| 1745 | New England militia under William Pepperell use Canso as a base for launching a seige of Louisbourg. Two companies remain on Grassy Island to rebuild the fort, now named Fort Cumberland, but they abandon the effort before the year ends. |
| 1764 | Town of Wilmot (present-day Canso) is laid out. Lord Colville receives a licence to cut hay and timber on Grassy Island. |
| 1776 | John Paul Jones leads two successful raids on Canso and Isle Madame, effectively destroying the fishery. |
| 1778 | The armed brig "Hope" destroys a privateer in Canso Harbour. |
| 1816 | Lighthouse is built on Cranberry Island. |
| 1845 | Catholic church built in Canso. |
| 1846 | Baptist church built in Canso. |
| 1847 | Public school is erected on land donated by local merchant, A.N. Whitman. |
| 1851 | Methodist church built in Canso. |
| 1855 | Telegraph office opens in Canso. |
| 1872 | Lighthouse built on Hart's Island. |
| 1881 | Western Union Cable station opens. |
| 1884 | Commercial Cable station opens. |
| 1885 | Anglican church is built. |
| 1901 | Town of Canso is incorporated. E.C. Whitman serves as the first mayor. |
| 1914 | At the declaration of war, Canso and Hazel Hill are deemed of great military importance due to the transatlantic cable stations, necessitating military detachments and special protective measures. Electric lighting plant is established in Canso. |
| 1928 | Canso now has an electric light plant, a well-equipped fire-fighting company, four churches, a modern post office, high school, theatre, public and parish halls, a modern phone exchange, three hotels, a bank, bakeries, weekly newspaper, two forges, drug, millinery, and gneral stores, grages, barber shops, a daily boat service to Mulgrave and a weekly service to Halifax, church societies, fraternal organizations, a board of trade, a fishermen's Federation, three resident doctors and a destist. |
| 1930 | Maritime Fish Corporation ceases operation in Canso. |
| 1939 | R.E. Jamieson Fish Plant is established. |
| 1951 | British Columbia Packers acquires Jamieson Fish plant. |
| 1955 | Western Union ceases operation at Cable Station. |
| 1962 | Commercial Cable company closes it's Canso station at Christmas. BC Packers announce the removal of all deep sea trawlers from Canso to Harbour Breton in Newfoundland. |
| 1963 | Acadia Fisheries of Mulgrave announces plans for a multi-million dollar fish and meal plant to employ hundreds of men and women. |
