The City of Kamloops is the commercial and cultural centre of the region. A thriving cosmopolitan city where shopping, entertainment, artistic expression, and sporting challenge are found in full measure. According to a Cost of Living Study done through the American Chamber of Commerce, Kamloops ranks as one of the lowest cost cities to live in, consistently placing in the top ten out of over 300 communities throughout North America.
Offering a comfortable quality of life set in a spectacular landscape, Kamloops lies in close proximity to the international market of Vancouver. The region provides the best access to the Interior and northern British Columbia for goods and services being imported, manufactured or distributed from the Lower Mainland. It also serves as a junction for all four major provincial highways, two national railroads, and a international airport.
The region is known for its rich history and varied geography, with abundant wildlife and spectacular landscapes throughout. The Secwepemc, or Shuswap, first inhabited the region thousands of years ago following summer game trails throughout the area. Historically the region continued to depend on the land, with furs, minerals, timber, and ranching being the mainstays of the economy. Today tourism, value-added wood manufacturing, and hi-tech are the emerging industries.