The North West Company facts for kids
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| Public | |
| Traded as | TSX: NWC |
| Industry | |
| Founded | 1987 |
| Headquarters | Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada |
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Key people
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Daniel G. McConnell, President & CEO |
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Number of employees
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6,805 |
The North West Company is a large Canadian business. It sells groceries and other goods in many places. You can find their stores in Canada's western and northern areas. They also have stores in the US states of Alaska and Hawaii. Plus, they operate in several other countries and US territories in places like Oceania and the Caribbean.
This company has a long history. It started from an old fur trading business. That original company was also called the North West Company. It was based in Montreal, Canada, from 1779 to 1821. Later, it joined with the Hudson's Bay Company. In 1987, a group of investors bought this part of the Hudson's Bay Company. It then became the North West Company we know today. It is now a public company, meaning anyone can buy shares in it. The company also includes the Alaska Commercial Company, which has a history going back to the Russian-American Company. In 2007, they bought Cost-U-Less, which has stores in Hawaii and other islands.
Contents
A Quick Look at History
In the early 1700s, the French controlled much of what is now Canada. They had a large network for trading furs. After the British took over in 1763, French traders started the North West Company. They kept expanding their fur trade into Canada's interior. This led to a lot of competition with the Hudson's Bay Company. Many fur trade posts were built, and new parts of Canada were explored. Sadly, this also led to a big drop in the beaver population. The fur trade also caused more tension between the British, French, and Indigenous Peoples.
Where the Company Operates Today
The main office for the North West Company is in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. This building is partly on the site of an old fort called Upper Fort Garry. It used to be the main office for the Hudson's Bay Company. The North West Company also has offices in the US cities of Anchorage, Alaska, and Boca Raton, Florida.
As of 2014, the company had many employees. There were 4,921 employees in Canada. Another 1,726 employees worked in its international stores. These stores are in Alaska, the South Pacific, and the Caribbean. The North West Company is also the biggest employer of Indigenous People in the business world.
The company runs stores under several different names:
Canadian Stores
- Northern: These are the most common stores, with 122 locations. You can find them in Northern Ontario, Quebec, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Labrador, Nunavut, Northwest Territories, and Yukon.
- NorthMart: There are 6 of these larger stores. They are in places like Cross Lake, Manitoba, Iqaluit, Nunavut, and Hay River, Northwest Territories.
- Quickstop: These are smaller stores, with 5 locations.
- Giant Tiger: The company operates 31 Giant Tiger stores in Western Canada.
- Valu Lots: There is 1 store with this name.
- Solo Market: There is 1 store with this name.
- North West Company Fur Marketing: This part of the company still deals with furs, with 2 locations.
- Crescent Multi Foods: This is a company that distributes food. It works in Saskatchewan, Manitoba, and northern Ontario.
- Inuit Art Marketing Service: This service helps sell art made by Inuit artists.
- North Star Air: This is an airline based in Thunder Bay, Ontario. It carries both cargo and passengers.
International Stores
- AC Value Center: There are 30 of these stores in Alaska.
- Quickstop: There are 3 Quickstop stores in Alaska.
- CostULess: These stores have 12 locations. They are in places like American Samoa, Hawaii, and the US Virgin Islands.
- Pacific Alaska Wholesale: This is a distributor based in Anchorage, Alaska.
- Roadtown Wholesale: There are 8 of these stores in the British Virgin Islands.
We Financial Services
We Financial is the part of the company that offers money services. They have ATMs in each store. They also offer the We Credit Card and We Prepaid Visa. You can also cash cheques and get tax services here. Plus, they run 64 Canada Post Outlets inside their stores.
