<PAGE>

                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549

                                   FORM 20-F/A

                                  ANNUAL REPORT
                     PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE
                         SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

    For the Fiscal Year Ended                        Commission file number
           July 31, 2000                                    0-14884

            Exact name of the registrant as specified in its charter

                              SAND TECHNOLOGY INC.
              (FORMERLY SAND TECHNOLOGY SYSTEMS INTERNATIONAL INC.)

                          Jurisdiction of Incorporation
                                     CANADA

                     Address of principal executive offices:

                     4141 SHERBROOKE STREET WEST, SUITE 410
                        WESTMOUNT, QUEBEC, CANADA H3Z 1B8

                            TELEPHONE (514) 939-3477

           SECURITIES REGISTERED PURSUANT TO SECTION 12(b) OF THE ACT:
                                      NONE

           SECURITIES REGISTERED PURSUANT TO SECTION 12(g) OF THE ACT:
                              CLASS A COMMON SHARES

               SECURITIES FOR WHICH THERE IS A REPORTING OBLIGATION
                      PURSUANT TO SECTION 15(d) OF THE ACT:
                                      NONE

On July 31, 2000, the Company had outstanding 9,627,145 Class A Common Shares
which is the Company's only class of common stock.

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant (1) has filed all reports required
to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during
the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was
required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing
requirements for the past 90 days.

                  Yes   X                                   No
                      -----                                    -----

Indicate by check mark which financial statement item the registrant has elected
to follow.

                  Item 17                                    Item 18   X
                          -----                                      -----

                     The Exhibit Index is located on page 53.

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     The same data, presented in conformity with US GAAP, is shown below.

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                       (Dollars in Thousands (000's) except for Per Share Data and Rates of Exchange)
                                                                     FISCAL YEAR ENDED
                                     -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                     7/31/96          7/31/97             7/31/98            7/31/99            7/31/00
                                     -------          -------             -------           --------            --------
                                        CA               CA                 CA                 CA                 CA
<S>                                  <C>              <C>                 <C>               <C>                 <C>
Rates of exchange
   At period end -- US$                $1.37            $1.39               $1.52              $1.51              $1.49
   Average for the period              $1.37            $1.37               $1.43              $1.51              $1.47

Results of Operations
   Net Sales                          $7,198           $2,989              $3,088             $2,091             $6,895
   Research and Development Costs      ($400)           ($778)            ($2,080)           ($3,872)           ($3,790)
   Selling, General and
   Administrative Expenses           ($1,950)         ($1,700)            ($2,923)           ($4,458)           ($7,837)
   Cost of Sales and Product
   Support                           ($5,616)         ($2,069)              ($662)             ($345)           ($2,343)

Net Income (Loss)                       $672            ($549)              ($907)           ($4,961)           ($2,867)

Financial Position
   Working Capital                    $8,291           $5,802              $6,000             $1,427             $4,475
   Total Assets                      $16,659          $13,774             $10,908             $8,273             $9,071
   Total Liabilities                  $2,495           $2,221                $262             $2,532             $2,522
   Shareholders Equity               $14,164          $11,553             $10,647             $5,741             $6,549

Earnings (Loss) per Share              $0.08           ($0.06)             ($0.11)            ($0.58)            ($0.32)
Weighted Average Numbers of
Shares outstanding during each         8,864            8,913               8,520              8,523              8,919
period (000's)
</TABLE>


ITEM 9.  MANAGEMENT'S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS
         OF OPERATIONS

     The following discussion and analysis should be read in conjunction with
our Consolidated Financial Statements and the notes to them and the other
information included elsewhere in this Annual Report on Form 20-F. Certain
statements contained in this discussion are forward-looking statements that
involve risks and uncertainties including, without limitation, statements
regarding our expectations, beliefs, intentions or strategies regarding the
future. All forward-looking statements included in this discussion are based on
current expectations and on information available to us on the date of this
Annual Report on Form 20-F. Our actual results could differ materially from
those anticipated in these forward-looking statements as a result of various
risks and uncertainties, including those set forth under "Factors That May
Affect Future Results" below and elsewhere in this Annual Report on Form 20-F.
The Company assumes no obligation to update these forward-looking statements.

     All figures given in this discussion are in Canadian dollars and are
presented in conformity with Canadian GAAP. As noted in Note 15 to the Financial
Statements, there are no material differences which would result in the reported
amounts of net consolidated earnings from the application of US GAAP. "Fiscal
1998", "fiscal 1999" and "fiscal 2000"


                                       10

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                              SAND TECHNOLOGY INC.
                          2000 FORM 20-F/A ANNUAL REPORT
                                  EXHIBIT INDEX

The following exhibits are being filed herewith on pages 54 through 58:

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
Exhibit    Description
-------    -----------
<S>        <C>
2.13       Agreement with Nucleus International Corporation dated July 31, 2000

11.        Statement detailing Computation of Per Share Earnings (Loss)

22.        Subsidiaries of the Company.

23.        Consent of Chartered Accountants

</TABLE>


                                       53

<PAGE>

                                   SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of Section 12 of the Securities Exchange Act of
1934, the registrant certifies that it meets all of the requirements for filing
on Form 20-F and has duly caused this Annual Report on Form 20-F to be signed on
its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized.



                                           SAND TECHNOLOGY INC.


                                           /s/ Arthur G. Ritchie
                                           -----------------------------
September 29, 2000                         Arthur G. Ritchie
                                           Chairman of the Board,
                                           President and Chief Executive
                                           Officer


                                       59