Barriere (/bəˈrɪər/ bə-REER)[4] is a district municipality in central British Columbia, Canada, located 66 km (41 mi) north of the larger city of Kamloops on Highway 5.

George Mercer Dawson noted in an 1877–78 geological survey report that, "[t]he [Barrière River] as its name imports, is sometimes crossed with difficulty in the spring.

[8] Notes at the Kamloops Museum suggest that it was named in 1828 when Archibald McDonald created an early map describing the rocks at the mouth of the river which impeded navigation.

A place names file in the Provincial Archives of BC compiled in the 1940s by AG Harvey from various sources notes that it could be as a description of the indigenous fish traps.

[9] One such barrier observed in the Barrière River was described by Dawson as "two weirs or fences each of which stretched completely across the stream.

George Mercer Dawson noted a location of an important old indigenous village site at the mouth of the Barrière River based on observations in 1877, 1888, 1889 and 1890.

[24][25] The August 12, 1861 edition of the British Colonist mentions "...one party of Frenchmen at a place above Kamloops called Barrier (sic).

On Wednesday, July 30, 2003, the careless discarding of a cigarette butt by McLure resident Mike Barrie, into dry pine needles and withered grass, began a nightmare for those who lived in the North Thompson Valley.

On July 26, 2008 a wildfire dragon monument was erected in Louis Creek to commemorate the determination and compassion of those who fought the flames and those who aided in the rebuilding of the community.

[38] According to the 2021 census, religious groups in Barriere included:[39] The community voted to become an incorporated municipality in November 2007.

One of the main reasons for the growing community's existence is its location on the Yellowhead Highway #5, which offers the only viable route in the interior to northern British Columbia, Jasper, and Edmonton.

Barriere is just south of the newly discovered Harper Creek Copper deposit, considered to be the 8th largest in the world.

Barriere is surrounded by areas for hiking, fishing, hunting, camping and more There are six houses of worship within the town.