Final answer:
The British Hudson's Bay Company dominated the fur trade during its expansion inland, though the Dutch West India Company and the French were also involved in the fur trade in other areas.
Step-by-step explanation:
The entity that dominated the fur trade during the expansion of the fur trade inland was the British Hudson's Bay Company. Several European powers were involved in the fur trade in North America, including the Dutch and the French. However, when it comes to the expansion inland, particularly in the northern areas near Hudson Bay and further inland, the Hudson's Bay Company played a dominant role.
The Dutch focused on trade with the establishment of the Dutch West India Company (DWIC), which struggled to maintain its monopoly due to widespread smuggling by colonists. They traded extensively with the Iroquois and expanded their reach inland. The French, through the Company of New France and later under royal control, were also significant players in the fur trade but focused on other areas, such as the St. Lawrence River and the Great Lakes region.
The Dutch West India Company possessed broad powers including the ability to make war, negotiate treaties, and govern territories which allowed them to effectively control parts of the fur trade. However, the British Hudson's Bay Company's strategic location and extensive reach into the interior lands of Canada ensured their dominance in the fur trade during the inland expansion.