KamLOOPS, BC
Kamloops is the third largest city in the southern interior of BC, and the fifth largest in British Columbia. Incorporation date: 1893
Kamloops population: 84, 064
[Source: British Columbia Statistics 2007]
Situated at the confluence of the North and South Thompson Rivers in the Thompson Valley, the sprawling city of Kamloops takes its name from the First Nations word Kahm-o-loops, meaning “meeting of the waters.”
The Kamloops area was inhabited by the Secwepemc (Shuswap) nation prior to the arrival of European settlers. The first European explorers arrived in 1811, and a fur trading post was established by David Stuart in 1812 for the Pacific Fur Company. The gold rush of the 1850's and the construction of the Canadian Pacific Railway in the 1880s brought further growth.
‘A Sense of Belonging’ Priority Areas for Kamloops:
- Religious and Cultural Diversity
- Changes in provincial and local policies related to religious, cultural and language diversity
- Diversity being taken into account in practices within institutions (for instance, more inclusive and welcoming work environment)
- Common multicultural activities held within communities - Sexual Orientation
- More people feeling free to express their sexual orientation
- Existence of positives spaces - Media Portrayal & Stereotyping
- Local media outlets frame stories with greater sensitivity
- More local media broadcast related to diversity with local leaders and resource persons
2007 Regional Report
(information compiled during Kamloops Regional Visit)
DATES: July 31-August 2, 2007
Regional Coordinators
Kevin Cole
Kim Rathwell-Austin