Update on Sooke Traffic Petition Thursday, September 25, 2025

Shocking Press Release - a Must Read!

We appreciate that Sooke Councillors Haldane and Pearson are raising important points, see press release below.

We all know almost anything can be fixed if you throw enough money at it. But is the $50 to $75 million “fix” Sooke Council is suggesting really the answer for Sooke’s local traffic, which the Province says is adding to Highway 14 congestion (that affects not only Sooke, but also Langford, Colwood, and everyone travelling to the west coast)?

The NDP Government has already said that Sooke needs to do its own work before the Province will commit to further improvements. That leaves us asking: how much is fair for Sooke residents to financially shoulder?

Highway 14 is a regional lifeline, not just a local road, and the Province’s stance puts more weight on Sooke to take the lead even though the impacts stretch across the South Island.

Perhaps if the BC Government committed to fixing Highway 14 in partnership with Sooke Council to relieve regional congestion, residents could reasonably take on part of the cost for a local connector within Sooke.

On top of that, Sooke Council wants residents to vote in a referendum at the next election, more than a year away. That means more delays, more uncertainty, more traffic and no guarantee the Province will step in to improve the rest of Highway 14.

With such a hefty price tag, the vote will likely fail and if it does, we are back to square one, still stuck in traffic with no solution.

Please share this petition. The more voices we have, the clearer it becomes that we need cooperation between all levels of government and solutions that don't put an unfair financial burden on the residents of one small community, or years long delays. 

• Link to the Council Meeting about the roadwork costs inside Sooke and the year-away Sooke Voter referendum: https://www.youtube.com/live/wT1NdiBtrfM?si=C2K9PPEEpxlFmC1B 

Here is a link for some historical context, interesting read:  https://islandsocialtrends.ca/throup-in-sooke-small-road-big-politics/?utm_source=chatgpt.com

Fair warning: the press release below is long, but worth the read.

Councillor Haldane warns that the current “gold-plated” plan risks locking taxpayers into decades of costs without offering a practical interim option.

NEWS RELEASE

For Immediate Release
September 19, 2025

HALDANE AND PEARSON QUESTION $50 MILLION “GOLD-PLATED” PLAN FOR THROUP ROAD CONNECTOR

Councillor Pearson cautions that the connector feels like a Cadillac plan with no affordable alternative on the table.

Sooke councillor says gold-plated $50M municipal Sooke Road bypass project has too many bells and whistles, and could stick Sooke taxpayers with $75M in ballooned costs
Road building on the south Island has reached such expansive proportions, that a short bypass in Sooke connecting two ends of Throup Road is currently budgeted at a head-turning price tag of $50 million. But that, newly elected Sooke councillor Herb Haldene says, is due to scope creep and the District’s desire to immediately pay for an “ultimate” build-out for a road that should only be paid for by taxpayers to an “interim” status. An interim design would get traffic flowing quicker with a shorter construction window and at lower expense, then leave additional perks and beautification elements for developers to pay for as they develop property along the new road’s frontage. Furthermore, Haldane says there is nothing stopping the project from ballooning well over budget to $75 million, as private properties along the new route have yet to be secured by the District of Sooke.

More from Sooke councillor Herb Haldane via press release:

At the September 8, 2025 Sooke Council meeting, by approving a funding application for $7 million to the Union of BC Municipalities Strategic Priorities Fund, Council also committed to supporting the Throup Road and Phillips Road Connector Active Transportation Corridor Project. The Motion confirmed that the project will be tender-ready in 2026 at a total cost of nearly $50 million, with Council committing to cover the remaining $43 million, including any cost overruns.
Councillor Herb Haldane raised concerns about both the scope and the financial implications of the motion.
“The Local Government Act doesn’t allow us to tie the hands of future councils,” said Haldane.
“Committing to cover cost overruns of an open-ended $50 million project is not something I can support. By the time all contingencies are factored in, this could balloon to $75 million. Taxpayers deserve clear and honest information before we sign them up for decades of financial burden.”
Haldane also noted that he promised residents he would advocate for a practical, affordable approach to the Throup Road Connector, with both interim and ultimate plans.
“Right now, Sooke Council and staff are offering only one alternative, and it’s the most expensive one,” he continued. “A Plan B should have been on the table, such as pushing through the portion of Throup Road that would at least get traffic flowing and provide safe access from Sun River into Sooke. We need an interim option that gets results for the community now, with possible developments along the corridor helping to fund the ultimate plan through future growth. Instead, we’re locking ourselves into a gold-plated version with no backup.”
Councillor Kevin Pearson also expressed concern over the project’s scale and affordability.
“It sounds like a Cadillac version, with no option A or option B, just this one very expensive choice,” said Pearson. “It’s hard for me to look past the price tag and at some point, there’s going to be a breaking point. I’d like to see an alternate plan, something more affordable, but right now that’s not on the table.”
The current approach risks creating a significant problem for the community if taxpayers cannot afford to carry the cost. Pearson emphasized his support for applying for grants but made clear the price tag is the real challenge.
“There’s no risk in applying for grants. The risk is in the overall cost,” he added. “We all know this infrastructure is needed, but the question is how are we going to pay for it?”

Both councillors stressed that while securing external funding is important, the community must be given more than one option and full transparency about the tax implications of the project.
They also pointed out that residents will ultimately vote on the Throup Road Connector through a referendum at the ballot box in 2026. With Council rushing this motion through to meet a grant funding deadline, and without an interim option alongside an ultimate plan, residents may be left with no real choice. If this single elite proposal fails, the community will remain stuck in traffic limbo.

In view of this, I have requested that Sooke staff provide the following:

1. Provide a memorandum summarizing and outlining the conceptual plans on the Throup Road Connector prepared by Civil Engineers 2004 and 2025;
2. Obtain and present to Council a Class “C” cost estimate, or if not feasible, at minimum a Class “D” cost estimate, based on the works identified in McElhanney’s 2025 plan;
3. Provide a written update regarding any and all lands required for the Throup Road Right-of-Way, including an assessment of potential increased costs that may be incurred due to the acquisitions needed for the Right-of-Way; and
4. Report on whether staff has considered the development of an “Interim” and “Ultimate” budget and plan for the Throup Road Connector.
The Interim plan focused on ensuring the connector can be safely used for traffic in the near term, and the Ultimate plan identifying the full build-out works required, whether funded directly by the District of Sooke or through development contributions along the corridor.
Once staff provide this information, I will bring forward a motion to Council for its consideration.