Canning is a relatively small village, boasting a population of 798 as of 2006. It is located in northeastern part of the Annapolis Valley and located on the Minas Basin. The area was originally settled by Acadians and was originally named Apple Tree Landing and then Habitant Corner. It was settled in 1760 by New England Planters and by the Dutch after World War II. The name Canning was adopted in honour of British Prime Minister George Canning.
Canning used to be of huge importance as a shipbuilding centre and also a shipping and rail hub for farmers of the Annapolis Valley. Local merchants and farmers started the Cornwallis Valley Railway that ran from 1889 until 1961 connecting the village to the main railway going through the Annapolis Valley in Kentville.
Tourist attractions in and around the Canning area include one of the most picturesque places in all of the valley, the Look Off. It stands at an elevation of approximately 200 metres and looks out over the farms of the Annapolis Valley as well as the Minas Basin.