The name Chilliwack comes from the Halkomelem word Tcil’Qe’uk, meaning “valley of many streams.” The Vedder River, called the Chilliwack River above Vedder Crossing, is named for the family of Volkert Vedder, who arrived in the Hope district around 1860.

The Fraser river is named for Simon Fraser, who led an expedition on behalf of the North West Company from the site of present-day Prince George almost to the mouth of the river. The river’s name in the Halqemeylem (Upriver Halkomelem) language is Sto:lo, often seen archaically as Staulo, and has been adopted by the Halkomelem-speaking peoples of the Lower Mainland as their collective name, Sto:lo. The river’s name in the Dakelh language is Lhtakoh. The Tsilhqot’in name for the river, not dissimilar to the Dakelh name, is Elhdaqox, meaning Sturgeon.

The Vedder-Chilliwack River is well known for its runs of Chinook, Coho, Chum, Pink and Sockeye salmon in the fall, along with winter and spring Steelhead fishing. The Fraser River is known White Sturgeon and all six species of Pacific Salmon: Chinook, Coho, Chum, Pink, Steelhead and one of the worlds largest runs of Sockeye Salmon in the world.