Thank you. Every single person who signed, shared, or mentioned this to a neighbour. More than 4,000 people have put their name on this and that matters more than you might think. Change in small towns is slow and sometimes it feels like shouting into the wind. But we are making headway, as slow and agonizing as it is. Keep pushing.
IT IS NOW OFFICIALLY ON THE RECORD
On May 19, 2026, the District of Sooke presented its Climate Adaptation and Natural Hazard Risk Assessment to council's Committee of the Whole. Kevin Laird covered it for the Sooke News Mirror the following morning.
The finding is clear. Highway 14 is Sooke's main connection to Victoria and a single closure could isolate us entirely. Not inconvenience us. Isolate us.
One road in. One road out. For a community growing fast for over a decade. This report is the first time those concerns have been formally confirmed at an official level. That matters.
WHAT THE REPORT FOUND
Disasters are not just about the storm or the earthquake or the wildfire. They are shaped by the conditions already in place when those things happen. In Sooke, those conditions include rapid growth, near-total dependence on one corridor, and real pressure on people already stretched thin.
Highway 14 is simultaneously the commuter route, the emergency access route, the evacuation route, and the supply route. That is a single point of failure for an entire growing community.
The report specifically identifies seniors, low-income residents, and people with disabilities as facing disproportionate impacts when emergencies hit.
Identified hazards include earthquakes, tsunamis, wildfires, extreme weather, sea-level rise, coastal flooding, landslides, and extreme heat. Every one of those scenarios runs through Highway 14.
THE BIGGER PICTURE
Highway 14 is a provincial responsibility. The cost of addressing it cannot fall on Sooke taxpayers alone. Yet residents continue to see patchwork improvements while the long-term problem stays unresolved.
The upcoming Idlemore intersection project includes a new signalized intersection, resurfacing, sidewalks, shoulder widening, and transit upgrades starting June 2026. Safety improvements are welcome. But residents are reasonably asking whether this solves the broader problem or moves the pressure somewhere else. Concerns have been raised about permanent access changes near Edward Milne Road and Sooke River Road affecting trucks, buses, trailers, school traffic, and local drivers.
Temporary construction is one thing. Permanent decisions about how this community moves are another. Sooke does not just need the next intersection. It needs a provincial plan for the whole road.
There are conversations happening right now about what it feels like when higher levels of government hears your concerns and moves on. Small BC communities know that feeling well. We are not asking for the moon. We are asking for a road that works.
A TEAM THAT IS LISTENING
Councillor Kevin Pearson has announced his run for Mayor in the October 2026 election under the Sooke First banner, alongside council candidates Herb Haldane, Christine Thomas, Elliott Lifton, Curtis Peterec, Janet Evans, and Rob Pearce.
Pearson has responded directly to this petition:
"We have in hand the voice of 4,000 people who have an expectation that they improve traffic congestion and we are not tone deaf. It is a platform priority."
This petition has never been about one candidate or one election. It is about keeping Highway 14 visible until it gets the sustained attention it deserves, from the Province of BC, from council, and from whoever holds office at any level.
PLEASE KEEP GOING
The risks are formally documented. The vulnerability is officially on the record. We are just still waiting for our road to be fixed.
Please keep sharing with neighbours, commuters, business owners, tradespeople, families, and anyone who depends on Highway 14 to get where they need to go.
We are all connected by 14.
SOURCES AND FURTHER READING
-> Sooke News Mirror, May 20, 2026 https://sookenewsmirror.com/2026/05/20/sooke-risk-report-warns-of-highway-14-vulnerability/
-> Related video - Committee of the whole May 19, 2026 receives report https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rZ1ULBgldoU
-> Sooke First campaign announcement https://sookenewsmirror.com/2026/05/07/pearson-launches-mayoral-bid-with-sooke-first-team/
-> Sooke First https://sookefirst.ca
-> Kevin Pearson's campaign https://electkevinpearson.ca
-> Community Road Conversations: https://www.facebook.com/Sooketown
At the time of this posting, the full Climate Adaptation and Natural Hazard Risk Assessment report does not yet appear to be publicly available online.