Upland Planning + Design

Upland Planning + Design UPLAND is an award-winning planning and design consultancy dedicated to improving the quality and functionality of the built environment.

UPLAND is seeking a part-time Office Manager to join our team. Link is in bio. We’d love to hear from you 📥
04/22/2026

UPLAND is seeking a part-time Office Manager to join our team. Link is in bio. We’d love to hear from you 📥

UPLAND Welcomes Ryan MacLean as AssociateSince joining us in 2021, Ryan has shaped our Engagement and Housing portfolio ...
02/02/2026

UPLAND Welcomes Ryan MacLean as Associate

Since joining us in 2021, Ryan has shaped our Engagement and Housing portfolio with exceptional care, creativity, and leadership. In her role as Senior Engagement Lead, she has transformed our engagement department into a cornerstone of our practice - one rooted in empathy, collaboration, and a deep commitment to equity.

Ryan has demonstrated an unwavering dedication to UPLAND’s values, consistently advancing our mission through thoughtful community-centered work. A systems-thinker with strong interpersonal skills, she approaches engagement with deep listening and a belief that all voices deserve space and respect. Ryan has led engagement on several notable UPLAND projects, including the Nova Scotia Housing Needs Assessment, the Peggy’s Cove Land Use By-law, and the Halifax Integrated Tourism Master Plan, among many others.

Before joining UPLAND, Ryan spent years working directly with the public while managing some of Nova Scotia’s busiest restaurants, and later leading volunteer programs, events, and communications in the nonprofit sector. 

We are grateful for all that Ryan brings to the team, including her amazing puzzle collection and of course, office dog, George, who makes us laugh and guards the office with unparalleled zeal. Outside of the office you can find Ryan at the Farmers Market, singing in the Forever Chorus, or hitting up her local cafe with Georgie in tow. 

Please join us in congratulating Ryan on becoming an Associate at UPLAND!

UPLAND Welcomes Paul Dec as Associate 

Paul is a Senior Planner who has been shaping UPLAND since 2020, helping carve o...
02/02/2026

UPLAND Welcomes Paul Dec as Associate 

Paul is a Senior Planner who has been shaping UPLAND since 2020, helping carve out our development projects sector with creativity, energy, analytical thinking, and a deep passion for planning. His mentorship is unmatched, so much so that he won Dalhousie University’s Co-op Employer of the Year award for the time, care, and expertise he brings to the student he works with. Paul also played a key role in helping win UPLAND’s first Canadian Awards for Planning Excellence in 2025.

Paul’s planning experience spans several continents, giving him a fresh, global perspective that he brings to communities of all sizes. With a talent for innovative thinking, a strong understanding of municipal systems, and a commitment to context-driven solutions, Paul transforms challenges into thoughtful, tailor-made plans. Among his many contributions, Paul has played a central role in transformative UPLAND projects including the Dieppe Urban Growth Strategy and Secondary Plan, CBRM’s Pre-Approved Housing Designs, and the Stephenville  Municipal Growth Plan.

Outside the office, Paul brings this same enthusiasm for life to everything he does. He’s a devoted Wanderers fan, avid multi-lingual traveler, all season cyclist, volleyball player, and chess tournament aficionado. We feel lucky to work alongside him every day.

Please join us in congratulating Paul on becoming an Associate at UPLAND!

Winning awards is not what motivates us in our day-to-day work. But being recognized by our peers from across the countr...
07/10/2025

Winning awards is not what motivates us in our day-to-day work. But being recognized by our peers from across the country reinforces the determination and passion that we put into every project in communities all over our region. The Canadian Awards of Planning Excellence are not often awarded to recipients in Atlantic Canada, so it makes it even more meaningful to know that a relatively small firm from the East Coast can get a chance to shine on the national stage. We strive for excellence in everything we do, and we’re incredibly grateful for this recognition.

Thank you to for the honour. And to our amazing team for making the dream come true.

Our Landscape Architecture department is growing 🌱If you are looking for a new opportunity, please click the link below ...
07/03/2025

Our Landscape Architecture department is growing 🌱

If you are looking for a new opportunity, please click the link below to learn more about our Intermediate/Senior Landscape Architect position now open. We’d love to hear from you!

For full job posting: www.uplandstudio.ca/landscape_architect/

We’re thrilled to see our collaboration with the Cape Breton Regional Municipality and officially launched yesterday in...
06/18/2025

We’re thrilled to see our collaboration with the Cape Breton Regional Municipality and officially launched yesterday in front of City Hall in Sydney. Hopefully, these designs will be put to good use to help address the critical need for ‘missing middle’ housing in the region.

We’re thrilled to share that UPLAND has been awarded a 2025 Canadian Planning Excellence Award for Project Lunenburg: Co...
06/11/2025

We’re thrilled to share that UPLAND has been awarded a 2025 Canadian Planning Excellence Award for Project Lunenburg: Comprehensive Community Plan from the Canadian Institute of Planners (CIP). Project Lunenburg is a community-led plan that guides the UNESCO World Heritage town toward a healthy, inclusive future—preserving its unique character while shaping policies on housing, land use, environment, and governance. Rooted in local voices, the plan sets a course for thoughtful growth and meaningful community participation.

This national recognition is a profound honour, and we’re deeply grateful to the collaborators, clients, and community members who helped shape this meaningful project.

A special thanks to Turner Drake & Partners, CBCL Limited, Wendy Shearer Cultural Heritage Consulting and to the UPLANDers past and present who contributed to this project.

A hearty congratulations to all of this year’s award recipients—your work continues to inspire us. This recognition, alongside so many exceptional projects, fuels our passion for planning and our excitement for what lies ahead.

Yesterday, the Honourable Timothy Halman, Minister for the Environment and Climate Change, officially released the Coast...
04/16/2025

Yesterday, the Honourable Timothy Halman, Minister for the Environment and Climate Change, officially released the Coastal Protection and Municipal Land Use By-laws Guide. UPLAND was incredibly pleased to partner in the development of this resource.

Most of all, we’re happy to support municipalities around Nova Scotia. To quote Ian Watson, Planner and Partner at UPLAND, ‘In all our years of working with communities around the province - from small to large, rural to urban - one of the most consistent themes we hear is the importance of the coast to the collective identity and culture of Nova Scotians. The coast binds us together, and shapes each community in unique ways. It is a pleasure to support municipalities with tools to inform coastal municipal land use planning.’

Looking for a new adventure? 🚣‍♀️We’re hiring an Engagement Coordinator to help guide our team and connect with our comm...
11/21/2024

Looking for a new adventure? 🚣‍♀️

We’re hiring an Engagement Coordinator to help guide our team and connect with our community. Ready to grab a paddle? Apply now. (Link in bio)

UPLAND is honoured to be awarded the Top Co-op Employer of the Year by the Dalhousie University Faculty of Architecture ...
04/10/2024

UPLAND is honoured to be awarded the Top Co-op Employer of the Year by the Dalhousie University Faculty of Architecture and Planning. This is our second time receiving this award and we would like to thank our amazing co-op student Arnav Garg and his UPLAND supervisor, Paul Dec for all their hard work and collaboration during the co-op placement. Arnav will be starting with UPLAND full-time in May and we couldn’t be happier he is staying on.

We look forward to welcoming two new co-op students for Summer 2024, and we’re eager to see how they’ll make a positive impact in the communities of Atlantic Canada. UPLAND is grateful for the opportunity to collaborate with students who consistently bring new perspectives and enrich our office environment in countless ways.

Thank you to the Dalhousie University School of Planning Department for providing such quality students year after year.



Image description: Our co-op student, Arnav, sits at the head of a table with the UPLAND team, situated under a white tent in a vineyard. This photo was taken at our UPLAND team event in the summer of 2023.

Address

1489 Hollis Street, Level 2
Halifax, NS
B3J3M5

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1 (902) 423-0649

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