Billionaire David Thomson interested in buying Hudson’s Bay charter

The 1670 royal charter signed by King Charles II establishing Hudson's Bay, is shown on display at the Manitoba Museum where it was loaned to be displayed alongside its permanent collection of Hudson's Bay artifacts, in this 2020 handout photo. THE CANADIAN PRESS/HO - Manitoba Museum **MANDATORY CREDIT**

By Tara Deschamps, The Canadian Press

Posted August 21, 2025 11:09 am.

TORONTO — New court filings show a holding company owned by David Thomson wants to buy the royal charter that formed the Hudson’s Bay retailer for at least $15 million and donate it to the Archives of Manitoba.

The department store previously announced it would seek court approval next month to sell the charter for $12.5 million to a holding company belonging to the Weston family, which intends to donate it to the Canadian Museum of History.

More to come

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