Which fur-trading companies competed in the Edmonton area?
The history of the fur trade in the Edmonton area was defined by intense competition between two primary rivals: the Hudson’s Bay Company and the North West Company.12
These companies established competing trading posts near the present-day city of Edmonton along the North Saskatchewan River. In 1795, the Hudson’s Bay Company built Fort Edmonton (also known as Edmonton House), while the North West Company established a nearby post called Fort Augustus. By 1801, both companies had relocated their respective posts to the site of modern-day Edmonton.1
This rivalry continued until 1821, when the two firms merged under the name and charter of the Hudson’s Bay Company. Following the merger, Fort Edmonton became a central hub for the distribution and service of the Western fur trade.341