I'm now reading a book by Lois Sweet who refers to Canaan and McGregor, neighbouring towns in Ontario. She says that New Canaan was "founded by black slaves escaping to freedom via the Underground Railway...The land, being clay didn't meet their expectations and the left. ... Later white, English-speaking, protestants arrived."

I'm going to search for further information about this town, because it might now be merged with others to form a new community.