The Hudson's Bay Company: Canada's Store

The 2nd of May, 1670, That is 330 years ago, Charles II, King of Great Britain, chartered a company of fur traders called the Hudson's Bay Company which would have monopoly of trading rights in the Hudson's Bay area.

The Hudson's Bay Company had many posts in the Bay area but had to compete with French Traders and French military expeditions against these forts. The Hudson Bay Company's had many attempts to discover the Northwest passage. Instead they explored the Northwest of Canada, expanding the known territory. With the Treaty of Utrecht in 1713, France gave up officially on the Bay territories so the Hudson Bay Company held monopoly for certain. That is until France lost all its territories. How is that you ask? This is how, Scots were hired by the Montreal fur trading companies and with the loss of its colonies all French business left back to France and giving the Hudson's Bay Company monopoly over all of North America, somewhat. These Scots didn't seem to want to join The Hudson's Bay Company so they formed their Northwest Company So with this company, the Hudson's Bay Company had again had to fight for fur trading in the North.

In 1808, the earl of Selkirk gained control of the Hudson's Bay Company. He attempted to colonize Scots and Irish on their lands which led to the Red River Settlement problems. Somehow that ruined the company somewhat and for some reason the Hudson's Bay Company and the Northwest Company amalgamated and kept the name we know: Hudson's Bay Company. This was now true monopoly for the company which, except for the Crown Colonies in the East, all Canadian Territory was leased to the Hudson's Bay Company. With Confederation, the Company's future would be altered. Two years after the British North America Act giving Canada its independence (well somewhat) government order was that the Hudson's Bay Company give all its lands to the government of the Dominion of Canada for about 300 000 pounds. The Company turned to other interest such as retail. During the First World War, the Company gave much to the war effort. In 1930, the company split into two: the Canadian portion became a separate organization while the London turned to fur trading. In 1970, the headquarters were repatriated into Canada from England and by 1983, most enterprises owned by The Bay that was not retail, was sold.

That's it, that's all. The Bay, Canada's Style Canada's Store... Yeah I think its like that and not the other way around. Oh whatever.

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