As Hudson's Bay nears the end of its liquidation sale, thousands of employees of Canada's oldest company are expected to lose their jobs.

In a Monday court filing, Hudson’s Bay said it will terminate 8,347 employees — 89% of its workforce — by June 1, with most layoffs affecting retail staff as stores are set to close on that date. The company will lay off an additional 899 employees two weeks later.

None are expected to receive severance pay, and will only pocket accrued vacation pay, according to CTV News.

The company filed for creditor protection March 7 across 96 stores, four distribution centres, and its head office. 

Hudson’s Bay has been around since 1670. It survived the British, American and French revolutions; Napoleon, two world wars, the Great Depression, the Great Recession and 9/11.

But it could not survive the Trudeau/Carney Liberal government. https://t.co/GqRVEl1gYI

— Ezra Levant 🍁🚛 (@ezralevant) May 27, 2025

The bankruptcy filing forced Hudson's Bay to sell its intellectual property, including its stripes and coat of arms, to Canadian Tire for $30 million. Last week, it also agreed to sell 28 of its 96 store leases to B.C. mall owner Ruby Liu.

Following June 15, Hudson's Bay expects only 118 employees across retail, corporate, and distribution to remain and aid in the final business closure.

Unifor, representing Hudson's Bay workers, is urging the company to fulfill its severance obligations and advocating for federal insolvency law reform, including increasing the Wage Earner Protection Program Act (WEPPA) cap. 

Unifor argues the current WEPPA cap is insufficient compared to negotiated severance and workers' needs upon termination. The maximum WEPPA benefit is equivalent to seven weeks of maximum insurable earnings under the Employment Insurance Act.

🚨 BREAKING: Hudson’s Bay Company, established in 1670, plans to LIQUIDATE its entire business as early as next week, putting over 9,000 JOBS at risk.

This marks the end of a 355-YEAR LEGACY in Canadian retail history.

The company faced challenges due to INFLATION, HIGH… pic.twitter.com/j6lDJaE99f

— Marc Nixon (@MarcNixon24) March 15, 2025

The Globe and Mail reports that Hudson's Bay will request a court order on June 3 to allow employees to receive severance through the Wage Earner Protection Program, which supports workers when companies face bankruptcy or receivership. 

Court documents reveal that many current and former Hudson's Bay employees receiving long-term disability benefits will lose that support starting June 15.

According to court-appointed representative counsel Ursel Phillips Fellows Hopkinson LLP, the maximum Wage Earner Protection Program (WEPP) payout for Hudson's Bay employees is $8,844.22.

Hudson's Bay and its lenders are exploring a hardship fund for current and former employees facing financial difficulty due to lost benefits, according to COO and CFO Michael Culhane in a court affidavit.

Ursel stated they are exploring other ways to help affected employees and will provide updates.

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