Since 2016, the Sooke Region Communities Health Network (SRCHN) has worked with community partners to expand services relating to health and well-being in the Sooke region.   

In 2022, SRCHN renewed efforts to establish a Community Health 

Centre/Urgent and Primary Care Centre, which would provide longitudinal care, as well as providing access to urgent care, for the broader Sooke region, including indigenous people living on or off the traditional territories of the T’Sou-ke, SCIA’NEW and Pacheedaht Nations. 

The West Coast Family Medical Clinic (WCFMC) is partnering with SRCHN in developing this CHC/UPCC, as is the District of Sooke, which owns Lot A, where the Sooke Region CHC/UPCC is expected to be. SRCHN’s vision is to build upon the existing practice of the West Coast Family Medical Clinic so that the CHC/UPCC will provide comprehensive, person-family-and community centred, culturally-safe and team-based health care. 

Ministry approval and oversight - SRCH submitted an Expression of 

Interest and then a full proposal to the Ministry of Health which was approved in March 2023 when Minister Dix announced funding towards the development of the community health centre in Sooke.

A Steering Committee was then formed with the Ministry of Health, Island Health and SRCHN to oversee this process. In addition, SRCHN meets weekly with Island Health and monthly with the Ministry and its Working Groups. 

Working on the Service Delivery Plan

Since March 2023, SRCHN has been working with the Ministry of Health and Island Health to finalize the service delivery plan. We at SRCHN remain excited about the project, though some steps are taking longer than we envisaged.  Since March 2023, planning the capital build has continued with the Ministry, Island Health and the District of Sooke. SRCH has been speaking with potential partners who may wish to co-locate with the CHC/UPCC, consistent with its health mandate.  These may include diagnostic imagining, medical laboratory services, and other health services.​

The Ministry of Health is committed to funding the lease and leasehold improvements required for the CHC/UPCC. 

The Ministry is also funding SRCHN’s Project Director to help move the project forward. The Project Director started in December 2023.

Finding a new developer - As owner of lot A, the District of Sooke is now exploring options for a developer to do the build on the south-east quadrant of Lot A. The Standing Committee on Community Health Care to assist the District in this work has met several times and will be moving forward to begin a Request for Information/Request for Proposal process to select a developer. 

SRCHN is working with the Standing Committee and continuing to work with West Coast Family Medical Clinic, and other partners and stakeholders, towards the establishment of the Sooke Region CHC/UPCC.​

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Updates will be provided periodically by SRCHN’s CHC/UPCC development team:  Annemieke Holthuis, President, SRCHN; Mary Dunn, Vice-President, and Rick Robinson, Director.