystic Beach.

The Galloping Goose Regional Trail, part of the Trans-Canada Trail, runs through Sooke as far as Leechtown, the former site of a gold-rush town circa 1865. Once a rail line, the Goose is now a popular pedestrian and cycling route connecting Sooke to Victoria.

Arts and culture

The Sooke Fall Fair was first held in 1913 and continues on Labour Day weekends annually at the Sooke Community Hall.

Real estate

In April 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 2022, that number (directly from VREB) increased to $938,000. The average home value as of July 1, 2022 as determined by BC Assessment was $831,000.

Education

Sooke is a part of the School District 62 Sooke. There is one high school, Edward Milne Community School, 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 had purchased land to build the future Sunriver 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 and Camosun College's Interurban campus. The non-profit Sooke Region Lifelong Learning offers a diverse set of educational programs and workshops both virtually and at the Sooke library.

Notable residents

• Canadian poet, novelist and playwright Marilyn Bowering lives in the Sooke region.
• Rebecca Collard, journalist and broadcaster (CBC, BBC, New York Times, TIME, Rolling Stone), was raised in Sooke.
• Adam Dobres, guitarist, songwriter and touring member of The Wailin' Jennies and the Ruth Moody band, was born and raised in Sooke.
• Phoebe Dunbar, 2012 recipient of the Governor General of Canada Sovereign's Medal for Volunteers.
• Sara Fowler, 2015 recipient of the Governor General of Canada's Caring Canadian Award.
• Kingsley Jones, head coach of the Canadian men's national rugby team.
• Darrel J. McLeod, Governor General's Award-winning author, lives in the Sooke region.
• Wendy Morton, poet and 2017 recipient of the Order of British Columbia, lives in the Sooke region.
• Bryce Soderberg, bassist and vocalist for American rock band Lifehouse.
• Nicola Temple, co-author of Sorting the Beef from the Bull: The Science of Food Fraud Forensics, spent her teenage and young adult years in Sooke.
• J. Lee Thompson (1914–2002), British film producer and director (Cape Fear, The Guns of Navarone)
• Kevin Wenstob, Canadian logger and subject of the reality TV series Big Timber.

Notes

References

References

1. "British Columbia Regional Districts, Municipalities, Corporate Name, Date of Incorporation and Postal Address". British Columbia Ministry of Communities, Sport and Cultural Development.
2. {{SCref. (2021)
3. "Sooke, British Columbia Köppen Climate Classification (Weatherbase)".
4. Government of Canada, Statistics Canada. (2021-10-27). "Census Profile, 2016 Census".
5. Government of Canada, Statistics Canada. (2015-11-27). "NHS Profile".
6. Government of Canada, Statistics Canada. (2019-08-20). "2006 Community Profiles".
7. Government of Canada, Statistics Canada. (2019-07-02). "2001 Community Profiles".
8. "2022 Local Government Election: Official Election Results".
9. "Mayor Maja Tait".
10. "DETERMINATION OF OFFICIAL ELECTION RESULTS LOCAL BY-ELECTION – 2025".
11. "Official Voting Results Raw Data (poll by poll results in Sooke)". Elections Canada.
12. "Official Voting Results by polling station (poll by poll results in Sooke)". Elections BC.
13. (April 14, 2022). "Sooke at low end of high home prices". Victoria Real Estate Board.
14. (July 4, 2022). "Victoria's hot housing market levels off, supply still important for long-term attainability". VREB.

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