Tracy St. Claire is a long-time Penticton resident, healthcare leader and former school trustee with a track record of bringing people together to solve complex problems and deliver results.
Tracy grew up in Penticton and, with her husband Dave, raised their two daughters in the community they call home. Over the past two decades, she has served the community through elected office, volunteer service and leadership roles in healthcare and the non- profit sector.
Improving access to care has been at the heart of Tracy’s work with the South Okanagan Similkameen Division of Family Practice, where she has spent the past 14 years, including nine years as Executive Director. In that role, she leads a regional organization representing family physicians and nurse practitioners and works with healthcare providers, community partners and all levels of government to strengthen primary care.
Under Tracy’s leadership, the Division led family physician and nurse practitioner recruitment and retention and established four family medicine clinics, the Penticton hospital inpatient program and the South Okanagan Maternity Centre. This work has given Tracy firsthand experience with the challenges facing B.C.’s healthcare system and where investments in frontline patient care can make a difference.
Most recently, during the 2026 Bald Range wildfire, Tracy served as Incident Commander for the Division’s emergency response, coordinating primary care services during the evacuation of Summerland and the disruption of healthcare and long-term care services.
She believes the region must now focus on recovery, support those affected and use what was learned to better prepare for future emergencies.
Earlier in her career, Tracy worked in negotiation and mediation, including with the BC Treaty Commission. She later served as Director of the United Way of the South Okanagan Similkameen and was elected to the Okanagan Skaha School Board, where she served as Vice-Chair and Finance Chair.
Tracy holds a Master of Arts from Simon Fraser University and a Bachelor of Arts from the University of British Columbia, with additional training in negotiation, financial management, quality improvement and organizational coaching.
Fiscally conservative, Tracy believes government has a responsibility to live within its means, use taxpayers’ money carefully and ensure public spending delivers results. She believes effective government starts with listening to communities, making sound decisions and staying focused on the services and priorities that matter most to British Columbians. She would be honoured to represent the people and communities of Penticton-Summerland in the B.C. Legislature.