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57-759: Osoyoos ( / ɒ ˈ s uː juː s / , historically / ˈ s uː juː s / ) is the southernmost town in the Okanagan Valley in British Columbia between Penticton and Omak . The town is 3.6 km (2.2 mi) north of the United States border in the Washington State and is adjacent to the Osoyoos Indian reserve . The origin of the name Osoyoos was the word sw̓iw̓s (pronounced "soo-yoos") meaning "narrowing of

114-587: A decade afterward. In 1859, the first European settlement was established when Father Charles Pandosy led the making of an Oblate mission at Okanagan Mission , now a neighbourhood of Kelowna. The Fraser Canyon Gold Rush of 1858 eventually encouraged more settlement as some prospectors from the United States took the Okanagan Trail route on their way to the Fraser Canyon , although at

171-536: A land area of 8.41 km (3.25 sq mi), it had a population density of 660.6/km (1,711.1/sq mi) in 2021. The town's popularity among retirees is reflected in the age of the average resident at 55.4 years (2016) compared to 40.8 years for the rest of the population of British Columbia. The average age of the Osoyoos senior population is second in Canada only to Qualicum Beach , BC (60.1 years). The town

228-491: A popular destination for vacationers and retirees. The area also attracts seasonal fruit-picking labourers, primarily from Quebec and Mexico . The population of the region was 403,950 as of the 2021 Canadian census . The three regional districts within the Okanagan and their populations were: Central Okanagan (222,162), North Okanagan (91,610) and Okanagan-Similkameen (90,178). The statistical figures below are based on

285-710: A recent shift in focus to vineyards and wine . The region stretches northwards via the Spallumcheen Valley to Sicamous in the Shuswap Country , and reaches south of the Canada–United States border , where it continues as Okanogan County . The Okanagan as a region is sometimes described as including the Boundary , Similkameen , and Shuswap regions, though this is because of proximity and historic and commercial ties with those areas. The name

342-781: A subsidiary of the Canadian Pacific Railway , linking the Southern Mainline with the original transcontinental mainline at Sicamous: the SS Aberdeen from 1886 and then the SS Sicamous and SS Naramata from 1914, and others. The Sicamous and Naramata survive as a tourist attraction on Okanagan Beach on the north side of Penticton , the Sicamous serving both as a museum and also an event facility. Other steamboats operated on Skaha Lake to

399-725: Is a saline endorheic alkali lake located northwest of Osoyoos. There are two centres dedicated to preserving the ecosystem of the Okanagan Desert . The Osoyoos Desert Centre is located 3 km (2 mi) north of Osoyoos off Highway 97, while the Nk'Mip Desert Cultural Centre is located adjacent to the Nk'mip Winery on the Osoyoos Indian Reserve. The area is served by four championship golf courses – Osoyoos Golf Club which boasts two distinct eighteen-hole courses,

456-399: Is a cold semi-arid ( BSk ) with summers that are generally hot and dry. Although it claims to be a desert, Osoyoos is actually about 100 mm (3.9 in) too wet to be an actual desert. The average daytime temperature in Osoyoos is 17.0 °C (62.6 °F), which is the warmest in Canada. Osoyoos also has an average annual temperature of 10.7 °C (51.3 °F), which is one of

513-666: Is about 15.0 °C (59.0 °F), which is the warmest in Canada. The average annual precipitation in this region is also the second driest in Canada outside of the Arctic , the driest being the Thompson River Valley west of Kamloops . The southern Okanagan is dominated by northern reach of the Columbia Plateau ecoregion and is the only xeric shrubland ecosystem in Canada. Dry forests of ponderosa pine and low grasses can be found at higher elevations to

570-604: Is derived from the Okanagan-language place name ukʷnaqín . An alternative explanation from Washington is ‘People living where you can see the top’, ostensibly of Chopaka Peak in the Lower Similkameen. The area was occupied by Pleistocene glaciation , and a widespread mantle of glacial drift covers the underlying bedrock. At the end of the Pleistocene, marginal lakes formed along the sides of

627-607: Is higher in Windsor in Ontario due to warmer nights where July averages 23.0 °C (73.4 °F). The USDA places Osoyoos in Plant Hardiness Zone 7a. The highest temperature ever recorded in Osoyoos was 45 °C (113 °F) on 29 June 2021 during the 2021 Western North America heat wave . The highest daytime low temperature was 25.0 °C (77.0 °F) on 25 July 2006. The coldest temperature ever recorded

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684-574: Is home to the Syilx , commonly known as the Okanagan people, an Interior Salish people who live in the valley from the head of Okanagan Lake downstream to near the river's confluence with the Columbia River in present-day Washington , as well as in the neighbouring Similkameen Valley and the Upper Nicola to the north of that, though the whole of their traditional territory encompasses

741-619: Is now becoming fragmented and degraded due to the spread of agriculture, urban development, and other human activities. Since 2003, a feasibility study by Parks Canada has been going on to determine the need for protection of a large area of grasslands west of the town known as the South Okanagan-Lower Similkameen National Park Reserve Feasibility Study. The climate, according to the Köppen climate classification ,

798-457: Is served by a high school, Osoyoos Secondary School . According to the 2021 census , religious groups in Osoyoos included: Okanagan The region is known for its sunny climate, dry landscapes and lakeshore communities and particular lifestyle. The economy is retirement and commercial-recreation based, with outdoor activities such as boating and watersports, skiing and hiking. Agriculture has been focused primarily on fruit orchards, with

855-489: Is surrounded by kilometres of beaches (public and private), parks and picnic grounds, such as Gyro Beach, Lions Centennial Park, Kinsmen Park, Legion Beach and Sẁiẁs Provincial Park . There are also major plans to revitalize the waterfront along the town core, spurred on by recent major developments such as the Watermark Beach Resort which include increased public space and an expanded marina. Spotted Lake

912-511: Is well distributed year round. Some regions of the Okanagan, most notably near Kelowna , border on an inland oceanic climate due to it having an average temperature slightly above −3.0 °C (26.6 °F) and below 0 °C (32 °F). Dry forests of ponderosa pine and low grasses dominate the valleys and mountains in this region. The Okanagan south of Kelowna has a semi-arid climate ( Köppen : Bsk ) with hot, dry summers and cool winters. The average daytime temperature in this region

969-607: The 2011 Canadian census , 2021 Canadian census , and the British Columbia Ministry of Communities, Sport and Cultural Development. Statistics Canada. 2017. Armstrong, CY [Census subdivision], British Columbia and Okanagan, RD [Census division], British Columbia (table). Census Profile. 2016 Census. Statistics Canada Catalogue no. 98-316-X2016001. Ottawa. Released February 8, 2017. http://www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-recensement/2016/dp-pd/prof/index.cfm?Lang=E (accessed April 16, 2017). The Indian reserves of

1026-592: The 2021 census , religious groups in Keremeos included: Keremeos' main industries are horticulture , agriculture , ranching , and wine making , among others. Fruit stands are also a major component of the local economy, making it the self-titled "fruit stand capital of Canada ." All sorts of soft fruits, apples, cherries, peaches and vegetables are grown in the South Similkameen's dry warm climate, and vineyards and wineries are quickly being added as

1083-611: The Agricultural Land Reserve which prevents valuable agricultural lands from being converted into other uses. Tourism in the Osoyoos area has become a large contributor to the local economy. This tourism is brought on by the many amenities in the Osoyoos area. Osoyoos Lake is "the warmest freshwater lake in Canada" according to the town of Osoyoos and the BC Parks System, with reported average summer water temperatures of 24 °C (75 °F). The lake

1140-767: The KIJHL , Osoyoos having won the 2010/11 KIJHL season. Penticton and Summerland are both home to Chicago Blackhawks and Edmonton Oilers Defenceman Duncan Keith . The area has been host to multiple junior hockey championships, including the Memorial Cup in Kelowna in 2004 and RBC Cup in Vernon in 1990 (then called the Centennial Cup) and 2014 . Kelowna is home to junior Canadian football team Okanagan Sun , and Jr. Baseball team Kelowna Falcons , including

1197-662: The Okanagan River to Osoyoos Lake and farther north. After the Hudson's Bay Company took over the fur trade in 1821, the Okanagan Valley became a major trade route for supplies to inland forts of British Columbia and furs that were shipped south to the Columbia River and the Pacific to European and Asian markets. The final Hudson's Bay Company brigade in 1860 was the end of an era, as gold rushes transformed

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1254-472: The Okanagan first peoples also form identifiable communities: The Osoyoos and Westbank Indian Reserves have large non-native populations because of band-governed residential and commercial development on their lands. The Osoyoos Indian Reserve leases large swathes of land to commercial vineyard developments and is where 40% of wine grapes used in the Okanagan come from. Ice hockey is a popular sport in

1311-591: The UBC Okanagan Heat university program. The continued growth and operation of the agricultural industry in the Okanagan absolutely depends on the employment of temporary migrant workers. In 2009, there were 3,000 Mexican migrant labourers working in the Okanagan. Keremeos, British Columbia Keremeos ( / k ɛr ə ˈ m iː ə s / ) is a village in the Southern Interior of British Columbia , Canada. The name originated from

1368-650: The 49th parallel after 1858. A customs house was built in Osoyoos in 1861 with John Carmichael Haynes as the tax collector. Haynes was also the first pioneer settler who obtained land along the Okanagan River north of Osoyoos that had been part of the Osoyoos Indian Reserve established by the Joint Indian Reserve Commission in 1877. These lands, now known as the Haynes Lease lands, remain as an original house and barn. Osoyoos

1425-790: The Central Interior to the north, to Fort Vancouver , the HBC's headquarters in the Columbia Department , for passing furs between New Caledonia and the Columbia River for shipment to the Pacific. The trade route lasted until 1846, when the Oregon Treaty laid down the border between British North America and the United States west of the Rocky Mountains on the 49th parallel. The new border cut across

1482-523: The East Kootenay, skirting the US border and crossing Osoyoos Lake at Osoyoos, which was a customs post and also the location of the gold commissioner 's office. The Dewdney Trail , surveyed and built by Edgar Dewdney , was constructed to prevent trade in the region from going north-south instead of remaining firmly under British control, and also for military mobility purposes should the need arise. In

1539-626: The Park Meadows Golf Course and the Desert Gold Golf Course, Fairview Mountain Golf Club (Oliver) and the Nk'Mip Canyon Desert Golf Course (Oliver) – and one nine-hole course, Sonora Dunes (Osoyoos). In the 2021 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada , Osoyoos had a population of 5,556 living in 2,647 of its 3,279 total private dwellings, a change of 10% from its 2016 population of 5,050. With

1596-542: The Similkameen River in anticipation of the V.V. & E. Railway passing through the area. Eventually the Great Northern Railway from the US built a branch line up to Hedley and other businesses soon followed. Keremeos was incorporated in 1956. The geography of the Keremeos area ranges from cottonwood groves along the river, to dense orchards and farms, to desert-like landscapes along

1653-655: The Similkameen dialect of the Okanagan language word "Keremeyeus" meaning "creek which cuts its way through the flats" referring to Keremeos Creek which flows down from the Upper Benchlands to the Similkameen River that flows past the village. With K Mountain as a backdrop, Keremeos is a community whose "Wild West" looks date back to 1909 when the postmaster of the now-abandoned community of Upper Keremeos, Mr. George Kirby, purchased land alongside

1710-513: The United States between Osoyoos and Oroville, Washington . The Canada–United States border is located 4 km (2.5 mi) south of the Highway 3 and 97 intersection on the northwest side of town. The town is situated on Osoyoos Lake , which has a perimeter of 47.9 km (29.8 mi), an elevation of 276 m (906 ft), a maximum depth of 63 m (207 ft), and a mean depth of 14 m (46 ft). The lake's elevation marks

1767-435: The bases of the surrounding mountains, up to alpine peaks and plateaux on top. In the 2021 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada , Keremeos had a population of 1,608 living in 809 of its 852 total private dwellings, a change of 7.1% from its 2016 population of 1,502. With a land area of 2.09 km (0.81 sq mi), it had a population density of 769.4/km (1,992.7/sq mi) in 2021. According to

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1824-783: The decades following the gold rushes, ranchers, mostly on military land grants, came to settle on Okanagan Lake; notable ones included the Coldstream Ranch near Vernon, the Ellis Ranch , which formed the basis of the City of Penticton once subdivided, and the Richter Ranch , which continues in operation today, in the mountains between the Town of Oliver and the Village of Keremeos in the Similkameen. A mining industry began in

1881-572: The east. Despite being located in a xeric shrubland, areas near Osoyoos and Oliver claim to be part of Canada's only desert . Between 2000 BCE and 1900 CE, the climate and vegetation of the Okanagan had changed little. However, historical records from the Pacific Agrifood Research Station in Summerland indicate that the Okanagan climate had warmed by about 1 °C between 1908 and 1994. The Okanagan Valley

1938-610: The economy of the new Colony of British Columbia . As parties of miners headed for the Fraser goldfields via the Okanagan Trail , they commonly met conflict with the Okanagan people . The Dewdney Trail passed through Osoyoos on its way from Hope to the Kootenays . The trail now forms the backbone of the Crowsnest Highway . Thousands of miners heading to the goldfields and drovers with large herds of livestock crossed

1995-605: The entire Columbia River watershed and includes areas east of the Okanogan River in Washington, i.e. the Colville Reservation . At the height of Okanagan culture, about 3000 years ago, it is estimated that 12,000 people lived in this valley and surrounding areas. The Okanagan people employed an adaptive strategy, moving within traditional areas throughout the year to fish, hunt, or collect food, while in

2052-607: The flank of the Okanagan Highland with a 685 m (2,247 ft) rise to the mining and ranching region of Anarchist Mountain , which is part of the Boundary Country (the stretch of rising highway is also referred to as Anarchist Mountain). Highway 3 westbound leads to Keremeos and the Similkameen Valley via Richter Pass . On Highway 97 south is a 24-hour border crossing between Canada and

2109-659: The form of a fur trading expedition voyaging north out of Fort Okanogan , a Pacific Fur Company outpost at the confluence of the Okanogan and Columbia Rivers. Within fifteen years, fur traders established, known as the Brigade Trail via the Cariboo Plateau and Thompson Country to Fort Kamloops and through the Okanagan, from Fort Alexandria at the southern end of the New Caledonia fur district in

2166-537: The height of the rush the American adventurers who used the route did not settle because of outright hostilities from the Syilx , whom a few of the parties traversing the trail had harassed and brutalized. A few staked claims around the South Okanagan and Similkameen valleys and found gold and copper in places, with another trail from Fort Hope to newer goldfields at Rock Creek and Wild Horse Creek in

2223-519: The lowest point in Canada of the Okanagan Valley. The far southern reaches of the Okanagan and Similkameen Valleys are part of a threatened xeric shrubland ecosystem in Canada known as the Columbia Plateau ecoregion . Specifically, the ecosystem of the area is named after the antelope brush plant typical of the local climate. This ecosystem was once more prevalent in the South Okanagan but

2280-419: The melting ice lobe and streams deposited their loads in them as deltas and accumulations of silt. These accumulations now form the white cliffs which are particularly prominent along the southern end of Okanagan Lake . Geographic features include: The Okanagan has a mild, relatively dry climate that varies depending on latitude. Most of the Okanagan lies within the rain shadow of the Cascade Mountains to

2337-405: The numerous commercial orchards surrounding the town. With the growing popularity of viticulture , some of these orchards are being converted to vineyards, as the area is a major wine-producing region of Canada . After clearing of mainly sagebrush , parcels of bench land have been replanted for viticulture. The vast majority of the land in the valley bottom surrounding the town is protected by

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2394-426: The region with WHL team Kelowna Rockets playing in the region's most populated city. The Jr. A teams are the Vernon Vipers , West Kelowna Warriors and the Penticton Vees of the BCHL . Penticton were the 2012 national Jr. A champions, after they ousted the Woodstock Slammers for the title. Jr. B sides Kelowna Chiefs , Sicamous Eagles , Summerland Steam , Osoyoos Coyotes and North Okanagan Knights play in

2451-416: The south of that city. The club lounge and wheelhouse, without any keel or hull, of the SS Okanagan are in the same park as the Sicamous and Naramata . While the last half-century has grown several resource-based enterprises in the region, primarily forestry, though mining had played an important role in earlier times. Favoured by its sunny climate, lakes, and winery attractions, the valley has become

2508-419: The southern Okanagan region, with Fairview , now an empty benchland on the western side of Oliver , the best-known and largest of the boomtowns created in the later part of the 19th century. More farmers, as well as a small service industry, came to meet the needs of the miners. Fruit production is a hallmark of the Okanagan Valley today, but the industry began with difficulty. Commercial orcharding of apples

2565-428: The southwest. Areas in the north end of the valley receive more precipitation and cooler temperatures than areas to the south. Generally, Kelowna is the transition zone between the drier south and the wetter north. The Okanagan north of Kelowna has a humid continental climate ( Köppen : Dfb ) with warm, sometimes hot summers and cold winters with highs around freezing, though mild by Canadian standards. Precipitation

2622-403: The summer months with seasonal visitors. Seniors (age 65 and over) comprise 43% of the town population. Another 2,139 people live around the town within Electoral Area A of the Regional District of Okanagan-Similkameen , and 1,426 more in the Osoyoos 1 Indian Reserve . The first Europeans to Osoyoos were fur traders working for the Pacific Fur Company , an American enterprise. They ventured up

2679-400: The summer, the southern Okanagan Valley is on average one of the hottest areas in Canada during the day, one of the few places in Canada where the average high is above 30 °C (86 °F). Temperatures exceed 35 °C (95 °F) on average 17 days per summer, sometimes topping 38 °C (100 °F). Although days are hot, the humidity is low and nights cool adequately. The summer mean

2736-489: The valley's wine-growing potential is being recognized. Attractions include the Keremeos Grist Mill . Keremeos has a semi-arid climate ( Köppen BSk ) with cool but short winters and hot, dry summers. Precipitation is low at 323 millimetres (13 in) and evenly distributed throughout the year. Keremeos is served by public transit in the South Okanagan-Similkameen Transit System along Route 50 thrice weekly year round. Buses go as far as Coalmont, British Columbia to

2793-403: The valley, bisecting Osoyoos Lake. To avoid paying tariffs , British traders forged a newer route that bypassed Fort Okanogan via the Fraser Canyon from Spuzzum up over the Cascade Mountains , then via the Nicola, Coldwater and Fraser rivers to Fort Langley instead of to Fort Vancouver, which had come into being in American territory. The Okanagan Valley did not see many more outsiders for

2850-409: The warmest in the country. September and October are usually dry and sunny with cool mornings. Winters are short and mild by Canadian standards, and usually dry, but can be cold for brief periods during Arctic outflow conditions bringing sporadic snowfall. Spring arrives earlier than other parts of the Okanagan. Osoyoos averages 7 months at or above a 10 °C (50 °F) Mean Temperature. During

2907-463: The waters" in the local Okanagan language ( Syilx'tsn ). The "O-" prefix is not indigenous in origin and was attached by settler-promoters wanting to harmonize the name with other place names beginning with O in the Okanagan region ( Oliver , Omak , Oroville , Okanogan ). There was a local newspaper, the Osoyoos Times , but merged with the Oliver Chronicle and became the Times Chronicle in May 2020. The town's population of 5,556 (2021) swells in

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2964-408: The west and Penticton in the East, with connections on BC Transit to Kelowna and Osoyoos . The thrice-weekly public transit service is the only intercity transportation available to residents after Greyhound terminated their services along the Hope, British Columbia -Penticton corridor on June 1, 2019. The nearest airport with scheduled flights is the Penticton Regional Airport 41 km to

3021-402: The winter months, they lived in semi-permanent villages of kekulis , a type of pithouse. Today the member bands of the Okanagan Nation Alliance are sovereign nations, with vibrant natural resource and tourism based economies. Their annual August gathering near Vernon is a celebration of the continuance of Syilx life and culture. In 1811, the first non-natives came to the Okanagan Valley, in

3078-423: Was first tried there in 1892, but a series of setbacks prevented the major success of commercial fruit crops until the 1920s. In 1936, the grower-owned BC Tree Fruits Cooperative was established to store, package and sell Okanagan fruit. Until the 1930s, the demand for shipping fruit and other goods did drive a need for ongoing operations of the sternwheeler steamboats that serviced Okanagan Lake , operated by

3135-490: Was incorporated as a village in 1946 when the railway arrived and became a town in the 1980s. When the railway was discontinued, its station house was purchased from the Town of Osoyoos and moved 300 m north to its current location by the Osoyoos Sailing Club. Osoyoos is situated on the east-west Crowsnest Highway (Highway 3) with a significant ascent out of the Okanagan Valley in either direction. The Crowsnest headed east begins with an 18 km (11 mi) switchback up

3192-419: Was planned which finally brought water to the west bench via "The Ditch" in 1927. The former shrub-steppe environment was transformed into a lush agricultural belt and Osoyoos promoted "the earliest fruit in Canada". Today, the area continues to produce tree fruits. Aside from tourism, agriculture is a major component of the local economy, as is evident by the abundant produce stands along Highways 3 and 97, and

3249-413: Was −26.1 °C (−15.0 °F) on 31 December 1968, 23 January 1969, and 29 December 1990. Average number of days: Although the fruit-growing possibilities were noticed by early settlers, the first commercial orchard in the area was not established until 1907, growing cherries, apricots, nectarines, peaches, plums, pears and apples. Osoyoos Orchard Limited was formed in 1920 and an irrigation project

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