After a tight race, Shuswap Lake has been crowned the 2nd best lake in BC! CBC readers weighed in on which BC Lake was the best of all time. After receiving 140,000 votes and 47 eliminations we took 2nd place in the search to find BC’s best lake!
Our community and visitors rallied to bring our beautiful scenic and well loved waters to the forefront of this race! With a small difference of only 120 votes, Sproat Lake in Port Albernie took the top spot leaving the vote at 51.2% to 48.8% in the final round between the island gem and our Southern Interior Shuswap Lake. Votes were cast from July 24th to August 2nd and the results were released showing the top 8 lakes.
BC’s Best Lake Final Standings:

1. Sproat
2. Shuswap
3. Kalamalka
4. Garibaldi
5. Okanagan
6. Cowichan
7. Alouette
8. Emerald

Shuswap Lake is located in the southern interior of British Columbia and is known for its recreational lakeshore communities offering many provincial parks & rivers. Located in the traditional territory of the secwepmec Nation, the “meeting of the waters”, the Shuswap is a place of gathering. With a length of 89km and a whopping 1430km of shoreline this gem boasts space for house boating and wake surfing boats to mix and mingle with the kayaks, stand up paddle boards, and canoes that frequent the waters. Many folks come to enjoy the beautiful and majestic waters of the Shuswap each year, with families returning annually as a tradition.
With many boat launches, shoreline camping spots, provincial parks and day use areas all around the lake, you are bound to find a great spot to enjoy Shuswap Lake. We also think of this lake as an all season adventure ground. In the Spring you can enjoy walking along the shores but in the winter when the ice freezes over in the Salmon Arm Bay, grab your skates and head out for a day with family and friends while you enjoy natures skating rink, and the opportunity for a day of ice fishing.
The lake is also an economic driver for the region bringing thousand of tourists to the shores of the Shuswap. From over night stays, boat and water device rentals, restaurants and coffee shops, we see the economic benefit of where we live. People come to enjoy the nature in our area and spend time also enjoying the local businesses. Everything from buying local clothing products, to spa services, fishing gear and food to go, our communities thrive off the tourism generated by our natural surroundings.
Salmon Arm is located on the shores of Shuswap Lake and is the largest city in the area with a population of just under 20,000 and growing. As Salmon Arm is nestled along the shores, you're never more than 10 minutes from the water and this makes living here a dream come true.

A fast-growing community, Salmon Arm is a “Small City with Big Ideas,” an emerging innovation hub with unmatched quality of place. In a spectacular setting, midway between Vancouver and Calgary, Salmon Arm is strategically situated on the key transportation crossroads of Hwy 1 and 97B. If you are interested in learning more about relocating or starting a business in the area, check out our relocation guide for more information or email edo@saeds.ca.