Early immigration was generated by a network of immigration agents, posted in Great Britain, the United States and Northern Europe. These agents were like salesmen who tried to lure people to Canada.

Between 1928-1971, at Pier 21, on the Halifax waterfront, 1.5 million immigrants first set foot on Canadian soil. During World War II, 3,000 British evacuee children, 50,000 war brides and their 22,000 children, over 100,000 refugees and 368,000 Canadian troops bound for Europe passed through Pier 21.