Public Notice

Notice of intent to make a determination

Shoal Lake Cree Nation New Subdivision – Public Comments Invited

January 5, 2026 – Indigenous Services Canada must determine whether the proposed Shoal Lake Cree Nation New Subdivision project is likely to cause significant adverse environmental effects. To help inform this determination, Indigenous Services Canada is inviting comments from the public respecting that determination.

Written comments must be submitted by February 4, 2026 to:
Indigenous Services Canada
Alvin Hamilton Building, 1783 Hamilton Street
Regina, Saskatchewan S4P 2B6
Email: isc-skenv@sac-isc.gc.ca

The Proposed Project

Shoal Lake Cree Nation is proposing to construct a new subdivision to support future growth and housing on-reserve. The proposed subdivision will consist of 41 new residential lots on approximately 20 hectares of currently undeveloped land situated along the southern boundary of the community's core area, north of the existing lagoon. The project will include site preparation activities such as topsoil stripping and earthworks required for lot grading and drainage, installation of underground utilities and construction of roadways and drainage ditching. Due to the high water table and poor drainage conditions in the project area, the entire subdivision area will be built up from between 150 mm to over 1,000 mm relative to existing ground elevations.

A drainage channel that currently conveys treated effluent from the community's existing lagoon to Pawaw Lake will be decommissioned as part of the subdivision project. All topsoil and organic material will be removed from the channel and stockpiled at the existing lagoon site. The channel will then be backfilled and compacted with imported soil materials. The existing community lagoon is located south of the proposed project site and is planned to be decommissioned following construction of a new lagoon approximately 2 kilometres southeast of the community core area as part of the Shoal Lake Cree Nation Lagoon Upgrades project.

All anticipated waste generation from construction activities will be responsibly handled and disposed of at designated off-reserve facilities. No hazardous waste is anticipated to be generated by this project.