Shannon Strom, incumbent, challenges for another term as Bow Island councillor   

Posted on October 16, 2025 by Ryan Dahlman

By Nerissa McNaughton
Southern Alberta Newspapers

Shannon Strom is running for a second term on council.

“I have been in Bow Island for a total of 30 years,” she shares. Her history with the town – and the province – is very interesting.

“I was the first baby delivered by Dr. J. Woodruff (Retired) as the New Year’s baby in March of ‘76. Additionally, my grandfather, Harry Strom, was the Premier of Alberta from 1968 to 1971.”

Strom also has a background in business, with 25 years in the hotel industry in operations management and the last 10 years of that as a general manager in mid to large hotels in Canmore, Burnaby, Kelowna, Prince George, BC, and Grande Prairie.

“There, I excelled in customer service, prepared monthly and yearly budgets, and financial statements,” she says.

Her reasons for running again include a passion for the community and a passion to serve.

“I love our town, which has been quickly growing with new homes and individuals who move here and are investing in new businesses. I work for each member of this community and am their voice for what they would like to see in our town.”

She counts council highlights from the last term as: the grand opening of Kale Porteous Splash Park on July 16, 2022, obtaining grants and donations for a new ice plant for the skating rink and curling club, and being one of the first towns to obtain a $1.6 million Housing Accelerator Grant from CMHC in February 2024.

Other highlights include (built by donation) Westview Park for Westview, the new Parkview Division with walking paths, and the new public works shop.

“A milestone,” she adds, “was the creation of the Primary Care Medical Clinic (which was created by Mayor Gordon Reynolds and Town CAO Dave Matz).”

Strom notes of her community service, “I had volunteered with the Hospital Foundation and the Lions Club for many years after moving back to Bow Island in 2011. I have been on the Municipal Planning Commission, Board of 40 Mile FCSS, Southern Alberta Kannadier Association and sat as an executive board member of SAKA, Bylaw Review, and was the Fire Department Liaison.”

She concludes, “I have loved the first term of being on council and will continue to work hard for each citizen of our community and for what each person would like to see in our growing town, including work on the aging parts of our infrastructure up to and including new infrastructure by building for the future for our children and grandchildren and attracting new businesses and shops. I will continue to look for grants our Town might be able to benefit from in any way.”

Strom invites voters to take advantage of the advanced polls on Oct. 15th at the Pleasant View Lodge and encourages residents to vote on October 20th at the Bow Island Legion.