Kamloops ( ) is a city in south-central

British Columbia British Columbia (commonly abbreviated as BC) is the westernmost Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada, situated between the Pacific Ocean and the Rocky Mountains. It has a diverse geography, with rugged landscapes that include ...

, Canada, at the confluence of the South flowing North Thompson River and the West flowing Thompson River, east of

Kamloops Lake Kamloops Lake in British Columbia, Canada is situated on the Thompson River just west of Kamloops. The lake is 1.6 km wide, 29 km long, and up to 152 m deep. In prehistoric time, the lake was much longer, perhaps 20x, with adjacent silt ...

. It is located in the

Thompson-Nicola Regional District The Thompson–Nicola Regional District is a regional district in the Canadian province of British Columbia. The Canada 2021 Census population was 143,680 and the area covers 44,449.49 square kilometres. The administrative offices are in the mai ...

, whose district offices are based here. The surrounding region is sometimes referred to as the

Thompson Country Thompson Country, also referred to as The Thompson and sometimes as the Thompson Valley and historically known as the Couteau Country or Couteau District, is a historic geographic region of the Southern Interior of British Columbia, more or less d ...

. The city was incorporated in 1893 with about 500 residents. The Canadian Pacific Railroad was completed through downtown in 1886, and the Canadian National arrived in 1912, making Kamloops an important transportation hub. With a 2021 population of 97,902, it is the twelfth largest municipality in the province. The Kamloops

census agglomeration The census geographic units of Canada are the census subdivisions defined and used by Canada's federal government statistics bureau Statistics Canada to conduct the country's quinquennial census. These areas exist solely for the purposes of sta ...

is ranked 36th among census metropolitan areas and agglomerations in Canada with a 2021 population of 114,142. Kamloops is promoted as the ''Tournament Capital of Canada''. It hosts more than 100 sporting tournaments each year (hockey, baseball, curling, etc) at world-class sports facilities such as the

Tournament Capital Centre The Tournament Capital Centre is a facility next to Thompson Rivers University Thompson Rivers University (commonly referred to as TRU) is a public teaching and research university offering undergraduate and graduate degrees and vocationa ...

, Kamloops Bike Ranch, and Tournament Capital Ranch. Logging, Beef Cattle, Vegetable farming, Transportation, Viticulture, Health care, tourism, and education are major contributing industries to the regional economy and have grown in recent years. Thompson Rivers University (~25,000 students) was established as Cariboo College in 1970.

History

The first European explorers arrived in 1811. David Stuart, a trader sent from

Fort Astoria Fort Astoria (also named Fort George) was the primary fur trading post of John Jacob Astor's Pacific Fur Company (PFC). A maritime contingent of PFC staff was sent on board the '' Tonquin'', while another party traveled overland from St. Louis. ...

, then still a

Pacific Fur Company The Pacific Fur Company (PFC) was an American fur trade venture wholly owned and funded by John Jacob Astor that functioned from 1810 to 1813. It was based in the Pacific Northwest, an area contested over the decades between the United Kingdom of ...

post, spent a winter with the

Secwépemc The Secwépemc ( ; Secwepemc: or ), known in English as the Shuswap people , are a First Nations people residing in the interior of the Canadian province of British Columbia. They speak one of the Salishan languages, known as Secwepemc or Shu ...

people. In May of the following year, trader Alexander Ross established a post, which was known as "Fort Cumcloups". The rival

North West Company The North West Company was a fur trading business headquartered in Montreal from 1779 to 1821. It competed with increasing success against the Hudson's Bay Company in what is present-day Western Canada and Northwestern Ontario. With great we ...

established Fort Shuswap nearby in the same year. The two businesses merged in 1813 when the North West Company bought the operations of the Pacific Fur Company. In 1821, the

Hudson's Bay Company The Hudson's Bay Company (HBC; french: Compagnie de la Baie d'Hudson) is a Canadian retail business group. A fur trade, fur trading business for much of its existence, HBC now owns and operates retail stores in Canada. The company's namesake b ...

took over the North West Company, and the post became known commonly as Thompson's River Post, or Fort Thompson. Later it was known as Fort Kamloops. The post's Chief Traders kept journals, which document a series of inter-Indian wars and personalities for the period, in addition to the daily business of the fur companies and their personnel along the entire

Pacific Slope The Pacific Slope describes geographic regions in North American, Central American, and South American countries that are west of the continental divide and slope down to the Pacific Ocean. In North America, the Rocky Mountains mark the eastern b ...

. Soon after the forts were founded, Kwa'lila, chief of the main local village of the Secwépemc, moved his people closer to the

trading post A trading post, trading station, or trading house, also known as a factory, is an establishment or settlement where goods and services could be traded. Typically the location of the trading post would allow people from one geographic area to tr ...

, so they could control access and gain in prestige and security. After Kwa'lila died, his nephew and foster son

Nicola Nicola may refer to: People * Nicola (name), including a list of people with the given name or, less commonly, the surname **Nicola (artist) or Nicoleta Alexandru, singer who represented Romania at the 2003 Eurovision Song Contest * Nicola people, ...

became chief. He later led an alliance of

Syilx The ''Syilx'' () people, also known as the Okanagan, Okanogan or Okinagan people, are a First Nations and Native American people whose traditional territory spans the Canada–US boundary in Washington state and British Columbia in the Okanagan ...

(Okanagan) and

Nlaka'pamux The Nlaka'pamux or Nlakapamuk ( ; ), also previously known as the ''Thompson'', ''Thompson River Salish'', ''Thompson Salish'', ''Thompson River Indians'' or ''Thompson River people'', and historically as the ''Klackarpun'', ''Haukamaugh'', ''Kni ...

peoples in the plateau country to the south around

Stump Stump may refer to: *Stump (band), a band from Cork, Ireland and London, England *Stump (cricket), one of three small wooden posts which the fielding team attempt to hit with the ball *Stump (dog): Clussexx Three D Grinchy Glee (born 1998), 2009 " ...

and

Douglas Douglas may refer to: People * Douglas (given name) * Douglas (surname) Animals * Douglas (parrot), macaw that starred as the parrot ''Rosalinda'' in Pippi Longstocking * Douglas the camel, a camel in the Confederate Army in the American Civi ...

lakes. Relations between Nicola and the

fur trade The fur trade is a worldwide industry dealing in the acquisition and sale of animal fur. Since the establishment of a world fur market in the early modern period, furs of boreal, polar and cold temperate mammalian animals have been the mo ...

rs were often tense, but Chief Nicola was recognized for his aid to colonizers during the

Fraser Canyon Gold Rush The Fraser Canyon Gold Rush, (also Fraser Gold Rush and Fraser River Gold Rush) began in 1858 after gold was discovered on the Thompson River in British Columbia at its confluence with the Nicoamen River a few miles upstream from the Thompson's ...

of 1858. He did try to control those who had been in parties waging violence and looting on the

Okanagan Trail The Okanagan Trail was an inland route to the Fraser Canyon Gold Rush from the Lower Columbia region of the Washington and Oregon Territories in 1858–1859. The route was essentially the same as that used by the Hudson's Bay Company fur bri ...

, which led from American territory to the Fraser goldfields. Throughout, Kamloops was an important way station on the route of the

Hudson's Bay Brigade Trail The Hudson's Bay Brigade Trail, sometimes referred to simply as the Brigade Trail, refers to one of two routes used by Hudson's Bay Company fur traders to transport furs, goods and supplies between coastal and Columbia District headquarters at Fort ...

, which connected Fort Astoria with

Fort Alexandria Alexandria or Fort Alexandria is a National Historic Site of Canada on the Fraser River in British Columbia, and was the end of the Old Cariboo Road and the Cariboo Wagon Road. It is located on Highway 97, north of 100 Mile House and south of ...

and the other forts in New Caledonia to the north (today's

Omineca Country The Omineca Country, also called the Omineca District or the Omineca, is a historical geographic region of the Northern Interior of British Columbia, roughly defined by the basin of the Omineca River but including areas to the south which allowed a ...

, roughly). It was integral during the onset of the

Cariboo Gold Rush The Cariboo Gold Rush was a gold rush in the Colony of British Columbia, which later joined the Canadian province of British Columbia. The first gold discovery was made at Hills Bar in 1858, followed by more strikes in 1859 on the Horsefly Riv ...

as the main route to the new goldfields around what was to become

Barkerville Barkerville was the main town of the Cariboo Gold Rush in British Columbia, Canada, and is preserved as a historic town. It is located on the north slope of the Cariboo Plateau near the Cariboo Mountains east of Quesnel. BC Highway 26, whi ...

. The

1862 Pacific Northwest smallpox epidemic Year 186 ( CLXXXVI) was a common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Aurelius and Glabrio (or, less frequently, year 939 ''Ab urbe co ...

swept through the Kamloops area during the summer of that year, decimating the Secwepemc, Nlaka'pamux, and other indigenous peoples. They had no acquired immunity. The epidemic had started in

Victoria Victoria most commonly refers to: * Victoria (Australia), a state of the Commonwealth of Australia * Victoria, British Columbia, provincial capital of British Columbia, Canada * Victoria (mythology), Roman goddess of Victory * Victoria, Seychelle ...

and quickly spread throughout British Columbia, especially among First Nations. In June 1862, indigenous people went to Fort Kamloops seeking

smallpox vaccine The smallpox vaccine is the first vaccine to be developed against a contagious disease. In 1796, British physician Edward Jenner demonstrated that an infection with the relatively mild cowpox virus conferred immunity against the deadly smallpox ...

, William Manson, chief clerk at the fort, vaccinated numerous persons, but fatalities were extremely high. In late September he reported "smallpox still raging amongst the Indians". In October a newspaper in Victoria reported an eyewitness account from Fort Kamloops, saying

"The Indians have been nearly exterminated at amloops only sixteen have escaped out of a large settlement. Their bodies are strewing the ground in all directions."

About two-thirds of the Secwepemc died during the epidemic. In the aftermath, colonists took over traditional lands of the Secwepemc and many other indigenous groups throughout British Columbia. The gold rush of the 1860s and the construction of the

Canadian Pacific Railway The Canadian Pacific Railway (french: Chemin de fer Canadien Pacifique) , also known simply as CPR or Canadian Pacific and formerly as CP Rail (1968–1996), is a Canadian Class I railway incorporated in 1881. The railway is owned by Canad ...

, which reached Kamloops from the West in 1885, brought further growth. The City of Kamloops was incorporated in 1893 with a population of about 500. In 1908 due to the

Tuberculosis Tuberculosis (TB) is an infectious disease usually caused by ''Mycobacterium tuberculosis'' (MTB) bacteria. Tuberculosis generally affects the lungs, but it can also affect other parts of the body. Most infections show no symptoms, in w ...

Pandemic a sanatorium was opened west of the city named King Edward Memorial Sanatorium, the sanatorium was later acquired by the provincial government in 1921, being renamed to

Tranquille Sanatorium Tranquille Sanatorium was built in 1907 to treat tuberculosis, which was known as the "white plague" back then. It was a ranch beforehand. The BC government bought the land for the sanatorium. As the tuberculosis Tuberculosis (TB) is ...

, it later closed in 1958. The Tranquille Institution reopened in 1959 to treat people with mental problems it later closed in 1983. In 1967, Kamloops amalgamated with the Town of

North Kamloops North Kamloops is a neighbourhood and former town located in the City of Kamloops, British Columbia, Canada. It is located immediately to the northwest of Downtown Kamloops across the confluence of the North and South Thompson Rivers. In 2016, No ...

. The logging industry of the 1970s attracted many

Indo-Canadian Indian Canadians are Canadians who have ancestry from India. The terms ''Indo-Canadian'' or ''East Indian'' are sometimes used to avoid confusion with the Indigenous Peoples of Canada. Categorically, Indian Canadians comprise a subgroup of S ...

workers to the Kamloops area. They had come mostly from the

Punjab Punjab (; Punjabi: پنجاب ; ਪੰਜਾਬ ; ; also romanised as ''Panjāb'' or ''Panj-Āb'') is a geopolitical, cultural, and historical region in South Asia, specifically in the northern part of the Indian subcontinent, comprising ...

region of

India India, officially the Republic of India ( Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the ...

. In 1973, Kamloops amalgamated with the Districts of Brocklehurst, Dufferin, the Town of Valleyview, and the

Kamloops Indian Band Kamloops ( ) is a city in south-central British Columbia, Canada, at the confluence of the South flowing North Thompson River and the West flowing Thompson River, east of Kamloops Lake. It is located in the Thompson-Nicola Regional District, w ...

, and the communities of Dallas, Campbell Creek, Barnhart Vale, Heffley Creek, Rayleigh, Westsyde and Knutsford. In 1976, the Kamloops Indian Band split from the City of Kamloops. In May 2021, an anthropologist announced she had used

ground-penetrating radar Ground-penetrating radar (GPR) is a Geophysics, geophysical method that uses radar pulses to Geophysical imaging, image the subsurface. It is a non-intrusive method of surveying the sub-surface to investigate underground utilities such as concrete, ...

to find "probable" graves containing the remains of 215 children found at a former Kamloops Indian residential school, part of the

Canadian Indian residential school system In Canada, the Indian residential school system was a network of boarding schools for Indigenous peoples. The network was funded by the Canadian government's Department of Indian Affairs and administered by Christian churches. The schoo ...

. The story was reported around the world, and five

Catholic The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the List of Christian denominations by number of members, largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics Catholic Church by country, worldwide . It is am ...

churches in Western Canada were burned down in the weeks following, since the school was operated by a Catholic order. However, this story cannot be completely confirmed until bodies are exhumed.

Etymology

"Kamloops" is the anglicized version of the Shuswap word ''"Tk'əmlúps"'', meaning "meeting of the waters". Shuswap is still spoken in the area by members of the Tk'emlúps Indian Band.Tk'emlúps Indian Band
Tk'emlúps History
2011. Accessed 1 June 2011. An alternate origin sometimes given for the name may have come from the native name's accidental similarity to the French ''"Camp des loups"'', meaning "Camp of Wolves"; many early

fur trader The fur trade is a worldwide industry dealing in the acquisition and sale of animal fur. Since the establishment of a world fur market in the early modern period, furs of boreal, polar and cold temperate mammalian animals have been the mos ...

s were ethnic French. There are folk stories about an attack on a traders' camp by a pack of wolves. Other legendary versions recount a huge white wolf, or a pack of wolves and other animals, that were moving overland from the

Nicola Country The Nicola Country, also known as the Nicola Valley and often referred to simply as The Nicola, and originally Nicolas' Country or Nicholas' Country, adapted to Nicola's Country and simplified since, is a region in the Southern Interior of British ...

and were repelled by a single shot by John Tod, then Chief Trader. This prevented the wolves from attacking the fort and earned Tod a great degree of respect locally.

Geography

Kamloops is in the Thompson Valley and the

Montane Cordillera The Montane Cordillera Ecozone, as defined by the Commission for Environmental Cooperation (CEC), is an ecozone in south-central British Columbia and southwestern Alberta, Canada (an ecozone is equivalent to a Level I ecoregion in the United S ...

Ecozone. The city's centre is in the valley near the confluence of the Thompson River's north and south branches. Suburbs stretch for more than a dozen kilometres along the north and south branches, as well as to the steep hillsides along the south portion of the city and lower northeast hillsides.

Robert W. Service Robert William Service (January 16, 1874 – September 11, 1958) was a British-Canadian poet and writer, often called "the Bard of the Yukon". The middle name 'William' was in honour of a rich uncle. When that uncle neglected to provide for hi ...

in 1904 described Kamloops as his delightful life and wrote "Life was pleasant, and the work was light. At four o'clock we were on our horses, riding over the rolling ridges, or into spectral gulches that rose to ghostlier mountains. It was like the scenery of Mexico, weirdly desolate and aridly morose. A discouraging land, forbidding in its weariness and resigned to ruin."

areas begin just to the northeast of the downtown core but are not within the city limits. As a result of this placement, it is necessary to leave Kamloops' city limits and pass through the band lands before re-entering the city limits to access the northernmost communities of

Rayleigh Rayleigh may refer to: Science *Rayleigh scattering *Rayleigh–Jeans law *Rayleigh waves *Rayleigh (unit), a unit of photon flux named after the 4th Baron Rayleigh *Rayl, rayl or Rayleigh, two units of specific acoustic impedance and characte ...

and

Heffley Creek Heffley Creek is a neighbourhood of Kamloops, British Columbia, Canada along Highway 5 (the Yellowhead Highway). The city's northernmost community, it is bordered by the North Thompson River to the west, Sun Peaks to the east, Rayleigh to ...

. Kamloops is surrounded by the smaller communities of Cherry Creek, Pritchard,

Savona Savona (; lij, Sann-a ) is a seaport and ''comune'' in the west part of the northern Italian region of Liguria, capital of the Province of Savona, in the Riviera di Ponente on the Mediterranean Sea. Savona used to be one of the chief seats ...

, Scotch Creek,

Adams Lake Adams Lake is a large, deep, coldwater lake in British Columbia, Canada; its average depth ranks 6th in the world. The southern end of the lake is approximately north of the town of Chase in the Shuswap Country region of British Columbia. The ...

Chase Chase or CHASE may refer to: Businesses * Chase Bank, a national bank based in New York City, New York * Chase Aircraft (1943–1954), a defunct American aircraft manufacturing company * Chase Coaches, a defunct bus operator in England * Chase Co ...

, Paul Lake,

Pinantan Pinantan Lake is a small community located about 20 minutes out of Kamloops, BC. It is home to a general store, a resort, a small school and about 500 residents. The lake itself is actually two parts, usually referred to as Big Pinantan and ...

and various others.

Neighbourhoods

Officially recognized neighbourhoods within the city of Kamloops. Informally recognized sub-areas are listed beneath the neighbourhoods to which they belong: *

Aberdeen Aberdeen (; sco, Aiberdeen ; gd, Obar Dheathain ; la, Aberdonia) is a city in North East Scotland, and is the third most populous city in the country. Aberdeen is one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas (as Aberdeen City), ...

**Pacific Way *

Barnhartvale Barnhartvale, originally Barnhart Vale, is located at the southeast end of Kamloops, south of Dallas in British Columbia, Canada. The area includes riding stables, farms, and ranches. There is a local Esso gas station, and a local elementary scho ...

* Batchelor Heights **Batchelor Hills **Lac Du Bois * Brocklehurst **Airport Entry Corridor **Brock Centre **North Kamloops West **Ord Road * Campbell Creek *

Dallas Dallas () is the List of municipalities in Texas, third largest city in Texas and the largest city in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex, the List of metropolitan statistical areas, fourth-largest metropolitan area in the United States at 7.5 ...

* Downtown **Columbia Precinct **Downtown Core **East End **East Entry Corridor **Waterfront District **West Entry Corridor * Dufferin *

* Iron Mask **Lac Le Jeune *

Juniper Ridge Juniper Ridge is a community located in the city of Kamloops, British Columbia. It is situated at the south-east end of the city on a hillside south of the South Thompson River. There is a convenience store at the entrance to the community, and the ...

Knutsford Knutsford () is a market town in the borough of Cheshire East, in Cheshire, England. Knutsford is south-west of Manchester, north-west of Macclesfield and 12.5 miles (20 km) south-east of Warrington. The population at the 2011 Census was ...

* Lower Sahali * Mission Flats * Noble Creek *

**8th St Corridor **Halston Corridor **John Tod **McDonald Park **North Kamloops West **North Shore Town Centre **Schubert Drive **Tranquille Market **Tranquille South * Pineview *

* Rose Hill * Sagebrush * Southgate *

Thompson Rivers University Thompson Rivers University (commonly referred to as TRU) is a public teaching and research university offering undergraduate and graduate degrees and vocational training. Its main campus is in Kamloops, British Columbia, Canada, and its na ...

(TRU) * Tranquille * Upper Sahali * Valleyview **Orchard's Walk *

West End West End most commonly refers to: * West End of London, an area of central London, England * West End theatre, a popular term for mainstream professional theatre staged in the large theatres of London, England West End may also refer to: Pl ...

**College Heights **Guerin Creek **Hudson's Ridge **McIntosh Heights **Powers Addition * Westsyde ** Westmount ** Oak Hills

Climate

The climate of Kamloops is

semi-arid A semi-arid climate, semi-desert climate, or steppe climate is a dry climate sub-type. It is located on regions that receive precipitation below potential evapotranspiration, but not as low as a desert climate. There are different kinds of semi- ...

(

Köppen climate classification The Köppen climate classification is one of the most widely used climate classification systems. It was first published by German-Russian climatologist Wladimir Köppen (1846–1940) in 1884, with several later modifications by Köppen, nota ...

BSk BSK is a three-letter abbreviation that may refer to: Sports * OFK Beograd, Serbian football club * FK BSK Borča, Serbian football club * FK BSK Batajnica, Serbian football club * FK BSK Banja Luka, Bosnian-Herzegovinian football club * FK BSK ...

'') due to its

rain shadow A rain shadow is an area of significantly reduced rainfall behind a mountainous region, on the side facing away from prevailing winds, known as its leeward side. Evaporated moisture from water bodies (such as oceans and large lakes) is carri ...

location. Because of milder winters and aridity, the area west of Kamloops in the lower

Thompson River The Thompson River is the largest tributary of the Fraser River, flowing through the south-central portion of British Columbia, Canada. The Thompson River has two main branches, the South Thompson River and the North Thompson River. The river ...

valley falls within a desert (

BWk The desert climate or arid climate (in the Köppen climate classification ''BWh'' and ''BWk''), is a dry climate sub-type in which there is a severe excess of evaporation over precipitation. The typically bald, rocky, or sandy surfaces in dese ...

'') climate. Kamloops gets short cold snaps where temperatures can drop to around when

Arctic air ''Arctic Air'' is a Canadian drama television series that began airing on CBC Television on January 10, 2012. The series was canceled on March 17, 2014, due to government budgetary cuts. Synopsis ''Arctic Air'' is about a Yellowknife-based mave ...

manages to cross the

Rockies The Rocky Mountains, also known as the Rockies, are a major mountain range and the largest mountain system in North America. The Rocky Mountains stretch in straight-line distance from the northernmost part of western Canada, to New Mexico in ...

and

Columbia Mountains The Columbia Mountains are a group of mountain ranges along the upper Columbia River in British Columbia, Montana, Idaho and Washington. The mountain range covers 135,952 km² (52,491 sq mi). The range is bounded by the Rocky Mountai ...

into the

Interior Interior may refer to: Arts and media * ''Interior'' (Degas) (also known as ''The Rape''), painting by Edgar Degas * ''Interior'' (play), 1895 play by Belgian playwright Maurice Maeterlinck * ''The Interior'' (novel), by Lisa See * Interior de ...

Kamloops has the third mildest winter of any non-coastal city in Canada, after

Penticton Penticton ( ) is a city in the Okanagan Valley of the Southern Interior of British Columbia, Canada, situated between Okanagan and Skaha lakes. In the 2016 Canadian Census, its population was 33,761, while its census agglomeration populati ...

and

Kelowna Kelowna ( ) is a city on Okanagan Lake in the Okanagan Valley in the southern interior of British Columbia, Canada. It serves as the head office of the Regional District of Central Okanagan. The name Kelowna derives from the Okanagan word ' ...

. The January mean temperature is . That average sharply increases with an average maximum temperature of in February. Between November and January the area experiences abundant cloud cover reducing the annual sunshine output, despite very sunny summers. The average number of days where temperatures drop below per year is 19.9 as recorded by Environment Canada. Although Kamloops is above 50° north latitude, summers are warmer than in many places at lower latitudes, with prevailing dry and sunny weather. Daytime

humidity Humidity is the concentration of water vapor present in the air. Water vapor, the gaseous state of water, is generally invisible to the human eye. Humidity indicates the likelihood for precipitation, dew, or fog to be present. Humidity dep ...

sometimes drops below 20% during dry periods, which allows for substantial nighttime cooling. Occasional summer thunderstorms can create dry-lightning conditions, sometimes igniting forest fires which the area is prone to. Kamloops lies in the rain shadow leeward of the

Coast Mountains The Coast Mountains (french: La chaîne Côtière) are a major mountain range in the Pacific Coast Ranges of western North America, extending from southwestern Yukon through the Alaska Panhandle and virtually all of the Coast of British Colum ...

and is biogeographically connected to similar semi-desert areas in the

Okanagan The Okanagan ( ), also known as the Okanagan Valley and sometimes as the Okanagan Country, is a region in the Canadian province of British Columbia defined by the basin of Okanagan Lake and the Canadian portion of the Okanagan River. It is pa ...

region, and a much larger area covering the central/eastern portions of

Washington Washington commonly refers to: * Washington (state), United States * Washington, D.C., the capital of the United States ** A metonym for the federal government of the United States ** Washington metropolitan area, the metropolitan area centered o ...

Oregon Oregon () is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the Western United States. The Columbia River delineates much of Oregon's northern boundary with Washington, while the Snake River delineates much of its eastern boundary with Idah ...

and

intermontane Intermontane is a physiographic adjective wiktionary:compound#Adjective, formed from the prefix "wiktionary:inter-, inter-" (''signifying among, between, amid, during, within, mutual, reciprocal'') and the adjective "wiktionary:montane#Adjective, ...

areas of

Nevada Nevada ( ; ) is a state in the Western region of the United States. It is bordered by Oregon to the northwest, Idaho to the northeast, California to the west, Arizona to the southeast, and Utah to the east. Nevada is the 7th-most extensive, ...

Utah Utah ( , ) is a state in the Mountain West subregion of the Western United States. Utah is a landlocked U.S. state bordered to its east by Colorado, to its northeast by Wyoming, to its north by Idaho, to its south by Arizona, and to its ...

and

Idaho Idaho ( ) is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the Western United States. To the north, it shares a small portion of the Canada–United States border with the province of British Columbia. It borders the states of Montana and W ...

in the US. These areas of relatively similar climate have many distinctive native plants and animals in common, such as

ponderosa pine ''Pinus ponderosa'', commonly known as the ponderosa pine, bull pine, blackjack pine, western yellow-pine, or filipinus pine is a very large pine tree species of variable habitat native to mountainous regions of western North America. It is t ...

(''Pinus ponderosa''),

big sagebrush ''Artemisia tridentata'', commonly called big sagebrush,MacKay, Pam (2013), ''Mojave Desert Wildflowers'', 2nd ed., , p. 264. Great Basin sagebrush or (locally) simply sagebrush, is an aromatic shrub from the family Asteraceae, which grows in ar ...

(''Artemisia tridentata''), prickly pear cactus (''

Opuntia fragilis ''Opuntia fragilis'', known by the common names brittle pricklypear and little prickly pear, is a prickly pear cactus native to much of western North America as well as some midwestern states such as Illinois, Iowa, Wisconsin and Michigan. It a ...

'' in this case),

rattlesnake Rattlesnakes are venomous snakes that form the genera '' Crotalus'' and '' Sistrurus'' of the subfamily Crotalinae (the pit vipers). All rattlesnakes are vipers. Rattlesnakes are predators that live in a wide array of habitats, hunting small ...

black widow spider ''Latrodectus'' is a broadly distributed genus of spiders with several species that are commonly known as the true widows. This group is composed of those often loosely called black widow spiders, brown widow spiders, and similar spiders. Howeve ...

s and

Lewis's woodpecker Lewis's woodpecker (''Melanerpes lewis'') is a large North American species of woodpecker which ornithologist Alexander Wilson named after Meriwether Lewis, one of the explorers who surveyed the areas bought by the United States of America as p ...

. The highest temperature ever recorded in Kamloops was on 29 June 2021, which was the fourth-highest reading ever recorded in Canada, during the notorious

2021 Western North America heat wave The 2021 Western North America heat wave was an extreme heat wave that affected much of Western North America from late June through mid-July 2021. Rapid attribution analysis found this was a 1000-year weather event, made 150 times more likely ...

. The lowest temperature ever recorded was on 16 and 18 January 1950.

Demographics

In the

2021 Census of Population The 2021 Canadian census was a detailed enumeration of the Canadian population with a reference date of May 11, 2021. It follows the 2016 Canadian census, which recorded a population of 35,151,728. The overall response rate was 98%, which is sli ...

conducted by Statistics Canada, Kamloops had a population of 97,902 living in 39,914 of its 41,619 total private dwellings, a change of from its 2016 population of 90,280. With a land area of , it had a population density of in 2021. At the

census metropolitan area The census geographic units of Canada are the census subdivisions defined and used by Canada's federal government statistics bureau Statistics Canada to conduct the country's quinquennial census. These areas exist solely for the purposes of st ...

(CMA) level in the 2021 census, the Kamloops CMA had a population of living in of its total private dwellings, a change of from its 2016 population of . With a land area of , it had a population density of in 2021.

Religious groups

According to the 2021 census, religious groups in Kamloops included: *

Irreligion Irreligion or nonreligion is the absence or rejection of religion, or indifference to it. Irreligion takes many forms, ranging from the casual and unaware to full-fledged philosophies such as atheism and agnosticism, secular humanism and an ...

(57,245 persons or 60.5%) *

Christianity Christianity is an Abrahamic monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth Jesus, likely from he, יֵשׁוּעַ, translit=Yēšūaʿ, label=Hebrew/Aramaic ( AD 30 or 33), also referred to as Jesu ...

(31,790 persons or 33.6%) *

Sikhism Sikhism (), also known as Sikhi ( pa, ਸਿੱਖੀ ', , from pa, ਸਿੱਖ, lit=disciple', 'seeker', or 'learner, translit= Sikh, label=none),''Sikhism'' (commonly known as ''Sikhī'') originated from the word ''Sikh'', which comes fr ...

(2,005 persons or 2.1%) *

Hinduism Hinduism () is an Indian religion or ''dharma'', a religious and universal order or way of life by which followers abide. As a religion, it is the world's third-largest, with over 1.2–1.35 billion followers, or 15–16% of the global po ...

(995 persons or 1.1%) * Islam (890 persons or 0.9%) *

Buddhism Buddhism ( , ), also known as Buddha Dharma and Dharmavinaya (), is an Indian religion or philosophical tradition based on teachings attributed to the Buddha. It originated in northern India as a -movement in the 5th century BCE, and ...

(440 persons or 0.5%) * Indigenous Spirituality (190 persons or 0.2%) *

Judaism Judaism ( he, ''Yahăḏūṯ'') is an Abrahamic, monotheistic, and ethnic religion comprising the collective religious, cultural, and legal tradition and civilization of the Jewish people. It has its roots as an organized religion in the ...

(85 persons or 0.1%)

Ethnicity

*Note: Totals greater than 100% due to multiple origin responses.

Chinese Canadians

Kamloops historically had a Chinatown on Victoria Street where most ethnic Chinese lived. John Stewart of the

Kamloops Museum and Archives The Kamloops Museum and Archives is a museum and archives located in the city of Kamloops, British Columbia, Canada. Located at 207 Seymour Street in downtown Kamloops, at the corner of 2nd Avenue. In addition to historical exhibits and educational ...

stated it was not a "true Chinatown". It was established by Chinese immigrants by 1887, and by 1890 the community had up to 400 Chinese. Stewart said this was an "amazingly large" population for the rural area. By the 1890s, about 33% of Kamloops were ethnic Chinese; they worked primarily on construction of the

.Hewlett, Jason.
Chinese museum would right historical wrongs, Kamloops group says

Archive
. ''

Times Colonist The ''Times Colonist'' is an English-language daily newspaper in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada. It was formed by the Sept. 2, 1980 merger of the ''Victoria Daily Times'', established in 1884, and the ''British Colonist'' (later the ''Daily C ...

''. 31 October 2013. Retrieved on 26 January 2015. Economic changes in Kamloops resulted in many Chinese seeking work elsewhere. In addition, there were two fires in 1892 and 1893, and a 1911–1914 demolition that dismantled the Chinatown. Peter Wing, the first ethnic Chinese mayor in North America, was elected in 1966 and served three terms as the Mayor of Kamloops. In the 1880s the Kamloops' Chinese Cemetery was founded in Kamloops, the only one in the province dedicated to Chinese pioneers, It is one of the largest cemeteries in the province, but the last interment was made there in the 1960s. In 2013 the provincial government announced it would begin a consultation process to discuss wording of a formal apology to Chinese in B.C. for past wrongs. Joe Leong, president of the Kamloops Chinese Cultural Association, said he believed that the province should build a museum to honour Chinese history in the province, as a way to recognize the contributions of the people. As Kamloops had the only cemetery dedicated to the Chinese pioneers, he felt this city would be an appropriate site for the museum.

Economy

Kamloops' economy includes healthcare, tourism, education, transportation, and natural resource extraction industries. The

Royal Inland Hospital Royal Inland Hospital is a medical facility located in Kamloops, British Columbia serving a catchment area of 225,000 km2. About Interior Health Authority Interior Health is a regional health authority in British Columbia. It is one of ...

(RIH) is the city's largest employer. RIH is the region's acute care and health facility and is one of two tertiary referral hospitals in the Southern Interior with 239 acute beds and an additional 20 more beds upon completion of the expansion in 2016.

(TRU) serves a student body of 25,754 including a diverse international contingent mainly from Asian countries.

Thompson Rivers University, Open Learning Thompson Rivers University, Open Learning (TRU-OL) is a Canadian distance education provider, operating as the Open Learning Division of Thompson Rivers University (TRU) in Kamloops, British Columbia. The Open Learning Division, which is situated ...

(TRU-OL) is the biggest distance education provider in British Columbia and one of the biggest in Canada. Heavy industries in the Kamloops area include primary resource processing such as

Domtar Domtar Corporation is an American company that manufactures and markets wood fiber-based paper and pulp product. The company operates pulp and paper mills in Windsor, Quebec, Dryden, Ontario, Kamloops, British Columbia, Ashdown, Arkansas, Ha ...

Kamloops Pulp Mill, Tolko-Heffley Creek Plywood and Veneer, New Gold Inc - New Afton Mine, and Highland Valley Copper Mine (in

Logan Lake Logan Lake is a district municipality in the Southern Interior of British Columbia, Canada. History It was founded in the 1960s and 1970s to support copper, molybdenum and other mineral mining operations located south of the town. The Village ...

). Four major highways join in Kamloops, the BC Highway 1 (

Trans-Canada Highway The Trans-Canada Highway (French: ; abbreviated as the TCH or T-Can) is a transcontinental federal–provincial highway system that travels through all ten provinces of Canada, from the Pacific Ocean on the west coast to the Atlantic Ocean on ...

), the Coquihalla Highway ( BC highway 5 south of the city), the

Yellowhead Highway The Yellowhead Highway (french: Route Yellowhead) is a major interprovincial highway in Western Canada that runs from Winnipeg to Graham Island off the coast of British Columbia via Saskatoon and Edmonton. It stretches across the four western ...

(BC Highway 5 north of the city) and BC Highway 97, making it a transportation hub and a place which attracts business. There are over 50 trucking and transport companies located in Kamloops that ship across Canada and into the United States. Both the Canadian Pacific Railway and the

Canadian National Railway The Canadian National Railway Company (french: Compagnie des chemins de fer nationaux du Canada) is a Canadian Class I railroad, Class I freight railway headquartered in Montreal, Quebec, which serves Canada and the Midwestern United States, M ...

service Kamloops with both lines running through the city.

Tourism

Kamloops welcomed 1.8 million visitors in 2017, a 9% increase from 2015 (1.64 million). Tourism's economic ROI is immense. A$1.8 million destination marketing budget returned $449 million in economic benefit in 2017.The annual Direct Visitor Expenditure is estimated at $270 million, a 19% increase from 2015 ($227 million). Further, the total estimated tourism economic impact was $449 million in 2017, a 32.4% increase from 2015 ($339 million). Tourism generates many types of income for the region, including business income, wage earnings, share earnings, rates and levies. Conservation springs from industry-wide support for management, research and education initiatives that benefit everyone through

responsible tourism Sustainable tourism is a concept that covers the complete tourism experience, including concern for economic, social and environmental issues as well as attention to improving tourists' experiences and addressing the needs of host communities. Su ...

management. Kamloops has over 50 accommodation choices from major hotels to bed and breakfasts. Accommodation occupancy rates were 61.5% in 2017, up 2.6% from 2016.

Arts and culture

Kamloops culture has grown in recent years to celebrate local talent that includes: culinary arts, sports, live entertainment, and fine art. Kamloops hosts a range of cultural events year-round including: *Kamloops Wine Festival: This annual festival is a fundraiser for the Kamloops Art Gallery. *Kamloops Film Festival: Since 1997, this festival has grown to celebrate international films at Paramount Theatre for ten days in March. *River Beaver Classic: This annual, mountain biking festival hosts four events over one weekend in April with all money raised going to local trail maintenance. *Brewloops Brewloops is a non-profit, beer, food, and bike festival that celebrates Kamloops culture with block parties on The Shore and Downtown throughout the year. *Kamloops International Buskers Festival: This four-day festival takes place throughout Riverside Park and showcases professional buskers from around the globe. *Hot Nite in the City Show 'n' Shine: This weekend-long event takes place every August downtown and showcases Street Rods, Customs, American Muscle, Sport-compact, Electric Vehicles and more. *Kamloops Rotary Ribfest: Western Canada's largest rib festival, Ribfest takes place every August at Riverside Park. By 2018, Kamloops Rotary had raised over $500,000 for local charities. *Salute to the Sockeye Festival: This festival celebrates the return of

sockeye salmon The sockeye salmon (''Oncorhynchus nerka''), also called red salmon, kokanee salmon, blueback salmon, or simply sockeye, is an anadromous species of salmon found in the Northern Pacific Ocean and rivers discharging into it. This species is a ...

to the Adams River at

Tsútswecw Provincial Park Tsútswecw Provincial Park is a provincial park in British Columbia, Canada, located northeast of Kamloops and northwest of Salmon Arm. It stretches along the banks of the Adams River, between the south end of Adams Lake and the western portion ...

from the end of September through mid-October each year. *Interior Wellness Festival: Since 2008, this event has promoted healthy living in BC including workshops with yogis, authors, and business experts. *Kamloops Comedy Fest: Canadian comedians take over the microphone for a weekend each October during Kamloops Comedy Fest. *Words Alive Kamloops: Formerly the Kamloops Writers Festival, this annual event features Canadian authors showcasing their work through public readings and events, as well as conducting workshops on a variety of topics.

Performing and fine arts

Kamloops is home to many galleries including nationally recognized Kamloops Art Gallery,

Secwepemc Museum and Heritage Park The Secwepemc Museum and Heritage Park is located in Kamloops, British Columbia. The inside of the museum has four different galleries showcasing the cultural and traditional lives of the Secwepemc People. The Heritage Park consists of a beautiful ...

; the Kamloops Museum and Archives, the Kamloops Symphony Orchestra, and

Western Canada Theatre Western Canada Theatre is a professional theatre company located in Kamloops, British Columbia, Canada. It was founded in 1975 by Tom Kerr under the name Western Canada Youth Theatre. It currently offers seven live performances throughout the s ...

. There are 29 outdoor murals – the Back Alley Art Gallery- throughout downtown Kamloops that the Kamloops Central Business Improvement Association has spearheaded since the 2000s. Artists that have contributed to this project include: Zack Abney; Kyleen Cachelin; Evan Christina; Kelly Wright; Ken Wells; Alex Moir-Porteus; Robin Hodgson; Jack Morris; Janice Gurney, and Marianna Abutalipova. Project X Theatre, an outdoor theatre festival located in Kamloops. The company creates a summer outdoor theatre festival in Prince Charles Park, just east of Downtown Kamloops. Established in 2006, Project X Theatre originally produced productions of Shakespeare, however, recently the company has shifted over to more family friendly shows. Randi Edmundson is the current Artistic Director. Previous artistic directors include Samantha Mcdonanld, Derek Rein, Heather Cant, Melissa purcha, and Dušan Magdolen. The

is a professional theatre company located in Kamloops. The company manages and performs in two spaces: the 706 seat Sagebrush Theatre and the 150-seat Pavilion Theatre. James MacDonald is the current artistic director of the theatre company. Previous artistic directors include Tom Kerr (founder), Frank Glassen, David Ross, Michael Dobbin, John Cooper, Jeremy Tow, and Daryl Cloran.

Attractions

Popular attractions include: the Adams River Sockeye Salmon Run; Kamloops Bike Ranch;

BC Wildlife Park The British Columbia Wildlife Park is a zoo located in Kamloops, British Columbia. The British Columbia Wildlife Park is an accredited member of the Canadian Association of Zoos and Aquariums (CAZA). History The proposal In 1965, the Kamloo ...

;

Kamloops Heritage Railway The Kamloops Heritage Railway is a heritage railway in Kamloops, British Columbia. The railway operates throughout the year running trains within Kamloops. The train is pulled by restored steam locomotive Canadian National Railway 2141, the "Spiri ...

; Kamloops Wine Trail; Secwepemc Museum, and

Since 2012, four wineries have been established in the Thompson Valley wine region including: Sagewood Winery; Harper's Trail Winery; Monte Creek Ranch Winery, and Privato Vineyard and Winery. Since 2010, five micro-breweries have opened up in Kamloops including: Noble Pig Brewhouse; Red Collar Brewing, Alchemy Brewing, Bright Eye Brewing and Iron Road Brewing. Since 2020, some craft distilleries have opened up in Kamloops including: Route 1 Distillery

Food and drink

Since 2007, Chefs in the City has been established as a "celebration of culinary arts, fine wine and beer from Kamloops and the surrounding region." In 2018, 21 local restaurants will have participated, as well as 10 local wineries and breweries. This annual event is presented by the Rotary Club of Kamloops and has raised over $325,000 since 2007. Kamloops is emerging as an award-winning wine region with a climate perfect for growing grapes. It is home to four award-winning wineries: Harper's Trail,

Monte Creek Monte Creek is a rural locality on the South Thompson River east of Kamloops, British Columbia, Canada, approximately equidistant from Kamloops and the village of Chase, British Columbia. It is a major highway junction where British Columbia Highwa ...

Ranch, Privato and Sagewood. Kamloops has over 120 acres under vine. The top grapes planted by local wineries are

Riesling Riesling (, ; ) is a white grape variety that originated in the Rhine region. Riesling is an aromatic grape variety displaying flowery, almost perfumed, aromas as well as high acidity. It is used to make dry, semi-sweet, sweet, and sparkling ...

Chardonnay Chardonnay (, , ) is a green-skinned grape variety used in the production of white wine. The variety originated in the Burgundy wine region of eastern France, but is now grown wherever wine is produced, from England to New Zealand. For new ...

pinot gris Pinot Gris, Pinot Grigio (, ) or Grauburgunder is a white wine grape variety of the species ''Vitis vinifera''. Thought to be a mutant clone of the Pinot Noir variety, it normally has a grayish-blue fruit, accounting for its name, but the gr ...

pinot noir Pinot Noir () is a red-wine grape variety of the species ''Vitis vinifera''. The name may also refer to wines created predominantly from pinot noir grapes. The name is derived from the French language, French words for ''pine'' and ''black.' ...

Cabernet Franc Cabernet Franc is one of the major black grape varieties worldwide. It is principally grown for blending with Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot in the Bordeaux style, but can also be vinified alone, as in the Loire's Chinon. In addition to being use ...

Marechal Foch Ferdinand Foch ( , ; 2 October 1851 – 20 March 1929) was a French general and military theorist who served as the Supreme Allied Commander during the First World War. An aggressive, even reckless commander at the First Marne, Flanders and ...

and Marquette. Since 1998, the Kamloops Wine Festival has taken place in the spring as a fundraiser to support the Kamloops Art Gallery. The Kamloops Wine Festival had raised over $200,000 by 2018. In 2014, Brewloops Beer Festival was established as a non-profit organization that promotes Kamloops culture across the city throughout the year. Brewloops celebrates BC

craft beer Craft beer is a beer that has been made by craft breweries. They produce smaller amounts of beer, typically less than large breweries, and are often independently owned. Such breweries are generally perceived and marketed as having an emphasis o ...

, music, and entertainment with the wider Kamloops community and had donated $27,000 to community groups by 2018. Bands that have performed at Brewloops include:

Delhi 2 Dublin Delhi 2 Dublin (sometimes abbreviated D2D) is a Canadian world music group formed in 2006 in Vancouver who play a fusion of Bhangra, electronic, funk, dub, reggae, hip hop, Celtic music and a mashup of other genres. History Delhi 2 Dublin was ...

Yukon Blonde Yukon Blonde is a Canadian indie rock band originally from Kelowna, British Columbia.Derdeyn, Stuart (April 22, 2010).Yukon Blonde feels the love: Indie band adding plenty of fans on cross-country tour", ''Ottawa Citizen''. Retrieved May 5, 2010. ...

, and at Mission Dolores.

Recreation

Kamloops is an outdoor mecca for activities like hiking and mountain biking with an extensive trail network for year-round adventure. Multiple nearby lakes offer paddling, kayaking and fishing. Known as the ''Tournament Capital of Canada,'' Kamloops has hosted many tournaments and is home to a range of professional athletes from many sports. Kamloops has the Kamloops Sports Hall of Fame, which includes 2008 Summer Olympics bronze medallist

Dylan Armstrong Dylan Armstrong (born January 15, 1981) is a Canadian shot putter. He is a two-time Pan American Games champion, a former Commonwealth Games champion and has also won world championship silver and bronze medals. He was awarded the bronze medal at ...

and the National Finalist Roma's soccer team.

Fishing

With 100 lakes within an hour's drive, Kamloops has some of the best freshwater fishing in North America. Every year, the Freshwater Fisheries Society of BC stocks lakes in the Thompson-Nicola region with roughly 1,000,000 fish including

rainbow trout The rainbow trout (''Oncorhynchus mykiss'') is a species of trout native to cold-water tributaries of the Pacific Ocean in Asia and North America. The steelhead (sometimes called "steelhead trout") is an anadromous (sea-run) form of the coast ...

, brook trout, and

kokanee salmon The kokanee salmon (''Oncorhynchus nerka''), also known as the kokanee trout, little redfish, silver trout, kikanning, Kennerly's salmon, Kennerly's trout, or Walla, is the non-anadromous form of the sockeye salmon (meaning that they do not migrat ...

. Kamloops is known for its professional anglers including Brian Chan, Jordan Oelrich, and Brennan Lund. Fishing guides in the Kamloops area include: DNA Fly Fishing; Interior Fly Fishing; Maricle Fly Fishing; Riseform Flyfishing; and Fast Action Fishing Adventures.

Mountain biking

Kamloops' extensive trail network and desert-like climate creates world-class conditions for year-round

mountain biking Mountain biking is a sport of riding bicycles off-road, often over rough terrain, usually using specially designed mountain bikes. Mountain bikes share similarities with other bikes but incorporate features designed to enhance durability and p ...

across the city. Popular parks include the Kamloops Bike Ranch, Pineview Valley;

Lac du Bois Grasslands Protected Area Lac du Bois Grasslands Protected Area is a protected area located north of Kamloops in British Columbia, Canada. The protected area was established by BC Parks on 30 April 1996 to protect a unique mixed forest-grassland ecosystem overlooking the N ...

, and

Kenna Cartwright Park Kenna Cartwright Park is a municipal park located in Kamloops, British Columbia. The park was created to preserve one of Kamloops' natural landscapes and views. It is named after the former mayor, Kenna Cartwright Kenna Zemedkun, known profes ...

. Two time

UCI Mountain Bike & Trials World Championships – Women's cross-country The women's cross-country is an event at the annual UCI Mountain Bike & Trials World Championships. It has been held since the inaugural championships in 1990. As of 2009, Gunn-Rita Dahle of Norway is the most successful rider with four gold medals ...

( 2011 and

2014 File:2014 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: Stocking up supplies and personal protective equipment (PPE) for the Western African Ebola virus epidemic; Citizens examining the ruins after the Chibok schoolgirls kidnapping; Bundles of wat ...

), gold at the 2014 Commonwealth Games and 2016 Summer Olympics bronze medallist Catharine Pendrel lives and trains in Kamloops. Kamloops is home to world-famous mountain bikers such as freeride pioneers and Mountain Bike Hall of Fame members Wade Simmons, Brett Tippie, (also a former Canadian National Team member for snowboard cross and giant slalom), and Richie Schley. Freeriders Matt Hunter (mountain biker), Matt Hunter, and Graham Agassiz also live in Kamloops. Kamloops was featured in the first mountain bike film by Greg Stump, ''Pulp Traction'', and later the first three ''Kranked'' films, which starred the original Fro Riders, Tippie, Simmons and Schley. Ongoing trail maintenance has been spearheaded by local organizations such as the Kamloops Bike Riders Association, Kamloops Performance Cycling Centre, and Dirt Chix Kamloops.

Golf

Kamloops has highest number of golf courses (13) per capita in Canada and boasts one of Canada's most diverse golf landscapes. Golfers enjoy three seasons of golf due to the dry and hot climate of the area. Several of the local golf courses have been designed by famous golf architects such as Robert Trent Jones, Graham Cooke, and Tom McBroom. The 13 courses include: Tobiano Golf Course; The Dunes, Talking Rock Golf Course; Pineridge Golf Course; Rivershore Estates; Big Horn Golf & Country Club; Kamloops Golf & Country Club; Sun Peaks Golf; Eagle Point Golf Course; Mount Paul Golf Course, and Chinook Cove Golf.

Skiing

Sun Peaks Resort is a nearby ski and snowboard hill. 1968 Winter Olympics, Olympic medallist skier Nancy Greene Raine is director of skiing at Sun Peaks and the former chancellor of Thompson Rivers University. The Overlander Ski Club runs the Stake Lake Cross-country skiing, cross country ski area with of trails. Lacrosse teams include the Thompson Okanagan Junior Lacrosse League's Kamloops Junior B Venom, as well as the junior ice hockey team the Kamloops Storm. Also calling Kamloops home is the Canadian Junior Football League's Kamloops Broncos, and Pacific Coast Soccer League's Kamloops Excel, both of whom play at Hillside Stadium.

Other recreation

The Kamloops Rotary Skatepark at McArthur Island Park is one of Canada's largest skateboard parks. Also located at McArthur Island Park is NorBrock Stadium, the McArthur Island Sports and Events Centre and the McArthur Island Curling Club. The city boasts 82 parks which are great for hiking, including Kenna Cartwright Park, the largest municipal park in British Columbia.

Sports

Hockey

Kamloops is home to the Western Hockey League's Kamloops Blazers who play at the Sandman Centre. Alumni of the Kamloops Blazers include Mark Recchi, Jarome Iginla, Darryl Sydor, Nolan Baumgartner, Shane Doan, Scott Niedermayer, Rudy Poeschek and Darcy Tucker (Recchi, Doan, Iginla, and Sydor are now part-owners of the club). Two-time champion coach Ken Hitchcock would later win the Stanley Cup with the Dallas Stars. Kamloops is also the hometown of 2015 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships, 2015 World Junior Ice Hockey Champion and current defenceman for the Detroit Red Wings, Joe Hicketts. On 6 February 2016, Kamloops hosted ''Hockey Night in Canada#Hockey Day in Canada, Hockey Day in Canada'' with Ron MacLean and Don Cherry (ice hockey), Don Cherry.

Sports tournaments

Kamloops hosted the 1993 Canada Games, Canada Summer Games. It co-hosted (with Vancouver and

) the IIHF World Junior Championship from 26 December 2005 to 5 January 2006. It hosted the 2006 BC Summer Games and 2018 BC Winter Games. In the summer of 2008, Kamloops, and its modern facility the

played host to the U15 boys and girls Basketball National Championship. Kamloops hosted the World Masters Athletics Championships, World Masters Indoor Championships in March 2010. Kamloops hosted the 2011 Western Canada Summer Games. Kamloops hosted the 2014 Tim Hortons Brier (The Canadian Men's Curling Championships). Kamloops hosted the 2014 4 Nations Cup, 2014 edition of the 4 Nations Cup.

Government

Elections into the municipality in Kamloops are held with the rest of the province every four years. Provincially, Kamloops is considered to be bellwether, having voted for the governing party in every provincial election since the introduction of parties to British Columbian elections, until 2017. By contrast, Kamloops has regularly voted against the party in power federally until the 2006 Canadian federal election, 2006 Federal election. Kamloops is represented in two provincial Electoral district (Canada), ridings – Kamloops-South Thompson and Kamloops-North Thompson – and one federal riding – Kamloops—Thompson—Cariboo. * Mayor – Reid Hamer-Jackson, 2022 * Members of the Legislative Assembly: ** Todd Stone, Kamloops-South Thompson ** Peter Milobar, Kamloops-North Thompson Federal members of parliament: * Cathy McLeod (2008–present) Conservative Party of Canada * Betty Hinton (2000–2008) Canadian Alliance and Conservative Party of Canada * Nelson Riis (1980–2000) New Democratic Party * Donald Niel Cameron, Don Cameron (1979–1980) Progressive Conservative Party of Canada * Leonard Marchand (1968–1979) Liberal Party of Canada

Infrastructure

Transportation

Kamloops is located at the crossroads of the British Columbia Highway 5, Coquihalla Highway,

, and

and is a transportation hub in the region. The Canadian Pacific Railway, Canadian Pacific (CPR) and Canadian National (CNR) mainline routes connect Vancouver in the west with Kamloops. The two railways diverge to the north and east where they connect with the rest of Canada. Kamloops North station is served three times per week (in each direction) by Via Rail's ''Canadian (train), Canadian''. The Rocky Mountaineer and the

both use the Kamloops station. Kamloops is home to Kamloops Airport (YKA). Airlines flying to Kamloops include: Air Canada Express, WestJet Encore, Canadian North, and Central Mountain Air, as well as three cargo airlines. Vancouver and Calgary are primary routes for passenger service to this regional airport. In 2018, Air Canada Rouge launched non-stop seasonal service from Kamloops to Toronto. Greyhound Canada previously connected Kamloops with Vancouver, Edmonton and Calgary, with service ending at the end of October 2018. After Greyhound's departure, several companies stepped in and commenced intercity service. Pacific Western Transportation#Ebus, Ebus and Rider Express both provide service to Vancouver and in between cities and towns, with Ebus connecting to other Interior cities like Kelowna and Vernon, and Rider Express continuing east to Calgary. Local bus service is provided by Kamloops Transit System and funded through BC Transit with 14 routes across the Kamloops area that are operated by contractor First Student Canada. In 2018, the City of Kamloops partnered with the Tk’emlúps te Secwépemc, Tk'emlúps te Secwépemc to expand its services on Tk'emlups te Secwepemc land for Route 18: Mount Paul.

Education

Residential School

The Kamloops Indian Residential School, part of the

opened in 1893 and ran until 1977. In May 2021, the possible remains of 200 children were detected in the graveyard soil by ground penetrating radar at the site of the school. The remains were located with the assistance of

, and work was underway to determine if related records about the identities of the dead are held at the Royal British Columbia Museum. In a statement released by the First Nations Health Authority, CEO Richard Jock said: "That this situation exists is sadly not a surprise and illustrates the damaging and lasting impacts that the residential school system continues to have on First Nations people, their families and communities."

K-12

Public schools in Kamloops and adjacent communities are run by School District 73 Kamloops/Thompson. Private schools include Kamloops Christian School, Our Lady of Perpetual Help School (Catholic), and St. Ann's Academy (Kamloops), St. Ann's Academy (Catholic). The Conseil scolaire francophone de la Colombie-Britannique operates école Collines-d’or, a Francophone primary school.

Post-secondary

offers a range of undergraduate and graduate degrees as well as certificate and diploma programs. It has satellite campuses in: * Clearwater, British Columbia, Clearwater * Barriere, British Columbia, Barriere *

* Williams Lake, British Columbia, Williams Lake * 100 Mile House * Cache Creek, British Columbia, Cache Creek * Ashcroft, British Columbia, Ashcroft * Lillooet Thompson Rivers University also has an open-learning division.

(TRU-OL) is the biggest distance and E-learning, online education provider in British Columbia and one of the biggest in Canada. The Thompson Rivers University WolfPack are the athletic teams that represent Thompson Rivers University. Thompson Career College and Sprott Shaw College are private post-secondary institutions with campuses in Kamloops.

Media

The city's main daily newspaper was ''The Kamloops Daily News'' which ceased publication in 2014. The city is also home to ''Kamloops This Week'', a free newspaper which publishes three times a week.

Notable people

Below is a list of people who are from Kamloops, or who lived there for an extended period.

Historical figures

* Edward Bellew, recipient of the Victoria Cross. * Jim Chamberlin, aerodynamicist, who contributed to the design of the Canadian Avro Canada CF-105 Arrow, Avro Arrow; NASA's Project Mercury, Project Gemini and the Apollo program. * Kanao Inouye, the notorious "Kamloops Kid", the first of the two Canadians ever convicted of war crimes. * Allan McLean (outlaw), Allan McLean, son of Donald McLean and leader of the outlaw gang known as the Wild McLean Boys. * Donald McLean (fur trader), Donald McLean, former Chief Trader of Fort Kamloops and one of the casualties of the Chilcotin War. * Frank Robert Miller, former Deputy minister (Canada), deputy minister of the Department of National Defence (Canada), National Defence. * Nicola (Okanagan leader), Chief Nicola, conjoint chief of the Nicola people, Nicolas and the Kamloops Secwepemc during the fur trade and gold rush eras. * Johnny Ussher, settler, provincial magistrate and gold commissioner (killed by Allan McLean). * Mark Sweeten Wade, medical doctor, newspaperman and historian.

Politicians

* Jack Davis (Canadian politician), Jack Davis, politician who was elected to both the Parliament of Canada and Legislative Assembly of British Columbia. * Jodie Emery – marijuana activist and politician. * Jack Frazer, John L. Frazer, politician: member of the House of Commons of Canada from 1993 to 1997. * Davie Fulton, politician: member of the Canadian House of Commons from 1945 to 1963, and 1965 to 1968. Son of Frederick John Fulton. * Frederick John Fulton, British born politician and lawyer, father of Davie Fulton. * Phil Gaglardi, aka Flying Phil, former Provincial Minister of Highways and Mayor of the city. * Leonard Marchand, Queen's Privy Council for Canada, QPC, Order of Canada, CM, the first person of First Nations in Canada, First Nations ethnicity to serve in the Cabinet of Canada, federal cabinet and the first Indian Register, Status Indian to serve as a member of parliament. * Nelson Riis, former Kamloops Teacher, Professor, alderman and Director of the Thompson-Nicola Regional District, longtime federal MP for Kamloops. * Peter Wing, North America's first elected mayor of Chinese descent, elected in 1966 and served three terms in Kamloops.

Athletes

* Graham Agassiz, freeride (mountain biking), freeride mountain biker, bronze medal at Red Bull Rampage 2015. *

, Olympic shot putter who finished 4th in the 2008 Summer Olympics, 2008 Olympics but subsequently was awarded the bronze medal in 2015 after the 3rd place putter Andrei Mikhnevich from Belarus tested positive for drugs post 2008 Olympics. * Don Ashby, former National Hockey League (NHL) ice hockey player. * Murray Baron, former NHL ice hockey player. * Mitch Berger, former National Football League (NFL) player. * Rick Boh, former NHL ice hockey player. * Corryn Brown, Canadian curler, skip of the 2013 Canadian Junior Curling Championships winning rink, 2012 Winter Youth Olympics bronze medallist. * Jim Cotter (curler), Jim Cotter, Canadian curler, 2013 Olympic Trials runner up, 2014 Tim Hortons Brier silver medallist. * Craig Endean, former NHL ice hockey player. * Todd Esselmont, ice and roller hockey player. * Erin Gammel, is a swimmer who competed at the 2004 Summer Olympics. * Stu Grimson, former NHL ice hockey player. * Don Hay, former NHL head coach. * Jessica Hewitt, short track speed skater, silver medallist at the 2014 Winter Olympics, 2014 Sochi Olympics. * Joe Hicketts, 2015 World Junior Ice Hockey Champion, Detroit Red Wings defenceman. * Murray Kennett, is a former World Hockey Association (WHA) ice hockey player. * Doug Lidster, former NHL ice hockey player. *John Ludvig, professional ice hockey player * Bert Marshall, former NHL ice hockey player. * Spencer McLennan, Former Canadian Football League (CFL) player. * Don Moen (Canadian football), Don Moen, Former CFL football player. * Josie Morrison, Canadian speedskater, 2018 Winter Olympics, 2018 Winter Olympian. * Bob Mowat, former WHA ice hockey player. *Brendon Nash, former NHL ice hockey player *Riley Nash, Toronto Maple Leafs NHL hockey player * Shane Niemi, is a Canadian Sprint (running), sprinter. * Kelly Olynyk, Miami Heat and Canada men's national basketball team, Canada international basketball player. * Paul Osbaldiston, former CFL football player. * Catharine Pendrel, Cross-country cycling, cross country mountain biker, 2016 Olympic bronze medalist, 2011 and 2014 World Champion * Rudy Poeschek, former National Hockey League, NHL player. * Kevin Powell (Canadian football), Kevin Powell, former CFL football player. * Nancy Greene Raine, named Canada's athletes of the 20th century, Canada's Athlete of the Century in 1999, Olympic skier who won gold for Canada in 1968, and 13 World Cups (the Canadian record) for a total of 17 Canadian Title Championships. * Mark Recchi, former NHL ice hockey player, three time Stanley Cup champion (1991, 2006, 2011), and member of the Hockey Hall of Fame * Justin Ring, former CFL football player * Peter Soberlak, former American Hockey League (AHL) professional ice hockey player. * Dave Vankoughnett, former CFL football player. * Tim Watters, former NHL ice hockey player.

Arts, culture and media

* Benjamin Ayres, actor, born in Kamloops. * Dan Bremnes, Christian musician, born in Kamloops. * Steven Galloway, novelist, was raised in Kamloops. * Elise Gatien, actress. * Boris Karloff, actor, joined the Jeanne Russell theatre company in Kamloops in September 1911. * Chris Masuak, punk rock singer-songwriter, inducted into the ARIA Hall of Fame, born in Kamloops – lived in Brocklehurst (North Kamloops) in the 1960s. Now resides in Spain. * John Pozer, award-winning filmmaker. *

, poet and writer known for his ballads depicting the Klondike Gold Rush of 1897, he worked at Kamloops branch of the Canadian Bank of Commerce from July to December 1904 before being transferred to Whitehorse.Sam Holloway,
Robert Service and Destiny
" ''The Yukoner Magazine''. Web, Accessed 2008.11.19. * Michael Shanks, actor, born in Vancouver, but grew up in Kamloops. * Lawrence Paul Yuxweluptun, First Nations painter. * Lil Woodie Wood Music Producer, Rapper, Entrepreneur * Melissa Endean, country music artist, born and raised in Kamloops.

Other notable people

* Nadine Caron, first female First Nations surgeon. * Andrew Collier, Commander of the Royal Canadian Navy. * Patrick Crawford, tech entrepreneur and NASA research collaborator. * Vivian Dowding, leading birth control activist. * Mildred Gottfriedson, first First Nations individual inducted into the Order of Canada and founding member of the B.C. Native Women's Society. * Lesra Martin, resident lawyer who helped with Rubin Carter, Rubin "The Hurricane" Carter's prison release. * Lt. Col. J.R.O. Vicars, (1855-1929) 172nd Battalion (Rocky Mountain Rangers) Canadian Expeditionary Force, Land Surveyor, civil servant. * R. H. (Bob) Allan, (1914-1984), Rocky Mountain Rangers, North Nova Scotia Highlanders, fly fisherman, naturalist & Fireman.

Planetary nomenclature

Mars KAMLOOPS Galle Craters Argyre Planitia

The city's name has been given to a Impact crater, crater on the surface of Mars. List of craters on Mars: H–N#K, Crater Kamloops was officially adopted by the International Astronomical Union's Working Group for Planetary System Nomenclature (IAU/WGPSN) in 1991. The crater lies at 53.8° south latitude and 32.6° west longitude, with a diameter of .

Sister cities

* Uji, Kyoto Prefecture, Japan * Bacolod, Negros Occidental, Philippines

In popular culture

In "Cementhead," a 1989 episode of the television series ''Booker (TV series), Booker'', the title role, titular detective (played by Richard Grieco) tracks a capricious professional hockey player (Stephen Shellen) back to his hometown of Kamloops. Kamloops and surrounding areas have been used for various Hollywood films such as ''An Unfinished Life'', ''The A-Team (film), The A Team'', ''2012 (film), 2012'', ''The Pledge (film), The Pledge'', ''Shooter (2007 film), Shooter'', ''Firewall (film), Firewall'', ''The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants (film), The Sisterhood of the Travelling Pants'', ''Monster Trucks (film), Monster Trucks'', and various others. "The Eye of Jupiter (Battlestar Galactica), The Eye of Jupiter", the eleventh episode of the third season of ''Battlestar Galactica (2004 TV series), Battlestar Galactica'' was filmed in Kamloops in 2006. Kamloops was a filming location for the Netflix series ''Lost in Space (2018 TV series), Lost in Space''.

References

Notes

External links

* * {{Authority control Kamloops, 1811 establishments in Canada Cities in British Columbia Hudson's Bay Company trading posts Populated places established in 1811 Populated places in the Thompson-Nicola Regional District Thompson Country