A Hudson's Bay department store in Toronto, Friday, February 25, 2022. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Nathan Denette
Hudson’s Bay is laying off two per cent of its total workforce, estimated to be about 250 employees, largely within Canada.
The layoffs will impact corporate roles at The Bay and Hudson’s Bay, the retailer’s online and brick-and-mortar operations, respectively, the company said Tuesday.
Retail workers in stores are not affected by the job losses.
Spokeswoman Tiffany Bourre said the changes come as the retail sector navigates “significant external pressures.”
The company is “realigning its strategic priorities and increasing efficiencies within its operations,” she said in a statement.
The decision was not easy and the company is committed to treating everyone with fairness and respect, Bourre said.
Hudson’s Bay permanently laid off about 600 workers in Canada two years ago amid extended COVID-19 lockdowns affecting non-essential retail.
Last June, more than 330 Hudson’s Bay warehouse workers went on strike after talks with the company broke down.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 24, 2023.
Note to readers: This is a corrected story. A previous version misstated the proportion of the workforce affected by the layoffs.
