Sooke, British Columbia

Sooke is a municipality located in the southern point of Vancouver island, in British Columbia. It is even the southern-most municipality of British Columbia. Sooke has a large and protected harbour and basin connected to the Strait of Juan de Fuca, which separated Vancouver island from the state of Washington (USA). The municipality was incorporated on 7 December 1999.
Ivan Sache, 11 February 2004

---

The symbols of fishing and logging are appropriate to many towns on the BC coast, and the symbolism and colours may pay tribute to the native peoples. See also T'souke Nation

The population is 8735 (2001 census) with around 3550 people in outlying areas (East Sooke, Shirley, and Jordan River) that have debated joining with the District of Sooke. The area is 49 km2. The town is much older than 1999, but was only incorporated as a District in 1999. Southern Vancouver Island has gone against the Canadian trend of incorporating smaller districts into "mega-cities"; instead, several districts around Victoria were newly incorporated in the '90s.
Dean McGee, 13 February 2004

DISTRICT OF SOOKE

Sooke, British Columbia
Grant of Arms, Supporters and Flag
September 16, 2002
Vol. IV, p. 231

Description: A banner of the Arms; Coat of arms: Per saltire Or and Gules in chief and in base two salmon, in the flanks two double-bitted axes counterchanged;

Symbolism: The axes and salmon refer to the historical importance that the industries of forestry and fishing have had in Sooke. Red and gold are the colours of Spain and hence allude to the first European contact. The gold can also refer to the wealth derived from Sooke's traditional industries, as well as to the Leech River gold rush. The diagonal division of the shield makes an allusion to the flag of Scotland and thus to Captain Grant, the first European settler.

Image: http://www.gg.ca/heraldry/pub-reg/project-pic.asp?lang=e&ProjectID=36&ProjectElementID=103

Grant located by Pascal Vagnat, 1 August 2005