The UNIA was prevalent in Cape Breton, with 3 chapters opening on the small island in three main coal mining and steelworking towns. All UNIA had strong Caribbean influence within them but still had support from African Nova Scotians. These town members being tired of the treatment of them within all jobs or the lack of jobs available to them could've been the main push to take this movement to Cape Breton. The UNIA in Cape Breton served as a haven for community between the Black people of these industrial towns. They were not in competition; despite being in different areas, they met together for recreational and educational purposes and worked on ideas to develop the UNIA. 

Glace Bay

This UNIA is stated as the first one in Cape Breton, with its creation in 1919 by Albert Francis, a native of Barbados, who started it in his backyard. The hall was built in 1932 on Jessome Street and is one of the only original UNIA halls still standing in Canada, but it now acts as a museum, acting as a place to educate people on the impact of Black immigrants on the development of Glace Bay. 

Sydney

Sydney's UNIA opened in 1919 with about 250 members; Dr. Alvinus Calder acted as its first-ever president. This division was the largest in eastern Canada due to Sydney being one of Canada's main seaports. The Division itself was the place all 3 of the UNIA halls would meet together.

New Waterford

New Waterford's UNIA hall opened on Sept. 1st, 1929. Not much is known about this hall, but when it opened, it brought members of these communities together with choir services, bands playing, and speeches from Sydney and Glace Bay. There were very few members of this UNIA, but it still was important to uniting people. 

In 1937 Marcus Garvey visited all of the UNIA chapters, Sydney being the first one he spoke at in Menelik Hall. He congratulated the UNIA chapters on their success and spoke about how influential the UNIA had been to Black people. At this meeting Marcus Garvey gave his iconic "The work that has been done" speech.

He documented this experience in his The Black Man Mag, where he spoke of the ideologies of the UNIA looking for freedom of their homeland; just as Irish-Canadian people work for Ireland, they must do for Africa, and intelligence is their weapon, for reasons of one can physically trap you, but as long as your mind is strong, the fool will always pay the price.