Hugh Cann and Son Limited was a marine business in Yarmouth Nova Scotia which operated from 1875 to 1965. The principal owners were Hugh Cann (1827-1901), his son H. Bradford Cann (1857-1913) and his grandson John L. Cann (1890-1976). Apart from interests in local businesses such as Burrell & Johnson Foundry, Bradford Cann was involved in lobster canneries as well as freight and passenger services around the Maritimes and through the Usher Steamship Company, general cargo to South Africa, England and world seaports. His principal aim was to help his fellow Nova Scotians by creating job opportunities in his various business interests. His son John started on his own after learning a machinist trade engineers certificate, and worked on a small steamship out of Sandy Cove, Nova Scotia. He later served on several of the Cann boats as engineer in the days when sail was giving way to steam then to diesel power. After the death of Hugh Cann in 1901, the business began to decline and in 1929 the remaining vessels were sold to Eastern Canada Coastal Steamships Limited. Diesel powered vessels prolonged the traffic between Yarmouth and St. John until the spring of 1965.