The Society was established "for the benefit of ourselves and assistance of each other, who may be afflicted with disease or any other casualty or misfortune."
Since 1768, the Society has continued to support the Scottish community in Nova Scotia.
The Society likely commissioned the portrait of Prince Edward by William J. Weaver which now is in Province House (Nova Scotia) (1797).
The Society raffled the portrait on the eve of the North British Society's local celebration of the St. Andrew's Day, when the patriotic sentiment was roused by the stunning news of Admiral Nelson's glorious naval victory over Napoleon in the Battle of the Nile.
[3] The Society public activities include commissioning three works for Victoria Park, Halifax: the Robert Burns statue (1919), the Sir Walter Scott bust (1932), and the Sir William Alexander cairn (1957).