Kamloops#Education

File:Kamloops1886.jpg

File:Kamloops 1887.jpg at Kamloops in 1887]]

The first European explorers arrived in 1811. David Stuart, a trader sent from Fort Astoria, then still a Pacific Fur Company post, spent a winter with the Secwépemc people. In May of the following year, trader Alexander Ross established a post, which was known as "Fort Cumcloups".

The rival North West Company established Fort Shuswap nearby in the same year. The two businesses merged in 1813 when the North West Company bought the operations of the Pacific Fur Company. In 1821, the Hudson's Bay Company merged with the North West Company, and the post became known commonly as Thompson's River Post, or Fort Thompson. Later it was known as Fort Kamloops.{{Cite bcgnis|id=3006 |title=Kamloops}} The post's Chief Traders kept journals, which document a series of inter-Indian wars and personalities for the period, in addition to the daily business of the fur companies and their personnel along the entire Pacific Slope.

Soon after the forts were founded, Kwa'lila, chief of the main local village of the Secwépemc, moved his people closer to the trading post, so they could control access and gain in prestige and security. After Kwa'lila died, his nephew and foster son Nicola became chief. He later led an alliance of Syilx (Okanagan) and Nlaka'pamux peoples in the plateau country to the south around Stump, Nicola and Douglas lakes.

Relations between Nicola and the fur traders were often tense, but Chief Nicola was recognized for his aid to colonizers during the Fraser Canyon Gold Rush of 1858. He did try to control those who had been in parties waging violence and looting on the Okanagan Trail, which led from American territory to the Fraser goldfields.Fort Kamloops Journals, various authors (traders), primary source.History of the Okanagan Chiefs in James Teit, The Shuswap People, vol XII of the Papers of the Jesup North Pacific Expedition Throughout, Kamloops was an important way station on the route of the Hudson's Bay Brigade Trail, which connected Fort Vancouver with Fort Alexandria and the other forts in New Caledonia to the north (today's Omineca Country, roughly). It was integral during the onset of the Cariboo Gold Rush as the main route to the new goldfields around what was to become Barkerville.

The 1862 Pacific Northwest smallpox epidemic swept through the Kamloops area during the summer of that year, decimating the Secwepemc, Nlaka'pamux, and other indigenous peoples. They had no acquired immunity. The epidemic had started in Victoria and quickly spread throughout British Columbia, especially among First Nations. In June 1862, indigenous people went to Fort Kamloops seeking smallpox vaccine, William Manson, chief clerk at the fort, vaccinated numerous persons, but fatalities were extremely high. In late September he reported "smallpox still raging amongst the Indians".

In October a newspaper in Victoria reported an eyewitness account from Fort Kamloops, saying

The Indians have been nearly exterminated at [Kamloops]: only sixteen have escaped out of a large settlement. Their bodies are strewing the ground in all directions.

About two-thirds of the Secwepemc died during the epidemic. In the aftermath, colonists took over traditional lands of the Secwepemc and many other indigenous groups throughout British Columbia.{{cite web |url= https://www.kamloopsthisweek.com/community/kamloops-history-the-smallpox-epidemic-of-1862-1.24264825 |title= Kamloops History: The Smallpox Epidemic of 1862 |last= Favholdt |first= Ken |publisher= Kamloops This Week |date= 12 January 2021 |access-date= 14 February 2021}}{{cite book |last= Furniss |first= Elizabeth |title= The Burden of History: Colonialism and the Frontier Myth in a Rural Canadian Community |url= https://books.google.com/books?id=yCkU-wmlIlsC&pg=PA33 |access-date= 14 February 2021 |date= 2011 |publisher= University of British Columbia Press |isbn= 978-0-7748-4218-1 |page= 33}}{{cite book |last1= Ignace |first1= Marianne |last2= Ignace |first2= Ronald Eric |title= Secwépemc People, Land, and Laws: Yerí7 re Stsq'ey's-kucw |date= 2017 |publisher= McGill-Queen's University Press |isbn= 978-0-7735-5203-6 |url= https://books.google.com/books?id=qWg1DwAAQBAJ&pg=PA445 |access-date= 14 February 2021 |page= 445}}{{cite journal |last= Van Rijn |first= Kiran |title= "Lo! The poor Indian!" Colonial Responses to the 1862-63 Smallpox Epidemic in British Columbia and Vancouver Island |journal= Canadian Bulletin of Medical History |volume= 23 |issue= 2 |date= 2006 |pages= 541–560 |doi= 10.3138/cbmh.23.2.541 |pmid= 17214129|doi-access= free }}

The gold rush of the 1860s and the construction of the Canadian Pacific Railway, which reached Kamloops from the West in 1885,{{Cite web|url=https://www.kamloops.ca/recreation-culture/culture-heritage/kamloops-museum-archives|title=Kamloops Museum and Archives (KMA) | City of Kamloops|website=www.kamloops.ca|accessdate=28 January 2024}} brought further growth. The City of Kamloops was incorporated in 1893 with a population of about 500, mostly concentrated in the West End.

In 1908 due to the Tuberculosis Pandemic a sanatorium was opened west of the city named King Edward Memorial Sanatorium, the sanatorium was later acquired by the provincial government in 1921, being renamed to Tranquille Sanatorium, it later closed in 1958. The Tranquille Institution reopened in 1959 to treat people with mental problems it later closed in 1983.

In 1967, Kamloops amalgamated with the Town of North Kamloops.

In 1973, Kamloops amalgamated with the Districts of Brocklehurst, Dufferin, the Town of Valleyview, and the Kamloops Indian Band, and the communities of Dallas, Campbell Creek, Barnhart Vale, Heffley Creek, Rayleigh, Westsyde and Knutsford. In 1976, the Kamloops Indian Band split from the City of Kamloops.

In May 2021, an anthropologist announced she had used ground-penetrating radar to find "probable" graves containing the remains of 215 children found at a former Kamloops Indian residential school, part of the Canadian Indian residential school system.{{Cite news|title=Remains of 215 children found at former Kamloops, B.C. residential school|url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/article-remains-of-215-children-found-at-former-residential-school-in-british/|access-date=2021-06-03}} The story was reported around the world, and five Catholic churches in Western Canada were burned down in the weeks following, since the school was operated by a Catholic order.{{Cite web|url=https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/248297/canadian-indigenous-leaders-call-for-end-of-targeting-of-churches|title=Canadian Indigenous leaders call for end of targeting of churches|website=Catholic News Agency|accessdate=28 January 2024}} However, this story cannot be completely confirmed until bodies are exhumed.{{Cite news | url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/article-kamloops-residential-school-unmarked-graves-discovery-update/ | title=Anthropologist explains how she concluded 200 children were buried at the Kamloops Residential School | newspaper=The Globe and Mail | date=15 July 2021 | last1=Pruden | first1=Jana G. | last2=Hager | first2=Mike }}{{Cite web|url=https://www.dorchesterreview.ca/blogs/news/in-kamloops-not-one-body-has-been-found|title=In Kamloops, Not One Body Has Been Found|date=11 January 2022|website=The Dorchester Review|accessdate=28 January 2024}}{{Cite web|url=https://nationalpost.com/opinion/barbara-kay-what-we-dont-know-about-unmarked-graves-at-residential-schools|title=Barbara Kay: What we don't know about unmarked graves at residential schools | National Post|accessdate=28 January 2024}}

"Kamloops" is the anglicized version of the Shuswap word "{{lang|shs|Tk'əmlúps}}", meaning "meeting of the waters". Shuswap is still spoken in the area by members of the Tk'emlúps Indian Band.Tk'emlúps Indian Band, [http://www.tkemlups.ca/our-story/history Tk'emlúps History], 2011. Accessed 1 June 2011.

An alternate origin sometimes given for the name may have come from the native name's accidental similarity to the French "{{lang|fr|Camp des loups}}", meaning "Camp of Wolves"; many early fur traders were ethnic French. There are folk stories about an attack on a traders' camp by a pack of wolves. Other legendary versions recount a huge white wolf, or a pack of wolves and other animals, that were moving overland from the Nicola Country and were repelled by a single shot by John Tod, then Chief Trader. This prevented the wolves from attacking the fort and earned Tod a great degree of respect locally.Fur and Gold: Stories, Tales and Legends of British Columbia, John Pearson, undated S.K. Press Holdings, undated., White Rock, B.C.

Kamloops is in the Thompson Valley and the Montane Cordillera Ecozone. The city's centre is in the valley near the confluence of the Thompson River's north and south branches. Suburbs stretch for more than a dozen kilometres along the north and south branches, as well as to the steep hillsides along the south portion of the city and lower northeast hillsides. The area surrounding the city is sometimes referred to as the Thompson Country.

Robert W. Service in 1904 described Kamloops as his delightful life and wrote "Life was pleasant, and the work was light. At four o'clock we were on our horses, riding over the rolling ridges, or into spectral gulches that rose to ghostlier mountains. It was like the scenery of Mexico, weirdly desolate and aridly morose. A discouraging land, forbidding in its weariness and resigned to ruin."

Kamloops Indian Band areas begin just to the northeast of the downtown core but are not within the city limits. As a result of this placement, it is necessary to leave Kamloops' city limits and pass through the band lands before re-entering the city limits to access the northernmost communities of Rayleigh and Heffley Creek. Kamloops is surrounded by the smaller communities of Cherry Creek, Pritchard, Savona, Scotch Creek, Adams Lake, Chase, Paul Lake, Pinantan and various others.

The following are the officially recognized neighbourhoods within the city of Kamloops.{{Cite web|url=http://geoprodsvr.kamloops.ca/Html5Viewer/Index.html?configBase=http://geoprodsvr.kamloops.ca/Geocortex/Essentials/REST/sites/HTML5KamloopsWebMap/viewers/KamloopsWebMapHTML5/virtualdirectory/Resources/Config/Default&disclaimer=yes|title=Kamloops CityMap|accessdate=28 January 2024|archive-date=19 December 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181219230354/http://geoprodsvr.kamloops.ca/Html5Viewer/Index.html?configBase=http://geoprodsvr.kamloops.ca/Geocortex/Essentials/REST/sites/HTML5KamloopsWebMap/viewers/KamloopsWebMapHTML5/virtualdirectory/Resources/Config/Default&disclaimer=yes|url-status=dead}} Informally recognized sub-areas are listed beneath the neighbourhoods to which they belong:

{{Div col}}

• Aberdeen
• Pacific Way
• Barnhartvale
• Batchelor Heights
• Batchelor Hills
• Lac Du Bois
• Brocklehurst
• Airport Entry Corridor
• Brock Centre
• North Kamloops West
• Ord Road
• Campbell Creek
• Dallas
• Downtown
• Columbia Precinct
• Downtown Core
• East End
• East Entry Corridor
• Waterfront District
• West Entry Corridor
• Dufferin
• Heffley Creek
• Juniper Ridge
• Knutsford
• Lower Sahali
• Mission Flats
• Noble Creek
• North Kamloops
• 8th St Corridor
• Halston Corridor
• John Tod
• McDonald Park
• North Kamloops West
• North Shore Town Centre
• Schubert Drive
• Tranquille Market
• Tranquille South
• Pineview
• Rayleigh
• Rose Hill
• Sagebrush
• Southgate
• Thompson Rivers University (TRU)
• Tranquille
• Upper Sahali
• Valleyview
• Orchard's Walk
• West End
• College Heights
• Guerin Creek
• Hudson's Ridge
• McIntosh Heights
• Powers Addition
• Westsyde
• Westmount
• Oak Hills

{{Div col end}}

The climate of Kamloops is semi-arid (Köppen climate classification BSk) due to its rain shadow location. Kamloops gets short cold snaps where temperatures can drop to around or below {{convert|-30|C|0}} when Arctic air manages to cross the Rockies and Columbia Mountains into the Interior.

File:FraserRiverBritishColumbia Location.png watershed]]

Kamloops has the third mildest winter of any non-coastal city in Canada, after Penticton and Kelowna.{{cite web |url=http://climate.weatheroffice.gc.ca/winners/categorydata_e.html?SelectedCategory=4 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111125151335/http://climate.weatheroffice.gc.ca/winners/categorydata_e.html?SelectedCategory=4 |url-status=dead |archive-date=25 November 2011 |title=Mildest Winters |publisher=Environment Canada |access-date=25 October 2019}} The coldest months are December and January, when the mean temperatures are {{convert|-2.0|C|0}} and {{convert|-2.7|C|0}}. That average sharply increases with an average maximum temperature of {{convert|3.9|C|0}} in February. Between November and January the area experiences abundant cloud cover due to a continual series of Pacific coastal Low Pressure systems crossing British Columbia, reducing the annual sunshine output, despite very sunny summers.

The average number of days where the minimum temperatures drops below {{convert|-10|C|0}} per year is 19 as recorded by Environment Canada.The average number of days where the Maximum temperature goes above {{convert|30|C|0}} is 36, above {{convert|35|C|0}} is 8 days.

{{cite web | publisher = Environment Canada | url = https://climate.weather.gc.ca/climate_normals/results_1991_2020_e.html?searchType=stnName_1991&txtStationName_1991=kamloops&searchMethod=contains&txtCentralLatMin=0&txtCentralLatSec=0&txtCentralLongMin=0&txtCentralLongSec=0&stnID=333000000&dispBack=1 | id = Climate ID: 1163780 |title = Kamloops A | work = Canadian Climate Normals 1991–2010 | date=18 September 2023 | access-date = 9 October 2023}}

Although Kamloops is above 50° north latitude, growing seasons are long, with hot periods every summer under dry and sunny weather. Daytime humidity often drops below 20% during dry periods, which allows for substantial nighttime cooling. Occasional summer thunderstorms can create dry-lightning conditions, sometimes igniting forest fires which the area is prone to.

Kamloops lies in the rain shadow leeward of the Coast Mountains and is biogeographically connected to similar semi-desert areas in the Okanagan region, and a much larger area covering the central/eastern portions of Washington, Oregon and intermontane areas of Nevada, Utah and Idaho in the US.

These areas of relatively similar climate have many distinctive native plants and animals in common, such as ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa), big sagebrush (Artemisia tridentata), prickly pear cactus (Opuntia fragilis in this case), rattlesnakes, black widow spiders and Lewis's woodpecker.

The highest temperature ever recorded in Kamloops was {{convert|47.3|C|0}} on 29 June 2021, which was the fourth-highest reading recorded in Canada, and the highest recorded in any city, during the infamous 2021 Western North America heat wave.{{cite web|url=https://www.castanet.net/news/Kamloops/338567/Another-new-all-time-heat-record-46-3-C-set-in-Kamloops-on-Tuesday|title=Kamloops sets another new all-time heat record|access-date=27 December 2021}}{{cite web |url=http://climate.weather.gc.ca/climate_data/daily_data_e.html?hlyRange=%7C&dlyRange=1878-01-01%7C1982-12-31&mlyRange=1878-01-01%7C1982-12-01&StationID=1274&Prov=BC&urlExtension=_e.html&searchType=stnName&optLimit=yearRange&StartYear=1840&EndYear=2016&selRowPerPage=25&Line=0&searchMethod=contains&Month=7&Day=9&txtStationName=kamloops&timeframe=2&Year=1939 |title=Daily Data Report for July 1939 |date=31 October 2011 |publisher=Environment Canada |access-date=13 February 2013}}{{cite web |url=http://climate.weather.gc.ca/climate_data/daily_data_e.html?hlyRange=%7C&dlyRange=1878-01-01%7C1982-12-31&mlyRange=1878-01-01%7C1982-12-01&StationID=1274&Prov=BC&urlExtension=_e.html&searchType=stnName&optLimit=yearRange&StartYear=1840&EndYear=2016&selRowPerPage=25&Line=0&searchMethod=contains&Month=7&Day=9&txtStationName=kamloops&timeframe=2&Year=1941 |title=Daily Data Report for July 1941 |date=31 October 2011 |publisher=Environment Canada |access-date=13 February 2013}} The lowest temperature ever recorded was {{convert|-38.3|C|0}} on 16 and 18 January 1950.{{cite web |url=http://climate.weather.gc.ca/climate_data/daily_data_e.html?hlyRange=%7C&dlyRange=1878-01-01%7C1982-12-31&mlyRange=1878-01-01%7C1982-12-01&StationID=1274&Prov=BC&urlExtension=_e.html&searchType=stnName&optLimit=yearRange&StartYear=1840&EndYear=2016&selRowPerPage=25&Line=0&searchMethod=contains&Month=1&Day=9&txtStationName=kamloops&timeframe=2&Year=1950 |title=Daily Data Report for January 1950 |date=31 October 2011 |publisher=Environment Canada |access-date=23 April 2016}}

{{Weather box

| location = Kamloops Airport, 1991–2020 normals, extremes 1890–present{{efn|Climate data was recorded in the city of Kamloops from January 1890 to December 1950, and at Kamloops Airport from January 1951 to present.}}

| metric first = Y

| single line = Y

| Jan maximum humidex = 15.8

| Feb maximum humidex = 17.0

| Mar maximum humidex = 23.3

| Apr maximum humidex = 31.9

| May maximum humidex = 36.8

| Jun maximum humidex = 48.0

| Jul maximum humidex = 40.4

| Aug maximum humidex = 40.3

| Sep maximum humidex = 38.4

| Oct maximum humidex = 31.2

| Nov maximum humidex = 22.8

| Dec maximum humidex = 15.0

| year maximum humidex =

| Jan record high C = 16.1

| Feb record high C = 17.8

| Mar record high C = 23.3

| Apr record high C = 33.3

| May record high C = 37.8

| Jun record high C = 47.3

| Jul record high C = 41.7

| Aug record high C = 40.8

| Sep record high C = 38.3

| Oct record high C = 31.3

| Nov record high C = 22.8

| Dec record high C = 16.1

| year record high C = 47.3

| Jan high C = 0.4

| Feb high C = 3.9

| Mar high C = 10.7

| Apr high C = 16.5

| May high C = 22.0

| Jun high C = 25.1

| Jul high C = 29.3

| Aug high C = 28.8

| Sep high C = 22.8

| Oct high C = 13.6

| Nov high C = 5.8

| Dec high C = 1.0

| year high C = 15.0

| Jan mean C = -2.7

| Feb mean C = -0.2

| Mar mean C = 5.2

| Apr mean C = 9.9

| May mean C = 15.0

| Jun mean C = 18.4

| Jul mean C = 21.9

| Aug mean C = 21.3

| Sep mean C = 16.0

| Oct mean C = 8.6

| Nov mean C = 2.3

| Dec mean C = -2.0

| year mean C = 9.5

| Jan low C = -5.7

| Feb low C = -4.3

| Mar low C = -0.5

| Apr low C = 3.2

| May low C = 8.1

| Jun low C = 11.6

| Jul low C = 14.5

| Aug low C = 13.7

| Sep low C = 9.2

| Oct low C = 3.5

| Nov low C = -1.1

| Dec low C = -5.0

| year low C = 3.9

| Jan record low C = -38.3

| Feb record low C = -32.8

| Mar record low C = -26.1

| Apr record low C = -10.6

| May record low C = -5.6

| Jun record low C = 0.6

| Jul record low C = 3.3

| Aug record low C = 0.6

| Sep record low C = -3.9

| Oct record low C = -17.1

| Nov record low C = -30.0

| Dec record low C = -36.1

| year record low C = -38.3

| Jan chill = -42.0

| Feb chill = -36.7

| Mar chill = -33.9

| Apr chill = -13.0

| May chill = -5.2

| Jun chill = 0.0

| Jul chill = 0.0

| Aug chill = 0.0

| Sep chill = -6.5

| Oct chill = -23.2

| Nov chill = -39.1

| Dec chill = -45.1

| year chill = -45.1

| precipitation colour = green

| Jan precipitation mm = 21.1

| Feb precipitation mm = 12.4

| Mar precipitation mm = 12.8

| Apr precipitation mm = 14.2

| May precipitation mm = 27.3

| Jun precipitation mm = 37.4

| Jul precipitation mm = 31.4

| Aug precipitation mm = 23.7

| Sep precipitation mm = 29.4

| Oct precipitation mm = 19.4

| Nov precipitation mm = 23.3

| Dec precipitation mm = 25.4

| year precipitation mm = 277.6

| rain colour = green

| Jan rain mm = 5.3

| Feb rain mm = 5.9

| Mar rain mm = 9.7

| Apr rain mm = 14.0

| May rain mm = 27.3

| Jun rain mm = 37.4

| Jul rain mm = 31.4

| Aug rain mm = 23.7

| Sep rain mm = 29.4

| Oct rain mm = 19.0

| Nov rain mm = 14.2

| Dec rain mm = 7.1

| year rain mm = 224.3

| snow colour = green

| Jan snow cm = 18.7

| Feb snow cm = 8.0

| Mar snow cm = 3.5

| Apr snow cm = 0.2

| May snow cm = 0.0

| Jun snow cm = 0.0

| Jul snow cm = 0.0

| Aug snow cm = 0.0

| Sep snow cm = 0.0

| Oct snow cm = 0.3

| Nov snow cm = 10.9

| Dec snow cm = 21.9

| year snow cm = 63.5

|humidity colour = green

| Jan humidity = 72.6

| Feb humidity = 60.0

| Mar humidity = 43.0

| Apr humidity = 35.6

| May humidity = 36.2

| Jun humidity = 36.4

| Jul humidity = 33.5

| Aug humidity = 34.4

| Sep humidity = 41.4

| Oct humidity = 52.9

| Nov humidity = 65.9

| Dec humidity = 70.9

| year humidity = 48.6

| unit precipitation days = 0.2 mm

| Jan precipitation days = 9.7

| Feb precipitation days = 7.2

| Mar precipitation days = 6.8

| Apr precipitation days = 6.2

| May precipitation days = 10.2

| Jun precipitation days = 10.7

| Jul precipitation days = 8.4

| Aug precipitation days = 8.0

| Sep precipitation days = 7.6

| Oct precipitation days = 9.0

| Nov precipitation days = 10.0

| Dec precipitation days = 11.7

| year precipitation days = 105.6

| unit rain days = 0.2 mm

| Jan rain days = 3.6

| Feb rain days = 3.8

| Mar rain days = 5.5

| Apr rain days = 6.1

| May rain days = 10.2

| Jun rain days = 10.7

| Jul rain days = 8.3

| Aug rain days = 8.0

| Sep rain days = 7.6

| Oct rain days = 8.8

| Nov rain days = 7.1

| Dec rain days = 3.4

| year rain days = 83.3

| unit snow days = 0.2 cm

| Jan snow days = 7.6

| Feb snow days = 4.1

| Mar snow days = 1.9

| Apr snow days = 0.3

| May snow days = 0.0

| Jun snow days = 0.0

| Jul snow days = 0.0

| Aug snow days = 0.0

| Sep snow days = 0.0

| Oct snow days = 0.3

| Nov snow days = 3.9

| Dec snow days = 9.3

| year snow days = 27.4

| Jan sun = 55.2

| Feb sun = 95.6

| Mar sun = 165.3

| Apr sun = 202.8

| May sun = 251.6

| Jun sun = 252.0

| Jul sun = 303.4

| Aug sun = 289.5

| Sep sun = 223.3

| Oct sun = 130.9

| Nov sun = 63.7

| Dec sun = 46.6

| year sun = 2079.8

| Jan percentsun = 20.9

| Feb percentsun = 33.9

| Mar percentsun = 45.0

| Apr percentsun = 49.0

| May percentsun = 52.4

| Jun percentsun = 51.2

| Jul percentsun = 61.2

| Aug percentsun = 64.3

| Sep percentsun = 58.7

| Oct percentsun = 39.2

| Nov percentsun = 23.5

| Dec percentsun = 18.6

| year percentsun = 43.2

| source 1 = Environment Canada{{cite web |url=https://climate.weather.gc.ca/climate_normals/results_1991_2020_e.html?searchType=stnProv&lstProvince=BC&txtCentralLatMin=0&txtCentralLatSec=0&txtCentralLongMin=0&txtCentralLongSec=0&stnID=333000000&dispBack=0 |title=Kamloops 1991-2020 |date=18 September 2023 |publisher=Environment Canada |access-date=4 October 2023}}{{cite web

| publisher = Environment Canada

| url = http://climate.weather.gc.ca/climate_data/daily_data_e.html?StationID=51423

| title = Daily Data Report for August 2018

| work = Canadian Climate Data

| date=31 October 2011 | access-date = 16 August 2018}}{{cite web

| url = https://climate.weather.gc.ca/climate_data/daily_data_e.html?StationID=51423&timeframe=2&StartYear=1840&EndYear=2021&Day=1&Year=2021&Month=6#

| title = Daily Data Report for June 2021

| date = 31 October 2011

| publisher = Environment Canada

| access-date = June 27, 2021}}

}}

{{Historical populations

| footnote = Sources: Statistics Canada{{cite book |title=Becoming British Columbia: A Population History |first=John |last=Belshaw |year=2009 |isbn=9780774815451}}{{cite web |url=http://www.bcstats.gov.bc.ca/StatisticsBySubject/Census/MunicipalPopulations.aspx?ctl00_ctl00_PlaceholderPageContent_PlaceholderPage3_usercontrols_general_csvviewer_ascx1_GridCsvChangePage=6_20&ctl00_ctl00_PlaceholderPageContent_PlaceholderPage4_ctl00_GridCsvChangePage=6_20 |title=British Columbia – Municipal Census Populations (1921–2011) |publisher=BC Stats |access-date=9 May 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130921054641/http://www.bcstats.gov.bc.ca/StatisticsBySubject/Census/MunicipalPopulations.aspx?ctl00_ctl00_PlaceholderPageContent_PlaceholderPage3_usercontrols_general_csvviewer_ascx1_GridCsvChangePage=6_20&ctl00_ctl00_PlaceholderPageContent_PlaceholderPage4_ctl00_GridCsvChangePage=6_20 |archive-date=21 September 2013 |url-status=dead }}

|1881|200

|1891|1500

|1901|1359

|1911|3772

|1921|4501

|1931|6167

|1941|5959

|1951|8099

|1956|9096

|1961|10076

|1966|10759

|1971|26168

|1976|58311

|1981|64048

|1986|61773

|1991|67057

|1996|76394

|2001|77281

|2006|80376

|2011|85678

|2016|90,280

|2021|97,902

}}

In the 2021 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada, Kamloops had a population of 97,902 living in 39,914 of its 41,619 total private dwellings, a change of {{percentage|{{#expr:97902-90280}}|90280|1}} from its 2016 population of 90,280. With a land area of {{cvt|297.93|km2}}, it had a population density of {{Pop density|97902|297.93|km2|sqmi|prec=1}} in 2021.{{cite web | url=https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/t1/tbl1/en/tv.action?pid=9810000202&geocode=A000259 | title=Population and dwelling counts: Canada, provinces and territories, and census subdivisions (municipalities), British Columbia | publisher=Statistics Canada | date=February 9, 2022 | accessdate=February 20, 2022}}

At the census metropolitan area (CMA) level in the 2021 census, the Kamloops CMA had a population of {{val|114142|fmt=commas}} living in {{val|47102|fmt=commas}} of its {{val|50235|fmt=commas}} total private dwellings, a change of {{percentage|{{#expr:114142-103811}}|103811|1}} from its 2016 population of {{val|103811|fmt=commas}}. With a land area of {{convert|5654.08|km2|sqmi|abbr=on}}, it had a population density of {{Pop density|114142|5654.08|km2|sqmi|prec=1}} in 2021.{{cite web | url=https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/t1/tbl1/en/tv.action?pid=9810000501 | title=Population and dwelling counts: Canada, provinces and territories, census metropolitan areas and census agglomerations | publisher=Statistics Canada | date=February 9, 2022 | accessdate=March 28, 2022}}

According to the 2021 census, religious groups in Kamloops included:{{Cite web |last=Government of Canada |first=Statistics Canada |date=2022-10-26 |title= Census Profile, 2021 Census of Population |url=https://www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-recensement/2021/dp-pd/prof/details/page.cfm?Lang=E&SearchText=kamloops&DGUIDlist=2021A00055933042&GENDERlist=1,2,3&STATISTIClist=1&HEADERlist=0 |access-date=2022-11-09 |website=www12.statcan.gc.ca}}

{{Pie chart

|thumb = right

|caption = Religion in the City of Kamloops (2021){{cite web |title=Kamloops, City (C) British Columbia[Census subdivision] |url=https://www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-recensement/2021/as-sa/fogs-spg/alternative.cfm?topic=10&lang=E&dguid=2021A00055933042&objectId=2_2 |website=Statistics Canada | date=December 16, 2022 |access-date=4 April 2024}}

|label2 = Christianity

|value2 = 33.6

|color2 = DodgerBlue

|label1 = Irreligious

|value1 = 60.5

|color1 = Gray

|label5 = Islam

|value5 = 0.9

|color5 = DarkGreen

|label4 = Hinduism

|value4 = 1.1

|color4 = DarkOrange

|label8 = Judaism

|value8 = 0.1

|color8 = Blue

|label6 = Buddhism

|value6 = 0.5

|color6 = Gold

|label3 = Sikhism

|value3 = 2.1

|color3 = DarkKhaki

|label7 = Indigenous Spirituality

|value7 = 0.2

|color7 = Purple

|label9 = Other religion

|value9 = 0.9

|color9 = Red

}}

• irreligion (57,245; 60.5%)
• Christian (31,790; 33.6%)
• Sikh (2,005; 2.1%)
• Hindu (995; 1.1%)
• Muslim (890; 0.9%)
• Buddhist (440 persons or 0.5%)
• Indigenous spirituality (190; 0.2%)
• Jewish (85; 0.1%)
• Other religions (925; 1.0%)

• Note: Totals greater than 100% due to multiple origin responses.

{{clear}}

{{main|Chinese Canadians in British Columbia}}

Kamloops historically had a Chinatown on Victoria Street where most ethnic Chinese lived. John Stewart of the Kamloops Museum and Archives stated it was not a "true Chinatown".Stewart, John (Kamloops Museum & Archives). "[http://www.kamloops.ca/museum/archives/pdfs/N240%20-%20Chinatown%20in%20Kamloops.pdf Chinatown in Kamloops]" ([https://web.archive.org/web/20150212201148/http://www.kamloops.ca/museum/archives/pdfs/N240%20-%20Chinatown%20in%20Kamloops.pdf Archive]). City of Kamloops. p. 1. Retrieved on 26 January 2015. It was established by Chinese immigrants by 1887, and by 1890 the community had up to 400 Chinese. Stewart said this was an "amazingly large" population for the rural area.Stewart, John (Kamloops Museum & Archives). "[http://www.kamloops.ca/museum/archives/pdfs/N240%20-%20Chinatown%20in%20Kamloops.pdf Chinatown in Kamloops]" ([https://web.archive.org/web/20150212201148/http://www.kamloops.ca/museum/archives/pdfs/N240%20-%20Chinatown%20in%20Kamloops.pdf Archive]). City of Kamloops. p. 4. Retrieved on 26 January 2015. By the 1890s, about 33% of Kamloops were ethnic Chinese; they worked primarily on construction of the Canadian Pacific Railway.Hewlett, Jason. "[http://www.timescolonist.com/news/b-c/chinese-museum-would-right-historical-wrongs-kamloops-group-says-1.679899 Chinese museum would right historical wrongs, Kamloops group says]" ([https://web.archive.org/web/20150212195752/http://www.timescolonist.com/news/b-c/chinese-museum-would-right-historical-wrongs-kamloops-group-says-1.679899 Archive]). Times Colonist. 31 October 2013. Retrieved on 26 January 2015.

Economic changes in Kamloops resulted in many Chinese seeking work elsewhere. In addition, there were two fires in 1892 and 1893, and a 1911–1914 demolition that dismantled the Chinatown.Stewart, John (Kamloops Museum & Archives). "[http://www.kamloops.ca/museum/archives/pdfs/N240%20-%20Chinatown%20in%20Kamloops.pdf Chinatown in Kamloops]" ([https://web.archive.org/web/20150212201148/http://www.kamloops.ca/museum/archives/pdfs/N240%20-%20Chinatown%20in%20Kamloops.pdf Archive]). City of Kamloops. p. 5. Retrieved on 26 January 2015. Peter Wing, the first ethnic Chinese mayor in North America, was elected in 1966 and served three terms as the Mayor of Kamloops.

In the 1880s the Kamloops' Chinese Cemetery was founded in Kamloops, the only one in the province dedicated to Chinese pioneers. It is one of the largest cemeteries in the province, but the last interment was made there in the 1960s.Stewart, John (Kamloops Museum & Archives). "[http://www.kamloops.ca/museum/archives/pdfs/N240%20-%20Chinatown%20in%20Kamloops.pdf Chinatown in Kamloops]" ([https://web.archive.org/web/20150212201148/http://www.kamloops.ca/museum/archives/pdfs/N240%20-%20Chinatown%20in%20Kamloops.pdf Archive]). City of Kamloops. p. 3. Retrieved on 26 January 2015.

In 2013 the provincial government announced it would begin a consultation process to discuss wording of a formal apology to Chinese in B.C. for past wrongs. Joe Leong, president of the Kamloops Chinese Cultural Association, said he believed that the province should build a museum to honour Chinese history in the province, as a way to recognize the contributions of the people. As Kamloops had the only cemetery dedicated to the Chinese pioneers, he felt this city would be an appropriate site for the museum.

File:Royal_Inland_Hospital.jpg

File:Thompson_Rivers_University_Brown_Family_House_of_Learning.jpg

Kamloops' economy includes healthcare, tourism, education, transportation, and natural resource extraction industries.

The Royal Inland Hospital (RIH) is the city's largest employer. RIH is the region's acute care and health facility and is one of two tertiary referral hospitals in the Southern Interior with 239 acute beds and an additional 20 more beds upon completion of the expansion in 2016.{{Cite web|url=http://venturekamloops.com/why-kamloops/industries/healthcare|title=Healthcare – Venture Kamloops – Economic Development for the City of Kamloops|website=venturekamloops.com|language=en|access-date=9 October 2018}}

Thompson Rivers University (TRU) serves a student body of 25,754 including a diverse international contingent mainly from Asian countries.[https://www.tru.ca/about/facts.html Facts and Figures] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191228140735/https://www.tru.ca/about/facts.html |date=28 December 2019 }} Thompson Rivers University Thompson Rivers University, Open Learning (TRU-OL) is the biggest distance education provider in British Columbia and one of the biggest in Canada.

Heavy industries in the Kamloops area include primary resource processing such as Domtar Kamloops Pulp Mill, Tolko-Heffley Creek Plywood and Veneer, New Gold Inc - New Afton Mine, and Highland Valley Copper Mine (in Logan Lake).

Four major highways join in Kamloops, the BC Highway 1 (Trans-Canada Highway), the Coquihalla Highway (BC highway 5 south of the city), the Yellowhead Highway (BC Highway 5 north of the city) and BC Highway 97, making it a transportation hub and a place which attracts business. There are over 50 trucking and transport companies located in Kamloops that ship across Canada and into the United States.{{Cite web|url=http://venturekamloops.com/why-kamloops/industries/transportation-logistics|title=Transportation & Logistics – Venture Kamloops – Economic Development for the City of Kamloops|website=venturekamloops.com|language=en|access-date=9 October 2018}} Both the Canadian Pacific Railway and the Canadian National Railway service Kamloops with both lines running through the city.

Kamloops welcomed 1.8 million visitors in 2017, a 9% increase from 2015 (1.64 million).

Tourism's economic ROI is immense. A$1.8 million destination marketing budget returned $449 million in economic benefit in 2017.The annual Direct Visitor Expenditure is estimated at $270 million, a 19% increase from 2015 ($227 million). Further, the total estimated tourism economic impact was $449 million in 2017, a 32.4% increase from 2015 ($339 million).{{Cite web|url=https://res.cloudinary.com/simpleview/image/upload/v1/clients/kamloops/TK_AR_2017_Web_b3fa252c-5a9e-4a25-883e-01f862a023c1.pdf|title=2017 Tourism Kamloops Annual Report}}

Tourism generates many types of income for the region, including business income, wage earnings, share earnings, rates and levies. Conservation springs from industry-wide support for management, research and education initiatives that benefit everyone through responsible tourism management.

Kamloops has over 50 accommodation choices{{Cite web|url=https://www.tourismkamloops.com/stay/|title=Stay | Tourism Kamloops, BC|website=www.tourismkamloops.com|accessdate=28 January 2024}} from major hotels to bed and breakfasts. Accommodation occupancy rates were 61.5% in 2017, up 2.6% from 2016.

File:Kelly's mural.jpg

File:Music in the Park.jpg

Kamloops culture has grown in recent years to celebrate local talent that includes: culinary arts, sports, live entertainment, and fine art.

Kamloops hosts a range of cultural events year-round including:

• Kamloops Wine Festival:{{Cite web |url=https://kag.bc.ca/events |title=Kamloops Wine Festival |access-date=3 October 2018 |archive-date=3 October 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181003230039/https://kag.bc.ca/events |url-status=dead }} This annual festival is a fundraiser for the Kamloops Art Gallery.
• Kamloops Film Festival:{{Cite web|url=https://www.thekfs.ca/kff/|title=Kamloops Film Festival – The Kamloops Film Society|website=www.thekfs.ca|accessdate=28 January 2024}} Since 1997, this festival has grown to celebrate international films at Paramount Theatre for ten days in March.
• River Beaver Classic:{{Cite web |url=https://www.canadianenduro.com/riverbeaver |title=River Beaver Classic |access-date=3 October 2018 |archive-date=4 October 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181004021200/https://www.canadianenduro.com/riverbeaver |url-status=dead }} This annual, mountain biking festival hosts four events over one weekend in April with all money raised going to local trail maintenance.
• Brewloops{{Cite web|url=https://www.brewloopsfest.ca/|title=Breweries and Beer Events in Kamloops: A Guide|date=20 March 2023|accessdate=28 January 2024}} Brewloops is a non-profit, beer, food, and bike festival that celebrates Kamloops culture with block parties on The Shore and Downtown throughout the year.
• Kamloops International Buskers Festival:{{Cite web|url=https://kamloopsbuskers.com/|title=Home - Kamloops Buskers Association|date=3 October 2022|website=kamloopsbuskers.com|accessdate=28 January 2024}} This four-day festival takes place throughout Riverside Park and showcases professional buskers from around the globe.
• Hot Nite in the City Show 'n' Shine:{{Cite web|url=https://www.tourismkamloops.com/events/annualevents/|title=Annual Events | Kamloops BC|website=www.tourismkamloops.com|accessdate=28 January 2024}} This weekend-long event takes place every August downtown and showcases Street Rods, Customs, American Muscle, Sport-compact, Electric Vehicles and more.
• Kamloops Rotary Ribfest:{{Cite web|url=https://kamloopsribfest.com/|title=Kamloops Ribfest – Kamloops Ribfest|website=kamloopsribfest.com|accessdate=28 January 2024}} Western Canada's largest rib festival, Ribfest takes place every August at Riverside Park. By 2018, Kamloops Rotary had raised over $500,000 for local charities.
• Salute to the Sockeye Festival:{{Cite web|url=https://www.salmonsociety.com/|title=Salmon Society | The Adams River Salmon Society, Shuswap, BC, Salmon Run, Salute to the Sockeye|website=The Adams River Salmon Society|accessdate=28 January 2024}} This festival celebrates the return of sockeye salmon to the Adams River at Tsútswecw Provincial Park from the end of September through mid-October each year.
• Interior Wellness Festival:{{Cite web|url=http://interiorwellness.com/|title=Interior Wellness Festival website|access-date=3 October 2018|archive-date=3 October 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181003221122/http://interiorwellness.com/|url-status=dead}} Since 2008, this event has promoted healthy living in BC including workshops with yogis, authors, and business experts.
• Kamloops Comedy Fest: Canadian comedians take over the microphone for a weekend each October during Kamloops Comedy Fest.
• Words Alive Kamloops:{{Cite web|url=http://www.wordsalivekamloops.com/|title=WORDS ALIVE KAMLOOPS|website=WORDS ALIVE KAMLOOPS|language=en|access-date=3 January 2020}} Formerly the Kamloops Writers Festival, this annual event features Canadian authors showcasing their work through public readings and events, as well as conducting workshops on a variety of topics.

Kamloops is home to many galleries including nationally recognized Kamloops Art Gallery,{{Cite web|url=https://kag.bc.ca/|title=Kamloops Art Gallery|website=Kamloops Art Gallery|accessdate=28 January 2024}} Secwepemc Museum and Heritage Park; the Kamloops Museum and Archives, the Kamloops Symphony Orchestra,{{Cite web|url=https://www.kamloopssymphony.com/default.htm|title=Home Page|website=Kamloops Symphony Orchestra|accessdate=28 January 2024}} and Western Canada Theatre.

There are 29 outdoor murals – the Back Alley Art Gallery- throughout downtown Kamloops that the Kamloops Central Business Improvement Association has spearheaded since the 2000s. Artists that have contributed to this project include: Zack Abney; Kylene Cachelin; Evan Christina; Kelly Wright; Ken Wells; Alex Moir-Porteus; Robin Hodgson; Jack Morris; Janice Gurney, and Marianna Abutalipova.

Project X Theatre, an outdoor theatre festival located in Kamloops. The company creates a summer outdoor theatre festival in Prince Charles Park, just east of Downtown Kamloops. Established in 2006, Project X Theatre originally produced productions of Shakespeare, however, recently the company has shifted over to more family friendly shows. Randi Edmundson is the current Artistic Director. Previous artistic directors include Samantha MacDonald, Derek Rein, Heather Cant, Melissa

purcha, and Dušan Magdolen.

The Western Canada Theatre is a professional theatre company located in Kamloops. The company manages and performs in two spaces: the 706 seat Sagebrush Theatre and the 150-seat Pavilion Theatre. James MacDonald is the current artistic director of the theatre company. Previous artistic directors include Tom Kerr (founder), Frank Glassen, David Ross, Michael Dobbin, John Cooper, Jeremy Tow, and Daryl Cloran.{{Citation|title=Western Canada Theatre History|url=https://www.wctlive.ca/history.htm|access-date=20 November 2018}}

Popular attractions include: the Adams River Sockeye Salmon Run;{{Cite web|url=https://www.salmonsociety.com/|title=Salmon Society | The Adams River Salmon Society, Shuswap, BC, Salmon Run, Salute to the Sockeye|website=The Adams River Salmon Society|accessdate=28 January 2024}} Kamloops Bike Ranch; BC Wildlife Park; Kamloops Heritage Railway; Kamloops Wine Trail; Secwepemc Museum, and Tranquille Sanatorium

Since 2012, four wineries have been established in the Thompson Valley wine region{{Cite web|url=https://winebc.com/discover-bc-wine-country/thompson-valley/|title=Thompson Valley Wine Region of British Columbia | Wine BC|accessdate=28 January 2024}} including: Sagewood Winery; Harper's Trail Winery; Monte Creek Ranch Winery, and Privato Vineyard and Winery. Since 2010, five micro-breweries have opened up in Kamloops including: Noble Pig Brewhouse; Red Collar Brewing, Alchemy Brewing, Bright Eye Brewing and Iron Road Brewing. Since 2020, some craft distilleries have opened up in Kamloops including: Route 1 Distillery

Since 2007, Chefs in the City has been established as a "celebration of culinary arts, fine wine and beer from Kamloops and the surrounding region."{{Cite web|url=https://www.chefsinthecity.info/|title=Chefs in the City {{!}} Info|access-date=1 October 2018|archive-date=1 October 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181001220525/https://www.chefsinthecity.info/|url-status=dead}} This annual event is presented by the Rotary Club of Kamloops and had raised over $400,000 by 2020.{{cite web |last1=Foley |first1=Brianne |title=Chefs in the City continue a 12 year tradition, only with a different look in 2021 |url=https://www.castanetkamloops.net/news/Kamloops/322131/Chefs-in-the-City-continue-a-12-year-tradition-only-with-a-different-look-in-2021 |publisher=Castanet Kamloops |access-date=11 December 2024 |date=17 January 2021}}

Kamloops is emerging as an award-winning wine region with a climate perfect for growing grapes. It is home to four award-winning wineries: Harper's Trail, Monte Creek Ranch, Privato and Sagewood.{{Cite web |url=http://kamloopswinetrail.com/awards.php |title=Kamloops Wine Trail |access-date=21 November 2018 |archive-date=11 November 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181111190823/http://kamloopswinetrail.com/awards.php |url-status=dead }}{{Cite web|url=https://sagewoodwinery.ca/?page_id=9|title=Home|website=sagewoodwinery.ca|accessdate=28 January 2024}} Kamloops has over 120 acres under vine. The top grapes planted by local wineries are Riesling, Chardonnay, pinot gris, pinot noir, Cabernet Franc, Marechal Foch and Marquette.

Since 1998, the Kamloops Wine Festival has taken place in the spring as a fundraiser to support the Kamloops Art Gallery. The Kamloops Wine Festival had raised over $200,000 by 2018.{{Cite web|url=https://cfjctoday.com/2018/04/12/kamloops-wine-festival-gets-ready-for-20th-annual-event/|title=Kamloops Wine Festival gets ready for 20th annual event|first=Kayla|last=Derkach|accessdate=28 January 2024}}

In 2014, Brewloops Beer Festival was established as a non-profit organization that promotes Kamloops culture across the city throughout the year. Brewloops celebrates BC craft beer, music, and entertainment with the wider Kamloops community and had donated $27,000 to community groups by 2018.{{Cite web|url=https://www.facebook.com/brewloopsfest/|title=About {{!}} Brewloops|website=Facebook}} Bands that have performed at Brewloops include: Delhi 2 Dublin, Yukon Blonde, and at Mission Dolores.

File:TCC Kamloops.jpg]]

Kamloops is an outdoor mecca for activities like hiking and mountain biking with an extensive trail network for year-round adventure. Multiple nearby lakes offer paddling, kayaking and fishing.

Known as the Tournament Capital of Canada, Kamloops has hosted many tournaments and is home to a range of professional athletes from many sports. Kamloops has the Kamloops Sports Hall of Fame, which includes 2008 Summer Olympics bronze medallist Dylan Armstrong and the National Finalist Roma's soccer team.{{Cite web|url=http://www.kamloopssportscouncil.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/WEB-Past-Winners-Revised-2.pdf|title=Kamloops Sports Council – Recipients|accessdate=28 January 2024}}

With 100 lakes within an hour's drive, Kamloops has some of the best freshwater fishing in North America. Every year, the Freshwater Fisheries Society of BC stocks lakes in the Thompson-Nicola region with roughly 1,000,000 fish including rainbow trout, brook trout, and kokanee salmon.

Kamloops is known for its professional anglers including Brian Chan,{{Cite web |url=https://www.gofishbc.com/Blog/About-Us/Fishing-Advisor-Brian-Chan.aspx |title=Brian Chan |access-date=2 October 2018 |archive-date=2 October 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181002215307/https://www.gofishbc.com/Blog/About-Us/Fishing-Advisor-Brian-Chan.aspx |url-status=dead }} Jordan Oelrich,{{Cite web |url=http://interiorflyfishingco.com/author/admin/ |title=Jordan Oelrich |access-date=2 October 2018 |archive-date=2 October 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181002220535/http://interiorflyfishingco.com/author/admin/ |url-status=dead }} and Brennan Lund.{{Cite web |url=http://fishingbc.com/ambassadors/brennan-lund/ |title=Brennan Lund |access-date=2 October 2018 |archive-date=2 October 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181002215315/http://fishingbc.com/ambassadors/brennan-lund/ |url-status=dead }} Fishing guides in the Kamloops area include: DNA Fly Fishing;{{Cite web |url=http://www.dnaflyfishing.ca/ |title=DNA Fly Fishing |access-date=2 October 2018 |archive-date=3 October 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181003033658/http://www.dnaflyfishing.ca/ |url-status=dead }} Interior Fly Fishing; Maricle Fly Fishing; Riseform Flyfishing;{{Cite web|url=http://www.riseformflyfishing.com/|title=Riseform Flyfishing Ventures with Brian Chan - Stillwater Fly Fishing, Fly Fishing Techniques, Books, Videos|website=www.riseformflyfishing.com|accessdate=28 January 2024}} and Fast Action Fishing Adventures.{{Cite web|url=https://www.sunpeaksfishing.com/|title=Sun Peaks Fly Fishing Guide | Fast Action Fishing Adventures|website=sunpeaksfishing|accessdate=28 January 2024}}

Kamloops' extensive trail network and desert-like climate creates conditions for year-round mountain biking across the city. Popular parks include the Kamloops Bike Ranch,{{Cite web |url=http://kamloopsbikeranch.weebly.com/ |title=Kamloops Bike Ranch |access-date=2 October 2018 |archive-date=2 October 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181002215109/http://kamloopsbikeranch.weebly.com/ |url-status=dead }} Pineview Valley; Lac du Bois Grasslands Protected Area,[http://www.env.gov.bc.ca/bcparks/explore/parkpgs/lacdubois_grass/ Lac du Bois Grasslands Protected Area] and Kenna Cartwright Park. Two time UCI Mountain Bike & Trials World Championships – Women's cross-country (2011 and 2014), gold at the 2014 Commonwealth Games and 2016 Summer Olympics bronze medallist Catharine Pendrel lives and trains in Kamloops.{{Citation|title=Catharine Pendrel|date=19 November 2018|url=https://olympic.ca/team-canada/catharine-pendrel/ |website=Canadian Olympic Team Official Website |access-date=19 November 2018}} Kamloops is home to world-famous mountain bikers such as freeride pioneers and Mountain Bike Hall of Fame members Wade Simmons, Brett Tippie, (also a former Canadian National Team member for snowboard cross and giant slalom), and Richie Schley.{{Cite web|url=https://mmbhof.org/fro-riders-2/|title='Fro Riders' | Marin Museum of Bicycling and Mountain Bike Hall of Fame|first=Marc|last=Vendetti|date=26 March 2014|accessdate=28 January 2024}} Freeriders Matt Hunter, and Graham Agassiz also live in Kamloops.{{Cite web |url=http://www.santacruzsentinel.com/business/ci_16420206 |title=Santa Cruz Sentinel |access-date=31 October 2010 |archive-date=19 March 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120319153135/http://www.santacruzsentinel.com/business/ci_16420206 |url-status=dead }} Kamloops was featured in the first mountain bike film by Greg Stump, Pulp Traction, and later the first three Kranked films, which starred the original Fro Riders, Tippie, Simmons and Schley.

Ongoing trail maintenance has been spearheaded by local organizations such as the Kamloops Bike Riders Association, Kamloops Performance Cycling Centre, and Dirt Chix Kamloops.

Kamloops has highest number of golf courses (13) per capita in Canada and boasts one of Canada's most diverse golf landscapes. Golfers enjoy three seasons of golf due to the dry and hot climate of the area.{{Cite news|url=https://golfinbritishcolumbia.com/bc-golf-courses/kamloops-golf-courses/|title=Kamloops Golf Courses {{!}} BC Golf Vacations British Columbia|work=Golf in British Columbia|access-date=25 September 2018|language=en-US}} Several of the local golf courses have been designed by famous golf architects such as Robert Trent Jones, Graham Cooke, and Tom McBroom.

The 13 courses include: Tobiano Golf Course; The Dunes, Talking Rock Golf Course; Pineridge Golf Course; Rivershore Estates; Big Horn Golf & Country Club; Kamloops Golf & Country Club; Sun Peaks Golf; Eagle Point Golf Course; Mount Paul Golf Course, and Chinook Cove Golf.{{Cite web|url=https://www.tourismkamloops.com/thingstodo/outdooradventure/golf/|title=Championship Golf | Tourism Kamloops, BC|website=www.tourismkamloops.com|accessdate=28 January 2024}}

Sun Peaks Resort is a nearby ski and snowboard hill. Olympic medallist skier Nancy Greene Raine is director of skiing at Sun Peaks and the former chancellor of Thompson Rivers University. The Overlander Ski Club runs the Stake Lake cross country ski area with {{convert|50|km|abbr=on}} of trails.

Lacrosse teams include the Thompson Okanagan Junior Lacrosse League's Kamloops Junior B Venom, as well as the junior ice hockey team the Kamloops Storm. Also calling Kamloops home is the Canadian Junior Football League's Kamloops Broncos, and Pacific Coast Soccer League's Kamloops Excel, both of whom play at Hillside Stadium.

The Kamloops Rotary Skatepark at McArthur Island Park is one of Canada's largest skateboard parks.{{Cite web |url=http://www.skateparktour.ca/BC/Kamloops-Rotary.htm |title=Kamloops Rotary Skatepark |access-date=25 March 2011 |archive-date=18 July 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110718102738/http://www.skateparktour.ca/BC/Kamloops-Rotary.htm |url-status=dead }} Also located at McArthur Island Park is NorBrock Stadium, the McArthur Island Sports and Events Centre and the McArthur Island Curling Club. The city boasts 82 parks which are great for hiking, including Kenna Cartwright Park, the largest municipal park in British Columbia.{{Cite web|url=http://venturekamloops.com/why-kamloops/industries/tourism|title=Tourism – Venture Kamloops – Economic Development for the City of Kamloops|website=venturekamloops.com|language=en|access-date=9 October 2018}}

{{wide image|Kamloops, British Columbia (2015).jpg|1200px|Kamloops panorama}}

Kamloops is home to the Western Hockey League's Kamloops Blazers who play at the Sandman Centre. Alumni of the Kamloops Blazers include Mark Recchi, Jarome Iginla, Darryl Sydor, Nolan Baumgartner, Shane Doan, Scott Niedermayer, Rudy Poeschek and Darcy Tucker (Recchi, Doan, Iginla, and Sydor are now part-owners of the club). Two-time champion coach Ken Hitchcock would later win the Stanley Cup with the Dallas Stars.

On 6 February 2016, Kamloops hosted Hockey Day in Canada with Ron MacLean and Don Cherry.{{Cite web|url=https://www.sportsnet.ca/kamloops-bc-to-host-2016-scotiabank-hockey-day-in-canada/|title=Kamloops, BC to Host 2016 Scotiabank Hockey Day in Canada|website=www.sportsnet.ca|accessdate=28 January 2024}}

Kamloops is the home of the West Coast League's Kamloops NorthPaws who play at NorBrock Stadium.

Kamloops hosted the 1993 Canada Summer Games. It co-hosted (with Vancouver and Kelowna) the IIHF World Junior Championship from 26 December 2005 to 5 January 2006. It hosted the 2006 BC Summer Games and 2018 BC Winter Games. In the summer of 2008, Kamloops, and its modern facility the Tournament Capital Centre played host to the U15 boys and girls Basketball National Championship.

Kamloops hosted the World Masters Indoor Championships in March 2010.{{Cite web|url=https://world-masters-athletics.org/|title=HOME|website=World Masters Athletics|accessdate=28 January 2024}}

Kamloops hosted the 2011 Western Canada Summer Games.

Kamloops hosted the 2014 Tim Hortons Brier (The Canadian Men's Curling Championships).{{Citation|title=Kamloops awarded 2014 Tim Hortons Brier|date=19 November 2018|url=https://www.curling.ca/2014brier-en/2012/10/30/kamloops-awarded-2014-tim-hortons-brier/|access-date=19 November 2018}}

Kamloops hosted the 2014 edition of the 4 Nations Cup.{{Citation|title=2014 4 Nations Cup|date=18 September 2018|url=https://www.hockeycanada.ca/en-ca/team-canada/women/national/2014-4nc|access-date=25 September 2018}}

Kamloops hosted the 2016 IIHF Women’s World Championship at both Sandman Centre and the MacArthur Island Sports and Event Centre.{{Cite web |agency=The Canadian Press |date=2014-09-09 |title=Kamloops to host 2016 women's world hockey championship - TSN.ca |url=https://www.tsn.ca/hockey-canada/hockey-canada/kamloops-to-host-2016-women-s-world-hockey-championship-1.81917 |access-date=2023-04-01 |website=TSN |language=en}}

Elections into the municipality in Kamloops are held with the rest of the province every four years.

Provincially, Kamloops is considered to be bellwether, having voted for the governing party in every provincial election since the introduction of parties to British Columbian elections, until 2017. By contrast, Kamloops has regularly voted against the party in power federally until the 2006 Federal election. Kamloops is represented in two provincial ridings – Kamloops-South Thompson and Kamloops-North Thompson – and one federal riding – Kamloops—Thompson—Cariboo.

• Mayor – Reid Hamer-Jackson, 2022
• Members of the Legislative Assembly:
• Todd Stone, Kamloops-South Thompson
• Peter Milobar, Kamloops-North Thompson

Federal members of parliament:

• Frank Caputo (2021–present) Conservative Party of Canada
• Cathy McLeod (2008–2021) Conservative Party of Canada
• Betty Hinton (2000–2008) Canadian Alliance and Conservative Party of Canada
• Nelson Riis (1980–2000) New Democratic Party
• Don Cameron (1979–1980) Progressive Conservative Party of Canada
• Leonard Marchand (1968–1979) Liberal Party of Canada

Kamloops is located at the crossroads of the Coquihalla Highway, Yellowhead Highway, and Trans-Canada Highway and is a transportation hub in the region.

The Canadian Pacific (CPR) and Canadian National (CNR) mainline routes connect Vancouver in the west with Kamloops. The two railways diverge; CNR to the north and CPR and east, continuing to the rest of Canada. Kamloops North station is served two times per week (in each direction) by Via Rail's Canadian.

The Rocky Mountaineer and the Kamloops Heritage Railway both use the Kamloops station.

Kamloops is home to Kamloops Airport (YKA). Airlines flying to Kamloops include: Air Canada Express, WestJet Encore, Canadian North, and Central Mountain Air, as well as three cargo airlines. Vancouver and Calgary are primary routes for passenger service to this regional airport. In 2018, Air Canada Rouge launched non-stop seasonal service from Kamloops to Toronto.{{Cite web|url=https://kamloopsairport.com/news/kamloops-welcomes-first-inbound-toronto-flight/|title=Kamloops welcomes first inbound Toronto flight|website=YKA Kamloops Airport|accessdate=28 January 2024}}

Greyhound Canada previously connected Kamloops with Vancouver, Edmonton and Calgary, with service ending at the end of October 2018. After Greyhound's departure, several companies stepped in and commenced intercity service. Ebus and Rider Express both provide service to Vancouver and in between cities and towns, with Ebus connecting to other Interior cities like Kelowna and Vernon, and Rider Express continuing east to Calgary.{{cite web |url=https://riderexpress.ca/schedules/vancouver-calgary/|publisher=Rider Express |title=Schedules: Vancouver/Calgary |access-date=2022-05-11}}

Local bus service is provided by Kamloops Transit System and funded through BC Transit with 14 routes across the Kamloops area that are operated by contractor First Student Canada. In 2018, the City of Kamloops partnered with the Tk'emlúps te Secwépemc to expand its services on Tk'emlups te Secwepemc land for Route 18: Mount Paul.{{Cite web|url=https://www.kamloopsthisweek.com/news/transit-finally-comes-to-tk-emlups-1.23424000|title=Error|website=www.kamloopsthisweek.com|accessdate=28 January 2024}}{{Dead link|date=March 2025 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}

The Kamloops Indian Residential School, part of the Canadian Indian residential school system opened in 1893 and ran until 1977.[https://landoftheshuswap.com/residential.html Kamloops Indian Residential School] In May 2021, the possible remains of 200 children were detected in the graveyard soil by ground penetrating radar at the site of the school.{{cite news |title=Remains of 215 children found at former Kamloops residential school |url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/article-remains-of-215-children-found-at-former-residential-school-in-british/ |access-date=28 May 2021 |work=Globe & Mail |date=28 May 2021}}{{cite news |title=Remains of 215 children found buried at former B.C. residential school, First Nation says |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/tk-emlups-te-secw%C3%A9pemc-215-children-former-kamloops-indian-residential-school-1.6043778 |access-date=28 May 2021 |work=CBC News |date=28 May 2021}} The remains were located with the assistance of ground-penetrating radar, and work was underway to determine if related records about the identities of the dead are held at the Royal British Columbia Museum. In a statement released by the First Nations Health Authority, CEO Richard Jock said: "That this situation exists is sadly not a surprise and illustrates the damaging and lasting impacts that the residential school system continues to have on First Nations people, their families and communities."

Public schools in Kamloops and adjacent communities are run by School District 73 Kamloops/Thompson.

Private schools include Kamloops Christian School, Our Lady of Perpetual Help School (Catholic), and St. Ann's Academy (Catholic).

The Conseil scolaire francophone de la Colombie-Britannique operates école Collines-d’or, a Francophone primary school."[http://www.csf.bc.ca/ecoles/en-colombie-britannique/carte-des-ecoles/ Carte des écoles] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150817050550/http://www.csf.bc.ca/ecoles/en-colombie-britannique/carte-des-ecoles/ |date=17 August 2015 }}." Conseil scolaire francophone de la Colombie-Britanique. Retrieved on 22 January 2015.

Thompson Rivers University{{Cite web|url=http://www.tru.ca/|title=Thompson Rivers University|first=Thompson Rivers University|last=www.tru.ca|website=Thompson Rivers University|accessdate=28 January 2024}} offers a range of undergraduate and graduate degrees as well as certificate and diploma programs. It has satellite campuses in:

{{Div col}}

• Clearwater
• Barriere
• Chase
• Williams Lake
• 100 Mile House
• Cache Creek
• Ashcroft
• Lillooet

{{Div col end}}

Thompson Rivers University also has an open-learning division. Thompson Rivers University, Open Learning (TRU-OL) is the biggest distance and online education provider in British Columbia and one of the biggest in Canada. The Thompson Rivers University WolfPack are the athletic teams that represent Thompson Rivers University.

Thompson Career College and Sprott Shaw College are private post-secondary institutions with campuses in Kamloops.

{{Main|Media in Kamloops}}

The city's main daily newspaper was The Kamloops Daily News which ceased publication in 2014.{{Cite web|url=https://kamloopsnews.ca/|title=Kamloops Daily News|website=kamloopsnews.ca|accessdate=28 January 2024}}

The city was also home to Kamloops This Week,{{Cite web|url=https://www.castanetkamloops.net/|title=Kamloops News | News Kamloops | Castanet Kamloops|website=www.castanetkamloops.net|accessdate=28 January 2024}} a free newspaper which ceased publication in 2023.

{{main|:Category:People from Kamloops}}

Below is a list of people who are from Kamloops, or who lived there for an extended period.

• Robert Barton, flying ace of the Second World War
• Edward Bellew, recipient of the Victoria Cross.
• Jim Chamberlin, aerodynamicist, who contributed to the design of the Canadian Avro Arrow; NASA's Project Mercury, Project Gemini and the Apollo program.
• Kanao Inouye, the notorious "Kamloops Kid", the first of the two Canadians ever convicted of war crimes.
• Allan McLean, son of Donald McLean and leader of the outlaw gang known as the Wild McLean Boys.
• Donald McLean, former Chief Trader of Fort Kamloops and one of the casualties of the Chilcotin War.
• Frank Robert Miller, former deputy minister of the National Defence.
• Chief Nicola, conjoint chief of the Nicolas and the Kamloops Secwepemc during the fur trade and gold rush eras.
• Johnny Ussher, settler, provincial magistrate and gold commissioner (killed by Allan McLean).
• Mark Sweeten Wade, medical doctor, newspaperman and historian.

• Jack Davis, politician who was elected to both the Parliament of Canada and Legislative Assembly of British Columbia.
• Jodie Emery – marijuana activist and politician.
• John L. Frazer, politician: member of the House of Commons of Canada from 1993 to 1997.[http://www2.parl.gc.ca/Parlinfo/Files/Parliamentarian.aspx?Item=68b31de6-5990-45a9-a057-32cf2267a2ea&Language=E&Section=FederalExperience PARLINFO – Parliamentarian File – Federal Experience – FRAZER, John L. (Jack), O.M.M., M.S.C., C.D]
• Davie Fulton, politician: member of the Canadian House of Commons from 1945 to 1963, and 1965 to 1968. Son of Frederick John Fulton.[http://www2.parl.gc.ca/Parlinfo/Files/Parliamentarian.aspx?Item=bd7064c6-90b2-4e0a-9a8f-1c4d781bb30e&Language=E&Section=FederalExperience PARLINFO – Parliamentarian File – Federal Experience – FULTON, The Hon. Edmund Davie, P.C., O.C., Q.C.LL.B., LL.D]
• Frederick John Fulton, British born politician and lawyer, father of Davie Fulton.
• Phil Gaglardi, aka Flying Phil, former Provincial Minister of Highways and Mayor of the city.
• Leonard Marchand, QPC, CM, the first person of First Nations ethnicity to serve in the federal cabinet and the first Status Indian to serve as a member of parliament.{{Cite web|url=http://www.elections.ca/eca/eim/article_search/article.asp?id=97&lang=e&frmPageSize=&textonly=false|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071029171506/http://www.elections.ca/eca/eim/article_search/article.asp?id=97&lang=e&frmPageSize=&textonly=false|url-status=dead|title=Leonard Marchand: The first Status Indian elected to Canada's Parliament|archive-date=29 October 2007}}[http://www2.parl.gc.ca/Parlinfo/Files/Parliamentarian.aspx?Item=4ef2efff-d84c-42fd-b0e6-1f1a6cdc3f6e&Language=E&Section=FederalExperience Federal Political Biography from the Library of Parliament]
• Nelson Riis, former Kamloops Teacher, Professor, alderman and Director of the Thompson-Nicola Regional District, longtime federal MP for Kamloops.
• Peter Wing, North America's first elected mayor of Chinese descent, elected in 1966 and served three terms in Kamloops.{{cite news|title=Former Kamloops mayor dies at 93 |newspaper=Times-Colonist |date=31 December 2007 |url=http://www.canada.com/victoriatimescolonist/news/story.html?id=fa547031-9ba6-4328-b374-12c47cee758d |access-date=16 April 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121103161822/http://www.canada.com/victoriatimescolonist/news/story.html?id=fa547031-9ba6-4328-b374-12c47cee758d |archive-date=3 November 2012 }}

• Graham Agassiz, freeride mountain biker, bronze medal at Red Bull Rampage 2015.
• Dylan Armstrong, Olympic shot putter who finished 4th in the 2008 Olympics but subsequently was awarded the bronze medal in 2015 after the 3rd place putter Andrei Mikhnevich from Belarus tested positive for drugs post 2008 Olympics.
• Don Ashby, former National Hockey League (NHL) ice hockey player.{{Cite web|url=https://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/stats/pdisplay.php?pid=118|title=Don Ashby Hockey Stats and Profile at hockeydb.com|website=www.hockeydb.com|accessdate=28 January 2024}}
• Murray Baron, former NHL ice hockey player.{{Cite web |url=http://www.kamloopsnews.ca/sports/local/the-bear-is-back-baron-still-loves-hockey-1.1240167 |title=The Bear is back: Baron still loves hockey |access-date=21 November 2018 |archive-date=28 April 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190428052629/https://www.kamloopsnews.ca/sports/local/the-bear-is-back-baron-still-loves-hockey-1.1240167 |url-status=dead }}
• Mitch Berger, former National Football League (NFL) player.{{Cite web|url=https://www.nfl.com/players/mitch-berger/|title=Mitch Berger Stats, News and Video - P|website=NFL.com|accessdate=28 January 2024}}
• Rick Boh, former NHL ice hockey player.{{Cite web|url=https://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/stats/pdisplay.php?pid=9966|title=Rick Boh Hockey Stats and Profile at hockeydb.com|website=www.hockeydb.com|accessdate=28 January 2024}}
• Corryn Brown, Canadian curler, skip of the 2013 Canadian Junior Curling Championships winning rink, 2012 Winter Youth Olympics bronze medallist.{{Citation|title=Corryn Brown|url=https://www.curlingzone.com/player.php?playerid=25422&view=Events|access-date=20 November 2018}}
• Jim Cotter, Canadian curler, 2013 Olympic Trials runner up, 2014 Tim Hortons Brier silver medallist.{{Citation|title=Award winners, all-stars at 2014 Tim Hortons Brier".|date=9 March 2014|url=https://www.curling.ca/2014brier-en/2014/03/09/award-winners-all-stars-at-2014-tim-hortons-brier/|access-date=20 November 2018}}
• Craig Endean, former NHL ice hockey player.{{Cite web|url=https://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/stats/pdisplay.php?pid=1564|title=Craig Endean Hockey Stats and Profile at hockeydb.com|website=www.hockeydb.com|accessdate=28 January 2024}}
• Todd Esselmont, ice and roller hockey player.
• Erin Gammel, is a swimmer who competed at the 2004 Summer Olympics.
• Stu Grimson, former NHL ice hockey player.{{cite web|url=http://www.legendsofhockey.net/LegendsOfHockey/jsp/SearchPlayer.jsp?player=10570 |title=NHL Player Search – Player – Stu Grimson |publisher=Legends of Hockey |access-date=15 June 2013}}
• Don Hay, former NHL head coach.{{Cite web|url=https://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/stats/pdisplay.php?pid=8675|title=Don Hay (b.1954) Hockey Stats and Profile at hockeydb.com|website=www.hockeydb.com|accessdate=28 January 2024}}
• Jessica Hewitt, short track speed skater, silver medallist at the 2014 Sochi Olympics.
• Joe Hicketts, 2015 World Junior Ice Hockey Champion, Detroit Red Wings defenceman.{{Citation|title=2015 World Junior Championship|date=19 November 2018|url=http://www.worldjunior2015.com/|access-date=19 November 2018}}
• Ethan Katzberg, track & field athlete, 2023 Hammer Throw World Champion and Canadian Record holder
• Murray Kennett, is a former World Hockey Association (WHA) ice hockey player.{{Cite web|url=https://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/stats/pdisplay.php?pid=10294|title=Murray Kennett Hockey Stats and Profile at hockeydb.com|website=www.hockeydb.com|accessdate=28 January 2024}}
• Doug Lidster, former NHL ice hockey player.{{Cite web|url=https://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/stats/pdisplay.php?pid=3145|title=Doug Lidster Hockey Stats and Profile at hockeydb.com|website=www.hockeydb.com|accessdate=28 January 2024}}
• John Ludvig, professional ice hockey player{{cite web |title=John Ludvig |url=https://www.eliteprospects.com/player/350236/john-ludvig |publisher=Elite Prospects |access-date=June 21, 2021}}
• Bert Marshall, former NHL ice hockey player.{{Cite web|url=https://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/stats/pdisplay.php?pid=3410|title=Bert Marshall Hockey Stats and Profile at hockeydb.com|website=www.hockeydb.com|accessdate=28 January 2024}}
• Spencer McLennan, Former Canadian Football League (CFL) player.
• Don Moen, Former CFL football player.
• Josie Morrison, Canadian speedskater, 2018 Winter Olympian.{{Citation|title=Josie Morrison|date=10 January 2018 |url=https://olympic.ca/team-canada/Josie-Morrison/|access-date=20 November 2018}}
• Bob Mowat, former WHA ice hockey player.{{Cite web|url=https://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/stats/pdisplay.php?pid=8342|title=Bob Mowat (b.1949) Hockey Stats and Profile at hockeydb.com|website=www.hockeydb.com|accessdate=28 January 2024}}
• Brendon Nash, former NHL ice hockey player
• Riley Nash, Toronto Maple Leafs NHL hockey player
• Shane Niemi, is a Canadian sprinter.
• Kelly Olynyk, Toronto Raptors and Canada international basketball player.
• Paul Osbaldiston, former CFL football player.
• Catharine Pendrel, cross country mountain biker, 2016 Olympic bronze medalist, 2011 and 2014 World Champion
• Rudy Poeschek, former NHL player.
• Kevin Powell, former CFL football player.
• Nancy Greene Raine, named Canada's Athlete of the Century in 1999, Olympic skier who won gold for Canada in 1968, and 13 World Cups (the Canadian record) for a total of 17 Canadian Title Championships.{{cite web |url=http://www.nancygreene.com/ |title=Official Web Site of Nancy Greene Canadian Olympic Champion Skier |publisher=Nancy Greene |access-date=15 June 2013}}
• Mark Recchi, former NHL ice hockey player, three time Stanley Cup champion (1991, 2006, 2011), and member of the Hockey Hall of Fame{{cite web |url=https://www.nhl.com/player/mark-recchi-8450725 |title=Mark Recchi Stats and News |publisher=NHL.com |access-date=3 August 2017}}
• Justin Ring, former CFL football player
• Peter Soberlak, former American Hockey League (AHL) professional ice hockey player.{{Cite web|url=https://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/stats/pdisplay.php?pid=5077|title=Peter Soberlak Hockey Stats and Profile at hockeydb.com|website=www.hockeydb.com|accessdate=28 January 2024}}
• Logan Stankoven, Carolina Hurricanes player, former captain of the Kamloops Blazers, and 2022 CHL Player of the Year.{{Cite web |title=Logan Stankoven at eliteprospects.com |url=https://www.eliteprospects.com/player/556512/logan-stankoven |access-date=2023-04-01 |website=www.eliteprospects.com |language=en}}
• Dave Vankoughnett, former CFL football player.
• Tim Watters, former NHL ice hockey player.{{Cite web|url=https://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/stats/pdisplay.php?pid=5658|title=Tim Watters Hockey Stats and Profile at hockeydb.com|website=www.hockeydb.com|accessdate=28 January 2024}}

• Benjamin Ayres, actor, born in Kamloops.
• Dan Bremnes, Christian musician, born in Kamloops.
• Darril Fosty, award winning writer, raised in Kamloops.
• Steven Galloway, novelist, was raised in Kamloops.
• Elise Gatien, actress.
• Boris Karloff, actor, joined the Jeanne Russell theatre company in Kamloops in September 1911.
• Spencer Lord, actor
• Chris Masuak, punk rock singer-songwriter, inducted into the ARIA Hall of Fame, born in Kamloops – lived in Brocklehurst (North Kamloops) in the 1960s. Now resides in Spain.
• John Pozer, award-winning filmmaker.
• Robert W. Service, poet and writer known for his ballads depicting the Klondike Gold Rush of 1897, he worked at Kamloops branch of the Canadian Bank of Commerce from July to December 1904 before being transferred to Whitehorse.Sam Holloway, "[http://www.yukoner.com/service.htm Robert Service and Destiny]," The Yukoner Magazine. Web, Accessed 2008.11.19.
• Michael Shanks, actor, born in Vancouver, but grew up in Kamloops.{{Cite web|url=https://michaelshanksonline.com/biography|title=Biography|website=Michael Shanks Online|accessdate=28 January 2024}}
• Lawrence Paul Yuxweluptun, First Nations painter.

• Nadine Caron, first female First Nations surgeon.
• Andrew Collier, Commander of the Royal Canadian Navy.
• Patrick Crawford, tech entrepreneur and NASA research collaborator.{{Cite web|url=https://www.seti.org/press-release/nasa-haughton-mars-project-new-partnership-mars-drone-application-research|title=NASA Haughton-Mars Project: New Partnership on Mars Drone Application Research|website=SETI Institute|accessdate=28 January 2024}}
• Vivian Dowding, leading birth control activist.
• Mildred Gottfriedson, first First Nations individual inducted into the Order of Canada and founding member of the B.C. Native Women's Society.
• Lesra Martin, resident lawyer who helped with Rubin "The Hurricane" Carter's prison release.

File:Mars KAMLOOPS Galle Craters Argyre Planitia.jpg

The city's name has been given to a crater on the surface of Mars. Crater Kamloops was officially adopted by the International Astronomical Union's Working Group for Planetary System Nomenclature (IAU/WGPSN) in 1991. The crater lies at 53.8° south latitude and 32.6° west longitude, with a diameter of {{convert|65|km|abbr=on}}.{{Cite web|url=http://planetarynames.wr.usgs.gov/jsp/FeatureNameDetail.jsp?feature=63077|title=IAU/USGS/WGPSN Planetary Feature Nomenclature Database, USGS Branch of Astrogeology, Flagstaff, Arizona|accessdate=28 January 2024}}[http://planetarynames.wr.usgs.gov/images/mc26_mola.pdf USGS Martian Quadrangle Map MC-26 showing crater KAMLOOPS, just beneath crater GALLE, and on the Eastern edge of ARGYRE Planitia.]

• Uji, Kyoto Prefecture, Japan{{Cite web|url=https://www.kamloops.ca/our-community/about-kamloops/uji-japan-sister-city|title=Uji Japan - Sister City | City of Kamloops|website=www.kamloops.ca|accessdate=28 January 2024}}
• Bacolod, Negros Occidental, Philippines{{cite web |url=http://www.visayandailystar.com/2006/May/17/businessnews2.htm |title=DAILY STAR: Business |website=www.visayandailystar.com |access-date=11 January 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061021215805/http://www.visayandailystar.com/2006/May/17/businessnews2.htm |archive-date=21 October 2006 |url-status=dead}}

Kamloops and surrounding areas have been used for various Hollywood films such as An Unfinished Life, The A Team, 2012, The Pledge, Shooter, Firewall, The Sisterhood of the Travelling Pants, Monster Trucks, and various others.{{Cite web |url=http://www.tnrdfilm.com/past-productions |title=Past Productions |access-date=25 March 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110717065408/http://www.tnrdfilm.com/past-productions |archive-date=17 July 2011 |url-status=dead }}

"The Eye of Jupiter", the eleventh episode of the third season of Battlestar Galactica was filmed in Kamloops in 2006.

In 2018, Kamloops was a filming location for the Netflix series Lost in Space{{Cite web |url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt5232792/locations?ref_=tt_dt_loc#filming_locations |title=Lost in Space (2018–2021) Filming & Production |website=IMDb |access-date=5 December 2021}} and a filming location for Jurassic World: Dominion in 2020.{{cite web |url=https://infotel.ca/newsitem/kamloops-featured-in-jurassic-world-dominion-hitting-theatres-this-weekend/it92162 |title=Kamloops featured in Jurassic World Dominion hitting theatres this weekend |website=iNFOnews |publisher=iNFOnews.ca |access-date=2025-04-02}}

• List of place names in Canada of Indigenous origin
• Kamloops Indian Residential School
• Kamloops Wawa

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{{Commons category|Kamloops}}

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• {{Official website}}

{{Subdivisions of British Columbia|city=yes}}

{{Columbia Department}}

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Category:1811 establishments in Canada

Category:Cities in British Columbia

Category:Hudson's Bay Company trading posts

Category:Populated places established in 1811

Category:Populated places in the Thompson-Nicola Regional District

Category:Thompson Country