# Coldstream, British Columbia

Coldstream is a district municipality in British Columbia, Canada, located at the northern end of Kalamalka Lake in the Okanagan Valley. Incorporated on December 21, 1906, Coldstream celebrated its centennial in 2006. The municipality is directly southeast of Vernon and is considered part of Greater Vernon. It is a member municipality of, and also the location of the head offices, of the Regional District of North Okanagan.

## Coldstream Ranch

Coldstream is known for the Coldstream Ranch, established in 1863 by Captain Charles Frederick Houghton. He transferred the ranch to Forbes G. and Charles Albert Vernon, who in 1891 sold it to The 7th Earl of Aberdeen (later created, in 1916, The 1st Marquess of Aberdeen and Temair), future Governor General of Canada (1893–1898). The ranch was purchased by its current owners in 1994 and continues to be a working cattle ranch.

## Government

Coldstream is governed by a seven-member council, led by Mayor Jim Garlick. The municipality is represented by member of Parliament Mel Arnold (Okanagan—Shuswap) and member of the Legislative Assembly Eric Foster (Okanagan-Vernon).

## Economy

The Greater Vernon area was once based in forestry and agriculture. However, manufacturing, retail trade and services are now the primary industries. A suburban community known as Middleton Mountain is located in Coldsteam at the north end of Kalamalka Lake.

## Demographics

In the 2021 Canadian census conducted by Statistics Canada, Coldstream had a population of 11,171 living in 4,100 of its 4,341 total private dwellings, a change of 4.9% from its 2016 population of 10,648. With a land area of 66.57 km$^2$ (25.70 sq mi), it had a population density of 167.8/km$^2$ (434.6/sq mi) in 2021.

### Ethnicity

Panethnic groups in the District of Coldstream (2001–2021) :
| Panethnic group | 2021 | 2021 | 2016 | 2016 | 2011 | 2011 | 2006 | 2006 | 2001 | 2001 |
| Panethnic group | Pop. | % | Pop. | % | Pop. | % | Pop. | % | Pop. | % |
| European | 9,910 | 90.17% | 9,615 | 91.7% | 9,265 | 90.92% | 8,900 | 95.29% | 8,555 | 95.27% |
| Indigenous | 540 | 4.91% | 420 | 4.01% | 555 | 5.45% | 250 | 2.68% | 200 | 2.23% |
| East Asian | 270 | 2.46% | 245 | 2.34% | 115 | 1.13% | 135 | 1.45% | 110 | 1.22% |
| South Asian | 125 | 1.14% | 105 | 1% | 120 | 1.18% | 10 | 0.11% | 115 | 1.28% |
| Southeast Asian | 70 | 0.64% | 55 | 0.52% | 60 | 0.59% | 20 | 0.21% | 10 | 0.11% |
| African | 40 | 0.36% | 35 | 0.33% | 0 | 0% | 0 | 0% | 0 | 0% |
| Latin American | 25 | 0.23% | 0 | 0% | 0 | 0% | 0 | 0% | 0 | 0% |
| Middle Eastern | 0 | 0% | 0 | 0% | 0 | 0% | 0 | 0% | 0 | 0% |
| Other/Multiracial | 10 | 0.09% | 10 | 0.1% | 35 | 0.34% | 15 | 0.16% | 0 | 0% |
| Total responses | 10,990 | 98.38% | 10,485 | 98.47% | 10,190 | 98.8% | 9,340 | 98.62% | 8,980 | 98.62% |
| Total population | 11,171 | 100% | 10,648 | 100% | 10,314 | 100% | 9,471 | 100% | 9,106 | 100% |
| Note: Totals greater than 100% due to multiple origin responses |||||||||||

### Religion

According to the 2021 census, religious groups in Coldstream included:
* Irreligion (6,245 persons or 56.8%)
* Christianity (4,540 persons or 41.3%)
* Sikhism (95 persons or 0.9%)
* Buddhism (25 persons or 0.2%)
* Judaism (20 persons or 0.2%)
* Hinduism (10 persons or 0.1%)
* Islam (10 persons or 0.1%)
* Other (55 persons or 0.5%)

## Education

Covered by School District 22 Vernon, Coldstream is home to Coldstream Elementary School, Kidston Elementary School, Kalamalka Secondary School and Beairsto Elementary School. The municipality is served by the Vernon campus of Okanagan College.

## Climate

Coldstream has a dry – almost semi-arid climate – with hot sunny summers and cool cloudy winters.
Weather facts:
* Driest year (1952) = 242 mm (10 in)
* Wettest year (1996) = 633 mm (25 in)
* Warmest year (1987) = 9.2 °C (49 °F)
* Coldest year (1916) = 5.0 °C (41 °F)
Climate data for Coldstream :
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °C (°F) | 14.5 (58.1) | 13.9 (57.0) | 21.0 (69.8) | 29.4 (84.9) | 34.5 (94.1) | 37.0 (98.6) | 40.0 (104.0) | 37.8 (100.0) | 33.9 (93.0) | 26.7 (80.1) | 18.9 (66.0) | 15.0 (59.0) | 40.0 (104.0) |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | −1.9 (28.6) | 1.6 (34.9) | 8.4 (47.1) | 14.7 (58.5) | 19.4 (66.9) | 23.1 (73.6) | 26.6 (79.9) | 26.2 (79.2) | 20.2 (68.4) | 12.1 (53.8) | 3.7 (38.7) | −1.3 (29.7) | 12.7 (54.9) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | −8.1 (17.4) | −5.5 (22.1) | −1.8 (28.8) | 2.0 (35.6) | 6.1 (43.0) | 9.6 (49.3) | 11.6 (52.9) | 11.3 (52.3) | 7.2 (45.0) | 2.5 (36.5) | −2.5 (27.5) | −6.9 (19.6) | 2.1 (35.8) |
| Record low °C (°F) | −35.6 (−32.1) | −36.1 (−33.0) | −28.9 (−20.0) | −10.6 (12.9) | −5.0 (23.0) | 0.0 (32.0) | 3.3 (37.9) | −1.7 (28.9) | −5.0 (23.0) | −20.5 (−4.9) | −32.0 (−25.6) | −38.9 (−38.0) | −38.9 (−38.0) |
| Average precipitation mm (inches) | 40.2 (1.58) | 34.3 (1.35) | 25.8 (1.02) | 29.0 (1.14) | 46.5 (1.83) | 53.9 (2.12) | 40.7 (1.60) | 42.8 (1.69) | 37.3 (1.47) | 33.3 (1.31) | 48.1 (1.89) | 52.4 (2.06) | 484.4 (19.07) |
| Average rainfall mm (inches) | 7.3 (0.29) | 12.1 (0.48) | 19.7 (0.78) | 28.7 (1.13) | 46.5 (1.83) | 53.9 (2.12) | 40.7 (1.60) | 42.8 (1.69) | 37.3 (1.47) | 32.1 (1.26) | 25.3 (1.00) | 10.0 (0.39) | 356.5 (14.04) |
| Average snowfall cm (inches) | 32.9 (13.0) | 22.2 (8.7) | 6.1 (2.4) | 0.4 (0.2) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | 1.2 (0.5) | 22.8 (9.0) | 42.4 (16.7) | 127.9 (50.4) |
| Source: Environment Canada ||||||||||||||

## Recreation

Coldstream is home to Kal Beach, which is located on the shore of Kalamalka Lake. Smaller beaches in the area include Kirkland Beach, Juniper Beach, Tamarack Beach, Long Lake Beach, Jade Bay Beach, Cosens Beach, Pebble Beach, and Cliff Beach. Coldstream borders on Kalamalka Provincial Park, which features numerous groomed hiking trails, scenic views, and natural areas. Wildlife in the park includes black bear, whitetailed deer, rattlesnake, marmot, and other creatures. The Silver Star Mountain Resort, 29 km (18 mi) northeast of Coldstream, offers various options for winter sports.