Links to The May 16 2025 Stantec Land Suitability Assessment of Sandy Lake, plus important critiques
Stantec Land Suitability Assessment of Sandy Lake SPA was released by the Province on May 16 2025:
1. Summary, Stantec LSA Report Sandy Lake, released May 16 2025: https://hdp-ca-prod-app-hfx-engage-files.s3.ca-central-1.amazonaws.com/9817/5527/1951/cb7d080ee349934d76776f46d4157d3e_Sandy20Lake20Summary20Report.pdf
2. Land Suitability Analysis, Stantec LSA Report Sandy Lake, released May 16 2025: https://hdp-ca-prod-app-hfx-engage-files.s3.ca-central-1.amazonaws.com/7317/5527/1954/78231d0b45e1b984761ea71cb21442f3_Sandy20Lake20Land20Suitability20Analysis.pdf
3. Watershed and Stormwater, Stantec LSA Report Sandy Lake, released May 16 2025: https://hdp-ca-prod-app-hfx-engage-files.s3.ca-central-1.amazonaws.com/7817/5527/1958/284aef783adb871294e69fbf0623ac82_Sandy20Lake20Watershed20and20Stormwater20Management20Study.pdf
4. Lake Servicing Study, Stantec LSA Report Sandy Lake, released May 16 2025: https://hdp-ca-prod-app-hfx-engage-files.s3.ca-central-1.amazonaws.com/8517/5527/1950/de6cd3edc7f2092ce8025a122f405e56_Sandy20Lake20Servicing20Study.pdf
5. Transportation Study, Stantec LSA Report Sandy Lake, released May 16 2025: https://hdp-ca-prod-app-hfx-engage-files.s3.ca-central-1.amazonaws.com/9917/5527/1960/3dbcd91a4cfa3e6a37431334ebbbd5ee_Sandy20Lake20Transportation20Study.pdf
The Request For Proposals (RFP) is the tender doc that describes what the successful bidder will have to include in their work to study 4 of the “future growth areas” that the Province/HRM wants (Sandy Lake, BMBLC, Morris Lake, Akoma Lands) : https://procurement-portal.novascotia.ca/tenders/HRM-22-373
RFP Number: 22-373
Date Issued: October 6, 2022
Pages 17 – 26 and pages 40 – 42 are most relevant for Sandy Lake.
Note that HRM staff confirmed that the RFP text is the same as in the final contract. (We were unable to see the contract.) This is important because much that was required by the RFP was not done in the Stantec Report.
See ‘Main issues with the background studies completed by Stantec for the Sandy Lake Special Planning Area’, Sandy Lake – Sackville River Regional Park Coalition
October, 2025, posted on this website.
And see:
The many reports and pieces of information relevant to making a solid decision regarding to develop or not to develop that were left out of Stantec’s report, despite the fact that they were sent to Stantec either by the scientists who conducted the studies or by the Sandy Lake-Sackville River Coalition. The well over 30 “missing documents” have been sent to the Provincial Housing Task Force and HRM to inform correction of this situation, and are contained in this dropbox until this matter is resolved: https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fo/atrlmdpl9up4ag3fioxfj/ADBGT9WVEmbWS2fdUvt-cEc?rlkey=9rk7ist8yvkyho1sqzdyyozsx&e=1&st=qr6y0ukq&dl=0
Most importantly, Stantec says their report has deficiencies. Stantec advised that more study is needed on at least 20 topics including the floodplain study.
Also noteworthy is Stantec’s honest statement that they were unable to complete all surveys and ground truthing they normally would because of time shortage and the 2023 floods and wildfires. We ask why they were not given the time they needed to do such a pivotal task. So much is at stake.
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July 25 2025, Dr. David Patriquin released his response to the Minister of Housing re: the Stantec May 2025 Sandy Lake Land Suitability Analysis water section, finding it “deeply inadequate”. https://versicolor.ca/sandylakebedford/2025/07/25/community-studies-for-sandy-lake-bedford-ns-special-planning-area-ignore-critical-data-on-water-quality-23jul2025/
Click on “view documents” at the end of the post to see Dr. Patriquin’s July 25 2025 letter, comments, and notes, or see these direct links: Letter: https://versicolor.ca/sdocs/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/PatriquinLetterSandyLake18July2025.pdf Comments Document: https://versicolor.ca/sdocs/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/PatriquinSandyLakeComments18Jul2025.pdf Notes: https://versicolor.ca/sdocs/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/PatriquinSandyLakeNotes18Jul2025.pdf
We suggest you read all 3 sections as each contains new and important information.
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