Between 1896 to 1911 over two million immigrants, many of them Irish hoping for a better life, settled in Canada.

In 1910, to support the educational needs of the newly arrived immigrants in this rapidly developing country, two pioneers, Br. Angelus Keane (1872-1958) and Br. Nicholas O'Sullivan (1876-1967), established the Canadian mission. They took responsibility for schools in Montreal and Ontario. In later years the Brothers established three other communities in British Colombia : Prince George, Fort Ware and Dawson Creek