Several The Bay stores closed in Western Canada due to heatwave

Several Hudson's Bay stores remain closed in Western Canada due to heatwave

Lester Balajadia/Shutterstock

Hudson’s Bay, also known as The Bay, has been forced to close stores across Western Canada over air conditioning issues amid the heatwave in the region.

Metro Vancouver has been under a heat warning from Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) since the weekend, and daily heat records around the province have been shattered as temperatures climb into the mid-thirties.

Hudson’s Bay Company (HBC) has had trouble keeping its stores cool amid the hot weather and decided to close them.

“The current heatwave has caused strain on HVAC systems in certain Hudson’s Bay locations. We are working to address [this] as quickly as possible,” HBC’s vice president of corporate communications, Tiffany Bourré, told Daily Hive on Tuesday.

“The comfort and well-being of our customers and associates is always our top priority.”

While The Bay spokesperson declined to list all stores closed due to the hot weather, Daily Hive has confirmed that the following locations have been affected in BC and Alberta:

Downtown Vancouver
Southcentre Mall, Calgary
Sevenoaks Shopping Centre, Abbotsford
Coquitlam Centre

“As the situation is fluid, signage will be posted at individual store level. We are working to reopen as quickly as possible,” said Bourré in an email on Wednesday.

Paper notices remain posted at The Bay store in downtown Vancouver. At least one customer who ventured downtown was disappointed to learn about the closure as they tried to enter the store.

@NespressoCA it’s time to get out of the Bay and open a store in the mall. This happens several different times during the summer. Its ridiculous to travel all the way downtown vancouver in this heat and the Bay is closed. pic.twitter.com/zRqfdGXJL2

— Sssssgigio (@topogigio669) July 7, 2024

A Daily Hive reader says the same closure signs are posted on the Bay’s doors at Sevenoaks Shopping Centre in Abbotsford. Social media users say the Bay at Coquitlam Centre was also closed on Monday.

At Coquitlam Centre today I noticed The Bay was closed. 🤔

— Crystal Stahl (@CrystalStahl2) July 9, 2024

Daily Hive also saw signage at Southcentre Mall in Calgary.

Emma Kilburn-Smith/Daily Hive

The heatwave is expected to weaken in Metro Vancouver on Wednesday, when temperatures will fall close to seasonal levels, according to ECCC.

With files from Megan Devlin

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