Oliver at a Glance

With so much to offer, Oliver is a community like no other, Canyon Desert Resort will have all the benefits of incredible golf, vineyards and wineries, access to great skiing throughout the Okanagan and unique walking and biking trails – making this a remarkable four-season outdoor paradise.

Situated in a truly amazing location, Canyon Desert Resort will be a standout resort experience in the South Okanagan. Set between the exciting NK’MIP Canyon Desert Golf Course and the serene Tuc-el-Nuit Lake, Canyon Desert Resort is destined to become an inspirational resort community.

As an ever-growing vacation destination, people visit the South Okanagan for its Aboriginal history, world-class golf, warm desert climate, vineyards, stunning natural beauty and calm lakes. Canyon Desert Resort is unique in that this is all available on-site, celebrating the best of the region. Another distinct feature of this area is its 20+ world-class wineries, all within a 30-minute drive of the proposed resort. Including

Another distinct feature of this area is its 20+ world-class wineries, all within a 15-minute drive of the proposed resort. Including:

 

History

  • What do a one-armed gold miner, an honest politician, the world's largest cherry pie and some of the best wines in the world have in common? Oliver, BC.
  • Aboriginal peoples occupied the territory in which Oliver lies when settlement by Europeans began in the 19th century. Osoyoos Indian Reserve No. 1 stretches from Gallagher Lake area to Osoyoos and adjoins the Town's eastern boundary.
  • The Inkameep Indians, sometimes called the Osoyoos Band, migrated here and settled on the east side of Osoyoos Lake. The tribe's name comes from a phrase which means "the base of bottom" - attesting to their residence on low lands and plateaus.
  • The first European activity in the area was gold mining, with the staking of the first claim in 1887, and the establishment of the Town of Fairview in 1890 on the benches above Oliver to the west. Folklore has it that a one armed gold prospector named Reid discovered gold in this area, and the Town of Fairview (located just outside what is now known as Oliver) became home to gold miners, ranchers and businessmen. Fairview was one of B.C.'s largest towns at the turn of the century. The gold rush died and sadly, so did Fairview, with Oliver springing up in its wake.
  • Fairview's life was short; the post office was closed in 1926. One of the few remaining buildings from the town, the Fairview Jail, has been moved to the Oliver museum site.
  • Following the First World War, BC's premier, known as "Honest" John Oliver, envisioned an irrigation canal, which would bring this dry Sonora Desert region to life. The South Okanagan Lands Project was born, creating jobs and long term opportunities for veterans returning from World War I. The original townsite of Oliver was surveyed in 1921. Completed in 1923, the concrete irrigation canal (locally known as "the ditch") soon transformed this desert region into lush orchards and farms.
  • The airport, built just prior to the Second World War, initially served the entire region south of Penticton.
  • Oliver, along with Osoyoos to the south, experienced rapid growth after the Second World War, with an influx of agricultural settlers, including many of Portuguese and German origin.
  • Home to more than 20 local wineries and many vineyards, Oliver now calls itself "The Wine Capital of Canada". A major local wine-focused event - The Festival of the Grape - is fast becoming a 'must attend' during the annual Okanagan Fall Wine Festival.

Driving to Oliver

From Vancouver (4 - 5 hours):   Click here for Google Maps
Drive east on Highway 1 to Hope and then east along the scenic Hope - Princeton Highway to Keremeos, at which point you can either drive north on Highway 3A to Okanagan Falls and south to Oliver or south along Highway 3 to Osoyoos and then north into Oliver.

From Kelowna (1-1.5 hours):   Click here for Google Maps
An enjoyable drive south on the majestic Highway 97, through the Okanagan's lake and orchard regions.

From Calgary (7-8 hours):   Click here for Google Maps
West to Banff, then either West on Highway 1 through Kelowna or South on Highway 93 to Trail and then West along Highway 3 to Osoyoos and North of Highway 97 to Oliver.

From Seattle (5 hours):   Click here for Google Maps
East on I-90 and then North on US-97, which becomes Highway 97 at the border. Oliver is just twenty minutes north of the border.

Flying