How to read this page. Each row below is one policy area, with Katherine Strongwind's mark for it on the right; the key underneath says what each mark means. Open a row for the questions behind that mark, what they answered, and why each answer scored as it did. The control above the list opens all of them at once. At the foot of the page you can print this scorecard or share it as an image.
General
What Katherine Strongwind said
- Not graded GEN-01
If you could change one policy, bylaw, feature, or municipal asset (i.e, facility or infrastructure) in your municipality, what would it be and why?
If I could wave a magic wand, we would have a road system that works for our growing community, including a connector system that eases congestion from Highway 14. Like many who live in Sooke, I commute for work, and the long wait times mean that I spend less time in the community and with my family. It is also concerning that in an emergency, there is only one way in and one way out - we need to look at all transportation options, including water travel and active transportation routes. As a strong Council, and with some resourcefulness and support from other levels of government, we can strengthen our transportation system in and around Sooke that benefits everyone. - Not graded GEN-02
Your municipality has received $10 million in new annual funding and must spend all of it. How would you allocate it across the following areas? Your answers must total $10 million.
Katherine Strongwind's allocation of ten million dollars Housing $1,000,000 Transit $500,000 Walking Infrastructure $500,000 Rolling & Cycling Infrastructure $500,000 Roadway Infrastructure $4,000,000 Policing $500,000 Fire & Emergency Services $1,000,000 Parks & Recreation $500,000 Arts & Culture $500,000 Climate Action & Environment $500,000 Unhoused Resident Services $0 Community-Based Clinics $500,000 - Not graded GEN-GEN
If you have anything you'd like to communicate about your region, generally, feel free to share your thoughts here.
We are fortunate to have the Sooke Shelter Society that supports persons experiencing homelessness, strong policing, fire and emergency services, and adult recreation. What I have experienced and heard from residents is the need to improve road and sidewalk safety, including widening roads for walking, adding lighting, and reducing speeds, as well as more recreation for kids and youth. What I would also add is the need for economic development to support local businesses and attract new ones for job creation and an increased commercial tax base.
Healthcare access
What Katherine Strongwind said
- Not graded HLT-01
What role should your municipality play in establishing new primary care clinics?
Why we ask this
Ungraded. Mainly curious about how you'd approach expanding healthcare access in your region.
Chose 1 of 4 options - Not graded HLT-GEN
If you have anything you'd like to add in regards to healthcare in your municipality, feel free to share your thoughts below.
As one of the fastest-growing communities in the CRD, Sooke is in desperate need of an urgent care clinic. This, and the Sooke Seniors Centre, would be something I commit to advocating for with other levels of government throughout my term.
Transit
C- 20% of this topic TRN-01 A
Which fare measures would you actively advocate for at the VRTC? Select all that apply.
Why this grade: Would advocate for all four fare measures on the list: free travel for under 19s, cheaper fares for seniors, cheaper fares for people on income or disability assistance and a lower cost regional monthly pass. Backing every measure on the list is the widest commitment the question allows.
How this question is graded
A count of ticks, because no option here is cheaper than the others in the way CLI-06's are. Four or more = A. Three = B. Two = C. One = C-. None = F. The rows graded before this rubric was written are not perfectly consistent with it at three and two ticks; they were left as typed and the majority letter was taken. Decline to answer is F where nothing explains it, and the Grade is left blank where the candidate explained the decline in the topic's comment box or answered the rest of the topic solidly. Unsure is left blank. A blank Grade drops the row out of the category rollup entirely; N/A is reserved for a question that does not apply to a candidate and never means ungraded.
Katherine Strongwind chose 4 of 6 options (up to 4 allowed) - 30% of this topic TRN-02 C
Do you support removing general on-street parking (excluding accessible parking spaces) from frequent transit corridors and main arterial streets in your municipality, and reallocating that space to bus lanes, loading zones, and walking and cycling infrastructure?
Why this grade: Would remove general street parking from frequent transit corridors only where a particular project makes it necessary. No project is named and nothing is promised ahead of one coming forward, which is where a case by case answer lands.
How this question is graded
Yes, across the whole corridor = A. Yes, only during peak hours = B. Kind of, only when a specific project requires it = C. No = F. Peak hours only is a real, testable limit on a yes, so it takes the conditional-yes B. Only when a specific project requires it names no project and commits to nothing in advance, which is the case-by-case answer CLI-08 puts at C. A No is F because the question is about street space, which is infrastructure. Eight of the earlier rows put the case-by-case option at B and nineteen put it at C; the nineteen were followed. Decline to answer is F where nothing explains it, and the Grade is left blank where the candidate explained the decline in the topic's comment box or answered the rest of the topic solidly. Unsure is left blank. A blank Grade drops the row out of the category rollup entirely; N/A is reserved for a question that does not apply to a candidate and never means ungraded.
Katherine Strongwind chose 1 of 6 options - 30% of this topic TRN-03 C-
Do you support rapid deployment of transit priority measures on frequent transit corridors, even where this requires removing on-street parking or a general-purpose traffic lane?
Why this grade: Supports rapid deployment of transit priority on frequent corridors, but not where it would cost a lane of general traffic. Because the question turns specifically on giving up a traffic lane, ruling that out withholds the measure being asked about, though the rest of the toolkit stays available.
How this question is graded
Yes = A. Yes, but not at the cost of a general-purpose travel lane = C-. No = F. The question asks specifically about giving up a traffic lane, so a yes that rules the lane out withholds the one thing being asked for and cannot take the conditional-yes B. C- rather than F because the rest of the toolkit is still on the table. Decline to answer is F where nothing explains it, and the Grade is left blank where the candidate explained the decline in the topic's comment box or answered the rest of the topic solidly. Unsure is left blank. A blank Grade drops the row out of the category rollup entirely; N/A is reserved for a question that does not apply to a candidate and never means ungraded.
Katherine Strongwind chose 1 of 6 options - 10% of this topic TRN-04 A
Do you support the creation of a regional transportation authority?
Why this grade: Supports creating a regional transportation authority. The answer is a plain yes with nothing attached to it.
How this question is graded
Yes = A, No = C-. A No is C- rather than F because this asks who should decide, not what should be built or funded, which puts it on the governance side of the CLI-03 split. Three earlier rows typed F and two typed C-; the governance rule was followed over the count. Decline to answer is F where nothing explains it, and the Grade is left blank where the candidate explained the decline in the topic's comment box or answered the rest of the topic solidly. Unsure is left blank. A blank Grade drops the row out of the category rollup entirely; N/A is reserved for a question that does not apply to a candidate and never means ungraded.
Katherine Strongwind chose 1 of 3 options - 10% of this topic TRN-05 B
Do you support building new bus-only and bike-only connections through parks, golf courses or public land when doing so would substantially shorten transit and cycling trips?
Why this grade: Supports new connections for buses and bicycles through parks, golf courses and public land, provided no mature trees are lost in building them. Keeping mature trees is a named and checkable condition rather than an open ended one, which makes this a qualified yes.
How this question is graded
Yes = A. Yes, if no mature trees are lost during construction = B. No = F. Losing no mature trees is a named and checkable condition, so it takes the conditional-yes B. A No is F because the question is about building a connection, which is infrastructure. Decline to answer is F where nothing explains it, and the Grade is left blank where the candidate explained the decline in the topic's comment box or answered the rest of the topic solidly. Unsure is left blank. A blank Grade drops the row out of the category rollup entirely; N/A is reserved for a question that does not apply to a candidate and never means ungraded.
Katherine Strongwind chose 1 of 5 options
Also shared, ungraded
- Not graded TRN-GEN
If you have anything you'd like to add in regards to transit in your region, feel free to share your thoughts below.
Sooke is a community with many single-lane roads and thoroughfares. Wherever possible, I support dedicating one lane to transit/bike (without losing parking) but we have adequate transit service in and around Sooke.
Housing
F- HFL-01 5 / 8
What kinds of housing could your municipality use more of? Select all that apply.
How this question is graded
1 point per selected type to max of 8. Housing exists on a continuum and different types are appropriate for different households. All housing is needed and positively affects other types via vacancy chains
Katherine Strongwind chose 5 of 10 options (up to 8 allowed) - HFL-02 5 / 8
Which of the following items do you support to minimize tenant displacement and maintain/grow the supply of affordable housing? Select up all that apply.
How this question is graded
1 point per strategy to max of 8. To tackle tenant displacement local governments must take an all of the above approach to reduce the impacts associated with renovictions and evictions.
Katherine Strongwind chose 5 of 10 options (up to 8 allowed) - HFL-03 4 / 6
Do you think your municipality should have target approval times for multifamily housing?
How this question is graded
6 points for 30/180 days, prorated for longer timelines. Housing delayed is housing denied. Long delays drive us costs for housing, increase the chance that they will be cancelled, and indicate a lack of clear published guidelines. A time limit on decisions prioritizes housing action and reforms.
Katherine Strongwind chose 1 of 5 options - HFL-04 3 / 5
If there was a type of housing you wanted to see more of (e.g., affordable, non-market, family-sized, townhouses, etc.), what do you think are effective methods of getting more of it? Select all that apply.
How this question is graded
1 point for each option, but -1 for choosing mandated requirements (d). To increase the building of certain desireable types of housing (affordable, family sized, etc), cities need to pursue a broad approach of both removing barriers and targetted incentives. Mandated requirements (or inclusionary zoning) have a track record of acting like a tax and therefore reducing housing construction or increasing costs.
Katherine Strongwind chose 3 of 8 options - HFL-05 0 / 3
Do you believe that the municipality should pre-zone to the uses, heights and densities outlined in the Official Community Plan, so that OCP-compliant projects can be built without rezoning or public hearing?
How this question is graded
3 points for yes, 0 for no. An OCP sets out the direction and vision for a municipality with broad input from the community and council. Matching zoning to long term consensus-based plans reduces scarcity and allows incentivizes OCP compliant housing to be built quickly.
Katherine Strongwind chose 1 of 3 options - HFL-06 1 / 6
Beyond the three to four units Bill 44 already requires, what is the most housing you think should be legal to build by-right (i.e. without rezoning) in traditional single-family areas of your municipality?
How this question is graded
a) 0 points b) 1 points c) 2 points d) 5 points e) 6 points. With little room for new single family developments, housing abundance relies on density. People unable to afford a single family house should not be relegated to living only on busy arterials where high density is legal, but should have a diversity of housing options in every neighbourhood.
Katherine Strongwind chose 1 of 6 options - HFL-07 0 / 3
A housing proposal has been reviewed by staff and they recommend approval. It requires rezoning because the existing zoning has not been updated. If it faces substantial neighbourhood opposition, how would you generally vote?
How this question is graded
3 points for a), 0 otherwise. Housing approval rules must be predictable and clear for those building housing, or it will lead to scarcity. If municipal planning staff have adequately considered objections to a project and still recommend approval it should be approved. If unanticipated issues are raised, policies should be clarified to ensure staff can work with applicants on future projects.
Katherine Strongwind chose 1 of 5 options - HFL-08 0 / 2
Do you support eliminating minimum parking requirements for new developments or suites?
How this question is graded
1 point for yes, 2 points for yes with transportation demand management measures, 0 points for no. A single additional parking space can add tens of thousands to the cost of a home. However, a development without parking and without offsetting remedies can impact livability for the eventual occupants of a home.
Katherine Strongwind chose 1 of 4 options - HFL-09 1 / 6
Non-market housing often faces additional challenges getting approved. Which of the following measures do you support to improve the prospects for below-market housing construction? Select all that apply.
How this question is graded
1 point for each option, but -1 for choosing mandated requirements (d). Building homes is hard, building non-market homes is substantially harder. This has serious socio-economic consequences for certain members of society. With the exception of mandated requirements (or inclusionary zoning), which have a track record of acting like a tax and therefore a deterrent to new construction, a broad and flexible approach is needed to help non-market housing across the approval finish line.
Katherine Strongwind chose 3 of 9 options (up to 7 allowed) - HFL-10 5 / 7
If elected, what do you hope to have accomplished on the housing file at the end of your first year, and end of your four-year term?
How this question is graded
To receive full marks, candidates receive a point up to 7 for referencing impactful housing ideas in their answer including but not limited to: a rental vacancy rate target, a quantitative target regarding annual homes built, pre-zoning commitments / OCP alignment, non-profit by right commitment, commitment to tenant production aligned with platform, commitment to regulate and enforce Airbnb rules, delegate more rezoning / variance decisions to staff, a continuation of policies that have been working, developing a pre-approved catalog of housing designs, loosening design guidelines or other restrictive regulations, minimizing tenant displacement, increasing the regional housing fund, enhancing partnerships with other levels of government, the private sector, co-ops, and non-profit housing developers, streamlining regulations, and shorten requirements.
Katherine Strongwind's answerEnd of First Year;
- Make measurable progress on attainable housing by improving coordination between the District, developers, and community partners.
- Strengthen approval processes so housing projects that align with the Official Community Plan can move forward more efficiently.
- Support developments that meet the needs of families, seniors, and people who work in Sooke, including advocating for more provincial support for added infrastructure.
- Begin concrete steps toward more effective transit planning so residents have better options and can rely less on cars.
- Advance at least one attainable housing project and demonstrate transparent, collaborative progress on the housing file.
End of Four-Year Term;
- See more diverse housing options built and occupied, with clear benefits for residents across income levels and life stages, but particularly for Seniors and folks with Disabilities.
- Improve infrastructure planning so growth is supported responsibly and sustainably.
- Strengthen transit connections and reliability so people can move around Sooke more easily without depending on a car.
- Build stronger partnerships with provincial agencies and local organizations to ensure housing and transit planning work together.
- Establish a balanced housing ecosystem that supports affordability, protects community character, and ensures future generations can continue to live, work, and thrive in Sooke.
Climate
A- 8% of this topic CLI-01 —
Would you support ending fossil fuel advertising and sponsorship on property, media and events controlled by your municipality, to the extent the law allows? And would you advocate for the same at the Victoria Regional Transit Commission for BC Transit vehicles and shelters?
Why this grade: No position taken either way on the advertising and sponsorship ban. The row carries no letter because nothing was committed.
How this question is graded
Two commitments in one question, so the menu answer alone cannot reach the top. The menu sets a base and a Yes on the follow-up about advocating at the Victoria Regional Transit Commission raises it one step. Yes, both advertising and sponsorship = B, and A with the follow-up. Yes, advertising only or Yes, sponsorship only = C, and B with the follow-up. No = F, because ending the advertising is something the municipality controls outright. A follow-up written as free text rather than ticked is a judgement about the candidate and is graded by hand. Decline to answer is F where nothing explains it, and the Grade is left blank where the candidate explained the decline in the topic's comment box or answered the rest of the topic solidly. Unsure is left blank. A blank Grade drops the row out of the category rollup entirely; N/A is reserved for a question that does not apply to a candidate and never means ungraded.
Katherine Strongwind chose 1 of 6 options - 8% of this topic CLI-02 B
The Capital Regional District declared a climate emergency in 2019. How should your municipality treat climate action in its next four-year plan?
Why this grade: Climate among the leading three priorities, funded. One step below treating it as the measure for everything else.
How this question is graded
The overriding priority, other decisions should be tested against it = A. One of the top three priorities, with a dedicated budget = B. One priority among many, addressed where affordable = C-. Not a municipal priority = F. The ladder skips C on purpose: a dedicated budget is the line between a priority and a sentiment, so addressing climate only where affordable drops two steps rather than one. Handing the file to another order of government is F. Decline to answer is F where nothing explains it, and the Grade is left blank where the candidate explained the decline in the topic's comment box or answered the rest of the topic solidly. Unsure is left blank. A blank Grade drops the row out of the category rollup entirely; N/A is reserved for a question that does not apply to a candidate and never means ungraded.
Katherine Strongwind chose 1 of 5 options - 8% of this topic CLI-03 A
Will you pledge to never take meetings from fossil fuel company lobbyists?
Why this grade: A direct yes. Refusing the meetings is a concrete act rather than a statement of sympathy.
How this question is graded
Yes = A, No = C-. The No is C- rather than F because of the split the grading settled on: a plain No is C- where the question is about governance or conduct and F where it is about infrastructure, land use or funding. This one asks a candidate to give up a channel of access to themselves, which is conduct. Decline to answer is F where nothing explains it, and the Grade is left blank where the candidate explained the decline in the topic's comment box or answered the rest of the topic solidly. Unsure is left blank. A blank Grade drops the row out of the category rollup entirely; N/A is reserved for a question that does not apply to a candidate and never means ungraded.
Katherine Strongwind chose 1 of 3 options - 8% of this topic CLI-04 B
Climate-related damage and adaptation costs increasingly fall on municipal budgets. Would you vote to have your municipality join other BC local governments in legal action to recover a share of those costs from major fossil fuel producers?
Why this grade: Backs the suit where spending is contained. A meaningful yes with a limit written into it from the start.
How this question is graded
Yes = A. Yes, if municipal costs are capped = B, because a conditional yes is B wherever one appears and a cap on municipal exposure lands there. No = F, because the question is about spending to recover costs, which is the funding side of the split CLI-03 sits on the other side of. Decline to answer is F where nothing explains it, and the Grade is left blank where the candidate explained the decline in the topic's comment box or answered the rest of the topic solidly. Unsure is left blank. A blank Grade drops the row out of the category rollup entirely; N/A is reserved for a question that does not apply to a candidate and never means ungraded.
Katherine Strongwind chose 1 of 5 options - 8% of this topic CLI-05 A
Will you support a zoning bylaw amendment that prohibits the approval of any new or expanded commercial gas stations within municipal boundaries?
Why this grade: Backs the prohibition outright. The position holds for expansions of existing sites, not only for new ones.
How this question is graded
Yes = A, No = F. A land use question, so a No is F rather than C-. Decline to answer is F where nothing explains it, and the Grade is left blank where the candidate explained the decline in the topic's comment box or answered the rest of the topic solidly. Unsure is left blank. A blank Grade drops the row out of the category rollup entirely; N/A is reserved for a question that does not apply to a candidate and never means ungraded.
Katherine Strongwind chose 1 of 3 options - 8% of this topic CLI-06 A
Extreme heat, wildfire smoke and wildfire risk all affect people living in existing homes. What would you have your municipality do to protect them? Select all you support.
Why this grade: Backs every protection on offer. That covers both the immediate relief and the work on the building stock itself.
How this question is graded
Up to five measures may be ticked. Four or more ticks including at least two of the three the municipality has to pay for (subsidized home assessments, grants or financing for retrofits, designated centres with guaranteed opening hours) = A. Three or more ticks = B. Two = C. One = C-. None of the above = F. The funding floor is there because a straight count of ticks would let a candidate reach the top on the two cheapest options, a vegetation bylaw and an information campaign, while committing no money to anyone actually living in an overheating home. Decline to answer is F where nothing explains it, and the Grade is left blank where the candidate explained the decline in the topic's comment box or answered the rest of the topic solidly. Unsure is left blank. A blank Grade drops the row out of the category rollup entirely; N/A is reserved for a question that does not apply to a candidate and never means ungraded.
Katherine Strongwind chose 5 of 7 options (up to 5 allowed) - 8% of this topic CLI-07 A
Are you supportive of phasing out fossil fuel powered tools such as leaf blowers (following the lead of Oak Bay and other municipalities across the country)?
Why this grade: Commits to phasing out the equipment. The position is stated without reference to further consultation.
How this question is graded
Yes = A, No = F. A regulatory phase-out, graded on the same footing as CLI-05. Decline to answer is F where nothing explains it, and the Grade is left blank where the candidate explained the decline in the topic's comment box or answered the rest of the topic solidly. Unsure is left blank. A blank Grade drops the row out of the category rollup entirely; N/A is reserved for a question that does not apply to a candidate and never means ungraded.
Katherine Strongwind chose 1 of 3 options - 8% of this topic CLI-08 C
Large data centres can add substantial electricity and water demand. Under what conditions, if any, would you support a new data centre in your municipality?
Why this grade: Conditions would be set as each proposal arrives. The answer reserves discretion without saying what it would be used for.
How this question is graded
Oppose all new data centres = A. Support only with waste-heat recovery and no net increase in potable water use = B. Support only under conditions set case by case = C. Support without special conditions = F. The two conditional options are separated by whether the condition binds. Waste-heat recovery and no net potable water increase is a testable commitment, so it takes the conditional-yes B. Conditions set case by case name nothing and commit to nothing, so it takes the C that a depends-case-by-case answer gets everywhere else. Decline to answer is F where nothing explains it, and the Grade is left blank where the candidate explained the decline in the topic's comment box or answered the rest of the topic solidly. Unsure is left blank. A blank Grade drops the row out of the category rollup entirely; N/A is reserved for a question that does not apply to a candidate and never means ungraded.
Katherine Strongwind chose 1 of 5 options - 8% of this topic CLI-09 B
What are the primary climate risk(s) facing your community, and what actions would you take to support adaptation and resilience in your community?
Why this grade: Identifies a primary issue contributing to climate impact, but doesn't offer many specifics about addressing it nor how it connects to improved resiliency.
How this question is graded
Free text. A = names a climate risk specific to the municipality and specific actions against it, usually tied to data or a programme already running. B = one half only, a risk with no action or actions with no risk named, or backing an existing plan without either. C = general support with nothing local in it, a list of risks and nothing else, or the work handed to the region. C- = a risk gestured at and nothing more. F = an answer that is not about climate.
Katherine Strongwind's answerOur highest emission source is automobile travel. Again, investigating and increasing other modes of clean-energy public transportation options, like transit, ferries, and carpooling would help reduce car travel and idling, thereby reducing emissions. It's a worthwhile investment for a number of reasons! - 8% of this topic CLI-10 A
Ensuring ecosystem connectivity is an important adaptation strategy for climate change. How do you plan to maintain or increase ecosystem features across the urban landscape?
Why this grade: Draws a clear link between the importance of ecosystem connectivity and several strategies to maintain and improve it in Sooke.
How this question is graded
Free text. A = says what connectivity is and why it matters, with local examples, usually tied to data, a programme already running or the official community plan. B = practical examples with no local detail, or no link back to connectivity. C = general support with no project named, or an answer broad enough to fit any question. C- = agrees with the idea and offers nothing to do about it, or answers about something tangential. F is not used.
Katherine Strongwind's answerMaintaining and Increasing Ecosystem Connectivity in Sooke, in point form:
- Prioritize protection and restoration of natural corridors that allow wildlife to move safely between forests, wetlands, and coastal areas. This includes identifying key habitat linkages and ensuring development does not fragment them.
- Strengthen riparian and shoreline protections so streams, rivers, and marine environments remain healthy, connected, and resilient. Healthy waterways, such as the Sooke River, support salmon, improve flood management, and anchor broader ecosystem networks.
- Integrate ecosystem connectivity into land‑use planning by requiring developments to include green buffers, tree retention, and native plant landscaping that supports pollinators and local biodiversity.
- Expand urban green spaces and pocket parks so residents have access to nature while also creating stepping‑stone habitats across the community.
- Improve active transportation and transit planning so growth can occur with less pressure on sensitive ecosystems. Reducing car dependency with better public transportation lowers emissions and allows more land to remain natural rather than paved.
- Collaborate with First Nations, environmental organizations, and provincial partners to map ecological values and ensure decisions reflect both scientific knowledge and Indigenous stewardship principles.
- Promote climate‑resilient infrastructure that works with natural systems, such as rain gardens, bioswales, and permeable surfaces that support water flow and reduce storm impacts. - 8% of this topic CLI-11 A
Do you see development as an opportunity to increase resilience to climate-related events, and if so, how?
Why this grade: Clearly supports the idea that development can improve resiliency and provides several concrete, relevant strategies to work towards this goal.
How this question is graded
Free text. A = yes, with how and why, naming strategies or a local policy that ties development to resilience. B = yes with relevant examples but no account of how they build resilience or how they get built. C = general support and nothing past what the building code already requires. C- = a bare yes, or support that doubts it is possible. F = does not accept that development can make a community more resilient.
Katherine Strongwind's answerYes, as mentioned above, there are many things municipalities can do to support resilience to climate-related events, and it all starts with listening. Thoughtful 7-generations planning can protect natural systems, improve stormwater management, and reduce risks from flooding and extreme weather. By requiring green buffers, retaining trees, supporting native plant landscaping, and integrating nature‑based infrastructure like rain gardens and permeable surfaces, development can enhance ecosystem health rather than diminish it. Pairing this with better transit planning and reduced car dependency also lowers emissions and helps keep more land in its natural state. For me, resilient development means building in a way that supports both people and the environment over the long term. - 8% of this topic CLI-12 A
The UBCM passed several resolutions saying municipalities should be able to have climate action lens and climate considerations in development and housing mandates. Do you support blue-green infrastructure upgrades as a requirement of developments for climate readiness?
How this question is graded
Yes = A, No = F. Graded by RUSH from 2026-09-01; the mapping is recorded so the remaining rows match the ones already typed. Decline to answer is F where nothing explains it, and the Grade is left blank where the candidate explained the decline in the topic's comment box or answered the rest of the topic solidly. Unsure is left blank. A blank Grade drops the row out of the category rollup entirely; N/A is reserved for a question that does not apply to a candidate and never means ungraded.
Katherine Strongwind chose 1 of 3 options
Also shared, ungraded
- Not graded CLI-GEN
If you have anything you'd like to add in regards to climate concerns with respect to your municipality or the region as a whole, feel free to share your thoughts below.
I support a District climate-action committee that would work with the Land Use Planning Committee to strengthen our planning and resiliency!
Arts
B- 6.67% of this topic ART-01 3 / 3
Do you consider arts and culture to be a core part of your municipality's economic development strategy?
Why this score: Provides strong strategic alignment by integrating arts and culture into economic development, tourism and destination strategy while addressing permitting/zoning barriers.
How this question is graded
Katherine Strongwind chose 1 of 4 optionsFollow-up: The municipality should integrate arts and culture into the Community Economic Development Strategy more, use the MRDT tax funding to develop a Destination Marketing Organization (DMO), and promote Sooke as an Arts and Culture hub of the South Island to attract tourists and provide enrichment to residents. The CEDC would also work towards reducing permitting and zoning barriers for events and facilities. - 16.67% of this topic ART-02 2 / 3
If elected, what specific action will you commit to in your first year to strengthen your municipality's arts and cultural sector, and what measurable outcome should residents expect by the end of your four-year term?
Why this score: Commits to a first-year Council motion allocating MRDT funding, but does not provide a measurable four-year outcome.
How this question is graded
Katherine Strongwind's answerMove that Council dedicate part of the MRDT funding to promote festivals, arts, and culture in Sooke through a competitive RFP process. - 13.33% of this topic ART-03 3 / 3
Cultural strategies are often adopted and then not implemented. Would you support a cultural space implementation framework with defined tools, timelines and public reporting? Select up to three components you would prioritize. Select your top three options.
Why this score: Supports an inventory, long-term affordability/stability tools and zoning/permitting/regulatory review.
How this question is graded
Katherine Strongwind chose 3 of 11 options - 10.00% of this topic ART-04 3 / 3
Arts organizations and event producers identify permitting, zoning and regulatory requirements as barriers to cultural activity. What would you commit to? Select all that apply.
Why this score: Supports the full range of consequential permitting, event, coordination, zoning and disproportionate-cost reforms.
How this question is graded
Katherine Strongwind chose 8 of 10 options (up to 8 allowed) - 16.67% of this topic ART-05 3 / 3
If preserving and securing long-term cultural space requires additional municipal support, which approaches would you support? Select up to five.
Why this score: Supports regional funding, development/amenity contributions, a dedicated levy/fee, nonprofit acquisition and long-term leases.
How this question is graded
Katherine Strongwind chose 5 of 16 options - 10.00% of this topic ART-06 1 / 3
Municipal budgets require difficult choices. Would you support maintaining arts and culture investment alongside other core municipal services?
Why this score: Supports arts and culture only if new revenue sources are identified, making the commitment conditional.
How this question is graded
Katherine Strongwind chose 1 of 5 options - 10.00% of this topic ART-07 3 / 3
When a major development project affects an existing cultural space, what should your municipality prioritize?
Why this score: Supports replacement cultural space or equivalent community benefit in redevelopment.
How this question is graded
Katherine Strongwind chose 1 of 5 options - 16.67% of this topic ART-08 3 / 3
Would you support municipal incentives to encourage private property owners and developers to provide affordable community & cultural space for nonprofits? Select all that apply.
Why this score: Supports development requirements/incentives and both med and high-impact property-tax mechanisms.
How this question is graded
Katherine Strongwind chose 3 of 7 options (up to 5 allowed)
Rolling & cycling
A- 15% of this topic ROL-01 A
Will you commit to funding and completing at least one 'missing link' in your municipality's Active Transportation Plan during your four-year term? If yes, which one would you prioritize?
Why this grade: Commits to funding and completing a missing link in the term and points to a gap on the Otter Point Road corridor, with Grant Road named as the route they would most like to see done. The choice is tied to safety, to reaching transit and to giving people a way to make short trips without a car.
How this question is graded
Yes + Project surfaced = A; Yes + No specific project in mind, or vague project = B; Combination of No and/or a lack of project ideas = C-F, depending on severity.
Katherine Strongwind chose 1 of 4 optionsFollow-up: Yes, I would commit to funding and completing at least one missing link in Sooke’s Active Transportation Plan during a four-year term. The priority for me would be a connector that improves safety and reduces car dependency, such as completing a key gap along the Otter Point Road corridor or another high‑use route (selfishly, Grant Road would be amazing!) that supports walking, cycling, and better access to transit. Strengthening active transportation is essential for affordability, climate resilience, and creating a community where people can move around safely without relying on a vehicle. - 15% of this topic ROL-02 B
Will you commit (or continue to commit) to physical protection (not paint alone) as the standard for all new and upgraded cycling infrastructure on busy streets in your municipality?
Why this grade: Accepts physical protection as the standard except where it is physically impossible. Very little is truly impossible to build; it is usually a question of cost and of working through alternatives, so that exception leaves a wide way out of the standard.
How this question is graded
Yes = A. Yes, except where physically impossible = B. No = F. Except where physically impossible is a condition that can be checked against a street, so it takes the conditional-yes B, and that is where the 19 rows graded before this rubric existed put it. A No is F because the question sets a construction standard, which is infrastructure. Decline to answer is F where nothing explains it, and the Grade is left blank where the candidate explained the decline in the topic's comment box or answered the rest of the topic solidly. Unsure is left blank. A blank Grade drops the row out of the category rollup entirely; N/A is reserved for a question that does not apply to a candidate and never means ungraded.
Katherine Strongwind chose 1 of 5 options - 15% of this topic ROL-03 A
Will you oppose efforts (current and future) to remove, narrow or downgrade existing protected bike lanes and other all-ages-and-abilities (AAA) cycling infrastructure in your municipality during your term?
Why this grade: Will oppose efforts to remove, narrow or downgrade protected bike lanes and other infrastructure built for all ages and abilities. An unconditional commitment.
How this question is graded
Yes = A. Depends, case-by-case = C. No = F. Depends case by case names no test and commits to nothing, which is the C it gets on CLI-08 and TRN-02; 13 of the 14 rows graded before this rubric existed agree. A No is F because the question is about keeping built infrastructure in place. An answer of N/A is a claim that the question does not apply to that municipality, which is a judgement about a candidate and is passed in by hand, like an excused decline. Decline to answer is F where nothing explains it, and the Grade is left blank where the candidate explained the decline in the topic's comment box or answered the rest of the topic solidly. Unsure is left blank. A blank Grade drops the row out of the category rollup entirely; N/A is reserved for a question that does not apply to a candidate and never means ungraded.
Katherine Strongwind chose 1 of 5 options - 20% of this topic ROL-04 A
What is the most important active transportation project in the municipality that you will be focused on progressing? Please provide your reasoning.
Why this grade: Names a continuous east to west corridor across Sooke, with Grant Road, Wadams Way and the Throup Road connector as the candidates, joining neighbourhoods, schools, shops and transit stops. The reasoning is that today's routes break off and push people into cars for short trips, and the fix is protected crossings, sidewalks and cycling infrastructure along one route.
How this question is graded
A = Candidate is able to identify a project in their community and speak to its importance. B & C = Candidate has a general idea of something that can be improved but it isn't high on their priority list. F = Candidate does not think any improvements can/should be made.
Katherine Strongwind's answerThe most important active transportation project I would focus on progressing in Sooke is a safe, continuous east–west corridor (possibly Grant Road, Wadams Way, the Throup Road Connector) that connects neighbourhoods, schools, commercial areas, and key transit stops. Right now, many routes feel fragmented or unsafe for walking and cycling, which pushes people toward car use even for short trips. Creating a well‑designed corridor with protected crossings, sidewalks, and cycling infrastructure would reduce congestion, improve safety for children and seniors, support local businesses, and make it easier for residents to choose active and low‑carbon ways of getting around. - 35% of this topic ROL-05 B
If you have previously served in local government, what did you do to advance walking, rolling, cycling or transit? If you have not, what in your record outside of council shows the same commitment?
Why this grade: Has written to the transit commission, to council and to the local member of the legislature pressing for more connected walking and cycling routes, and has completed surveys and given feedback to the transit company. Sustained advocacy from outside office, though it stays at the level of letters and consultations rather than work that moved a project.
How this question is graded
Free text, graded by a person on what the record shows about advancing walking, rolling, cycling or transit. A = delivered work, meaning budgets moved, plans adopted, infrastructure built, or a sustained organisational role with results behind it. B = substantial relevant advocacy or a directly relevant role, with less account of what it produced. C = a record from a different office, or advocacy confined to one location or issue, or no previous term with nothing offered in its place. C- = personal experience or unrelated work with no advocacy behind it. F = nothing relevant offered, or a record that closed the question rather than advancing it. The bands come from the 79 rows graded before 2026-09-20. Decline to answer is F where nothing explains it, and the Grade is left blank where the candidate explained the decline in the topic's comment box or answered the rest of the topic solidly. Unsure is left blank. A blank Grade drops the row out of the category rollup entirely; N/A is reserved for a question that does not apply to a candidate and never means ungraded.
Katherine Strongwind's answerI have written to the Transit Commission and to our Council and MLA about the need for increased and more connected active transportation routes, as well as completed surveys and offered feedback to the BCTC.
Walking
B- 10% of this topic WLK-01 C
Municipalities, the CRD and the Province have all adopted targets to shift trips away from driving. Do you support meeting your municipality's adopted mode-shift targets, and would you vote for the necessary street-space and budgetary changes?
Why this grade: Shows a lack of commitment to multimodal planning and transportation demand management.
How this question is graded
A = yes, even if it means removing driving lanes. C = yes, but not when it takes road space from drivers. F = no. Two steps between the two yeses because the adopted targets cannot be met without reallocating street space. Unsure and Decline to answer are both C- on this tab.
Katherine Strongwind chose 1 of 5 options - 20% of this topic WLK-02 B
Which pedestrian safety problem in your municipality concerns you most, and what is the one change you would commit to in your first term to make walking safer and more attractive than driving for short trips?
Why this grade: Names busy roads without sidewalks, poor lighting and weak speed enforcement, and commits to solar powered speed display signs as the one change. Cheap and quick to install, though a sign showing drivers their speed is a light touch on roads that have no sidewalk at all.
How this question is graded
Free text, graded by a person against the two things the question asks for: a named local problem, and one change committed to in a first term. A = both, with the change specific enough to be delivered and usually tied to funding, a named corridor or an existing plan. B = the problem is named and the response is concrete but soft, narrow, or a review rather than a change. C = a problem is named and nothing is committed to, or the framing of the question is declined. C- = no local problem is settled on, or the answer is a general gesture. F = nothing responsive is offered. The bands come from the 31 rows graded before 2026-09-20 and were applied to the remaining 51 on that date. Decline to answer is F where nothing explains it, and the Grade is left blank where the candidate explained the decline in the topic's comment box or answered the rest of the topic solidly. Unsure is left blank. A blank Grade drops the row out of the category rollup entirely; N/A is reserved for a question that does not apply to a candidate and never means ungraded.
Katherine Strongwind's answerIn Sooke, we have many busy roadways that do not have dedicated sidewalks, adequate lighting, and effective speed limit enforcement. One change that has been proven to work is to add a solar-powered speedometer to raise awareness of drivers' actual speed and the speed limit on busy roads. This is one measure that is relatively easy and cost-effective to make walking safer in Sooke. - 10% of this topic WLK-03 B
Sidewalk construction and maintenance is chronically underfunded across the region. Would you vote to increase the share of your municipality's transportation capital budget dedicated to pedestrian infrastructure?
Why this grade: Backs a modest rise in pedestrian infrastructure spending out of the transportation capital budget. Progress, at a smaller scale than the strongest option offered.
How this question is graded
Yes, a substantial increase, meaning more than double what is currently spent = A. Yes, a modest increase, meaning more but less than double = B, because that is a real commitment with a ceiling on it. No, the current amount is sufficient = F, because the question is about money for infrastructure, which is the funding side of the split. Decline to answer is F where nothing explains it, and the Grade is left blank where the candidate explained the decline in the topic's comment box or answered the rest of the topic solidly. Unsure is left blank. A blank Grade drops the row out of the category rollup entirely; N/A is reserved for a question that does not apply to a candidate and never means ungraded.
Katherine Strongwind chose 1 of 5 options - 20% of this topic WLK-04 B
Do you support expanding pedestrian-priority and car-free streets in your municipality's downtown, main street or village centre?
Why this grade: Backs temporary, seasonal or pilot car free streets rather than permanent ones. A qualified yes.
How this question is graded
Yes, and I would pursue a permanent expansion or implementation = A. Yes, but only temporary, seasonal or pilot closures = B, because it is a yes with a stated limit on it. No = F, because the question is about street space, which is infrastructure. An answer of N/A is not on this list: it is a claim that the municipality has no downtown, main street or village centre, which is a judgement about a candidate and is passed in by hand. It has been left blank where that is true of the municipality and graded F everywhere the question plainly does apply. Unsure was typed C on two rows before 2026-09-13 and those rows were reset to blank on 2026-09-20, so the question now follows the shared policy. Decline to answer is F where nothing explains it, and the Grade is left blank where the candidate explained the decline in the topic's comment box or answered the rest of the topic solidly. Unsure is left blank. A blank Grade drops the row out of the category rollup entirely; N/A is reserved for a question that does not apply to a candidate and never means ungraded.
Katherine Strongwind chose 1 of 6 options - 20% of this topic WLK-05 A
How will you work with parent groups, school staff, and municipal staff to assure that children’s safety is prioritized over convenience and flow of motor traffic?
Why this grade: Consultation, as you describe, is exactly what is needed to get on-the-street knowledge necessary for effective safety improvements. Every municipality is different, and building new schools away from the highway is a sensible safety plan. Commitment to funding to make needed improvements, and time-lines to assure improvements progress as intended, are also necessary.
How this question is graded
Free text. A = names parents, school staff and municipal staff and attaches something concrete: an audit, measures, funding, timelines, or work delivered. B = one half only, consultation without measures or measures without consultation. C = points at an existing programme as enough. C- = vague, deflects, or denies the problem. Blank only where Walk On cannot judge local conditions. F is not used.
Katherine Strongwind's answerFirst, I would start by listening to ensure I fully understand the concerns of parents, families, and staff about children's safety within our rapidly growing community.
I commit to:
- Work directly with parent groups to understand safety concerns around schools and high‑traffic areas.
- Collaborate with school staff to identify unsafe routes and design improvements that support walking, cycling, and transit use.
- Partner with municipal staff to ensure traffic calming, crosswalk upgrades, and sidewalk improvements are prioritized near schools.
- Support education and awareness campaigns that encourage safe driving and active transportation during school hours.
- Advocate for infrastructure decisions that place children’s safety ahead of convenience for motor traffic.
- Ensure that planning processes include meaningful input from families, educators, and youth so solutions reflect real daily experiences.
Ultimately, we need to shift schools away from Highway 14; any new school must be developed in a safer and more conducive development zone that makes sense for Sooke. - 20% of this topic WLK-06 A
What will you do, in a 4 year term, to identify, prioritize and set time-lines to assure that pedestrian infrastructure is improved to meet the needs of the older and disabled members of your community?
Why this grade: Mapping gaps in pedestrian infrastructure and prioritizing routes most frequently used by older and disabled pedestrians are excellent starting points. Direct, on the street consultation to see first-hand and hear about residents' concerns is the best way to understand what improvements are needed. And commitment to fund improvements, with a time line to accomplish what's needed, is essential. Older adults are, understandably, not reassured by long term plans where improvements won't happen during their lifetime. When necessary, quick fixes are better than no improvement at all….with the goal being to identify what a long term improvement needs to look like.
How this question is graded
Free text. A = names what to fix and the order it gets fixed in: an audit, named priorities, consultation with older and disabled residents, a timeline inside the term. B = real improvements with no process behind them, or continuing existing work. C = states the need and defers it, or one fix with no plan. C- = a problem with no action, or an answer about something else. Blank only where Walk On cannot judge local conditions. F is not used.
Katherine Strongwind's answerOver a four-year term, I would work with municipal staff, accessibility advocates, and community members to map the gaps in pedestrian infrastructure and identify the areas that most affect older adults and people with disabilities. I would prioritize improvements near health services, transit stops, and high‑use community spaces, and set realistic timelines for upgrades such as safer crossings, continuous sidewalks, and better lighting. I would also support accessibility audits and ensure that pedestrian needs are built into every infrastructure decision so Sooke becomes a community where people of all ages and abilities can move safely and confidently.
Governance
B- 17% of this topic GOV-01 A
Do you support expanding shared or regional delivery of municipal services in the Capital Region?
How this question is graded
Yes/Partly = A, Unsure = C, No = F.
Katherine Strongwind chose 1 of 5 options - 17% of this topic GOV-02 B
Do you support creating a regional service that designs, builds and maintains local municipal infrastructure shared across Capital Region municipalities?
Why this grade: Would support a shared regional service for local infrastructure if full cost recovery is guaranteed locally. The guarantee has to come first, which is why this falls below a full yes.
How this question is graded
Yes = A. Yes, only if full cost recovery is guaranteed for my municipality = B. No = C-. Full cost recovery is a named, checkable condition on a yes, so it takes the conditional-yes B. A No is C- rather than F because the question is about how services are organised and who runs them, which is the governance side of the split CLI-03 sits on the other side of. Unsure was typed C on three rows before 2026-09-13 and those rows were reset to blank on 2026-09-20, so the question now follows the shared policy. Decline to answer is F where nothing explains it, and the Grade is left blank where the candidate explained the decline in the topic's comment box or answered the rest of the topic solidly. Unsure is left blank. A blank Grade drops the row out of the category rollup entirely; N/A is reserved for a question that does not apply to a candidate and never means ungraded.
Katherine Strongwind chose 1 of 5 options - 17% of this topic GOV-03 C
If elected, what three steps would you take to put your region or municipality on a firmer financial footing?
How this question is graded
“Real financial resilience comes from increasing the productivity of land that's already served by infrastructure: letting neighborhoods incrementally thicken, encouraging redevelopment where roads and pipes already exist, building more value per acre instead of more acres that need public maintenance.” The Strong Towns approach thinks about revenue vs liabilities and the cost of replacing infrastructure as a key driver of municipal financial success. Next-increment intensification or better allows improved use of pipes, roads, and wires, increasing the economic base for the city while lowering vacancies (examples, strongtowns.org , archive.strongtowns.org ). No credit was given for/against for either a) sharing costs with neighbouring governments or b) asking for money from higher levels of government, both of which may have additional merit beyond the boundaries of the muncipality. A-level (excellent) answer: 1. a comment about density being linked to financial wellbeing (revenue side), 2. a comment about efficient use of that revenue (expenses side), 3. thinking about infrastructure liabilities and how to pay for them given the intergenerational problems. B-level (good) answer considers some of these principles, but likely doesn't consider both revenue and expenses. C-level (mixed) - may have other ideas about arbitrary efficiencies and doesn't provide a mechanism for doing the work they propose (e.g. "fill up the reserve fund" -- with what money?). F - working in the opposite direction of resilience (e.g. arbitrary property tax increase caps), or doesn't answer the question (e.g. "my municipality is on firm financial footing").
Katherine Strongwind's answer1. Create a community-led economic development corporation to support existing businesses and attract new ones. This would help expand our commercial tax base and more.
2. Review the Permissive Tax Exemptions and ensure a solid return on investment.
3. Meet with T'Sou-ke Nation Chief and Council and other levels of government to explore ways to partner and collaborate. - 17% of this topic GOV-04 F
Do you commit to eliminating mandatory parking minimums for all land uses in your municipality by 2030?
How this question is graded
Yes = A, No/Decline = F. Parking minimums are pseudoscience that should be eliminated from city codes everywhere, and have been eliminated in Vancouver, Edmonton, Regina, Ottawa, and others across North America without any negative consequences (archive.strongtowns.org )
Katherine Strongwind chose 1 of 3 options - 17% of this topic REC-01 A
Do you support ensuring that local First Nations are represented in transit governance, such as on the Victoria Regional Transit Commission and the CRD Transportation Commission?
Why this grade: Yes to local First Nations being represented on the Victoria Regional Transit Commission and the CRD Transportation Commission. Unqualified support.
How this question is graded
Yes = A. No = C-, on the same reasoning as GOV-02 and TRN-04: the question is about who sits at the table, not about what gets built or funded. No candidate has answered No, so that letter is a rule rather than a record of how anyone was graded. Decline to answer is F where nothing explains it, and the Grade is left blank where the candidate explained the decline in the topic's comment box or answered the rest of the topic solidly. Unsure is left blank. A blank Grade drops the row out of the category rollup entirely; N/A is reserved for a question that does not apply to a candidate and never means ungraded.
Katherine Strongwind chose 1 of 3 options - 17% of this topic REC-02 A
Concerning our municipal government’s First Nations’ reconciliation and consultation practices, I support:
How this question is graded
A = significantly more consultation practices. B = somewhat more. C = the current amount is enough. Written answers take the same ladder: A commits to partnership with local First Nations, B wants better consultation without committing to a change, C questions whether more is wanted. Nothing here has been graded C- or F.
Katherine Strongwind chose 1 of 7 options
Also shared, ungraded
- Not graded GOV-GEN
If you have anything you'd like to add in regards to governance, shared services, and municipal infrastructure, feel free to share your thoughts below.
If I were on council in Sooke, given our lack of connectivity, I would commit to reducing mandatory parking minimums if we had increased public transportation system service and options, supported by other levels of government. - Not graded REC-GEN
If you have anything you'd like to add in regards to First Nation transit governance or consultation practices, feel free to share your thoughts below.
One of my first steps would be to engage with T'Sou-ke Nation council regarding the expansion of the electoral area (to potentially include IR1 and IR2) and determine their level of interest. Right now, anyone who lives on reserve cannot vote in the District of Sooke elections; this is unconscionable and must be rectified should the T'Sou-ke Nation choose.
I have often encouraged our Council in Sooke to develop a reconciliation plan to support and strengthen the relationship with T'Sou-ke Nation, particularly as the Te'mewx Treaty nears ratification. There are also many other Indigenous Peoples in and around Sooke that are active and vibrant members of the community and deserve consultation and engagement.
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