No, the Sooke Gathering Place planned project consists of 75 affordable rental apartments as well as a seniors’ drop-in centre that will include programming for youth. The CHC-UPCC is a separate project. Both projects are planned for separate portions of District of Sooke owned lot “A” on Wadams Way. The planning for both projects was part of the 2019 District of Sooke’s Community Charette for what would be situated on lot “A”. 

Initial plans, as well as a development permit from the District of Sooke, are in place. SRCHN is waiting for the next funding call from BC Housing. There will be a competitive provincial process for funding. As well, SRCHN is expected to pay costs for the Activity Centre/seniors’ drop-in centre portion of the capital build. 

SRCHN is raising capital funds to cover the cost of the centre, as BC Housing does not fund seniors’ drop-in centres. Please check with the SRCHN website for funding updates. 

Through grants, memberships, and event rentals.

Community Health Centres in the province provide comprehensive, team based, trauma-informed longitudinal primary care, with teams that include physicians, nurse practitioners, nurses, mental health professionals, social workers, dieticians and other supports to address the social determinants of health.  Urgent and Primary Care Centres in the province provide urgent access to 

primary health care.  

The Sooke Region CHC-UPCC would combine aspects of a community health centre and an urgent and primary care centre for the residents of the Sooke Region from East Sooke to Port Renfrew. 

The CHC-UPCC would be governed by SRCHN’s community-based Board and administered by an Executive Director with health care-related experience.

Approval for the project was announced in March 2023 by the Health Minister, Adrian Dix, and our MLA, John Horgan. Since then, SRCHN has been in negotiations with the Ministry of Health and Island Health regarding the service delivery model and the size of the new health centre. A committee of the Ministry, Island Health and SRCHN are overseeing the implementation of the CHC-UPCC project. 

The Ministry of Health only funds the building related costs for the leasehold improvements for a health facility of this type. BC Builds, a provincial program that is focused on mixed residential housing for the “missing middle” and offers significant financial incentives for developers to build rental housing. In this case, the BC Builds opportunity would include the health centre on its lower floor. The District of Sooke is working with BC Builds to advance this project. 

Since its early stages, SRCHN has been working in collaboration with West Coast Family Medical Clinic in the planning for the new health centre. We expect to be able to incorporate the services they currently provide, as well as additional primary health care, mental health and other allied health supports, in the new health clinic. 

Once the Ministry approves the Service Delivery Plan and the BC Builds process has concluded its negotiations with a developer, there is a 18-24 month estimated time for building and opening of the health centre.  Currently, it is premature to estimate an opening date.