Life is good in the Okanagan-Similkameen. Home to the best climate in Canada, with the warmest summers and mild winters, the region is a great place to live. Enjoy smaller town and rural living without sacrificing the amenities of larger centres. Residents enjoy safe, comfortable communities where home is often just minutes away from work and unlimited recreational opportunities. The area appeals to those with an active lifestyle, as well as those who want to simply relax and enjoy the scenery. Outdoor recreation and sports play a significant part of life. Residents enthusiastically pursue golf, bicycling, hiking, downhill skiing, boating, fishing, and other recreational sports.

The region has a diversity of communities — six municipalities, all with first-rate recreational and cultural amenities such as art galleries, museums, performing arts theatres, libraries, ice rinks, sports fields, and parks.

Residents have access to the best education and health care facilities. The region is home to top-notch health care professionals and services, including four hospitals, two retirement care facilities, and many other community-based services. Education facilities range from public and private elementary and secondary schools to post-secondary, skills training, and continuing education programs. The Okanagan University College provides world-class post-secondary education.

Enjoy life in communities from 33,000 to under a 1,000 people where average home prices range from $80,000 to $185,000. Come and enjoy the unique climate and landscape.

Points of Interest ...

• Located just outside of Summerland, the Kettle Valley Steam Railway offers passengers a unique journey on one of BC’s few remaining fully operational steam railways. Passengers are taken along a preserved 10-kilometre section of the original historical rail line by a 1924 steam engine.
• Famous for its lakes and sunny beaches, the regional service centre of Penticton hosts the annual Ironman Canada Triathlon, one of the most difficult, and scenic courses in the world. Over 5,000 visitors are drawn to the area for the event, injecting over $17 million into the local economy.
• Oliver is the “Wine Capital of Canada”, with 10% of the country’s wineries and 25% of the country’s acreage in premium wine grape. Local winemakers have won many national and international awards.
• Canada’s only desert brings the warmest temperatures, lowest rainfall, and warmest lakes to Osoyoos. The Osoyoos Desert Centre is a unique facility that celebrates and preserves the desert environment with an ecological interpretive education centre and research facility that protects the ecology while educating visitors on the many desert species.
• As the “Fruit Stand Capital of Canada”, Keremeos is a vibrant agricultural community and a leader in organic farming practices. With a reputation of growing quality fruits and vegetables, the area has the highest concentration of organic crops in the country.
• Famous for its rugged beauty, pristine rivers, lakes and fresh mountain air, the Princeton area is the lakes district of the region with over 50 lakes renowned for trout fishing.

Golf, ski, and tour a winery all on the same day.
No wonder so many who come to visit, choose to stay.