In the 2021 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada, Keremeos had a population of 1,608 living in 809 of its 852 total private dwellings.
Whether you're working, retired, or just looking to get away, the Keremeos area has something for everyone!
Over the past decades, our community has slowly evolved from our modest agricultural roots to become one of the fastest growing villages in our province. The emergence and prevalence of our world renowned Similkameen wineries has inspired a renaissance of more diverse and innovative economic activity, allowing us to both showcase the exceptional quality of our resources while paying homage to our agricultural traditions and rural heritage.
With a projected growth rate nearly double the provincial average, our area continues to grow at a steady pace, bringing with it an increase in permanent residents and opportunities to cater to our community’s growing and diverse business needs.
Keremeos is famously known as the “fruit stand capitol of Canada”. Part of healthy living naturally in Keremeos is access to fresh, clean fruits and vegetables. There are about a dozen fruit stands in and around the Village. Everything tastes good when it is fresh from the farm, but the Lower Similkameen is particularly noted for the flavours of its peaches, nectarines and tomatoes. Besides fruits and vegetables, many fruit stands sell preserves, baked goods & other treats, milkshakes and samosas!
Have you heard of the Ambrosia Apple? The area around Keremeos is the home of the Ambrosia apple. In the early 1990s, the Mennell family in BC’s Similkameen Valley discovered a tree in Sally Mennell’s orchard which bore unusual apples. Their orchard had previously been planted with Red Delicious and Golden Delicious, but they had replanted the area with Jonagold trees. A chance seedling grew up in one of the rows. Once the existing tree had matured, they cut and grafted a few branches onto other trees to see if they would still grow the same apples. The procedure was a success, and Ambrosia was born. The Ambrosia apples have the general conical share of their parents, Reds and Goldens, but their color, texture and taste are distinctly superior and unique. Something else that we are proud of is that over 200 kinds of peppers are grown organically in the Keremeos area. That is why our harvest festival is the Similkameen Sizzle!
