Sandy Lake 88Ontario

2,175 people call this First Nations reserve in Ontario home. It is home to the Sandy Lake.

Population

2,175

people, 2025 estimate

Median age

22.8

years · Ontario’s towns: 46.8

Postsecondary

13%

of residents 15 and over hold a postsecondary certificate, diploma or degree · Canadian towns: 56%

Walk, cycle, transit

18%

walk, cycle or take transit to work · Canadian towns: 8%

Is Sandy Lake 88 a good place to live?

Sandy Lake 88’s best grade is for walkability (A−). Hazards are a real consideration (D−). It lags on health as well (D). The local economy is weaker than most (C−).

No overall grade, and no ranking: Sandy Lake 88 is a First Nations reserve, and Statistics Canada holds back or never gathers enough of a reserve’s figures to compare it fairly with other towns.

No Safety Grade: no police service publishes a crime rate for this place on its own. Health is graded on the health region's survey figures and life expectancy, with the distance to hospital giving the town its own spread. Wildfire lowers this town's Hazard risk Grade: a high share of the land around it has burned in the last 40 years. A First Nations reserve: subject grades only, with no overall grade and no place in ranked lists.

StrongestA⁻WalkabilityWeakestD⁻Hazard risk DHealth

What makes Sandy Lake 88 stand out

The 3 things Sandy Lake 88 does most differently from other towns.

Picked automatically from the data

Postsecondary certificate, diploma or degree

Education

13% have a postsecondary qualification

Against 56% in the median of Canadian towns

Statistics Canada, Census 2021

Residents 65 and over

Who lives here

Only 4% are 65 or over

Canadian towns centre on 19%

Statistics Canada, Census 2021

Hazard risk

Behind 99%

of Canadian towns on hazard risk

Its hazard risk grade: D−.

How Sandy Lake 88 grades

Each subject compares Sandy Lake 88 with Canadian towns of 2,500 or more, ordered by how far it is from the middle. Towns in other countries are graded separately.

How grading works

No overall grade, and no ranking: Sandy Lake 88 is a First Nations reserve, and Statistics Canada holds back or never gathers enough of a reserve’s figures to compare it fairly with other towns.

Hazard riskAmong the weakest of the towns comparedD⁻Open →HealthBased on how healthy residents are for their agesDOpen →WalkabilityAmong the easiest places to get around without a carA⁻Open →Jobs & incomeNear the bottom of the towns comparedC⁻Open →

Cost of livingNot graded: not enough data–

SafetyNot graded: not enough data–

SchoolsNot graded: not enough data–

How TownRatings grades Canadian towns →

The data

Data highlights are ordered by what stands out in Sandy Lake 88.

Natural hazardsHazard risk D⁻

On hazards, Sandy Lake 88 comes out behind almost every Canadian town

Health Canada’s survey found radon above the guideline in 14% of homes, higher than both Ontario’s towns (4%) and Canadian towns (6.6%). Shaking is less of a worry than in most places, at $0.006 a year per $1,000 of building value ($0.030 typical).

Very highwildfire bandD⁻Hazard risk Grade

Radon tests above the guideline · share of tested homes, 200 Bq/m³

Sandy Lake 8814%

Ontario’s towns4%

Canadian towns6.6%

Hazards	Sandy Lake 88	Ontario	Canada
Radon tests above the guideline	14%	4%	6.6%
Earthquake loss per $1,000 of buildings a year	$0.006	$0.043	$0.030

$0.006

expected earthquake loss a year per $1,000 of buildings

Very high

wildfire band

2.6 km

to the nearest land burned since 1986

Full pageSandy Lake 88’s flood & hazards pageOpen the full Flood & hazards page

WildfireVery high wildfire band · 39% of the land within 25 km burned since 1986 FloodNo flood study on record Earthquakes$0.006 a year per $1,000 · Canadian towns: $0.030 Radon14% of tests above the guideline Be readyAlerts, FireSmart and radon tests

NRCan seismic risk model and burned areas, Health Canada radon survey, the Flood Hazard Map Inventory

HealthHealth D

Sandy Lake 88 scores below 93% of Canadian towns for health

Smoking is commoner than in the province: 16% of adults, against 11% for Ontario. Lives here run to 73.7 years on average, lower than both Ontario’s towns (82.8) and Canadian towns (81.5). Across the region, 44% of adults say their health is very good or excellent; Ontario as a whole reaches 51%. Closer to home, a hospital is 126 km from the average resident of Sandy Lake 88, and 100% live more than 30 km away. Figures for health survey and life expectancy are published for the Northwestern Health Unit as a whole, not for Sandy Lake 88 alone.

44%very good or excellent healthDHealth Grade

Very good or excellent health · adults, age-standardised

Sandy Lake 8844%

Ontario’s towns51%

Canadian towns52%

Health	Sandy Lake 88	Ontario	Canada
Life expectancy at birth	73.7	82.8	81.5
Very good or excellent health	44%	51%	52%
Smokers	16%	10%	12%
Chronic conditions (average share)	16%	17%	17%

73.7

years of life expectancy, 2022/2024

126 km

from homes to a hospital, on average

16%

of adults smoke, age-standardised

230 km

from homes to a pharmacy, on average

Full pageSandy Lake 88’s health pageOpen the full Health page

Health survey44% very good or excellent health · adults, age-standardised Getting care126 km to a hospital · A pharmacy 230 km away on average The wider areaLife expectancy: women 75.2, men 72.3 Conditions and habits16% with chronic conditions · adults, age-standardised

Statistics Canada, Canadian Community Health Survey 2023/2024 and life expectancy 2022/2024; Open Database of Healthcare Facilities

Who lives here

More of Sandy Lake 88’s residents have an Indigenous identity than in Ontario’s towns or Canadian towns: 99%

22.8median age

Sandy Lake 88OntarioCanada

OntarioCanada

Ages · Share of residents in each age group, Census 2021

36%

Schooling · Highest qualification, residents 15 and over

No certificate, diploma or degree64%

Postsecondary qualification13%

Women and men · all residents

Women make up 47.6% of Sandy Lake 88

In 2021 there were 1,000 women to 1,100 men; Canada as a whole is 50.9% women.

Who lives in Sandy Lake 88
	Sandy Lake 88	Ontario	Canada
Under 15	36%	15%	16%
15 to 64	61%	65%	64%
65+	3.6%	19%	19%
No certificate, diploma or degree	64%	15%	16%
Postsecondary qualification	13%	56%	56%

Full pageSandy Lake 88’s Who lives here pageOpen the full Who lives here page

Ages22.8 median age · 4% are 65 or over Households490 households · 4.3 people per household English and French1% speak both · 0% speak French but not English

Statistics Canada, Census 2021; Ontario and Canada: medians of towns of 2,500+

Climate

Sandy Lake 88 has colder winters than Ontario’s towns or Canadian towns: January lows of −26.3°C

The frost-free season runs from 24 May to 29 September, 127 days. Frost comes on 206 days a year, above both Ontario’s towns (139) and Canadian towns (159). July afternoons in Sandy Lake 88 average 23.1°C.

23.1°CJuly afternoons

Average high by season · ECCC normals, 1991–2020

Winter−14.0°C

Spring5.0°C

Summer21.6°C

Autumn5.4°C

Normals, 1991–2020	Sandy Lake 88	Ontario	Canada
January night low	−26.3°C	−9.1°C	−13.5°C
July afternoon high	23.1°C	26.7°C	25.5°C
Days with frost a year	206	139	159
Precipitation a year	567 mm	902 mm	883 mm

206

days with frost a year

127

frost-free days, 24 May to 29 Sep

days with precipitation a year

Full pageSandy Lake 88’s climate pageOpen the full Climate page

The yearJuly highs 23.1°C, January lows −26.3°C Rain and snow567 mm a year · Canadian towns: 883 mm Weather station124 km to the station · Island Lake

Environment and Climate Change Canada, Canadian Climate Normals 1991–2020 (Island Lake)

Work & commuteJobs & income C⁻

Commuters in Sandy Lake 88 have a short way to work, 11 min on average, less than in Ontario’s towns and Canadian towns

80% of commuters took the car to work at the census.

18%walk, cycle or take transit

How working residents got to work · census 2021

Car or van80%

Walk18%

Census 2021	Sandy Lake 88	Ontario	Canada
Average trip	11 min	29 min	26 min
Car or van	80%	88%	89%

$47,200

median household income, 2020

worked from home, May 2021

98%

of commuters work inside the municipality

Full pageSandy Lake 88’s work & commute pageOpen the full Work & commute page

Unemployment21% unemployed · Of the labour force · Canadian towns: 9.9%Getting to work18% walk, cycle or take transit

Statistics Canada, Census 2021 (labour and commuting) · The 2021 census was taken in May 2021, during COVID-19 restrictions: more people than usual worked from home or were off work.

Weather

In Sandy Lake 88, November normally means −4°C afternoons and −11°C nights

Next comes December, with normal highs of −13°C and lows of −22°C. Rain and snow over a typical November come to 31 mm. The forecast on the Weather page is ECCC’s for Sandy Lake.

−4°Ca normal November afternoon

Normal highs, the months ahead · ECCC normals, 1991–2020

November−4°C

December−13°C

January−16°C

February−12°C

Season	High	Low	Rain and snow
Winter	−14°C	−24°C	67 mm
Spring	5°C	−8°C	96 mm
Summer	22°C	12°C	254 mm
Autumn	5°C	−2°C	150 mm

−11°C

a normal November night

31 mm

of rain and snow in a normal November

Full pageSandy Lake 88’s weather pageOpen the full Weather page

Next 24 hoursTemperature and chance of rain, hour by hour The week aheadECCC’s days ahead, beside the normals The yearWarmest July, coldest January

ECCC normals, 1991–2020 (Island Lake); the forecast is on the Weather page

Town hall

Eric Melillo (Conservative Party of Canada) holds Kenora—Kiiwetinoong, the riding that includes Sandy Lake 88

Full pageSandy Lake 88’s town hall & politics pageOpen the full Town hall & politics page

Who runs itIndian Reserve

Wikidata, MAMH, MMAH, Statistics Canada

Library & civic lifeCivic life grade D

No public library is mapped in or near Sandy Lake 88

Full pageSandy Lake 88’s library & civic life pageOpen the full Library & civic life page

Places to belong0 charities per 1,000 residents

Provincial library statistics, OpenStreetMap, the CRA and Statistics Canada

Outdoors

Sandy Lake 88 is 9.9 km from Opasquia Provincial Park

Within 100 km there is no national park. One protected area lies within 10 km.

0%of the land within 10 km protected

Protected land · of the land within 10 km

Sandy Lake 880%

Ontario’s towns2.3%

Canadian towns2.3%

Outdoors	Sandy Lake 88	Ontario	Canada
Protected land within 10 km	0%	2.3%	2.3%
Public protected areas within 10 km	1	4	4

9.9 km

to Opasquia Provincial Park

public protected area within 10 km

Full pageSandy Lake 88’s outdoors pageOpen the full Outdoors page

Protected landof the land within 10 km Protected areas1 protected area within 10 km · Opasquia Provincial Park National & provincial parks9.9 km to a provincial park · Opasquia Provincial Park

Canadian Protected and Conserved Areas Database (CPCAD), OpenStreetMap routes and beaches

History

Sandy Lake 88 grew mostly after 1961: 100% of its homes

0%built before 1961

of homes built before 1961 · Canadian towns 18%

Heritage	Sandy Lake 88	Ontario	Canada
Homes built before 1961	0%	22%	18%

Full pageSandy Lake 88’s history pageOpen the full History page

Older homes0% built before 1961 · Canadian towns: 18%Questions“How many historic places does Sandy Lake 88 have?”

Canadian Register of Historic Places, Directory of Federal Heritage Designations, Québec’s Répertoire du patrimoine culturel, Wikidata; Census 2021 homes by period

Keep exploring

Everything we know about Sandy Lake 88

15pages on Sandy Lake 88

The big questions

SafetyHousing & costProperty pricesSchoolsHealthDLife expectancy 73.7 in its region Work & commuteC⁻37% of adults in work Natural hazardsD⁻Wildfire band: very high

Out and about

OutdoorsAttractionsClimateJuly afternoons around 23°C WeatherECCC’s forecast, beside the normals

The story

Who lives hereMedian age 22.8 HistoryTown hallFamous people

Questions about Sandy Lake 88

What kind of homes are in Sandy Lake 88?

Single-detached houses make up 98% of the homes here, where Canadian towns sit at 64%; 0% are in high-rise apartments. 11% of households are one person, and the average is 4.3.

Is Sandy Lake 88 a young town or an old one?

Its median age is 22.8, where Canadian towns sit at 45.2. Under-15s are 36% of residents; over-65s, 4%.

Is Sandy Lake 88 growing?

It grew from 2,017 people in 2016 to 2,100 in 2021, up 4.1%; the median of Canadian towns grew 4.1%. StatCan’s 2025 estimate is 2,175.

About Sandy Lake 88

First Nations reserve in Ontario

The reserve is its own census subdivision in Ontario, and the figures for Sandy Lake 88 cover the whole of it.

Statistics Canada: population estimates 2025 (17-10-0155), Census of Population 2021, 2021 census boundaries.

Population: 2,175 (people, 2025 estimate)
Province or territory: Ontario
Census division: Kenora
First Nation: Sandy Lake
The community’s own name: ᓀᑲᐤ ᕊᑲᐃᑲᓂᐣ᙮
Census subdivision: 3560071

Sources: Statistics Canada, Census of Population 2021 · population estimates 2025 (17-10-0155) and 2021 census boundaries · CMHC rents as published by Statistics Canada (34-10-0133) · grades by TownRatings. Under the Statistics Canada Open Licence.

Adapted from Statistics Canada (Census of Population 2021, population estimates 2025, 2021 census boundaries) under the Statistics Canada Open Licence; this does not constitute an endorsement by Statistics Canada. Neighbourhood names in some cities © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL).