Osoyoos (, ) is the southernmost town in the

Okanagan The Okanagan ( ), also called the Okanagan Valley and sometimes 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 part of ...

Valley in

British Columbia British Columbia is the westernmost Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada. Situated in the Pacific Northwest between the Pacific Ocean and the Rocky Mountains, the province has a diverse geography, with rugged landscapes that ...

between

Penticton Penticton ( ) is a city in the Okanagan, Okanagan Valley of the British Columbia, Canada, situated between Okanagan Lake, Okanagan and Skaha Lake, Skaha lakes. In the 2021 Canadian Census, its population was 36,885, while its Census geographic un ...

and Omak. The town is north of the United States border in the

Washington Washington most commonly refers to: * George Washington (1732–1799), the first president of the United States * Washington (state), a state in the Pacific Northwest of the United States * Washington, D.C., the capital of the United States ** A ...

State and is adjacent to the

Osoyoos Osoyoos (, ) is the southernmost town in the Okanagan Valley in British Columbia between Penticton and Omak. The town is north of the United States border in the Washington State and is adjacent to the Osoyoos Indian reserve. The origin of ...

Indian reserve In Canada, an Indian reserve () or First Nations reserve () is defined by the '' Indian Act'' as a "tract of land, the legal title to which is vested in Her Majesty, that has been set apart by Her Majesty for the use and benefit of a band." ...

. The origin of the name Osoyoos was the word ''sw̓iw̓s'' (pronounced "soo-yoos") meaning "narrowing of the waters" in the local

Okanagan language Okanagan, Colville-Okanagan, or Nsyilxcən (n̓səl̓xcin̓ or n̓syilxčn̓) is a Salishan languages, Salish language which arose among the Indigenous peoples of the southern Interior Plateau region based primarily in the Okanagan River, Okanaga ...

(''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 Oliver may refer to: Arts, entertainment and literature Books * ''Oliver the Western Engine'', volume 24 in ''The Railway Series'' by Rev. W. Awdry * ''Oliver Twist'', a novel by Charles Dickens Fictional characters * Ariadne Oliver ...

, Omak,

Oroville Oroville may refer to: * Oroville, California, United States * Oroville, Washington, United States ;Other uses * Lake Oroville, in Butte County, California, USA * Oroville Dam, in Butte County, California, USA * Oroville Municipal Airport, in Butt ...

, Okanogan). There was a local newspaper, the ''

Osoyoos Times The ''Osoyoos Times'' is a local newspaper based in Osoyoos, British Columbia, Canada, It was founded in 1947 by Stan Stodola, with the motto of the newspaper being "delivering the community's news since 1947." ''Osoyoos Times'' is headquartered ...

,'' but merged with the Oliver Chronicle and became the Times Chronicle in May 2020. The town's population of 5,556 (2021) swells in 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 The Regional District of Okanagan-Similkameen (RDOS) is in southern British Columbia, adjacent to the United States of America, U.S. state of Washington (U.S. state), Washington. It is bounded by Fraser Valley Regional District to the west, Thom ...

, and 1,426 more in the Osoyoos 1 Indian Reserve.

History

The first Europeans to visit Osoyoos were fur traders working for the

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 among the United Kingdom of G ...

, an American enterprise. They ventured up the

Okanagan River The Okanogan River (known as the Okanagan River in Canada) is a tributary of the Columbia River, approximately 115 mi (185 km) long, in southern British Columbia and north central Washington. It drains a scenic plateau region called t ...

Osoyoos Lake Osoyoos Lake is a lake located in British Columbia, Canada, and Washington, United States. Osoyoos is derived from the word ''sẁiẁs'' meaning "narrowing of the waters" in the local Okanagan language (Syilx'tsn). Located on the lakeshore are ...

and farther north. After the

Hudson's Bay Company The Hudson's Bay Company (HBC), originally the Governor and Company of Adventurers of England Trading Into Hudson’s Bay, is a Canadian holding company of department stores, and the oldest corporation in North America. It was the owner of the ...

took over the fur trade in 1821, the

Okanagan Valley The Okanagan ( ), also called the Okanagan Valley and sometimes 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 part of t ...

became a major trade route for supplies to inland forts of British Columbia and furs that were shipped south to the

Columbia River The Columbia River (Upper Chinook language, Upper Chinook: ' or '; Sahaptin language, Sahaptin: ''Nch’i-Wàna'' or ''Nchi wana''; Sinixt dialect'' '') is the largest river in the Pacific Northwest region of North America. The river headwater ...

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 A gold rush or gold fever is a discovery of gold—sometimes accompanied by other precious metals and rare-earth minerals—that brings an onrush of miners seeking their fortune. Major gold rushes took place in the 19th century in Australia, Gr ...

transformed the economy of the new

Colony of British Columbia The Colony of British Columbia refers to one of two colonies of British North America, located on the Pacific coast of modern-day Canada: * Colony of British Columbia (1858–1866) * Colony of British Columbia (1866–1871) See also * History of ...

. As parties of miners headed for the Fraser goldfields via 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 brig ...

, they commonly met conflict with the

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

. The

Dewdney Trail The Dewdney Trail is a trail in British Columbia, Canada, that served as a major thoroughfare in mid-19th century British Columbia. The trail was a critical factor in the development and strengthening of the newly established British colony of Br ...

passed through Osoyoos on its way from

Hope Hope is an optimistic state of mind that is based on an expectation of positive outcomes with respect to events and circumstances in one's own life, or the world at large. As a verb, Merriam-Webster defines ''hope'' as "to expect with confid ...

to the

Kootenays The Kootenays or Kootenay ( ) is a region of southeastern British Columbia. It takes its name from the Kootenay River, which in turn was named for the Kutenai First Nations people. Boundaries The Kootenays are more or less defined by the Koote ...

. The trail now forms the backbone of the

Crowsnest Highway The Crowsnest Highway is an east-west highway in British Columbia and Alberta, Canada. It stretches across the southern portions of both provinces, from Hope, British Columbia to Medicine Hat, Alberta, providing the shortest highway connection ...

. Thousands of miners heading to the goldfields and drovers with large herds of livestock crossed the 49th parallel after 1858. A

customs house A custom house or customs house was traditionally a building housing the offices for a jurisdictional government whose officials oversaw the functions associated with importing and exporting goods into and out of a country, such as collecting ...

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 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.

Geography

Osoyoos is situated on the east-west

(Highway 3) with a significant ascent out of the Okanagan Valley in either direction. The Crowsnest headed east begins with an switchback up the flank of the

Okanagan Highland The Okanagan Highland is an elevated hilly plateau area in British Columbia, Canada, and the U.S. state of Washington (where it is spelled Okanogan Highlands). Rounded mountains with elevations up to above sea level and deep, narrow valleys ar ...

with a rise to the mining and ranching region of Anarchist Mountain, which is part of the

Boundary Country The Boundary Country is a historical designation for a district in southern British Columbia lying, as its name suggests, along the boundary between Canada and the United States. It lies to the east of the southern Okanagan Valley and to the west ...

(the stretch of rising highway is also referred to as Anarchist Mountain). Highway 3 westbound leads to

Keremeos Keremeos () is a village in British Columbia, Canada. The name originated from 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 fr ...

and the

Similkameen Valley Similkameen may refer to: * Similkameen, a former community in British Columbia, Canada * Similkameen City, British Columbia, a former community in British Columbia, Canada * Similkameen Country or Similkameen District, or "the Similkameen", a ...

via Richter Pass. On Highway 97 south is a 24-hour border crossing between Canada and the United States between Osoyoos and

Oroville, Washington Oroville is a city located in the northern bulk of the Okanogan Highlands in north-central Washington, United States. Oroville is a member municipality of Okanogan County, Washington situated between Omak and Penticton. The population was 1,79 ...

. The

Canada–United States border The international border between Canada and the United States is the longest in the world by total length. The boundary (including boundaries in the Great Lakes, Atlantic, and Pacific coasts) is long. The land border has two sections: Canada' ...

is located south of the Highway 3 and 97 intersection on the northwest side of town. The town is situated on

, which has a perimeter of , an elevation of , a maximum depth of , and a mean depth of . The lake's elevation marks the lowest point in Canada of the Okanagan Valley.

Ecology

The far southern reaches of the Okanagan and Similkameen Valleys are part of a threatened

xeric shrubland Deserts and xeric shrublands are a biome defined by the World Wide Fund for Nature. Deserts and xeric (Ancient Greek 'dry') shrublands form the largest terrestrial biome, covering 19% of Earth's land surface area. Ecoregions in this habitat ...

ecosystem in

Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its Provinces and territories of Canada, ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, making it the world's List of coun ...

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 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 Parks Canada ()Parks Canada is the applied title under the Federal Identity Program; the legal title is Parks Canada Agency (). is the agency of the Government of Canada which manages the country's 37 National Parks, three National Marine Co ...

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.

Climate

The climate, according to the

Köppen climate classification The Köppen climate classification divides Earth climates into five main climate groups, with each group being divided based on patterns of seasonal precipitation and temperature. The five main groups are ''A'' (tropical), ''B'' (arid), ''C'' (te ...

, is a cold

semi-arid A semi-arid climate, semi-desert climate, or steppe climate is a aridity, dry climate sub-type. It is located on regions that receive precipitation below Evapotranspiration#Potential evapotranspiration, potential evapotranspiration, but not as l ...

('' ''BSk'''') with summers that are generally hot and dry. Although it claims to be a desert, Osoyoos is actually about too wet to be an actual desert. The average daytime temperature in Osoyoos is , which is the warmest in Canada. Osoyoos also has an average annual temperature of , which is one of 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 A squamish (also known as an Arctic outflow wind in winter months) is a strong and often violent wind occurring in many of the fjords, inlets and valleys of British Columbia. Squamishes occur in those fjords oriented in a northeast–southwest o ...

conditions bringing sporadic snowfall. Spring arrives earlier than other parts of the Okanagan. Osoyoos averages seven months at or above a mean temperature. During 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 . Temperatures exceed on average 17 days per summer, sometimes topping . Although days are hot, the humidity is low and nights cool adequately. The summer mean is higher in

Windsor Windsor may refer to: Places *Detroit–Windsor, Michigan-Ontario, USA-Canada, North America; a cross-border metropolitan region Australia New South Wales *Windsor, New South Wales ** Municipality of Windsor, a former local government area Queen ...

Ontario Ontario is the southernmost Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada. Located in Central Canada, Ontario is the Population of Canada by province and territory, country's most populous province. As of the 2021 Canadian census, it ...

, in Osoyoos compared to in Windsor, due to warmer nights where July averages . The USDA places Osoyoos in Plant Hardiness Zone 7a. The highest temperature ever recorded in Osoyoos was on 29 June 2021 during the

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. The heat wave affected Northern California, Idaho, Western Nevada, Oregon, and Washington in ...

. The coldest temperature ever recorded was on 4 December 2007 and at Osoyoos West on 29 December 1990. Average number of days: *above : 142.4 *above : 36.0 *above : 5.3

Agriculture

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 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 the numerous commercial orchards surrounding the town. With the growing popularity of

viticulture Viticulture (, "vine-growing"), viniculture (, "wine-growing"), or winegrowing is the cultivation and harvesting of grapes. It is a branch of the science of horticulture. While the native territory of ''Vitis vinifera'', the common grape vine ...

, some of these orchards are being converted to vineyards, as the area is a major wine-producing region of

. After clearing of mainly

sagebrush Sagebrush is the common name of several woody and herbaceous species of plants in the genus ''Artemisia (plant), Artemisia''. The best-known sagebrush is the shrub ''Artemisia tridentata''. Sagebrush is native to the western half of North Amer ...

, 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 the

Agricultural Land Reserve British Columbia's Agricultural Land Reserve (ALR) is a collection of land where agriculture is designated as the priority use. Farming is encouraged and non-agricultural uses are restricted. The ALR was established by the British Columbia New De ...

which prevents valuable agricultural lands from being converted into other uses.

Tourism

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 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 is a

saline Saline may refer to: Salt-related * Saline (medicine), a liquid with salt content to match the human body * Saline water, non-medicinal salt water * Saline, a historical term (especially American) for a salt works or saltern Places United States ...

endorheic An endorheic basin ( ; also endoreic basin and endorreic basin) is a drainage basin that normally retains water and allows no outflow to other external bodies of water (e.g. rivers and oceans); instead, the water drainage flows into permanent ...

alkali lake located northwest of Osoyoos. There are two centres dedicated to preserving the

ecosystem An ecosystem (or ecological system) is a system formed by Organism, organisms in interaction with their Biophysical environment, environment. The Biotic material, biotic and abiotic components are linked together through nutrient cycles and en ...

of the Okanagan Desert. The Osoyoos Desert Centre is located north of Osoyoos off Highway 97, while the

Nk'Mip Desert Cultural Centre The Nk'Mip Desert Culture Centre (; conventional English pronunciation respelling "in-ka-meep") is an interpretive centre in Osoyoos, British Columbia, Canada, It is owned and operated by the Osoyoos Indian Band and is approximately north of th ...

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, 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).

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 Statistics Canada (StatCan; ), formed in 1971, is the agency of the Government of Canada commissioned with producing statistics to help better understand Canada, its population, resources, economy, society, and culture. It is headquartered in ...

, Osoyoos had a population of 5,556 living in 2,647 of its 3,279 total private dwellings, a change of from its 2016 population of 5,050. With a land area of , it had a population density of 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 Qualicum Beach () is a town located on Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada. In the 2021 census, it had a population of 9,303. It is situated at the foot of Mount Arrowsmith, along the Strait of Georgia on Vancouver Island's northeastern ...

, BC (60.1 years). The town is served by a high school, Osoyoos Secondary School.

Ethnicity

Religion

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

Christianity Christianity is an Abrahamic monotheistic religion, which states that Jesus in Christianity, Jesus is the Son of God (Christianity), Son of God and Resurrection of Jesus, rose from the dead after his Crucifixion of Jesus, crucifixion, whose ...

(2,600 persons or 49.3%) *

Irreligion Irreligion is the absence or rejection of religious beliefs or practices. It encompasses a wide range of viewpoints drawn from various philosophical and intellectual perspectives, including atheism, agnosticism, religious skepticism, ...

(2,345 persons or 44.5%) *

Sikhism Sikhism is an Indian religion and Indian philosophy, philosophy that originated in the Punjab region of the Indian subcontinent around the end of the 15th century CE. It is one of the most recently founded major religious groups, major religio ...

(225 persons or 4.3%) *

Hinduism Hinduism () is an Hypernymy and hyponymy, umbrella term for a range of Indian religions, Indian List of religions and spiritual traditions#Indian religions, religious and spiritual traditions (Sampradaya, ''sampradaya''s) that are unified ...

(45 persons or 0.9%) *

Buddhism Buddhism, also known as Buddhadharma and Dharmavinaya, is an Indian religion and List of philosophies, philosophical tradition based on Pre-sectarian Buddhism, teachings attributed to the Buddha, a wandering teacher who lived in the 6th or ...

(10 persons or 0.2%) *

Islam Islam is an Abrahamic religions, Abrahamic monotheistic religion based on the Quran, and the teachings of Muhammad. Adherents of Islam are called Muslims, who are estimated to number Islam by country, 2 billion worldwide and are the world ...

(10 persons or 0.2%) *Other (15 persons or 0.3%)

Sports

Notable people

Chuck Kobasew Nicholas James Kobasew (born April 17, 1982) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey right winger who played eleven seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL). Playing career Amateur Kobasew is from the town of Osoyoos, British Columbia, 3 ...

– retired professional hockey player * Jack B. Newton – amateur

astronomer An astronomer is a scientist in the field of astronomy who focuses on a specific question or field outside the scope of Earth. Astronomers observe astronomical objects, such as stars, planets, natural satellite, moons, comets and galaxy, galax ...

* Alison Smith – television

journalist A journalist is a person who gathers information in the form of text, audio or pictures, processes it into a newsworthy form and disseminates it to the public. This is called journalism. Roles Journalists can work in broadcast, print, advertis ...

and anchor

References

Notes

External links

* * {{authority control Populated places in the South Okanagan Towns in British Columbia Populated places in the Boundary Country British Columbia populated places on the Okanogan River Populated places in the Okanagan Country