Putting Sooke’s Property Taxes Into Perspective

Since 2026, the average annual increase in total residential property taxes for the average home in Sooke has been approximately:

6.25% per year

Year-over-year changes have varied:

• 2026: 10.5%
• 2025: 15.29%
• 2024: 10.53%
• 2023: 6.99%
• 2022: 6.09%
• 2021: 3.31%
• 2020: 0.0%
• 2019: 7.18%
• 2018: 2.79%
• 2017: 5.58%
• 2016: 0.58%

While recent years have been higher than the 10-year average, tax changes over time have fluctuated based on service levels, infrastructure needs, population growth, and external cost pressures.

Percentage increases are often used as headlines. However, the revenue generated by a 1% tax increase depends on the size of a municipality’s tax base.

In Sooke:

• A 1% municipal tax increase generates approximately $144,000 in revenue.

In a larger municipality:

• A 1% municipal tax increase commonly generates approximately $500,000+.

While the percentage may be the same, the amount of revenue generated is significantly different.

At the same time, many municipal service costs — such as road repairs, infrastructure maintenance, emergency services, and staffing — are not proportionally lower in smaller communities. Filling a pothole, replacing a fire truck, or maintaining infrastructure costs similar amounts regardless of municipal size.

This means smaller municipalities must sometimes apply a higher percentage increase to generate the same dollar amount needed to fund services.

Recent increases reflect structural changes in Sooke’s cost environment, including:

• continued population growth;
• expanded service levels, including 24/7 emergency response;
• increased policing resources and policing cost-sharing responsibilities;
• additional infrastructure to operate, maintain, and renew, including roads, parks, trails, facilities, and underground infrastructure;
• new E-Comm 9-1-1 emergency communications costs; and
• ongoing investment in asset management.

These changes represent ongoing service and cost obligations rather than short-term adjustments.

Sooke's population has grown significantly over the past decade. As population increases, so does demand for:

• protective services;
• transportation infrastructure;
• parks, trails, and outdoor recreation;
• planning, development, and bylaw enforcement services; and
• asset maintenance and replacement.

Population growth also changes the District’s service responsibilities. After surpassing 15,000 residents, Sooke became responsible for a larger share of eligible policing costs, moving from 70% to 90% under the RCMP municipal policing cost-sharing model. At the same time, the community has been building more consistent emergency response capacity, including 24/7 fire response.

As the community grows, service levels and infrastructure responsibilities expand accordingly. Recent investments have supported more consistent emergency response, increased policing capacity, and long-term planning for the maintenance and renewal of roads, underground infrastructure, facilities, and other public assets.

Policing costs are set under senior government policy.

Under the RCMP municipal policing cost-sharing model:

• municipalities with populations between 5,000 and 14,999 are responsible for 70% of eligible policing costs; and
• municipalities with populations of 15,000 or greater are responsible for 90% of eligible policing costs.

After Sooke surpassed 15,000 residents, the District became responsible for 90% of eligible policing costs, compared to 70% previously. This represents a structural increase in annual municipal policing costs.

E-Comm provides emergency call answering and dispatch services.

The introduction of E-Comm 9-1-1 service added a municipal operating cost that was previously borne by the Province. This new cost pressure is now part of the District’s annual budget and must be funded through property taxation.

The Province of B.C. publishes annual data on taxes and charges for a representative house in each municipality. The most recent provincial comparative data available is from 2025.

While there is no exact apples-to-apples comparison between municipalities, this data can offer helpful perspective on the cost of delivering municipal services. Each community has different service levels, infrastructure needs, assessment values, geography, population, and cost-sharing responsibilities.

For example, because Sooke has surpassed 15,000 residents, the District is now responsible for 90% of eligible policing costs. By comparison, municipalities with populations between 5,000 and 14,999 are responsible for 70% of eligible policing costs under the RCMP municipal policing cost-sharing model.

For a clearer comparison of municipal taxation, the table below shows the general municipal portion only for all 13 Capital Regional District municipalities. This is the portion set by each municipality to fund local services such as roads, parks, planning, bylaw enforcement, fire services, policing contributions, infrastructure, and general operations.

This comparison is based on the Province’s “representative house” dataset and is intended to provide general regional context. Individual property tax notices vary based on assessed value, property class, parcel taxes, user fees, grants, and other property-specific factors.

Data source: Province of B.C., Municipal tax rates and tax burden, Schedule 704: Taxes & Charges on a Representative House, 2025.

Recent increases reflect structural cost changes, including expanded emergency response service levels, growth-related infrastructure needs, higher policing cost-sharing after exceeding 15,000 residents, E-Comm 9-1-1 emergency communications costs, and ongoing asset management needs.

Not necessarily. Tax rates are set through the municipal budgeting process. However, when an individual property’s assessment changes differently than the average, this can affect the dollar amount paid by that property.

The District sets and retains only the municipal portion of the property tax bill.

Property tax notices also include amounts collected for other taxing authorities, including the Province/school tax, Capital Regional District, Regional Hospital District, B.C. Assessment, B.C. Transit, Vancouver Island Regional Library, and Municipal Finance Authority.

Including these amounts on one property tax notice allows property owners to receive and pay one bill rather than managing separate notices and payments for each authority. The District collects these amounts and remits them to the appropriate organizations.

As population increases, demand for municipal services and infrastructure also grows. This includes policing, fire protection, roads, parks, planning, bylaw enforcement, and asset maintenance.

In Sooke’s case, population growth has also triggered a structural change in policing costs. After exceeding 15,000 residents, the District transitioned from paying 70% of eligible RCMP policing costs to 90%.

It is important to note that residential growth does not typically pay for itself through property taxes alone. New neighbourhoods require ongoing service delivery and long-term infrastructure maintenance.

Sooke’s current tax base is composed primarily of residential properties. A higher proportion of commercial and industrial assessment can help broaden the tax base and generate additional revenue without placing the full burden on residential properties. Expanding the commercial and employment base presents long-term opportunities to strengthen the District’s financial capacity.