MONTRÉAL – The corporation representing the Cree Nation is one of two developers that are ready to invest $400 million to turn the former Hudson’s Bay store in downtown Montreal into a cultural hub and museum.
The James Bay Eeyou Corp. and JHD Immobilier say they intend to submit an offer to acquire the historic building on Ste-Catherine Street.
The developers say they want to transform the building into a space that celebrates the heritage and vitality of the Cree people.
Their concept includes a museum dedicated to the fur trade and exchanges between the Cree and the Hudson’s Bay Co. that go back more than 350 years.
It also includes an Indigenous cultural centre, retail showcases, mixed-use facilities and a hotel.
They say the project could be completed by 2029 and would require zoning approval from the city.
Hudson’s Bay put its leases up for sale earlier this year, after it filed for creditor protection and closed its 80 stores and 16 under its sister Saks banners.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 18, 2025.
