Update on the Hudson’s Bay Company and the Hudson’s Bay Company Archives

March 21, 2025

Dear archival colleagues:

Since the recent news of the Hudson’s Bay Company (HBC) facing bankruptcy and the liquidation of  assets, the Archives of Manitoba, which houses the Hudson’s Bay Company Archives (HBCA), has received a number of inquiries from the public, the media and members of the archival community concerning both the viability of funding for the existing HBCA and concern for the future of records currently in the custody of the HBC. I thought it would be a good time to provide information to the wider archival community.

The HBCA receives annual operational and staffing funding from the Hudson’s Bay Company History Foundation (HBCHF) through its 1994 agreement between the Government of Manitoba and the HBC. Because it is a charitable foundation and separate from the HBC, the HBCHF will be able to continue supporting the HBCA regardless of the future of the company.

HBCA is the designated repository for the archival records of HBC and has worked with HBC since 1994 to identify records of archival value and to receive transfers of records. We are continuing to work with HBC in this regard.

Please reach out to me directly if you have further questions.

Scott Goodine (he/him)
Archivist of Manitoba
Sport, Culture, Heritage and Tourism

(Original posted to Arcan-L list)