The various schemes to attract British emigrants to Canada in the 1920s resulted in 535,000 new settlers, compared to the approximately 687,000 who arrived between 1910 and 1920. Heavy British casualties in the First World War may partly explain the drop.

Canada West's description of "the community spirit fostered by provincial governments" makes poignant reading, in hindsight. In addition to schools and churches in every settlement, hospitals and public health nurses within easy reach, and local newspapers in almost every community, it mentions travelling libraries and "moving picture outfits", boys' and girls' clubs, Women's Institutes, agricultural fairs ... all part of the prosperous life in western Canada that disappeared in the Depression years of "The Dirty Thirties".