The Blue Mountain-Birch Cove Lakes (BMBCL) area is located on the western edge of the Halifax urban core and includes Acadian forest, wetlands, and a system of lakes and headwaters, offering wilderness hiking opportunities to many residents and visitors.
Related Project
In May 2025, some private lands adjoining Highway 102, and proximate to Birch Cove Lake, were designated by the Province of Nova Scotia as the Highway 102 West Corridor Lands Special Planning Area (SPA). SPAs are meant to address housing challenges in the Halifax region. The SPA designation initiated a comprehensive planning process for the area that will address what is needed for a new complete community through a neighbourhood plan for the entire area. This planning process will consider the interface between any urban development, new public parklands, and existing provincially-designated wilderness lands in the BMBCL area. Two development concept proposals from landowners are currently under review.
For more information on this ongoing planning process, please visit the project webpage.
New Partnerships and Collaboration
In 2021, the Municipality signed a Statement of Collaboration with Parks Canada to consider the Blue Mountain-Birch Cove Lakes (BMBCL) area as a candidate National Urban Park under a new federal program. As part of the collaboration, the steps involved with achieving the National Urban Park designation process align with the municipality’s ongoing planning to support the establishment of the park.
In 2022, with funding support from Parks Canada, the municipality engaged Stantec Consulting Ltd. to complete background studies, and to carry out a public engagement program, as part of the pre-feasibility assessment process. This was done with the involvement of project partners including:
- Parks Canada
- Nova Scotia Environment and Climate Change
- Nova Scotia Nature Trust
- Mi’kmaq of Nova Scotia as represented by Kwilmu’kw Maw-klusuaqn (KMK) and by Sipekne’katik First Nation.
With the Report’s completion, Parks Canada announced on May 23, 2023 that the BMBCL candidate site has met the requirements of the Pre-Feasibility Phase of the national urban park process and can begin Planning Phase activities, including the development of a park establishment plan.
Towards a Park Establishment Plan
In collaboration with Project Partners, the Municipality has initiated work on a Park Establishment Plan. This stage of planning effort builds on the pre-feasibility assessment work and will have a substantive role in assessing the Park's potential fit with the National Urban Park program.
The Park Establishment Plan’s focus is on land owned or administered by the Project Partners and will offer strategic guidance in managing nature-based recreational activities, public access, and protecting the proposed Park's ecological and cultural resources. The draft Plan is also expected to identify priority investment opportunities critical to the project's long-term success.
Staff Contacts
For additional information on the Blue Mountain-Birch Cove Lakes Regional Park project, please contact:
Douglas Reid
Planning Coordinator
Parks & Recreation
902.237.7856
reiddo@halifax.ca