Municipal and Regional District Tax (MRDT) Tourism Advisory Committee

The Municipal and Regional District Tax (MRDT) Tourism Advisory Committee is an advisory committee of Council that provides recommendations on how Sooke can support and strengthen its local tourism sector through destination marketing, visitor promotion, and strategic tourism planning.

The committee focuses on initiatives connected to Sooke’s MRDT program, including the Five-Year Strategic MRDT Business Plan and annual MRDT Tactical Plans. Its work supports tourism marketing and management activities that promote visitation, enhance visitor experiences, and contribute to local economic growth.

The committee brings together representatives from the tourism sector, accommodation providers, visitor services, Indigenous communities, regional tourism organizations, the local business community, youth, and Council. Members provide insight on the evolving needs of visitors and the tourism industry, and help ensure annual plans reflect opportunities that benefit Sooke’s tourism economy.

As an advisory body, the committee reviews tourism-related plans, budgets, reports, and submissions, including annual MRDT reporting and planning requirements before they are submitted to Destination BC. The committee may make recommendations to Council for consideration; Council approval is required before recommendations are acted on, including those involving external communications, financial commitments, or District resources.

The committee meets at least four times per year, with additional meetings held as needed to review tourism initiatives, budgets, reporting requirements, and tactical planning.

APPLICATION INTAKE CLOSED. Committee forming September 2026.

Learn More About the Committee’s Work

What the Committee Does

The MRDT Tourism Advisory Committee monitors, evaluates, advises, and makes recommendations to Council on policies and strategic initiatives related to marketing and promoting Sooke’s tourism sector.

The committee’s mandate includes considering and providing recommendations related to:

Implementation of Sooke’s Municipal and Regional District Tax Program (MRDT)
The 2026 Five-Year Strategic MRDT Business Plan
Annual MRDT Tactical Plans, budgets, and reports
Tourism marketing and destination promotion initiatives
Opportunities to increase visitation and support tourism-related economic growth
Visitor needs, experiences, and service improvements
Tourism sector feedback from accommodation providers, visitor services, experience providers, and other tourism interest holders
Annual planning and reporting requirements prescribed by the Ministry of Finance and Destination BC
Strategic and tactical tourism planning that supports Sooke’s local tourism economy
Recommendations to Council on tourism-related policies, plans, reports, and initiatives
Any matters referred by Council or the staff liaison

Meeting Schedule

The committee meets at least four times per year to receive updates on tourism marketing initiatives and to review MRDT-related budgets, reporting requirements, and tactical planning.

Additional meetings may be held at the call of the Committee Chair or at the request of any two committee members.

Please refer to the District’s Meeting Management Portal to view agendas and minutes, and to subscribe for meeting notifications.

Membership

The MRDT Tourism Advisory Committee includes representatives from Sooke’s tourism sector, accommodation providers, visitor services, Indigenous communities, regional tourism organizations, the local business community, youth, and Council.

The committee includes a minimum of 8 and a maximum of 13 voting members, with representation from:

Local tourism sector representatives, including accommodation providers, arts and culture providers, biking, agri-tourism or culinary experiences, and outdoor adventure tourism
Indigenous community representatives
CRD regional tourism destination management service provider
Local visitor service providers, including the Sooke Region Museum & Visitor Information Centre and Sooke Tourism Association
Local business association representative
One youth member aged 15 to 24
One District of Sooke Councillor appointed by Council

Applications are open until Thursday, July 9, 2026.

Additional Resources

The MRDT Tourism Advisory Committee is guided by its Terms of Reference, which outline the committee’s purpose, membership, meeting procedures, and reporting relationship with Council.

Residents, tourism partners, and accommodation providers can also learn more about the Municipal and Regional District Tax Program through Destination BC, including how MRDT funding supports tourism marketing, destination development, visitor services, and eligible community initiatives.

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