Want to live and work in Kamloops?

Kamloops has about 100,000 residents in the city and around 115,000 in the metropolitan area. The profile is predominantly anglophone, with English dominating commerce, schools, and public services alike. French appears little outside school immersion programs.

The Tk'emlups te Secwepemc Indigenous community has a reserve adjacent to the city, across the Thompson River, and actively participates in economic and cultural life. In 2021, the announcement of unmarked graves on the grounds of the former Kamloops residential school drew national attention and changed the way the city addresses its colonial history.

In recent years, immigration has grown from South and East Asia, drawn by positions in healthcare, commerce, and Thompson Rivers University. Filipinos, Indians, and Chinese form the most visible immigrant groups today.

The south bank holds the historic downtown, Thompson Rivers University, and established neighborhoods like Sahali and Aberdeen, the latter being newer, planned, with a shopping center and larger homes on hillsides. It is the most sought-after side for middle-class families and those who work at the university or hospital.

The north bank, called North Shore, was historically more working-class, with cheaper homes and some areas with a difficult reputation. It has been undergoing revitalization, with independent businesses and rent that is still more accessible than the south, attracting students and young professionals.

Those looking for homes with large lots look to Westsyde, Brocklehurst, and Batchelor Heights. The downtown has some new apartment buildings, but most of the housing stock is still single-family homes.

Thompson Rivers University, known as TRU, is the central institution. It has about 25,000 students counting in-person and open learning, with a strong presence of international students from India, China, the Philippines, and African countries. It offers undergraduate, master's, doctoral programs in select fields, and technical courses.

For international students, TRU is a classic gateway to Canadian immigration, with programs eligible for the Post-Graduation Work Permit. The city has reasonable infrastructure to welcome these students, with student housing on and off campus.

Basic education is divided between public schools in School District 73 and some independent schools. There are French immersion and Secwepemctsin immersion programs at select schools, and childcare availability remains limited as in almost all of Canada.

Kamloops has crime rates above the Canadian national average according to recent police data, partly because of the opioid crisis and the concentration of services for vulnerable populations downtown. Still, it is considered safe for daily life in residential neighborhoods, with low incidence of violent crime against ordinary residents.

More established and busier areas, such as Sahali, Aberdeen, Juniper Ridge, and Westsyde, have a quiet reputation. Families with children tend to prefer these neighborhoods for their combination of schools, parks, and low through-traffic.

Parts of the downtown at night, older sections of North Shore, and areas near shelters have more frequent reports of theft, vandalism, and uncomfortable encounters. Common sense resolves most situations.

Kamloops has an unusual climate for Canada, semi-arid in the interior of British Columbia. Summers are hot and dry. Between June and August, highs range from 27 to 32 degrees Celsius, with several weeks above 33 degrees in July. Air conditioning is increasingly common because of recent heat waves, but the low humidity still makes the heat more tolerable. Nights drop to around 14 degrees.

Winters are cold but milder than other parts of the Canadian interior. January lows are around -8 degrees Celsius and highs near zero, with frequent snow and some weeks with lows below -15. Heavy coats, snow boots, and a robust heating system are essential. Cars typically have winter tires from November to March.

Rain is scarce, around 280 mm per year, distributed in winter as snow and in brief summer showers. Clear skies are common, and the number of sunny days is high by Canadian standards. Local vegetation resembles that of the American West, with dry hills, and wildfire risk increases at the end of summer.

The Secwepemc Museum and Heritage Park, managed by the Tk'emlups te Secwepemc, is a must-visit to understand the Indigenous history of the region and the impact of the former residential school. The Kamloops Heritage Railway offers rides on a restored steam locomotive in summer.

Sun Peaks Resort, less than an hour from the city, is the second largest ski resort in Canada by skiable area and operates year-round, with mountain biking and hiking in summer. Riverside Park, in the downtown, is the gathering place on warm afternoons, with an urban beach on the Thompson River and free shows.

Trails in Kenna Cartwright Park, the largest natural municipal park in Canada, take hours to explore, with views of the valley and wildlife typical of the dry interior.