An era that is intertwined in Canada’s history that spans hundreds of years and countless generations could be coming to an end.
Hudson’s Bay is waiting for a judge to approve the liquidation of all its stores across Canada after the company filed for creditor protection on March 7.
If approved, all 80 stores, plus three Saks Fifth Avenue stores and 13 Saks Off 5th, will close—a process that could take up to 12 weeks.
“I think it’s an important moment in terms of how it helped shape us as a nation,” said Amelia Fay, the curator of the HBC Museum Collection at the Manitoba Museum.
“There’s a lot of mixed feelings about the company and its history, and so there’s going to be a lot of mixed interpretations of this moment as well. So some people might be feeling a big loss. There’s a lot of communities that really identify with the company as part of our national identity, and there are others who have very complicated feelings about the company and its history, particularly the First Nations, Inuit, and Metis peoples.”
As the saga continues to unfold, CTV News Winnipeg looked back at some of the company’s significant moments as a department store, both in Winnipeg and across Canada.
Hover over the images in the below timeline to learn more.
