Thank you to the more than 2,000 people who voted in Sooke’s July 12 byelection. While I came just 24 votes short, I’m proud of the respectful, hopeful campaign we ran, focused on protecting what’s special about Sooke and planning carefully for the future.
I’m still committed to community-led planning and to following through on the shared direction we’ve built together over years of public input. That includes the official community plan, the transportation master plan, and the climate action plan.
That’s why I was disappointed to hear Mr. Haldane say my campaign and supporters were trying to drag Sooke “into the dark ages” by making growth too expensive. That kind of comment isn’t just untrue – it falls short of the respectful, constructive conversation our community expects.
Asking developers to help pay for sidewalks, parks, and infrastructure isn’t extreme, it’s how we make sure growth benefits everyone. If developers don’t contribute, the cost falls to the rest of us, or the work doesn’t get done.
Growth is already happening in Sooke. The question is how we grow and who benefits. Good planning means making sure development reflects our values, protects what we love, and helps build a strong, connected community for all of us.
Sooke council doesn’t belong to any one person – it’s a team of seven. Now is the time for respectful, collaborative leadership that follows through on the work our community has already done. That’s what I ran on, and it’s what I’ll continue to stand for.
See you in 2026.
Helen Ritts
Sooke
