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 desi ...

on the southern tip of

Vancouver Island Vancouver Island is an island in the northeastern Pacific Ocean and part of the Canadian province of British Columbia. The island is in length, in width at its widest point, and in total area, while are of land. The island is the largest ...

, Canada, by road from Victoria, the capital of

British Columbia British Columbia is the westernmost Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada. Situated in the Pacific Northwest between the Pacific Ocean and the Rocky Mountains, the province has a diverse geography, with rugged landscapes that ...

. 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) on V ...

'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 The Jordan River or River Jordan (, ''Nahr al-ʾUrdunn''; , ''Nəhar hayYardēn''), also known as ''Nahr Al-Sharieat'' (), is a endorheic river in the Levant that flows roughly north to south through the Sea of Galilee and drains to the Dead ...

Geography

Climate

Sooke has a

Mediterranean climate A Mediterranean climate ( ), also called a dry summer climate, described by Köppen and Trewartha as ''Cs'', is a temperate climate type that occurs in the lower mid-latitudes (normally 30 to 44 north and south latitude). Such climates typic ...

, with warm summers and mild winters, defined by the

Köppen climate classification The Köppen climate classification divides Earth climates into five main climate groups, with each group being divided based on patterns of seasonal precipitation and temperature. The five main groups are ''A'' (tropical), ''B'' (arid), ''C'' (te ...

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 or maritime climate, is the temperate climate sub-type in Köppen climate classification, Köppen classification represented as ''Cfb'', typical of west coasts in higher middle latitudes of co ...

s as found in

Ireland Ireland (, ; ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe. Geopolitically, the island is divided between the Republic of Ireland (officially Names of the Irish state, named Irelan ...

, for example.

Demographics

In the

2021 Census of Population The 2021 Canadian census was a detailed enumeration of the Canadian population with a reference date of May 11, 2021. It follows the 2016 Canadian census, which recorded a population of 35,151,728. The overall response rate was 98%, which is sli ...

conducted by

Statistics Canada Statistics Canada (StatCan; ), 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 culture. It is headquartered in ...

, 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: * No religion or secular perspectives: 9,825 persons *

Christianity Christianity is an Abrahamic monotheistic religion, which states that Jesus in Christianity, Jesus is the Son of God (Christianity), Son of God and Resurrection of Jesus, rose from the dead after his Crucifixion of Jesus, crucifixion, whose ...

: 4,755 persons *

Judaism Judaism () is an Abrahamic religions, Abrahamic, Monotheism, monotheistic, ethnic religion that comprises the collective spiritual, cultural, and legal traditions of the Jews, Jewish people. Religious Jews regard Judaism as their means of o ...

: 70 persons *

Buddhism Buddhism, also known as Buddhadharma and Dharmavinaya, is an Indian religion and List of philosophies, philosophical tradition based on Pre-sectarian Buddhism, teachings attributed to the Buddha, a wandering teacher who lived in the 6th or ...

: 504 persons *

Islam Islam is an Abrahamic religions, Abrahamic monotheistic religion based on the Quran, and the teachings of Muhammad. Adherents of Islam are called Muslims, who are estimated to number Islam by country, 2 billion worldwide and are the world ...

: 10 persons *

Muslim Muslims () are people who adhere to Islam, a Monotheism, monotheistic religion belonging to the Abrahamic religions, Abrahamic tradition. They consider the Quran, the foundational religious text of Islam, to be the verbatim word of the God ...

: 50 persons * Indigenous Spirituality: 20 persons *

Hinduism Hinduism () is an Hypernymy and hyponymy, umbrella term for a range of Indian religions, Indian List of religions and spiritual traditions#Indian religions, religious and spiritual traditions (Sampradaya, ''sampradaya''s) that are unified ...

: 10 persons *

Sikhism Sikhism is an Indian religion and Indian philosophy, philosophy that originated in the Punjab region of the Indian subcontinent around the end of the 15th century CE. It is one of the most recently founded major religious groups, major religio ...

: 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 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 ...

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 ** 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 The Legislative Assembly of British Columbia () is the deliberative assembly of the Legislature of British Columbia, in the province of British Columbia, Canada. The other component of the Legislature is the lieutenant governor of British Columbi ...

in the

2024 British Columbia general election The 2024 British Columbia general election was held on October 19, 2024, to elect 93 members (MLAs) of the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia, Legislative Assembly to serve in the 43rd parliament of the Provinces and territories of Cana ...

. His successor on Sooke council will be determined following a by-election in 2025.

Federal

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

Provincial

Sooke was part of the riding of Langford-Juan de Fuca, represented by the

BC NDP The New Democratic Party of British Columbia (BC NDP) is a social democratic political party in British Columbia, Canada. The party sits on the centre-left of the political spectrum and is one of the two major parties in British Columbia; since ...

's Ravi Parmar. He succeeded

John Horgan John Joseph Horgan (August 7, 1959 – November 12, 2024) was a Canadian politician and diplomat who served as the 36th premier of British Columbia from 2017 to 2022 and the ambassador of Canada to Germany from 2023 to 2024. He led the Briti ...

, 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.

Tourism and recreation

Well-known destinations in Sooke include 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 Co ...

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

's southwest coast — the

West Coast Trail The West Coast Trail, originally called the Dominion Lifesaving Trail, is a Backpacking (wilderness), backpacking trail following the southwestern edge of Vancouver Island in British Columbia, Canada. It was built in 1907 to facilitate the resc ...

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 wa
$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 th
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, Canada. The university is located at Hatley Park National Historic Site on Vancouver Island and is the succ ...

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 full-time equivalent enrollment of 4,946 students in 2022/23. Camosun College also provides co ...

's Interurban campus. The non-profi
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 Ruth Moody is a Canadian soprano singer-songwriter and member of the folk trio the Wailin' Jennys. Moody was born in Australia and grew up in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, with her parents Charles and Marcelline, older brother Richard (The Bills) ...

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 Bryce Dane Soderberg (born April 10, 1980) is a Canadian 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 Victoria ...

, 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 John Lee Thompson (1 August 1914 – 30 August 2002) was an English film director, screenwriter and producer. Initially an exponent of social realism, he became known as a versatile and prolific director of thrillers, action, and adventure fil ...

(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

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