North West Company

In 1783, a group of Scots fur traders created a new Montreal-based trading company, the North West Company. It quickly became a serious rival to the Hudson’s Bay Company.

While Hudson’s Bay Company traders sat in their forts waiting for Natives and trappers to bring furs in to trade, the North West Company sent its traders out into the wilderness by canoe to seek out First Nation trappers inland.

North West Company traders ('Nor'Westers') could select the finest furs, leaving poorer quality animal pelts to be sold at Hudson’s Bay Company trading posts.

The Nor'Westers took vast amounts of hard liquor out to trade for furs with groups of First Nations people. At one point, in 1785, the Nor'Westers sent out 60,000 gallons of rum, loaded on 26 canoes.

The Hudson’s Bay Company quickly noticed the losses. Share prices dropped back in England, and it was clear that they had to expand inland. Baymen began to build forts further inland, making fur traders and supplies of trade goods more accessible to Native trappers.

The Nor’westers pressed farther and farther west. Conflicts between Nor’Westers and Baymen flared up, becoming more brutal and bloody.

When the Hudson's Bay Company granted land at Red River to the Scots Lord Selkirk, the Nor’Westers retaliated. Fighting at Red River and a series of expensive trials nearly bankrupted the North West Company. In 1821, the North West Company was absorbed into the Hudson's Bay Company.

Photograph credits

The images used above are licensed under Creative Commons on Flickr by Deacon Steve.