Located in southern British Columbia, Canada - the Okanagan Valley is one of the warmest regions in all of Canada. The Okanagan is comprised of the major centres of Kelowna, Penticton, Vernon and Osoyoos. During the summer months, visitors are offered countless sandy beaches, hot sun, and a variety of outdoor and water activities. Okanagan Lake provides the valley not only with excellent swimming but is also a spectacular backdrop to the golf courses and wineries and popular ski resorts located in the rolling hills of the valley. The Okanagan is considered a premiere wine valley and a tour of the local wineries is a must for anyone visiting the region.
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Photo jenny222As defined for census purposes by StatsCan, the region has a total area of 20,829 km² (8,042 mi²) which is roughly two-thirds the size of Belgium. As of 2001, the region's population is approximately 297,601.
Photo gypsyjacqThe Okanagan Valley is home to the Okanagan Nation, an Interior Salish people who live in the valley from the head of Okanagan Lake downstream to near the river's confluence with the Columbia River in present-day Washington, as well as in the neighbouring Similkameen Valley, though the traditional territory encompasses the entire Columbia River watershed. They were hunter-gatherers, living off wild game and berries and roots for the most part but travelling north or south to fish salmon runs or to trade with other nations.Today the member bands of the Okanagan Nation Alliance are sovereign nations, with vibrant natural resource and tourism based economies. The annual August gathering near Vernon is a celebration of the continuance of Okanagan life and culture.
Photo kelownabcFruit production is a hallmark of the Okanagan Valley today, but the industry began with difficulty. Commercial orcharding of apples was first tried there in 1892, but a series of setbacks prevented the major success of commercial fruit crops until the 1920s. But until the 1930s, the demand for shipping fruit and other goods did drive a need for the sternwheeler steamboats that serviced Okanagan Lake: the S.S. Aberdeen from 1886 and then the S.S. Sicamous and S.S. Naramata from 1914. The Sicamous and Naramata survive as a tourist attraction in Penticton.
Photo Matt DennisonWhile the last half-century has grown several resource-based enterprises in the region, for instance forestry in Princeton, the fastest-growing industries in the Okanagan today are real estate, tourism and retirement accommodation as well as the ripping up of orchards and their replacement by wineries and vinyards. Favoured by its sunny climate, lakes, and winery attractions, the valley has become a hot destination for vacationers and retirees. The area is a seasonal magnet for itinerant fruit-picking labourers, primarily from Quebec and Mexico who are housed in migrant-worker camps.
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