Sooke Region CHC/UPCC
Update on Efforts to Establish a Community Health Centre for the Sooke Region
Summer 2025
Since 2003, SRCHN and its predecessor organizations (the Sooke Co-operative Association of Service Agencies (CASA)) and the grassroots Sooke Region Community Health Initiative (CHI)), have been working to bring more health care services, including mental health services, to the Sooke Region. Following 2022 proposals from SRCHN and its partners (West Coast Family Medical Clincic (WCFMC) and the South Island Division of Family Practice), former BC Minister of Health Adrian Dix announced in March 2023 that a Community Health Centre, with an Urgent and Primary Care Centre would be established in Sooke to serve the Sooke Region.
Since the 2023 announcement, SRCHN’s CHC-UPCC Project Team has been working with its partners, including WCFMC, the Ministry of Health and Island Health to finalize the service delivery plan, including the composition of staff needed to address the number of patients without a primary care provider and the health services to be funded. However, Ministry of Health support does not extend to capital funding for the CHC-UPCC.
The CHC-UPCC is intended to be built on Wadams Way, across from the library on the south-east corner of Lot A. SRCHN has been working on the capital build of the CHC-UPCC with the District of Sooke, and another provincial program, BC Builds, that addresses housing for the “missing middle”. The BC Builds Land Opportunity was issued on April 26, 2024, and the BC Builds process begun.
However, the September 2024 provincial election and the subsequent 2025 provincial budget process have effectively paused the CHC-UPCC process. SRCHN awaits further formal announcements from the province.
Update on the Sooke Region Community Health
and Urgent and Primary Care Centre (CHC-UPCC)
On April 29, 2024, the Government of BC announced the next phase of the BC Builds program. Lot A on Wadams Way in Sooke is one of the sites chosen and is the intended location for the Sooke Region CHC-UPCC.
For the news release, see https://news.bchousing.org/bc-builds-adds-more-sites-to-fast-track-housing-for-
people-with-middle-incomes/
As Maja Tait, mayor of Sooke, stated: "This marks another milestone in our journey toward realizing an integrated health centre for Sooke, where homes and essential services converge to meet the needs of our growing community. Together, we're forging a path toward a stronger, more inclusive future, ensuring vital services are within reach, right here at home."
An information session will be held on May 9, 2024 at 10:30 am for interested developers. The BC Builds initial submissions are due July 25, 2024.
Further information, including the property notice opportunity can be found here: https://www.bcbuildshomes.ca/developers and then search the Sooke location.
An important step towards the Sooke Region CHC-UPCC!
Sooke Region CHC/UPCC
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.
Updates will be provided periodically by SRCHN’s CHC/UPCC development team: Annemieke Holthuis, President, SRCHN; Mary Dunn, Vice-President, and Rick Robinson, Director.
New integrated health-care centre coming to Sooke
People living in Sooke and the surrounding area will benefit from a new integrated health-care centre offering team-based services in the heart of Sooke village.
This new integrated health-care facility will connect people in the community to a range of health-care services, including primary care, urgent care and community health services all under one roof,” said Adrian Dix, Minister of Health. “Integrating physicians into a community-based primary-care model means more time for patients, more patients accessing health-care services and less administrative burden for practitioners. This is part of our continuing work to build increased and improved access to primary health care for people in Sooke.
