Although much smaller today, Shelburne remains the capital of the county which bears its name. It was incorporated as a town on April 4, 1907. The population in 1997 was 2245. Many descendants of the original Loyalists still live in the area today. The new town of Shelburne quickly became a fishing and shipbuilding centre.
Fishing is still a primary industry today.
Some other industries are lumbering, fish processing, and the manufacture of barrels, institutional furniture, granite monuments, and marine supplies. The Black Loyalists , who settled at the same time, were allotted land on the northwest arm of Shelburne Harbour. They founded the largest free Black settlement in North America, called Birchtown , in honour of General Birch . The area was also settled by Scottish and Irish Immigrants. In June of 1818, Welsh settlers arrived from Carmarthen and Cardigan in Wales , and founded the first Welsh settlement in Canada.