Wednesday July 29, 2026 | SOOKE, BC [Posted at 11:15 am | Updated 12:10 pm]
Political news analysis | by Mary P Brooke | Island Social Trends
Sooke Together is a slate of four candidates running to win councillor seats on the District of Sooke municipal council in the upcoming October 17, 2026 election.
None of the four Sooke Together candidates are running for mayor, all for council. They say this is about “believing its focus is best placed on building a strong, collaborative Council”.
But it’s also fair to assess that none of the candidates are currently enough up to speed to be mayor (compared to two current Sooke councillors who are running for mayor). So they understand their limits.
Sooke Together wants to “build a stronger future while preserving what makes Sooke special”. They believe that “residents deserve honest conversations about both services and taxes”, as stated in a news release on July 27.
“Protecting public safety, maintaining infrastructure, and supporting a growing community all require responsible investment and careful financial management. Growth must pay for the roads, sidewalks, trails, drainage, parks and public services it requires,” says Sooke Together.
Calling Sooke home:
All four candidates “call Sooke home”. This makes a comparison to two 2026 mayoral candidates — Kevin Pearson (of the Sooke First slate) and Al Beddows who both highlight being long-time Sooke residents and who have both served on Sooke council (both currently, in fact).
Not having a mayoral candidate will set Sooke Together apart in the election landscape this fall — presenting themselves as an eager team of council hopefuls.
But to the average Sooke voter it may be confusing … as people naturally look to one in a group as the natural leader. In this case, the one life-long resident of the group is Steve Sorensen, who also served as Sooke’s Fire Chief for many years, while Helen Ritts has been an active community participant in municipal.
Slate of four:
Sooke Together presents their slate of four as:
● Helen Ritts: communications and marketing professional in the architecture and urban planning field, former Chair of Sooke’s Official Community Plan Advisory Committee, and longtime community volunteer.
● Steve Sorensen: lifelong Sooke resident, former Fire Chief, and respected community leader with more than three decades of public service.
● Susan Belford: retired mediator and community engagement facilitator dedicated to helping communities find common ground.
● Brian McHatti: retired Registered Professional Planner, former Hamilton City Councillor, and award-winning environmental volunteer bringing decades of community planning experience.
The July 27 Sooke Together news release quotes Ritts as saying that not all four of the Sooke Together four are expected to win. Rather, they aim “to help build a Council that works well together and serves the whole community”.
The slate says it believes that “community voices must be heard, public dollars must be respected, and sound planning in the public interest should guide the decisions that shape Sooke’s future”.
“It’s important to understand that people have different experiences, values, and concerns – and they all matter,” said Steve Sorensen. “My commitment is to listen carefully, treat people with respect, and help make decisions based on what’s best for Sooke as a whole,” says Sorensen.
“Respect for every tax dollar doesn’t mean cutting corners,” says Belford. “It means making smart investments, planning ahead, and building consensus around practical decisions we can afford today while preparing for tomorrow.”
“We chose to run together because we believe Sooke deserves a Council that listens well, works collaboratively, and makes thoughtful decisions in the long-term public interest,” said Ritts.
“Sooke has already done a tremendous amount of work to plan its future,” said McHattie.”Our job is to respect that work, make thoughtful decisions, and ensure growth strengthens the community rather than outpaces it. By following community-developed plans, protecting our
natural assets, and supporting local businesses, we can build a stronger future while preserving what makes Sooke special.”
Election platform:
Together, the four candidates bring complementary experience in planning, public safety, communications, mediation, environmental stewardship, business, community leadership, and local government. The slate feels this offers different perspectives united by a shared commitment to Sooke’s future.
The Sooke Together platform is built around what the slate calls “connected priorities”:
● Planning and decision-making in the public interest
● Public health and safety
● Growing the local economy
● Connected neighbourhoods and transportation
===== RELATED:
NEWS SECTIONS: SOOKE LOCAL | BC MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS 2026