South Okanagan — West Kootenay, bc

The Town of Osoyoos is in the southern part of the riding, along the border with Washington State. Osoyoos has been home to Indigenous peoples for thousands of years before the first Europeans arrived in the area. In 1811, the fur trade brought first contact with Europeans. The Okanagan Valley became an important supply depot for traders working in B.C. Prospective gold-miners came to the valley in the mid-to-late 1800s, bringing an influx of interest to the area. Fruit growing, for which the valley is now known, began in earnest in the early 1900s. Since the 1960s, vineyards for grape growing have become the largest agricultural industry.