In addition to rural settlements, a significant aspect of the
Polish community in Alberta grew from coal mining enterprises in
areas such as the Crow's Nest Pass, Canmore and Ekshaw.
A centuries-old profession in Poland, it was not surprising that
many of the early Polish immigrants (in particular single men)
were drawn to these areas, establishing associations and support
societies. One of the most active Polish mining communities
developed at Coleman in southwest Alberta, where in 1916 the
Polish Society of Brotherly Aid formed to assist Polish miners in
crisis and protect them from the type of discrimination they had
undergone as "enemy aliens" during World War I. Many
influential Polish community leaders emerged from these mining
settlements.
The Interwar Years
Following World War I, Alberta experienced its second major influx
of Polish immigration. Not only had the war had devastating
economic and social consequences in the Polish Territories, but it
also had stalled the efforts of many of Alberta's Polish
immigrants to send for family members. With the end of the war,
many of these families were reunited on the Western prairies.
Under Canadian immigration criteria of the time, Poland was a
"non-preferred" source of immigration and, thus, only
farmers, farm labourers and domestics were eligible. This second
wave of immigration, nevertheless, saw the arrival of many
trades-people and artisans who passed themselves off as
agricultural workers. Unlike their predecessors, these new
Polish-Albertans generally had a high level of education,
experience in political and social organizations and a strong
desire to preserve the customs, heritage and language of their
homeland. Many did not settle in rural areas, instead seeking work
in cities and towns.
As the Polish population increased during the interwar years, so
to did the support associations and cultural groups. Working with
the established Polish community, this new generation of
immigrants bolstered the growth of their culture within the
province. Notably, they established the Polish Canadian Society,
which would become a leading force in the cultural development and
social life of Alberta's Polish people. A strong support system
was still in place for these new Albertans, a network that helped
many Polish immigrants make their way through the difficult years
of the Great Depression.