Tom Groat has formally launched a bid for a seat on West Kelowna council, bringing a background in education and neighbourhood advocacy into the run-up to the Oct. 17, 2026 municipal election. The announcement sets up another local contest that will shape how rapidly growing communities around Kelowna manage infrastructure, housing and emergency resilience.
From classroom to community leadership
Groat, who spent three decades as an educator, moved to West Kelowna in 2017 with his wife, Shirley. For the past six years he has served as president of the Shannon Lake Neighbourhood Association, a role he describes as advocating for residents and strengthening community ties.
His campaign theme, “Building a Stronger West Kelowna Together,” signals an emphasis on collaborative local governance. In announcing his intentions, Groat highlighted the need for leaders who listen and pursue practical solutions to municipal challenges.
“Strong communities are built by neighbours who care, listen, and work together to make life better for everyone,”
Platform priorities and recent civic work
Groat’s campaign identifies a range of municipal issues as priorities. Key themes listed on his platform include community safety, access to health care, improved roads and connected infrastructure, fiscal accountability, affordable housing and ensuring West Kelowna has a stronger voice with the provincial government.
- Community safety — local supports and emergency preparedness
- Accessible health care — advocating for services that meet a growing population’s needs
- Infrastructure — better roads and connected systems to support residential and commercial growth
- Fiscal accountability — prudent budgeting and transparent spending
- Affordable housing — measures to address local affordability pressure
- Provincial advocacy — stronger municipal representation in dealings with the province
His recent civic involvement includes chairing the Okanagan Wildfire Responders Gratitude Event in 2024, which recognised firefighters, emergency personnel and volunteers who worked during the region’s 2023 wildfire season. He has also been active in advocating for power redundancy in the area, engaging with BC Hydro and municipal decision-makers to improve reliability while considering neighbourhood character and long-term planning.
What this means for the Kelowna region
West Kelowna sits within the broader Central Okanagan region where population growth, climate risk and infrastructure demands intersect. Candidates who emphasise emergency preparedness and power resilience speak to lessons learned during recent wildfire seasons and widespread outages. Meanwhile, calls for improved roads, housing options and provincial advocacy mirror pressures felt across the Kelowna metropolitan area.
| Election date | Candidate | Top platform themes |
|---|---|---|
| Oct. 17, 2026 | Tom Groat | Community safety; infrastructure; health care; housing; fiscal accountability; provincial voice |
Groat’s focus on balancing infrastructure investments—such as reliable power—with neighbourhood character reflects common municipal tensions: how to accommodate growth while preserving local qualities. His background in neighbourhood association leadership may appeal to voters who prioritise resident engagement and incremental, practical solutions.
For residents seeking more detail on his proposals, Groat has directed the public to his campaign website at tomgroat.ca. As the Oct. 17 election approaches, voters across West Kelowna and the Kelowna region will be weighing candidates’ plans for resilience, services and growth management.
Municipal outcomes in West Kelowna will ripple across the Okanagan, influencing regional transportation, emergency planning and housing strategies as communities adapt to growth and changing climate realities.
