In honour of Canada’s 150th birthday anniversary, Canada’s oldest company, Hudson’s Bay, revealed they will be supporting the Trans Canada Trail initiative with the Grand Portage Collection.

About The Trans Canada Trail

The Trans Canada Trail was dubbed “The Great Trail” in 2016. It is an initiative that began on Canada’s 125th anniversary and is set to be completed this year for Canada’s 150th.

When finished, the recreational trail will stretch 24,000 km from the Pacific coast to the Atlantic and Arctic oceans.

Currently the entire project is 90 per cent complete, but there are still over 240 gaps that need to be bridged in order to fully connect the trail from coast-to-coast.

Grand Portage Program Initiative

Hudson’s Bay Company revealed at a recent event, that they are supporting the initiative for Canada’s 150th anniversary through its Grand Portage Fundraising Program.

Photos by, Ruby Wray – Notable attendees at the Grand Portage Event posed in front of the Toronto Islands. From left- Two-time Olympic Medalist Simon Whitfield, Fashion Icon Jeanne Beker, President of Hudson’s Bay Liz Rodbell, Co-chair of Trans Canada Trail Foundation Valerie Pringle and Olympic Medalist Mark Oldershaw.

Among the guests at the Hudson Bay Grand Portage event, Valerie Pringle, the Co-chair of the Trans Canada Trail Foundation spoke graciously of the HBC partnership. The event took place at Harbourfront Centre and hosted notable attendees like Canadian fashion icon, Jeanne Beker and Olympic Medalists, Simon Whitfield and Mark Oldershaw.

The Grand Portage program is split into two parts. The fundraising portion will be through a new collection of commemorative fundraising merchandise launching in stores this March 2017. The second is a call-to-action to get Canadians outside and using the resources of the Great Trail through a team of adventurers.

Olympic medalists, Simon Whitfield and Mark Oldershaw braving the cold and paddling an HBC Canoe in Lake Ontario for the Grand Portage unveil at Harbourfront Centre.

“To help connect The Great Trail in our lifetime is extremely special, and we encourage Canadians across the country to join us in this endeavor and celebrate this vast, beautiful country we call home,” said Liz Rodbell, President, Hudson’s Bay.

Using a Hudson Bay canoe, the team will set off on a portage on June 22, 2017, traveling West to East from Victoria to Nova Scotia. The journey will culminate in a special celebration in Ottawa on August 26, 2017

Along the way, the Grand Portage team will stop to engage with communities and share their adventures on social media with #HBGrandPortage. They’ve also partnered with Cadillac Fairview’s Celebration Tour, where they will visit 10 premiere shopping centre locations across eight different cities.

Mini paddle, $20, and paddle keychains, $5, available for purchase at Hudson’s Bay this March 2017 with 50 per cent of proceeds going to support the expansion of The Great Trail.

Canadians can help support the initiative and commemorate the adventure by purchasing the Hudson’s Bay paddle, $20, and mini paddle keychain, $5, both featuring HBC’s iconic stripes–with 50 per cent of the proceeds going to funding the connection of The Great Trail.

In addition, the 58-piece commemorative Grand Portage Collection features a variety of Canadian keepsakes, from t-shirts, to beach towels, journals and more, with a portion of the proceeds going to support The Great Trail.

You can also support The Great Trail by donating online here.