Why choose Kamloops?

So you are looking to move to Kamloops.

So what are the advantages to living in Kamloops opposed to lets say Kelowna or Merrit? Kamloops is strategically located at the intersection of Western Canada’s four major highways: the Coquihalla (Highway 5), TransCanada (Highway 1), Yellowhead (Highway 5), and Highway 97; is serviced by both national railways, is the meeting location of the South and North Thompson Rivers and home to the Kamloops Airport. The city has a growing population of almost 86,000 within the city, and 128,473 including the city and regional district. Kamloops is home to Canada’s most comprehensive university, Thompson Rivers University, is Canada’s Tournament Capital and has a lifestyle like no other with 82 parks, over 200 lakes within an hour’s drive, close access to two ski hills and 13 diverse golf courses.

Live in Kamloops

The Kamloops real estate market is affordable. Housing costs are considerably less than a comparable home in the Greater Vancouver area. BC Assessment reports the average price for a single detached home in Kamloops is $408,000, an increase of $21,000 (5.4 per cent) from last year’s average value of $387,000 but still far below the prices in Kelowna and Vancouver. Based on the data,  the average value of a Kamloops home

KAMLOOPS NEIGHBOURHOODS

The Kamloops area has several master-planned residential resort communities that offer such benefits as lake and alpine views, riverfront access and award winning golf. They include: Orchards Walk, Rivershore Golf & Estates, Sun Peaks Resort, Sun Rivers Golf Resort, Tobiano Living – Equestrian, Golf and Marina, Tranquille on the Lake.

Kamloops, British Columbia, Canada, is the third largest city in B.C. outside of Vancouver. The city offers a relaxed lifestyle with a warm climate and over 2,000 hours of sunshine annually. The unique mix of desert plateaus, lush river valleys, pine forests, lakes and snow-capped mountains provide unlimited opportunities for outdoor recreational pursuits.

2015 average house price chart

A Beautiful and Affordable Place to Live

• Hot dry summers, mild winters, and more than 2,000 hours of sunshine annually
• Plentiful opportunities for outdoor recreation. 200 lakes within a one-hour drive, 82 municipal and numerous provincial parks, 13 golf courses and a world-class ski resort
• Thriving cosmopolitan center rich in arts and culture, shopping and lifestyle amenities
• Excellent health care, schools, affordable housing and safe neighbourhoods
• Community information about living in Kamloops DBIK - Community Facts (Residential) - February 2017

Strong Educational Opportunities

Elementary and secondary schools include a variety of learning environments including: three private schools, International Baccalaureate Program, French Immersion, Autistic Program, and a virtual school to meet the needs of students.

Thompson Rivers University is the largest post-secondary institution in BC north of Vancouver. They offer over 120 undergraduate and graduate degree options as well as over 50 career diploma and certificate programs.

A Vibrant Healthcare System

Kamloops is the regional health center for the Thompson Nicola Regional district. Medical services in Kamloops are extensive and cover a wide range of resources and supports. Royal Inland Hospital (RIH) is the regional acute care and health facility for the region. RIH is one of two tertiary referral hospitals in the Southern Interior. Kamloops also has several private and specialty clinics servicing the region including the only upright MRI in Canada.

150 Physicians serve the Kamloops area (approx.)

Transportation

Airport: Kamloops Airport (YKA) is operated by YVR Airport Services Ltd. and is the main airport in the Thompson Nicola Regional District, providing air service throughout North America with connections to virtually every part of the world.

Road: Kamloops is strategically located at the intersection of Western Canada’s four major highways: Coquihalla (Hwy 5), Trans Canada (Hwy 1), Yellowhead (Hwy 16), and Highway 97.

Rail: The city is serviced by CN Rail, CP Rail, VIA Rail and is home to Rocky Mountaineer.

Arts, Culture and Heritage in great supply

Kamloops has a strong and robust arts, cultural and heritage scene where performers, artists and musicians have many opportunities to perform and provide entertainment all year round.

Live Theatre

There is no shortage of live theatre in Kamloops. Western Canada Theatre hosts their annual program of theatrical performances and has staged everything from Les Miserable to Shakespeare to The Sound of Music, suiting a variety of tastes.

Kamloops Players is a non-profit community amateur theatre group made up of people who share their interests and talents by producing and presenting plays to the community at The Stage House theatre.

Theatre goers enjoy summer productions by Project X Theatre Company. For the last several years, they have brought innovative, audacious theatre to Kamloops, hosted outdoors in lovely Prince Charles Park in Kamloops’ downtown core.

Live Music

Music seems to be everywhere in Kamloops, never in short supply. The Kamloops Symphony Society is a community resource providing live orchestral music performances, music education programs, and related music services for the citizens of the Kamloops Region.

A variety of night clubs and pubs play host to a variety of local and out of town musical acts, and each night from July 1 to August 31, the City of Kamloops hosts Music in the Park, free nightly musical entertainment at Riverside Park. Larger shows can typically be seen at the City of Kamloops’ Interior Savings Centre, a 6,400 seat venue.

Lots of Art

Art lovers have their choice of over 10 art galleries in the city including the Kamloops Art Gallery, the principal gallery for visual arts in the Southern Interior of B.C.

Museums and Walking Tours

Heritage is richly portrayed at the Kamloops Museum & Archives, the Secwepemc Museum & Heritage Park and while on a self-guided Heritage Homes Walking Tour.

A Place for All Seasons

Kamloops offers a relaxed lifestyle in a spectacular, natural setting. The unique mix of desert plateaus, lush river valleys, pine forests, lakes and snowcapped mountains provide unlimited opportunities for outdoor recreation. The city is a thriving cosmopolitan centre, rich in arts and culture, shopping and lifestyle amenities. There are excellent schools and healthcare facilities, housing is affordable, and no traffic congestion.

The climate is also very appealing. Kamloops has four distinct seasons, and enjoys more than 2,000 hours of sunshine annually. Summers are hot and dry, while winters offer the best of both worlds, with mild temperatures in low-lying areas and snow at higher elevations.

Kamloops Climate Facts
Hours of sunshine	2075 hrs
Median high temp	21.0˚C
Median minimum temp	-4.2˚C
Annual rainfall	217.9mm