Coldstream.

How Coldstream took shape

Coldstream is a district municipality at the north end of Kalamalka Lake, incorporated on 21 December 1906. It grew from Coldstream Ranch, claimed by Charles Houghton in 1863, built up by the Vernon brothers and bought by Lord and Lady Aberdeen in 1891, whose 1892 planting began commercial fruit growing around Vernon.

The valley was syilx land long before ranching. Kalamalka Lake Provincial Park protects kekuli pit house sites and traces of a larger village, and Long Lake Reserve No. 5, set aside in 1877 near today's Kal Beach, was cut off in 1913. The lake's older name, Chelootsoos, describes a long lake cut in the middle. The municipality's name began with a creek. Charles Frederick Houghton, who came to BC with the Vernon brothers in 1863, took up a military land grant and named the stream for its many cold springs. An 1871 map shows Houghton's Coldstream. Forbes and Charles Vernon took over the land and added irrigation, a grist mill and farm buildings, and by 1883, when Forbes became sole owner, the ranch covered about 13,261 acres. In 1891 Lord and Lady Aberdeen bought Coldstream Ranch.

They planted 25,000 fruit trees on 100 acres in 1892, and the first apple crop in 1896 came to 50 tons. They also pushed irrigation further. The Grey Canal, opened by Earl Grey in 1906 and finished in 1914, ran 50 km from Lavington to Okanagan Lake. The District of Coldstream incorporated on 21 December 1906. Much of Coldstream is still farm and ranch land, and Coldstream Ranch, owned by its current owners since 1994, still runs cattle. Kalamalka Lake Provincial Park was established in 1975 and grew to 3,218 hectares in 2008. The District counted 11,171 people in 2021. Homes range from lakefront and hillside houses to acreages in Lavington, and an updated OCP adopted in early 2026 now allows secondary suites across residential zones.

1. 1906District of Coldstream incorporated on 21 December; Grey Canal headgates opened the same year. Source

The homes & their setting

A mix of lakefront homes, 1970s and 1980s houses on larger lots, newer hillside strata and subdivisions such as Middleton Mountain, and acreages and hobby farms toward Lavington. The District issued permits for 66 new homes in 2025.

Building age, tenure, amenities and permitted uses vary by address. Explore the actual property documents with Elaine and the appropriate specialists.

Places with a story

• Coldstream Ranch — The earliest land claim in the district, dating to 1863 and still a working cattle ranch. History source
• Kalamalka Lake Provincial Park — Protects syilx pit house sites, grasslands and Cosens Bay, a Second World War mortar practice range. History source
• Grey Canal — Irrigation system opened in 1906 that ran 50 km from Lavington to Okanagan Lake; parts are now trail. History source
• Kalamalka (Kal) Beach — Part of Long Lake Reserve No. 5 from 1877 to 1913. History source