A propos 400 kilo­me­ters (250 miles) east of Van­cou­ver is the Oka­na­gan Val­ley, the region local boos­ters call «Napa du Nord. » In cen­tral Bri­tish Colum­bia, the Oka­na­gan is mil­der, Séchoir, and sun­nier than the coast, which has given rise to a bur­geo­ning wine indus­try.

While the Oka­na­gan has nei­ther the num­ber of wine­ries nor the exten­sive tou­rist infra­struc­ture of its south-of-the-bor­der idol–yet–there’s bon vin fait ici, plen­ty to do, et des hordes de oppor­tu­ni­ties in tou­rism, immobilier, and other indus­tries. With a chain of lakes and the moun­tains near­by, the Oka­na­gan’s natu­ral set­ting gagne kudos, trop.

The Oka­na­gan has his­to­ri­cal­ly been an agri­cul­tu­ral area. Known for «plages et les pêches, » it’s long been a sum­mer vaca­tion spot for fami­lies who come to swim in the lakes and hike in the hil­ls, and a win­ter geta­way for « snow­birds » from other parts of Canada.

Maintenant one of the fas­test-gro­wing regions in Bri­tish Colum­bia, the Oka­na­gan is popu­lar year-round with reti­rees, propriétaires de résidences secondaires, and youn­ger fami­lies see­king to escape from urban life.

Oka­na­gan relo­ca­tion resources:

• Wel­co­meBC : Eve­ry­thing you need to know about immi­gra­ting to Bri­tish Columbia
• Bri­tish Colum­bia New­co­mers” Guide
• Oka­na­gan Relo­ca­tion and Real Estate Guide, publi­shed by Oka­na­gan Life magazine
• City of Kelow­na website
• City of Ver­non website
• City of Pen­tic­ton website
• Ville d'Osoyoos site
• Oka­na­gan Main­line Real Estate Board : Real estate infor­ma­tion and lis­tings for Kelow­na and the Cen­tral Okanagan
• South Oka­na­gan Real Estate Board : Real estate infor­ma­tion and lis­tings for Pen­tic­ton and the South Okanagan
• WorkBC : Over­view of the job search pro­cess and links to job-hun­ting resources in Van­cou­ver and elsew­here in Bri­tish Colum­bia. Pour plus de ressources de recherche d'emploi, voir Fin­ding a Job.
• Invest Bri­tish Colum­bia : Resources for entre­pre­neurs and small busi­ness owners
• Health Insu­rance BC : How to apply for health insu­rance in Bri­tish Columbia
• Oka­na­gan schools: Cen­tral Oka­na­gan School Dis­trict #23 (Kelow­na area), Ver­non School Dis­trict #22, Penticton/Naramata School Dis­trict #67, Oka­na­gan Simil­ka­meen School Dis­trict #53 (Osoyoos, Oli­ver)
• Get­ting around the Oka­na­gan: Kelow­na Regio­nal Tran­sit Sys­tem, Ver­non Regio­nal Tran­sit Sys­tem, Pen­tic­ton Tran­sit Sys­tem, Osoyoos Tran­sit System
• Oka­na­gan media: Kelow­na Dai­ly Cou­rier, Ver­non Mor­ning Star, Pen­tic­ton Herald, Osoyoos Times, Oka­na­gan Life maga­zine

– Excerp­ted (en partie) du livre, Living Abroad in Cana­da. Pour en savoir plus, acheter le livre.

Osoyoos Lake pho­to ©Alan Albert