About Polonia in Nova Scotia

Did You Know?

• The first Polish settlements in Nova Scotia were in Cape Breton – almost 130 years ago. Generations later, the Polish Cape Bretoners are proud of their heritage and proud of their hospitality.
• People of Polish heritage have put down roots in all parts of Nova Scotia.
• Many Poles first came to Nova Scotia to work in the steel and mining industries. Their influence has spread to all professions and walks of life.
• The St. Michael’s Polish Benefit Society (established in 1909, in Whitney Pier) is Nova Scotia’s oldest Polish cultural organization.
• St. Mary’s Polish Church in Whitney Pier is a designated provincial heritage landmark was established in 1913 and rebuilt in 2015-16 after a tragic fire. It is the only Polish church in Atlantic Canada. 

  

  

• The Polish Village Hall in Whitney Pier is a designated municipal heritage landmark. It was built in 1949, replacing an earlier hall (c. 1911).
• A monument in front of Pier 21 in Halifax honours Polish immigrants. It is looked after by the Polish Emigration Memorial Society.
• During the first Nova Scotia Polish Heritage Month, in September 2020, a monument was unveiled honouring the “Polish Pioneers of Glace Bay”. It sits at the foot of “Polish Hill”, near the site of the former Caledonia Mine.
• In 2017, Middle St. in Whitney Pier was renamed “Galicia St.” to honour the region that straddles modern-day Poland and Ukraine from where many immigrants came more than a century ago.
• The Polish communities of Nova Scotia take pride in being warm and welcoming – proud to be part of a multicultural society and inclusive of everyone.

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