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I can give you a little bit of the background behind the United Empire Loyalists during the Revolutionary era. The United Empire Loyalists were what the British government in those times called colonists from the thirteen colonies that were dispersed at the beginning (or certainly during and after) the Revolution because of their allegiance to the British crown and that resettled in other parts of British North America. Whether or not that mass exodus could be compared to the intensity of events taking place with ISIS and Syria could probably be debated. Because of the United Loyalists' fear of or actual suffering physical endangerment, loss of property and loss of home, they resettled in other British colonies such as Nova Scotia (which received approx. 33,000 American refugees), New Brunswick (which was split from Nova Scotia to accommodate the influx of refugees), the eastern townships of Quebec and present day Ontario.
From Statistics Canada:
"Whilst the War of Independence of the thirteen colonies was being prosecuted, the Loyalists, as they were called, a large number of whom had joined the British Army, suffered confiscation and banishment, the greater number remained, notwithstanding, in their native or adopted country ; others sought refuge in England ; others, again, to the probable total number of from 35,000 to 40,000 persons, including disbanded soldiers, came to seek an asylum in Canada and Nova Scotia. Before their arrival the population of British origin in the latter Province amounted to 12,000 souls, being a decrease from the number by the Census of 1772 in Nova Scotia, which then included New Brunswick. That part of the Province of Quebec now constituting that Province contained about 10,000 souls of the same origin ; that part of Quebec, now forming the Province of Ontario, may be said to have been then uninhabited."
Hope this answers part of your question!
Link: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Empire_Loyalists