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MEC members are generous to the core – even when they’re shopping for themselves. When you buy a headlamp or a backcountry ski setup at MEC, you’re supporting community investment initiatives that conserve ecologically and recreationally important places to adventure and reduce the barriers Canadians face to leading active outdoor lifestyles.

This year, MEC members’ purchases contributed to hundreds of inspiring projects, including the highlights below:

## A hut for year-round adventures
With panoramic views of alpine lakes and spectacular peaks, the [5040 Peak West Ridge Hut](https://www.huts.accvi.ca/) will be an oasis for hikers, snowshoers and backcountry skiers. The first of its kind on Vancouver Island, the 12-person heated hut is being built and managed by the Alpine Club of Canada – Vancouver Island Section with help from an MEC community investment grant. The hut is planned to be ready in 2018; check out the ACC site for all the up-to-date info.



## Gear for epic expeditions
Helping people pioneer new routes, reach unexplored peaks and achieve their dreams is kind of our jam. MEC expedition grants support members tackling ambitious challenges. Whether you buy a kayak or an [MEC Expedition Support Trucker Hat](/en/product/5045-445/Expeditions-Trucker-Hat), your dollars support amazing adventures.

In 2017, MEC funded 22 epic expeditions. Some highlights? [Expedition Ikivuq](https://www.expeditionikivuq.com/home) paddled an unexplored river through remote Northern Quebec. Martina Halik and her mother Tania embarked on an incredible [five-month ski traverse](/en/article/i-did-a-5-month-ski-traverse-with-my-mum) of BC’s Coast Mountains. Naomi Prohaska became the [youngest person to summit](/en/article/record-setting-climb-naomi-prohaskas-mount-logan-summit) Canada’s tallest mountain.



## A chance to sleep under the stars
Camping is a rite of passage and beloved pastime for many Canadians. In addition to supporting individual pursuits, MEC is proud to support organizations that teach the basics and offer opportunities to those who might otherwise find it difficult to get outdoors overnight.

Park Canada’s [Learn to Camp program](https://www.pc.gc.ca/en/serapprocher-connect/ltc-dlc/ltc-dlc08) hosts nationwide workshops that introduce outdoor skills in a welcoming, supportive environment. MEC donates gear and provides staff to teach everything from how to set up a tent, to how to cook over a campfire, to how to paddle a SUP. Participants leave with the skills to try camping on their own and create lasting memories with family and friends.



## New trails to explore
With the help of community groups across the country, Canada’s trail network is always expanding. New trails create new opportunities to explore and connect with our surroundings, and MEC supports these local initiatives that get people outdoors and active.

The [Great Divide Trail Association](http://www.greatdividetrail.com) is a group of mainly volunteers who’ve taken on the task of developing and maintaining a 1125-km trail along the Continental Divide between BC and Alberta. Over many summers, MEC has provided this dedicated group with the supplies they need to build and restore this rugged, remote wilderness trail.

In Quebec, Vallée Bras-du-Nord’s [En marche project](http://www.valleebrasdunord.com/coop-youth-english) helps young adults (16–30 years old) struggling with issues that affect their ability to work or engage with society. Under the guidance of professional mentors, they work in forestry and trail development for six months, challenging themselves and pushing their limits. Through funding, gear donations and staff expertise, MEC is excited to support this crucial connection between outdoor activities and life skills.



## Bike rides for everyone
There’s nothing like the feeling of freedom you get when you jump on a bike, whether you’re commuting to work, hitting the trails or bikepacking into the mountains. To let their residents experience that same sensation, Victoria’s Beckley Farm Lodge residential care facility received funds to buy a trishaw. Powered by volunteers from the local chapter of [Cycling Without Age](http://cyclingwithoutage.org/), this modified bike allows elderly people and those with disabilities to get out and feel the wind in their hair.



These are just a few of the many of environmental- and outdoor recreation-focused non-profit organizations that MEC has supported through funding and gear donations. Thank you for helping strengthen our communities and conserve the wild places that sustain us, both during the holidays and all year round.

*Top photo: 5040 Peak West Ridge Hut.*

## Related articles
- [5 ways to get funded by MEC](/en/article/5-ways-to-get-funded-by-mec)
- [Why being active outdoors matters more than ever](/en/article/why-being-active-outdoors-matters-more-than-ever)
- [Surviving the Fundy Footpath: a video story](/en/article/surviving-the-fundy-footpath)



Every MEC purchase helps fund community projects, expeditions and conservation. Here are some of this year’s recipients, thanks to your support.

Community investments: The gifts you gave this year | MEC Blog

The gifts you might not know you’ve given

> “We created this traverse in the hopes of experiencing something so immense, so incredible, so epic that it would change our lives forever.”
>
*In January 2017, Tania and Martina Halik began their*[Coast Mountain Epic](http://www.coastmountainepic.ca/)*, a ski traverse of BC’s Coast Mountains. Their 5.5-month adventure took them through harsh icefields, across sweeping river valleys, into blizzards and whiteout storms, wading through frigid waters and ultimately, from Squamish, BC to Skagway, Alaska. Now, Martina recounts for MEC how “an old lady and her asthmatic daughter” (as she puts it) skied further than they ever had before.*

It all started with a boring plane ride to Denver for a week of work and the nagging knowledge that my friends and family were off on exciting summer adventures. I wanted an expedition of my own. And not just a short one, an *epic*one. One so long and difficult I could barely comprehend it without feeling a combined shiver of fear and exhilaration. There it was: ski traverse BC’s entire Coast Mountain range.



We spent a year and a half planning; poring over maps and Google Earth, training, cajoling potential sponsors and dehydrating insane amounts of food. Finally, in January 2017, we were ready to take our first step off Brohm Ridge in Squamish towards Skagway, Alaska.

By “we” I mean me and my Mum. I can hear the collective gasp, “What?! With your mother? A 6-month long ski traverse of the Coast Mountains? Isn’t she like, 60?” To which I say, “Yes and yes.” Sure, we aren’t exactly the energy drink-chugging, diehard athletic types you’d expect to take on such an epic suffer fest, but we had a dream and a willingness to try anyway. Arthritis and asthma and society’s preconceived gender notions be damned.



Turns out three days traversing from Squamish to Whistler was just daunting enough to open our eyes to the true scope of the trip, break some gear and retreat back to North Vancouver to rally. We hit up MEC for some replacement parts, ate our last meal in civilization, hitched up our pants and off we went.

It would be 47 more days to Bella Coola. Forty-seven days of learning, close calls, hunger, and cold and suffering. But 47 days of the most remarkable and beautiful moments imaginable; magical ice caves and full moons over remote icefields and dancing powder turns down 2000m (3600ft.) of vertical.

There were the unfound food caches, the alder-choked river valleys, the unrelenting, soul-crushing, gear-snapping cold. For a while, there was a constant wish to give up and go home. To go sit in a hot tub, eat non-stop and never, ever, venture onto another icefield. But, sadly there was no “beam me up Scotty” badge. We were hundreds of kilometres from the nearest road.

> All the while, my Mum just plowed into the alders with a smile on her face, looking at all the pretty snowflakes and little chickadees tweeting their mirth over our struggle. The woman is goddamn unbreakable.
>


Bella Coola was only a third of the way. That meant two-thirds of mountains, valleys, glaciers and river crossings to go. We faced unrelenting precipitation almost the entire way, not to mention extreme avalanche hazards, constant route changes and almost impossible logistics. On the other hand, there was a near endless opportunity for ingenuity and creative thinking under pressure. We grew and learned and formed new ways of thinking and surviving. We never gave up.



Spring came and the snowpack started disappearing rapidly. We decided to skip some sections and alter our route. In the midst of it all, almost without us really realizing, something had changed. It was easier. Yes, spring was here and weeks of -25°C weather were gone, yet we still faced big storms and avalanches, crevasses, bushwhacking, and now bears too. The difference was in the way we dealt with it – how we now employed the hard lessons we had learned over the last few months – we were strong, both physically and mentally. Traversing had become our life. I no longer thought of quitting. For the first time, I began to believe Skagway could be a possibility.



Weeks turned into months. We crossed icefields bigger than I’d ever imagined. We saw climate change first-hand, staring with disbelief at glaciers that had retreated over a kilometre in a single year. Our maps and aerial photos were almost useless. We saw landscapes so stunningly beautiful it made my Mum speechless. With tears in her eyes, she looked out at a never-ending skyline of peaks and icefalls.

It stormed and it snowed and it rained and sleeted. Sometimes the sun baked us and we frolicked around in sequined tutus developing really weird tan lines. A day before the summer solstice, in the semi-twilight of a calm Alaskan summer night, we took our last steps off the mountain into Skagway.



Mostly what I felt then was relief, but there was more emotion mixed in there. As the full weight of it set in I started to cry. The mountains had unequivocally changed me. The only person not crying, of course, was Mum. For her, I think, it was just another trip.



### 

*In June 2017, Tania and Martina Halik completed a ski traverse of BC’s Coast Mountain range. MEC was proud to support them with an [expedition grant](/en/explore/expedition-support), as well as the [Optimus Nova+ Stove](/en/product/5017-734/Nova%2B-Multifuel-Stove),**backcountry pot with integrated heat exchanger, and a [Petzl Tikkina Headlamp](/en/product/5051-160/Tikkina-Headlamp)**that stood up to -30*°*C temperatures. Way to go Martina and Tania!*



Tania and Martina Halik know to accomplish something extraordinary – like an intense ski traverse – you just need to be determined and try.

Ordinary to extraordinary: mother-daughter team traverse BC’s Coast Mountains | MEC Blog

I did a 5-month ski traverse with my Mum

*When we’re talking about the activities we love, it’s easy to have a default picture in our head of everyone having full mobility or cognitive capability, but in reality, there are a ton of MEC members who take on climbing, paddling, skiing and more in an adapted way. Vancouver Adaptive Snow Sports (VASS) instructor Theresa Weltzin gives us an inside look at the joys of skiing differently.*

#### Why did you get involved with VASS?
Three things: a love for skiing, a desire to ski with the family, and Jewel, our youngest, being born without enough oxygen and developing significant developmental delays. I grew up in Surrey, BC, and skied on the weekends at Mount Seymour with my parents and siblings; we enjoyed spring break ski trips to BC resorts. When Jewel was born, the vision I had of us doing the same was momentarily shattered, until a physiotherapist suggested VASS.

#### How are you connected to the program? Who participates?
I found out about the instructor-training program a year after Jewel participated in her first year at Mount Seymour in a sit-ski. The Canadian Association for Disabled Skiing (CADS) Level 1 training program was fantastic. Since then, I’ve volunteered as an instructor primarily for VASS’s sit-ski programs at Mount Seymour. I have also been part of the instructor groups in other VASS programs for people who (for the most part) have an intellectual-cognitive disability. Through the program I get to meet people who have disabilities stemming from accidents, birth events and so on. Some have physical impairments, some have cognitive and some have both.

VASS tends to have two program coordinators for each program day and lots of instructors (1–3 instructors per student). Students range from very young (4 or 5 years old) to adults in their 40s and 50s. We have over 300 students per year. Money donated by sponsors like MEC helped us purchase a new mono-ski for our students. We had a young boy last winter who’s going to be able to use this equipment independently very soon.



#### Tell us about being an instructor. What does it mean to you?
Volunteering enriches me and gives other families the joy of the mountain ski experience that I love. It’s a challenge to meet individuals where they’re at and get them on the slopes. I like having a run with the person in the sit-ski and feel how they’re doing as they work on balancing, turning and sliding. Sometimes a student may not have a lot of words to give me feedback, but a smile or gesture of happiness reinforces why I do it. I also support VASS via the CADS instructor-training program as a course leader (6 years and counting).

#### What are the main differences between adaptive and non-adaptive skiing?
It comes down to equipment and mindset. The equipment used to help someone get down the slopes is what gives an indication of adaptive skiing. There are also many folks whose equipment looks the same as everyone else’s but the lessons, teaching and learnings are different because of a cognitive impairment, for example. I know for individuals who would otherwise never get to ski, VASS has become the means to expand their experience, support their families and expose them to a world of mountains and snow.



#### What does it mean for you to be able to ski with Jewel?
It means the world to me – we can go on ski holidays or day trips whenever we like. My husband and other daughter both took the CADS Level 1 instructor training course too, so we take turns with Jewel. She really looks forward to going skiing and talks about it from about November onward. Sometimes we get in a whole day and other times it’s just two hours. She likes going fast down the mountain and has enjoyed going to Whistler, Sun Peaks, Big White and SilverStar, where we’ve connected with fantastic adaptive snow program people. My husband is keen to become a better skier – he didn’t grow up with it – and that is awesome.

#### What do you wish people knew about adaptive skiing?
People all over the world like to be active like everyone else. Every time we break down barriers and remove obstacles (physical, social and psychological) we all grow as a community. Families are well-supported by organizations like VASS.



#### How does your family like to get active?
Weekends are spent skiing at local hills and going on a ski holiday with my siblings’ families and their kids. If we have a lot of snow, we sled too. During the summer we go to the beach, go kayaking and go for walks in the park. Jewel likes to go on the swings at playgrounds and ride her bike around the block.

#### On that note, what are your favourite MEC products?
I usually grab clothes or shoes (I have a [raincoat](/en/products/clothing/jackets/rain-jackets/c/1025) that is particularly well-used and in great shape). I got my latest [ski helmet](/en/products/gear/snowsports-gear/ski-gear/ski-and-snowboard-helmets/c/1512) at MEC. I love that MEC offers [running and cycling clinics](http://events.mec.ca/find-an-event?start%5Bvalue%5D%5Bdate%5D=2017-10-23&activity%5B%5D=1&activity%5B%5D=2&type%5B%5D=13&type%5B%5D=17&type%5B%5D=20&type%5B%5D=18&city=&store=) as well as [bike maintenance workshops](http://events.mec.ca/find-an-event?start%5Bvalue%5D%5Bdate%5D=2017-10-23&activity%5B%5D=2&type%5B%5D=13&city=&store=) for the community.

*Photos courtesy of Theresa Weltzin.*

*Tuning and waxes for adaptive skis are available through*[MEC ski shops](/en/explore/ski-shop)*.*



### 

*MEC is proud to support Theresa and other VASS instructors efforts in adaptive skiing through the*[Community Contributions program](/en/explore/spring-and-fall-grants)* via a grant to*[Vancouver Adaptive Snow Sports](https://www.vass.ca/)*.*



## See more stories and articles
- [Why being active outdoors matters more than ever](/en/article/why-being-active-outdoors-matters-more-than-ever)
- [5 ways to get funded by MEC](/en/article/5-ways-to-get-funded-by-mec)
- [From bluebird to whiteout: what to wear when you go skiing](/en/article/bluebird-to-whiteout-how-to-dress-for-ski-days)



Vancouver Adaptive Snow Sports instructor Theresa Weltzin gives MEC some uplifting insider info on adaptive skiing.

For the love of winter: teaching adaptive skiing | MEC Blog

For the love of winter: teaching adaptive skiing

Halfway up the 1500m South Ridge of Serra Two in BC’s Waddington Range, I discovered I’m powerful. And I don’t mean physically powerful; I knew that a long time ago. What I mean is, I finally realized the internal strength and resilience I possess.

It was the summer of 2012 and two girlfriends and I had been dropped off at the head of the 22km-long Tiedemann Glacier by our pilot, Mike King. I’d never felt so small. From our perch rose Mount Combatant (3762m), Mount Tiedemann (3848m), Mount Asperity (3716m), and Serra’s One through Five. Each ridge-line from glacier to summit represented 1600m or more of technical rocky relief. As Mike navigated his Bell 204 helicopter away from us, we stood alone among giants.

A few days in, while on Serra Two’s south ridge, our climb wasn’t quite going according to plan. We began to notice low-hanging clouds around the summits, indicating a breakdown in the high-pressure system we’d been riding. We quietly discussed the deteriorating weather as we curled into our bivy. With 800m of complex low fifth-class terrain below us, retreating would be slower and more complicated than continuing upward. Darkness fell and we lay silently cocooned, ears straining for the sounds of worsening weather.

When we woke the next morning, we had to shake off a fresh layer of snow on our sleeping bags. The ridge we intended to climb was now encased in snow and ice and we were engulfed in a winter storm. With few words between the team, we knew that we were going to “fail to the top.” Over 14 hours, we navigated the ridge with gloved hands and aluminum crampons strapped to our approach shoes, each taking our block of leads to push the rope higher up the ridge. We made it to the top and back down safely, but what should have been an easy alpine rock adventure turned in to a tough three-day ascent.

As we made our way back home to Squamish, it became apparent to me that on Serra Two, I’d tapped into an inner strength I didn’t know I possessed to get through that storm. It took several more mountain adventures before I finally drew the connection between the internal strength and resilience I’d identified in myself through climbing, and how to translate that power to my life outside the mountains.



Several years after the Waddington Range climb, a challenging life experience forced my hand, so to speak, and I dug deep to tap into my personal strength – not to climb a mountain this time, but to navigate the valley of my present life circumstance. Despite the theoretical storm engulfing me – I watched helplessly at the life I’d built for myself crumble at my feet – I had never believed in myself so firmly.

Climbing is often referred to as a selfish sport, and I agree with that sentiment to a degree, but without climbing I don’t know if I would have arrived at the place where I believe so whole-heartedly in my ability to endure, thrive and put my head down to push through difficult times. For this reason, I have purposefully sought out ways to share with other women what climbing has taught me.

Over the last two years I’ve been afforded incredible opportunities to participate in the lives of women both inside and outside the climbing community. There was the MEC-sponsored “Send with Sarah” event at the 2016 Banff Mountain Film and Book Festival. On the final day of the festival, MEC brought together 16 women to participate in a climbing clinic, enjoy Sunday brunch at the festival venue, and attend a panel discussion featuring notable female adventurers. The purpose of the day couldn’t have been solidified any better when one of the most accomplished female rock climbers of the 21st century, Lynn Hill, made a surprise appearance during our clinic. Lynn imparted meaningful advice about surrounding ourselves with other women who can share in our passion for outdoor adventure.



More recently, I was asked to co-facilitate the Minerva Foundation for BC Women’s Learning to Lead™ program. Now in it’s seventh year, the program brings together fifty 16-year-old girls from across the province to develop and enhance their leadership skills both personally and within their respective communities. That weekend, I left exhausted from trying to keep up with 16 year olds, but also revitalized as I’d witnessed the transformation in these young women as they discovered their own internal power and resilience.



Finally, and a major aha moment for me, was volunteering with and then working for The Howe Sound Women’s Centre in my hometown of Squamish, BC. After living in Squamish for almost eight years, I’d never taken the time to connect with the community of women beyond my insulated circle of climbers. Squamish is full of women who’ve lived through their own personal challenges and demonstrated a resilience far beyond my own. And in some small ways, I’ve been given the chance to share with women in my home community the power I discovered in myself through climbing, but that I believe resides deep inside all of us.

As women and climbers, we have the unique ability to challenge ourselves mentally all the time and hone the skills of internal fortitude to achieve our climbing goals. But what do we do with these skills beyond just ticking off another project? I encourage you to explore ways to lift up other women and help them uncover just how powerful they are too. Feminism teaches us that women expand, learn and challenge themselves best in the company of other women. Take what climbing has taught you, and spread it to the community of women just outside your door.

*Top photo by Rich Wheater.*



## related articles
- [Record-setting climb: 15-year-old Naomi Prohaska’s Mount Logan summit](/en/article/record-setting-climb-naomi-prohaskas-mount-logan-summit)
- [15 things I wish I knew before I started climbing](/en/article/15-things-i-wish-i-knew-before-i-started-climbing)
- [The gear I love: one pro climber’s essentials](/en/article/the-gear-i-love)



MEC Ambassador Sarah Hart shares how climbing has given her the strength and resilience to face tough personal challenges and adversity.

How to unleash your inner badass | MEC Blog

How to unleash your inner badass

You never know the impact something will have on you until you’ve sat with it for a while. When I decided that I wanted to be the youngest person to summit Canada’s tallest mountain, I didn’t know what to expect, or what it meant. I wanted to be challenged and I knew that having a dream would motivate me. I had no clue how much effort would go into just one training trip, or how many hours I would need to practice avalanche and crevasse rescue. But I also didn’t know how much passion someone could have for something.

As I began to learn about mountaineering, I began to love it. Every trip I took with my ACMG mountain guide father, I learned something new – how to prevent and treat blisters, what worked for me, that you can sunburn the inside of your nose, tongue and eyes. Beginning to learn and understand the fundamentals of mountaineering also taught me so much about myself; I know that to make myself happy and clear my mind, I need the mountains. I know I can set my mind to accomplishing something others might call insane and do it, and that is so encouraging. Training to climb Mount Logan set me out on so many incredible adventures that I wouldn’t have done if I weren’t preparing for it.

As my departure for the Yukon grew closer, I became more and more nervous, but more and more excited. And, most importantly, I felt more and more supported. I was being cheered on by my family, friends, friends of friends, total strangers and amazing companies like MEC, Peak Performance, Nomad Nutrition and Mountain Berry Landscaping. Without the people that inspired and helped me, I never would have seen Mount Logan.

On the flight to basecamp, I was so grateful to be where I was. Just seeing Mount Logan was incredible. The size of it is incomparable to any of the mountains I’ve seen before. Landing on the Quintino Sella Glacier, I was so ready to start moving up this beast of a mountain.

With each day in Kluane National Park and Reserve, I was pushed further and further. The days became harder as the nights became colder. For most of the trip, every step uphill was an elevation record for me. The effects of altitude – headaches, nausea, loss of appetite, shortness of breath and overall tiredness – were new to me, but almost everyone experiences it. Most of our camps brought on some altitude sickness, but that was overshadowed by the joy I felt in making it that much further up the mountain.



Every step I took was bringing me closer to realizing my dream. As the climbs between camps grew steadily harder, the views became more rewarding. We had views of the slanting King Peak (Canada’s fourth-highest mountain), an incredible mass that made us feel so small. The sight of Mount Saint Elias, however, was by far the most astonishing of the expedition. Gazing out and seeing nothing but snow, ice and rock was fascinating. We were truly in the middle of nowhere, although this had all been the centre of my thoughts for so long.



I’d thought about Mount Logan every day for two years. I had imagined the route and camps countless times, and memorized maps of the mountain. I thought about the view from the top so much it took away from my GPA. When the time came to actually live out the month I’d spent so long preparing for, it was crazy. I couldn’t believe where I was most of the time. I couldn’t comprehend that I was living my dream or that it wasn’t a dream anymore, it was my reality.

Standing on top of Canada is possibly the hardest moment of my life to describe. I was in such awe and disbelief of where I was, I couldn’t grasp that I wasn’t asleep or just imagining it. I was the highest person in Canada and the youngest person to have ever been there. I was, in that moment, who I had been aspiring to be for 25 months.

After I summited, I didn’t have the sense of completion I had expected. I was still just a girl who wanted to spend as much time as possible in the mountains. Having completed my goal didn’t mean I was finished; it wasn’t just another thing to tick off a list and then move on from, it was something to build on. Our expedition in the Saint Elias range cemented my need for and love of mountaineering.



In the time that has passed since I left the Yukon, I’ve thought about the mountains a lot. I have yearned for the calmness of the ice and the sense of peace in my soul. I have craved the views of surrounding peaks, and looking back to see how far I’ve climbed. I know having goals will push me to become a better mountaineer and a better person, and I get why it seems inspiring. Yet, being able to fully enjoy the company of rock and snow is something much deeper than being the youngest, first or fastest to accomplish something. I know now that I prefer the roaring wind at the top of a peak over four walls and a roof. And I know that I wouldn’t be able to stay away from the mountains if I tried.

*Photos by Rich Prohaska.*



### 

*On May 24, 2017, at the age of 15, Naomi Prohaska became the youngest person to summit Mount Logan, Canada’s highest mountain. MEC was proud to support Naomi with an [expedition grant](/en/explore/expedition-support) as well as outfit her with [ski boots](/en/products/gear/snowsports-gear/ski-gear/ski-boots/alpine-touring-boots/c/1198), the [Exped Downmat sleeping pad](/en/product/5052-838/Downmat-HL-Winter-Sleeping-Pad), [Ferrosi climbing pants](/en/product/5035-001/Ferrosi-Pants), [hut booties](/en/product/5031-587/Get-Down-Bootie) and an [MEC Outpost Duffle](/en/product/5035-334/Outpost-Duffle) for her record-setting climb. Way to go Naomi!*



Months after her record-setting summit of Mount Logan, 15-year-old climber Naomi Prohaska reflects on her big moments on top of Canada’s biggest mountain.

Record-setting climb: Naomi Prohaska’s Mount Logan summit | MEC Blog

Record-setting climb: Naomi Prohaska’s Mount Logan summit

Thomas arrived in Toronto from Ethiopia as a refugee in February 2017. He was blown away by the size and diversity of the city, but had only stepped foot outside it once in five months. A recent outing to Rouge National Urban Park offered a second escape. “It’s nice to just get outside without the sounds of the city in the background, and this is only the second chance I’ve had so far.”

Thomas had been invited as a part of MEC partner Parkbus’s [NatureLink](https://www.parkbus.ca/naturelink) program, which takes new Canadians and urbanites with transportation barriers to outdoor destinations. [Parkbus](https://www.parkbus.ca/index) has been shuttling city dwellers to the great outdoors for seven years now. Founders Alex Berlyand and Boris Issaev have taken passengers to Algonquin, Killarney, Elora Gorge and Grundy Lake Provincial Park. When they heard about Parks Canada’s development of Rouge Park, the country’s first ever Urban National Park (categorized as such due to its proximity to Toronto), they knew it was a great opportunity for their NatureLink initiative.

The program was coined by Parkbus ambassador Julia Bitan and kicked off in winter 2016, when the crew took a group of Syrian refugees to Arrowhead National Park. For many Syrians, it was the first time they’d seen snow. This year’s trip to Rouge Park was a little closer to home, but coming in at more than 21 times the size of New York’s Central Park, it still feels a world away.

This outing also coincided with the [Rouge National Urban Park Flagship BioBlitz event](http://www.ontariobioblitz.ca/rouge-national-urban-park-flagship-bioblitz.html) in June. BioBlitz is *the*place to be for nature lovers, those into classifying organisms (taxonomic experts) and citizen scientists. Everyone was treated to a unique day outside observing the area’s flora and fauna.



The day’s activities included scouting for nesting turtles on a marshy nature walk, meeting falcons and partaking in some wall climbing – far from average for those who had yet to step foot outside the city limits. “I have always been an outdoor enthusiast,” says Boris, “but my family and I lived in Toronto for seven years before I was able to buy a car and start exploring.”



Boris knows firsthand how few transit connections there are to outdoor areas, especially if you live downtown. “From personal experience, I can say that new Canadians are unfortunately one group for whom opportunities like this are few and far between.”

At NatureLink’s core is relief from the frenetic energy that can accompany moving to a city – solace and solitude for those unaccustomed to city life, plus a chance to play outdoors and relax in their new home.



“This whole thing is just such a great gift to Canada and to the Greater Toronto Area for Canada’s sesquicentennial,” shares Omar McDadi, external relations manager for Rouge Park. “To be able to bring so many people from so many different backgrounds right across the economic spectrum to explore here… we’re stoked about it. It’s awesome.”

*Photos by Danielle Marr*



Parkbus introduces NatureLink, a new transit program that removes barriers to getting more and new Canadians outside.

NatureLink: Connecting newcomers to nature | MEC Blog

NatureLink: Connecting newcomers to nature

*The passionate staff we have in our stores is part of what sets MEC apart. Running experts like Matthew Travaglini, a staff member in our MEC Calgary store, have helped programs like the MEC run crew and running clinics come to life.*

*His love for running has helped shape an exciting and inspiring lifestyle, which includes being crowned the men’s 2017 Canadian Mountain Running champion earlier this year. Since then, he’s been invited to participate in the World Mountain Running Championships in Italy, and we wanted to catch up with him before he left – and to wish him good luck!*

**How are you feeling about the upcoming World Mountain Running Champs?**

Excited! This will be my first international competition and that part’s a little nerve-racking. But with the way my training has been going, I feel ready to compete and am excited to run against the top mountain runners in the world.



**Why did you start running?**

I started running because it was a way to get in shape to play soccer. When I didn’t make the final cut for my high school soccer team, running for the track team was a happy second choice. Looking back, I don’t think that I understood how important getting cut from that team would end up being in my life. I chose to run competitively because the more I ran, the more I enjoyed it and the more I wanted to get better at it.



**How did you get into mountain running?**

I started mountain running last year when I moved to Calgary. Fellow MEC staffer Josh convinced me that this would be something fun. With what felt like a near death experience on my first mountain run – like any logical person – I was hooked. Since then, I’ve headed out to the mountains more frequently because there’s nowhere else you can experience the feeling of running straight uphill for 5km and still not be able to see the top.



**How has working at MEC inspired you to run?**

Being surrounded by active staff and members is definitely part of where I get my motivation to run from. Whether it’s sharing commuting stories or comparing Strava segments, working with and talking to so many people who are passionate about the outdoors and being fit is amazing, and is one of my favourite parts of my job.



**How do you get most of your running in?**

If I’m not going to the mountains for a run, a lot of my weekly mileage comes from my runs to and from work. Other than limiting factors (like an injury or going on a training course for work that involves bringing gear) I’ve run every single day to work. My route is about 8.5km away from the store, and it takes me through some amazing neighbourhoods and parks looking out over the city. It’s a really cool way to start the day seeing the sun coming up over the city skyline.

Depending on where I’m at in my training, I’ll add a few kilometres before or after work or will [sneak in a tempo](/en/article/be-a-better-runner-get-the-tempo-run-101) if I’m “running” late. The hardest, but most rewarding, is when I’m able to do a workout after a day at work.



**What kind of running events do you help with at MEC Calgary?**

The MEC Calgary run crew and the learn to run clinics have been a cool part of the work I do with MEC. My summer racing schedule makes it a little more difficult to go to the Saturday meet-ups because that’s typically the day that races happen. But I’ve been able to help with running clinics we offer and get to see the amount of effort these first-time runners are putting in to achieve their goals.

The free Saturday morning run group is super cool. We meet at the store and head down to the river for a run and then hit up the local coffee shop after. Recently, I’ve also been able to do some presentations at our race series package pick-ups where I give a 45-minute talk on race preparation.



**What’s your favourite part about running?**

I don’t know if I have one thing that I can pinpoint as my absolute favourite part. If I did, it would probably have to be the people I’ve met or the places I’ve been able to go to because of running. Almost all the people I’m closest with have come through running (minus a few, and those are ones who I share a passion for the outdoors with).

On a deeper level, I will say that the solitude and grandness of mountain running is something I have never experienced before. There are points when you’re breathing so heavily and your heart is pumping so loudly that you can barely hear what’s going on around you. The sound of only your heartbeat and breath and the sight of the Rockies is an extraordinary experience.

*Have a great trip, Matthew! We’ll be cheering for you at the World Mountain Running Championships. If you’re interested in trying trail running, check out our [beginner trail running tips](/en/article/how-to-start-trail-running-tips-for-road-runners).*

*Top photo: Josh Denison ([@joshsonofdenis](https://www.instagram.com/joshsonofdenis/))*



Meet the 2017 Canadian Mountain Running champion from Calgary.

MEC staffer spotlight: Matthew Travaglini | MEC Blog

MEC staffer spotlight: Matthew Travaglini

*We love that you love getting outside. That’s why we’re profiling inspiring members across Canada who connect with their communities through active outdoor lifestyles.*

Member: Melody Markle
Member since: 2007
Activities: mountain biking, camping, hiking

**Tell us about yourself. How do you like to get outside?**

I am Algonquin Anishinaabe-kwe and grew up in Algonquin Anishinaabe traditional territory in Ontario. I spent many summer seasons camping, fishing with my brother, playing in swamps to catch turtles and stargazing into the night sky. I was fortunate at an early age to have my mother sprinkle seeds of culture in me and around the importance of being First Nation. I often give thanks to her for instilling my pride to be loud and proud of my motherline.

During my adult years I moved to Toronto and attended Ryerson University. I also started spin classes with the goal of building my stamina and cardio levels for my move to BC.

**What was your first introduction to mountain biking?**

The summer of 2007 was full of endless trail adventures. I started riding with the Cumberland Ladies Ride Group. My first day of biking in Courtenay, BC, was a ride to remember. I borrowed a large downhill bike from the guys and threw my helmet on with hopes of not crashing. It was a short-lived dream – I ended up going over the handlebars five times during our ride on Tomato Creek. I even had my first panic attack during the climb on the logging road.



**What do you like about mountain biking? What’s changed for you since you started?**

I love the personal transformation, from increased confidence to leading a healthier lifestyle. I spent a lot of time in urban settings where trails are harder to find, and my health wasn’t a priority. It wasn’t until my first trail ride that I realized how much exercise was involved. I began to train four times a week on local group rides. I loved how supportive the riders were, and the weekly outings settled my anxiety around venturing off on my own in the forest.

I began to ride downhill and XC and built up my cardio to handle two-hour rides without being too exhausted. Now I’m learning to ride Kamloops terrain, which is primarily singletrack enduro, and I’m beginning to love the climb. I’m riding with intermediate to advanced riders now too, and enjoy how they encourage me to push myself. I love setting goals and watching the progress with a group or recording my time on [Strava](https://www.strava.com/athletes/21213135).

**How did you get involved with the Aboriginal Youth Mountain Biking Program?**

I was connected to [Patrick Lucas](http://vancouversun.com/news/local-news/mountain-biking-helps-put-b-c-first-nations-youth-on-a-positive-path) and the [AYMBP](http://www.aymbp.ca/home.html) through a friend who works with the Aboriginal Sport and Recreation Collective. She suggested we meet to chat about our love for mountain biking and engaging the Aboriginal community. After a few rides and conversations we created a video about how I connect to the territory when I’m riding the trails. I guess I consider myself a role model when riding because there are so many other elements I incorporate when pushing my pedals. Presently, I volunteer my time with various groups from surrounding communities if they need additional help with group rides.



Melody2015



**How is mountain biking a healing tool for you?**

I strongly believe in muscle and blood memory as a framework when decolonizing my body. I practice this by looking after my health holistically. There are many layers to tend to: mental, physical, emotional and spiritual. I strive to maintain balance in all the elements that make up a whole and assist me with my biking performance. This is how I work through the impacts of colonization and continue to heal myself from the effects of what happened to Indigenous people.

**Like Anishinaabe Aki, the traditional territories of the majority of Nations here in BC are also unceded. Does this impact how and where you ride in BC?**

I love to ride anywhere that good people have been involved with the trail building. I believe we don’t own the trails as this is Mother Earth that we all share. I’m also aware and understand that I am a guest here in BC, I respect the land and support the surrounding Bands when we defend land from future developers. I feel very honoured when I’m invited by a community member to ride in their territory and often chat about the history of the people and celebrate how biking has brought families together. I’m stoked that First Nation communities are becoming part of the trail building process and rebuilding their communities in healthy ways.

**What does the mountain bike community need to know about where they ride?**

I think everyone in the biking industry should be aware of the traditional territories their bike races take place in and acknowledge the original peoples that have resided for thousands of years. Also, maybe in the future, when trail building happens, involve the community and consult with them about Indigenizing the trail names. Incorporate medicine rides that teach people about the plants they are riding into.



**Do you see mountain biking as something that helps you connect with the land?**

When I’m riding my bike, I’m reminded of the all the plant and medicine diversity that is utilized to heal. As I ride through the trails, I’m mindful that Mother Earth has all the answers for me when I’m encountering a complex decision. Mountain biking always takes me far into beautiful backcountry that is full of plants, all of which have a role to play when we talk about holistic health with Indigenous people.

For example, while riding in Kamloops – the traditional territory of the Secwepemc people – I noted the sage that has been planted on the hillside for thousands of years. I always stop and reflect on the use of these plants and others by the Secwepemc people for food, medicine, technology and ceremonies. Around spring time, the smell of sage reminds me to clear my mind when I’m having a difficult time. It is when I’m out on the trails in the hills that I remember how important our traditional foods and medicines are to keep us whole. The only plant that I try and steer clear from would be [stinging nettle](/en/article/how-to-do-anything-spot-dangerous-plants)! It was the worst pain and rash experienced when I rode a trail in Ontario.

**Talk to us about identifying as a woman in sport known for its masculinity.**

I think the sport has evolved within the few years I’ve been biking. There are more women entering the sport at an early stage. More are racing, coaching and guiding. I used to be the only lady riding with men at the park and typically ran into men on the trail. I was lucky to have some patient guys who would wait for me at an intersection and cheer me along the way. I haven’t really noticed a difference of whom I’m riding with. All genders can become competitive for the same reasons and I’m grateful for my riding friends. Actually now that I think of it, I have a lady rider pal who loves to chat during a climb which is really helpful for me to keep on going. I find most men will have smaller conversations but want to focus on their breathing.

Another important trend that has changed quite a bit is women’s biking attire. I remember only owning one pair of riding shorts before and they were men’s. I think within the last 5–10 years, there’s been a lot more of a selection of women’s riding attire.



**On that note, what are your favourite MEC products?**

I have a lot from MEC, including a camping dish set, tent, sleeping bag, water bottles, hydration packs, clothing, and rain jackets to name a few.

**What are your favourite trails to ride?**

Within BC, I think my favourite is 7th Secret in North Vancouver on Mount Fromme. Also Full Nelson in Squamish, Beer Run in Kamloops, and Cupcake and Two-in-a-Juice in Cumberland.

**Tell us about your perfect day outside.**

Loading up my bike and camp gear and venturing to a new mountain. I love exploring with my wheels of health. That post-ride feeling of relief is the satisfaction I strive for on my weekends. I also enjoy good company of friends who share that passion for biking too.

**What is your hope for the future of the mountain biking community?**

I hope there will be more First Nation communities encouraging their people to ride and spend time in the beautiful forests and hills. I hope more young people will give biking a try and keep at it as a hobby.

**Are there bikers you follow or look up to?**

I just started using Strava and have been following my friend Carolyn, a Kamloops local. She’s a mother as well and reminds me to encourage my little ones to ride once I start a family. She’s also very kind and encouraging when we do weekly rides.



Meet MEC member Melody Markle, an avid mountain biker from Long Point (Winneway) First Nation who is all about trailblazing to mino-pimadiziwin (the good life).

MEC member spotlight: Melody Markle | MEC Blog

MEC member spotlight: Melody Markle

Ready for the long weekend? Maybe some deals will help

Free store pickup and returns. Find out more

Phone: (902) 421-2667

Our bike mechanics can do it all, from installing fenders to building wheels from scratch. Not sure what work your bike needs? Bring it in for a free safety inspection and we’ll let you know. Call us to set up a bike shop visit. Small repairs can be done while you shop.

Bike fitting services are temporarily paused.



## Tune-up packages
###### *Parts are not included in tune-up prices.* **Add-on services for all Tune-up packages: bike cleaning fee $20, hub repack (single) $20, spoke replacement $10 (spokes and nipples not included).



#### Basic Tune-up $100
*For when your bike hasn’t had a tune-up after a season of light use. Designed to get you rolling smoothly again by solving your drivetrain issues, imprecise shifting, loose feeling brakes, or when the whole bike is feeling slightly off.*

- Full bike safety check; all bolts, pivot points, and components inspected for proper torque and wear levels
- Light cleaning -- Frame and fork wiped down and inspected 
- Tires inflated, chain lubricated, and grease applied to seatpost
- Bearing adjustments -- including headset, and front and rear hubs
- Brake systems adjusted -- including cable adjustments and pad position 
- Shifting systems adjusted  -- including cable adjustments and hanger alignment
- Minor wheel truing -- lateral truing and light radial adjustments (spoke replacements extra)
- Minor components installed (chain, cassette, brake pads, tubes) 

#### Advanced Tune-up $140
*For when your bike hasn't had a tune-up after a season of regular riding or has issues caused by dirt, component wear, or light damage. If your bike has poor or inconsistent shifting, soft brakes, or the wheels aren’t straight, this package is for you.*

- Includes every service from the Basic Tune-up, plus:
- Major wheel truing as needed -- including tension and dish adjustments
- Drivetrain removed and fully washed, lubricated, and reinstalled
- Frame, fork, and wheels cleaned -- including braking surfaces
- Installation of up to 2 cables, with housing **parts extra

#### Advanced Plus Tune-up $220
*A comprehensive service for well-used bikes that need of some TLC.*

- Includes every service from the Advanced Tune-up, plus:
- Headset and Wheel bearings cleaned and repacked
- Hydraulic brakes bled, or the installation of all cables and hosing for non-hydraulic systems
- Installation of intermediate-level components (bottom bracket, spoke replacements, tubeless sealant refresh) **parts extra

#### Premium Tune-up 
*Available in Road and MTB specific packages. This complete service gets your bike looking and feeling brand new.*

- Includes every service from the Advanced PLUS Tune-up, plus:
- Complete tear down and rebuild (MTB includes linkages)
- Full frame, component, and wheel detailing
- ** NOT included -- Specialty services such as: Suspension services, dropper post services, and wheel building.




### A la carte bike services
 
|**Wheels**|**Price**|
| ---|--- |
| Tire or tube install| $12|
| Specialty Tire or Tube Install (e-bikes, fat bikes, etc)| $20|
| Wheel true| $15 – $20|
| Wheel build| $70 and up|
| Hub adjustment| $10 – $20|
| Hub overhaul| $25|
| ---|--- |
|**Brakes**|**Price**|
| Brake adjustment| $15 – $25|
| Brake bleed| $30|
| Cable and housing replacement -- *Installation cost per cable and housing length*| $10|
| ---|--- |
|**Drivetrain**|**Price**|
| Gear adjustment| $15 – $20|
| Chain installation| $8 - $17|
| Bottom bracket replacement -- *BB Removal, frame prepped, installation (parts not included)*| $30|
| Shimano internal geared hub service -- *Disassembly, fluid replacement, and lubrication*| $70|
| Shimano Di2 reprogramming and firmware update -- *call for store availability*| $35|
| Cable and housing replacement -- *Installation cost per cable and housing length*| $10|
|---|--- |  
|**Other services**|**Price**|
| Headset adjustment| $10|
| Headset overhaul| $30|
| Miscellaneous accessory install| $10 – $35|
| Bar tape installation -- *Tape extra*| $25|
| Bike boxing -- *Partial disassembly and packaging for shipping or airplane travel*| $60|
| General repairs -- *Minimum shop charge is $5*| $80/hr|






Bike shop

Your local MEC store is more than just a place to get gear – it’s a hub for your outdoor community. MEC All Out (our community program) has all kinds of ways to help you get outside:

### Local events
Year-round, MEC offers low cost (or even free) clinics and workshops. Find [MEC events](https://events.mec.ca/&organization=mec) near you see what’s happening in store, learn new outdoor skills from friendly staff instructors, and spark ideas for your next outdoor trip.

### Grants and donations
Our community program has given tens of millions of dollars to help people in Canada get active outdoors. Have an awesome outdoor idea? Check out our [community grants](/en/explore/spring-and-fall-grants) and [grassroots product donations](/en/explore/grassroots-product-donations) for criteria and applications.



### Free display space
Not-for-profit groups and local clubs that share MEC values can use our floor space to tell people what’s going on. Let people know about outdoor issues, collect input on plans, or just get the word out about your club. For more info, please email hal_aa@mec.ca or phone the store.



Community

If you love trails, snow, water or fresh air, this is your store. Visit MEC Halifax for outdoor gear, know-how and inspiration.

MEC arrived in the Atlantic region in 2001 with our Halifax store. We moved into an existing building and used as many of the on-site structural elements as possible. While this store wasn’t built from the ground up, we still found ways to make small changes that add up to energy savings over time. Here are some of the green features:

- Moved into an existing building, which saved on construction materials and the embodied energy costs.
- To cut down on materials required, there are minimal floor and ceiling coverings.
- We’re replacing some of the conventional lighting with energy saving LED fixtures.

Like all MEC buildings, we’re proud to say that this store is carbon neutral. We purchase Green Electricity Certificates and Green Natural Gas Certificates from [Bullfrog Power](https://www.bullfrogpower.com/), which means that Bullfrog procures renewable energy (wind, micro-hydro and biogas) on our behalf for electricity and natural gas.

MEC aims to maximize efficiency and minimize environmental impacts in our stores. Learn more about our [green buildings](/en/explore/green-buildings).



Green building features

For the safety of staff and members, we are pausing in-store gear repair services for a while. Thanks for your understanding. Want to try some repairs on your own? Learn how to fix your own gear with these [how-to articles and videos on popular gear repair topics](/en/explore/product-care-and-maintenance).

### Recycling
If you bought any of the items below at MEC, you can bring them back to our store for recycling:

- Batteries (no broken or corroded ones please).

Have a question about something that’s not on the list above? Give us a call or contact your local municipal recycling program.



Repairs and recycling

Professional ski and snowboard shop services to set you up for the season. Some services may not be available year-round. Call us to set up a visit.

Buy two of the big three – board/skis, bindings, boots – from MEC and we’ll mount your bindings for free. This offer applies to all types of snowboard and ski equipment sold at MEC. If you’re shopping online, take advantage of this deal by calling your store to arrange an appointment to mount your bindings before you visit. Our ski techs get busy, and we don’t want to let you down.



| Mounting| 
|----|----|
| ---| ---|
| Classic| $30|
| Skate| $30|
| Telemark| $50|
| Alpine touring| $50|
| Binding removal*With purchase of new binding or skis*| Free|

| Base tune-up| 
|----|----|
| ---| ---|
| General repairs*Minimum shop charge is $5*| $70/hr|
| Hot wax (hand)| $35|
| Pine tar*Call for availability*| $30|

| Additional services| 
|----|----|
| ---| ---|
| Skin fit and shaping*Call for availability*| $25|
| Boot liner molding*With purchase of boots*| Free|
| Boot fitting| $20|

| Snowshoe services| 
|----|----|
| ---| ---|
| Binding replacement| $70/pair|
| Rivet replacement| $15/unit|
| Binding strap replacement| $15/unit|



Ski services

Store Pickup

We are following the advice and guidance of local health authorities to ensure we are providing the safest possible environment to MEC members and staff.

We aim to provide a safe environment that respects everyone’s comfort level and risk tolerance. Thanks for looking out for each other.

Order online and [pick up](/en/explore/in-store-pickup) at this location.

You can [return](/en/explore/covid-19-shipping-and-returns-updates) products to any store.



**MEC is closely monitoring provincial government guidelines to ensure the safety of all members and staff.**

#### Safety measures
- Number of people inside stores is limited and controlled at all entrances.  
- Social distancing guidelines are posted outside and inside stores.
- Lineup areas have two-meter markers on the floor.
- Staff are required to wear personal protective equipment, including masks.
- Hand sanitizer stations are set up for members and staff to use.  
- Staff practice and promote everyday preventive behaviours including frequent hand washing and social distancing.  
- Common areas including doors, staircases, cash desks, and bike fitting areas are regularly disinfected.  
- Cleaning processes are enhanced for the entire store. 
- Restrictions on the type of clothing and gear members are permitted to try on.  
- Plexiglass shields are installed at cashier stations. 

#### Service updates  
- Climbing walls and play areas are closed.  
- Clinics, events and community room bookings are paused.  
- Rental services are paused.  
- Repair shops are open for bike and ski repairs only.

#### Facilities and supply chain
- We are following all government advisories regarding gathering sizes and retail operations  
- We remain committed to our responsible sourcing practices. MEC continues to uphold standards for the health and safety of people who make and distribute the products we sell.   









Welcome

Phone: (613) 729-2700

Our bike mechanics can do it all, from installing fenders to building wheels from scratch. Not sure what work your bike needs? Bring it in for a free safety inspection and we’ll let you know. Call us to set up a bike shop visit. Small repairs can be done while you shop.

Bike fitting services are temporarily paused.



## Tune-up packages
###### *Parts are not included in tune-up prices.* **Add-on services for all Tune-up packages: bike cleaning fee $20, hub repack (single) $20, spoke replacement $10 (spokes and nipples not included).




#### Basic Tune-up $100
*For when your bike hasn’t had a tune-up after a season of light use. Designed to get you rolling smoothly again by solving your drivetrain issues, imprecise shifting, loose feeling brakes, or when the whole bike is feeling slightly off.*

- Full bike safety check; all bolts, pivot points, and components inspected for proper torque and wear levels
- Light cleaning -- Frame and fork wiped down and inspected 
- Tires inflated, chain lubricated, and grease applied to seatpost
- Bearing adjustments -- including headset, and front and rear hubs
- Brake systems adjusted -- including cable adjustments and pad position 
- Shifting systems adjusted  -- including cable adjustments and hanger alignment
- Minor wheel truing -- lateral truing and light radial adjustments (spoke replacements extra)
- Minor components installed (chain, cassette, brake pads, tubes) 

#### Advanced Tune-up $140
*For when your bike hasn't had a tune-up after a season of regular riding or has issues caused by dirt, component wear, or light damage. If your bike has poor or inconsistent shifting, soft brakes, or the wheels aren’t straight, this package is for you.*

- Includes every service from the Basic Tune-up, plus:
- Major wheel truing as needed -- including tension and dish adjustments
- Drivetrain removed and fully washed, lubricated, and reinstalled
- Frame, fork, and wheels cleaned -- including braking surfaces
- Installation of up to 2 cables, with housing **parts extra

#### Advanced Plus Tune-up $220
*A comprehensive service for well-used bikes that need of some TLC.*

- Includes every service from the Advanced Tune-up, plus:
- Headset and Wheel bearings cleaned and repacked
- Hydraulic brakes bled, or the installation of all cables and hosing for non-hydraulic systems
- Installation of intermediate-level components (bottom bracket, spoke replacements, tubeless sealant refresh) **parts extra

#### Premium Tune-up 
*Available in Road and MTB specific packages. This complete service gets your bike looking and feeling brand new.*

- Includes every service from the Advanced PLUS Tune-up, plus:
- Complete tear down and rebuild (MTB includes linkages)
- Full frame, component, and wheel detailing
- ** NOT included -- Specialty services such as: Suspension services, dropper post services, and wheel building.




### A la carte bike services
 
|**Wheels**|**Price**|
| ---|--- |
| Tire or tube install| $12|
| Specialty Tire or Tube Install (e-bikes, fat bikes, etc)| $20|
| Wheel true| $20 – $25|
| Wheel build| $70 and up|
| Hub adjustment| $10 – $20|
| Hub overhaul| $25|
| ---|--- |
|**Brakes**|**Price**|
| Brake adjustment| $15 – $25|
| Brake bleed| $30|
| Cable and housing replacement -- *Installation cost per cable and housing length*| $10|
| ---|--- |
|**Drivetrain**|**Price**|
| Gear adjustment| $15 – $20|
| Chain installation| $8 - $17|
| Bottom bracket replacement -- *BB Removal, frame prepped, installation (parts not included)*| $30|
| Shimano internal geared hub service -- *Disassembly, fluid replacement, and lubrication*| $70|
| Shimano Di2 reprogramming and firmware update -- *call for store availability*| $35|
| Cable and housing replacement -- *Installation cost per cable and housing length*| $10|
|---|--- |  
|**Other services**|**Price**|
| Headset adjustment| $10|
| Headset overhaul| $30|
| Miscellaneous accessory install| $10 – $35|
| Bar tape installation -- *Tape extra*| $25|
| Bike boxing -- *Partial disassembly and packaging for shipping or airplane travel*| $60|
| General repairs -- *Minimum shop charge is $5*| $80/hr|




Your local MEC store is more than just a place to get gear – it’s a hub for your outdoor community. MEC All Out (our community program) has all kinds of ways to help you get outside:



### Local events
Find [MEC events](https://events.mec.ca/&organization=mec) near you to see what’s happening in store, make connections with interesting people and get active outdoors. Year-round, MEC offers low cost (or even free) clinics and workshops from friendly staff instructors, plus events happening in the larger community – everything from backcountry navigation classes to film screenings.



### Grants and donations
Our community program has given tens of millions of dollars to help people in Canada get active outdoors. Have an awesome outdoor idea? Check out our [community grants](/en/explore/spring-and-fall-grants) and [grassroots product donations](/en/explore/grassroots-product-donations) for criteria and applications.



### Free meeting room
*We’re taking precautionary steps due to COVID-19, and pausing all bookings of the Community Room for the moment.  We take your health seriously and are following the recommendations of public health agencies to practice social distancing and limit gatherings. We will continue to monitor and reassess the situation as it evolves. For groups with a current booking, we’ll contact you by email to ensure you can plan accordingly.  *



If you love trails, snow, water or fresh air, this is your store. Visit MEC Ottawa for outdoor gear, know-how and inspiration.

MEC Ottawa opened in 2000. Before we started construction, there was a 40-year-old building on the site. We carefully dismantled it and then reused as much material as possible for our store. In the end, about 75% of the existing building (by weight) was incorporated into our store. To add to that accomplishment, this was the first retail building in Canada to comply with Canada’s C2000 Green Building Standard. Here are some of the green features:

- 80% of all the material travelled less than 500km to the site, which cuts down on transportation emissions. For example, rock excavated from the site was used in cladding.
- The floor is made from timber reclaimed from the St. Lawrence River and the previous building.
- During construction, we used panelized material and screwed connections, so the building can be taken apart, reused and recycled more easily when it’s reached the end of its life.
- One of the walls on the upper floor is infilled with bailed straw, a natural, renewable resource. (Check it out in the viewing portal.)
- Rock Wool insulation in other walls have 50% recycled content.
- The heating system uses a 94%-efficient natural gas hydronic boiler system to heat water.
- CO2 sensors keep a good balance of fresh air coming in, so energy isn’t wasted in heating or cooling.
- A skylight and roof monitor means we don’t need as much artificial lighting.
- To keep landscaping looking good, the irrigation system uses non-potable rainwater that gets gravity-fed to plants.
- Electric vehicle charging stations have reserved parking spots.

Like all MEC buildings, we’re proud to say that this store is carbon neutral. We purchase Green Electricity Certificates and Green Natural Gas Certificates from [Bullfrog Power](https://www.bullfrogpower.com/), which means that Bullfrog procures renewable energy (wind, micro-hydro and biogas) on our behalf for electricity and natural gas.

MEC aims to maximize efficiency and minimize environmental impacts in our stores. Learn more about our [green buildings](/en/explore/green-buildings).



For the safety of staff and members, we are pausing in-store gear repair services for a while. Thanks for your understanding. Want to try some repairs on your own? Learn how to fix your own gear with these [how-to articles and videos on popular gear repair topics](/en/explore/product-care-and-maintenance).

### Recycling
If you bought any of the items below at MEC, you can bring them back to our store for recycling:

- Batteries (no broken or corroded ones please).

Due to safety concerns, we do not accept used flammable goods, including camping gas canisters, stove fuel, flares, bear bangers and bear spray. Please contact your local waste management office to find out how to properly dispose of these items.

Have a question about something that’s not on the list above? Give us a call or contact your local municipal recycling program.



Recycling and repairs

| Mounting| 
|----|----|
| ---| ---|
| Classic| $30|
| Skate| $30|
| Telemark| $50|
| Alpine touring| $50|
| Downhill| $50|
| Binding removal*With purchase of new binding or skis*| Free|

| Base tune-up| 
|----|----|
| ---| ---|
| General repairs*Minimum shop charge is $5*| $70/hr|
| Hot wax (machine)| $15|
| Hot wax (hand)| $35|
| Machine sharpen and wax| $35|

| Additional services| 
|----|----|
| ---| ---|
| Skin fit and shaping*Call for availability*| $25|
| Boot liner molding*With purchase of boots*| Free|
| Boot fitting| $20|
| Boot punching (First punch)| $50|
| Boot punching (Additional punch)| $25|

| Snowshoe services| 
|----|----|
| ---| ---|
| Binding replacement| $70/pair|
| Rivet replacement (per rivet)| $15/unit|
| Binding strap replacement (per strap)| $15/unit|



Phone: (604) 872-7858

Our bike mechanics can do it all, from installing fenders to building wheels from scratch. Not sure what work your bike needs? Bring it in for a free safety inspection and we’ll let you know. Call us to set up a bike shop visit. Small repairs can be done while you shop.

Bike fitting services are temporarily paused.



## Tune-up packages
###### *Parts are not included in tune-up prices.* **Add-on services for all Tune-up packages: bike cleaning fee $20, hub repack (single) $20, spoke replacement $10 (spokes and nipples not included).





#### Basic Tune-up $100
*For when your bike hasn’t had a tune-up after a season of light use. Designed to get you rolling smoothly again by solving your drivetrain issues, imprecise shifting, loose feeling brakes, or when the whole bike is feeling slightly off.*

- Full bike safety check; all bolts, pivot points, and components inspected for proper torque and wear levels
- Light cleaning -- Frame and fork wiped down and inspected 
- Tires inflated, chain lubricated, and grease applied to seatpost
- Bearing adjustments -- including headset, and front and rear hubs
- Brake systems adjusted -- including cable adjustments and pad position 
- Shifting systems adjusted  -- including cable adjustments and hanger alignment
- Minor wheel truing -- lateral truing and light radial adjustments (spoke replacements extra)
- Minor components installed (chain, cassette, brake pads, tubes) 

#### Advanced Tune-up $140
*For when your bike hasn't had a tune-up after a season of regular riding or has issues caused by dirt, component wear, or light damage. If your bike has poor or inconsistent shifting, soft brakes, or the wheels aren’t straight, this package is for you.*

- Includes every service from the Basic Tune-up, plus:
- Major wheel truing as needed -- including tension and dish adjustments
- Drivetrain removed and fully washed, lubricated, and reinstalled
- Frame, fork, and wheels cleaned -- including braking surfaces
- Installation of up to 2 cables, with housing **parts extra

#### Advanced Plus Tune-up $220
*A comprehensive service for well-used bikes that need of some TLC.*

- Includes every service from the Advanced Tune-up, plus:
- Headset and Wheel bearings cleaned and repacked
- Hydraulic brakes bled, or the installation of all cables and hosing for non-hydraulic systems
- Installation of intermediate-level components (bottom bracket, spoke replacements, tubeless sealant refresh) **parts extra

#### Premium Tune-up 
*Available in Road and MTB specific packages. This complete service gets your bike looking and feeling brand new.*

- Includes every service from the Advanced PLUS Tune-up, plus:
- Complete tear down and rebuild (MTB includes linkages)
- Full frame, component, and wheel detailing
- ** NOT included -- Specialty services such as: Suspension services, dropper post services, and wheel building.




### A la carte bike services
 
|**Wheels**|**Price**|
| ---|--- |
| Tire or tube install| $12|
| Specialty Tire or Tube Install (e-bikes, fat bikes, etc)| $20|
| Wheel true| $15 – $20|
| Wheel build| $70 and up|
| Hub adjustment| $10 – $20|
| Hub overhaul| $25|
| ---|--- |
|**Brakes**|**Price**|
| Brake adjustment| $15 – $25|
| Brake bleed| $30|
| Cable and housing replacement -- *Installation cost per cable and housing length*| $10|
| ---|--- |
|**Drivetrain**|**Price**|
| Gear adjustment| $15 – $20|
| Chain installation| $8 - $17|
| Bottom bracket replacement -- *BB Removal, frame prepped, installation (parts not included)*| $30|
| Shimano internal geared hub service -- *Disassembly, fluid replacement, and lubrication*| $70|
| Shimano Di2 reprogramming and firmware update -- *call for store availability*| $35|
| Cable and housing replacement -- *Installation cost per cable and housing length*| $10|
|---|--- |  
|**Other services**|**Price**|
| Headset adjustment| $10|
| Headset overhaul| $30|
| Miscellaneous accessory install| $10 – $35|
| Bar tape installation -- *Tape extra*| $25|
| Bike boxing -- *Partial disassembly and packaging for shipping or airplane travel*| $60|
| General repairs -- *Minimum shop charge is $5*| $


More than just a place to get gear – this store is a hub for your outdoor community. As a flagship, it’s home to a couple of cool extras, like a bouldering wall and a special space for events.

*We’re taking precautionary steps due to COVID-19, and pausing all community events for the moment. We take your health seriously and are following the recommendations of public health agencies to practice social distancing and limit gatherings.*

### Local events
Basecamp is our open-concept community space.  Year-round, MEC offers low cost (or even free) clinics and workshops from friendly staff instructors, plus events happening in the larger community – everything from backcountry navigation classes to film screenings. Find [MEC events](https://events.mec.ca/&organization=mec) near you

### Outdoor impact
This year, we’re  donating $1 million to Canadian outdoor organizations to teach outdoor skills, protect wild spaces and grow the communities of people getting active outside. Funding  supports groups across Canada with avalanche safety training, outdoor programs for youth, conserving wilderness and more. [Learn more about community partnerships](/en/explore/outdoor-impact)

### Free display space
Not-for-profit groups and local clubs that share MEC values can use our floor space to tell people what’s going on. Let people know about outdoor issues, collect input on plans, or just get the word out about your club. For more info, please email van_aa@mec.ca or phone the store.



If you love trails, snow, water or fresh air, this is your store. Visit MEC Vancouver for outdoor gear, know-how and inspiration.

MEC was born in Vancouver in 1971. Over the decades, we’ve moved through a number of spaces, and our current flagship store in Olympic Village was designed with sustainability from the ground up.

Here are some of the green features:

- **Wood is good**. In fact, when it’s a mass timber superstructure like this flagship store, wood is great. The timber is a composite, which means it doesn’t use old-growth sources. It’s also a renewable building material, stores carbon, and can easily be reused at the end of its life.
- **Drip, drip, drip**: It rains 150+ days a year here, so we make the most of it. The roof captures rainwater that funnels into an underground cistern to provide up to 80% of the water used for flushing toilets.
- **Less is more**: 30% less s’mores around the campfire? Not so good. 30% less energy used by a building? Brilliant. This space is designed to use almost one-third less energy than the standards set out by the national energy code for buildings.
- **A renewable day in the neighbourhood**: We’re connected to an innovative energy system that recovers heat from untreated urban wastewater (a sanitized way of saying sewage). It’s renewable and doesn’t rely on fossil fuels.
- **Behind the scenes**: Some of the biggest energy savings come from things you can’t see: heating and cooling systems. The building envelope has more insulation than most and the HVAC units are high-efficiency.
- **Carbon neutral**: Like all MEC buildings, this space is operationally carbon neutral. We buy renewable energy certificates (wind and low-impact hydro) to match the electricity we use in this location.
- **Safe for salmon**: It’s official: this building is certified as Salmon-Safe, thanks to its progressive water management practices. It’s only the second Salmon-Safe urban site in BC – [MEC Head Office](/en/explore/head-office) was the first.

MEC aims to minimize environmental impacts and make our buildings healthy, inviting spaces. Learn more about our [green buildings](/en/explore/green-buildings).



For the safety of staff and members, we are pausing in-store gear repair services for a while. Thanks for your understanding. Want to try some repairs on your own? Learn how to fix your own gear with these [how-to articles and videos on popular gear repair topics](/en/explore/product-care-and-maintenance).

### Recycling
If you bought any of the items below at MEC, you can bring them back to our store for recycling:

- Household batteries (no broken or corroded ones please)
- Bicycle tires and tubes
- Climbing rope – it could become dog leashes, acoustic insulation or stuffing

Due to safety concerns, we do not accept used flammable goods, including camping gas canisters, stove fuel, flares, bear bangers and bear spray. Please contact your local waste management office to find out how to properly dispose of these items.

Have a question about something that’s not on the list above? Give us a call or contact your local municipal recycling program.



| Mounting| 
|----|----|
| ---| ---|
| Classic| $30|
| Skate| $30|
| Telemark| $50|
| Alpine touring| $50|
| Binding removal*With purchase of new binding or skis*| Free|

| Base tune-up| 
|----|----|
| ---| ---|
| General repairs*Minimum shop charge is $5*| $70/hr|
| Hot wax (machine)| $15|
| Hot wax (hand)| $35|
| Machine sharpen and wax| $35|
| Pine tar*Call for availability*| $30|

| Additional services| 
|----|----|
| ---| ---|
| Skin fit and shaping*Call for availability*| $25|
| Boot liner molding*With purchase of boots*| Free|
| Boot fitting| $20|

| Snowshoe services| 
|----|----|
| ---| ---|
| Binding replacement| $70/pair|
| Rivet replacement (per rivet)| $15/unit|
| Binding strap replacement (per strap)| $15/unit|



Canada Day

Labour Day

Thanksgiving

Remembrance Day

Christmas Day

We are following the advice and guidance of local health authorities to ensure we are providing the safest possible environment to MEC members and staff.

We aim to provide a safe environment that respects everyone’s comfort level and risk tolerance. Thanks for looking out for each other.

Order online and [pick up](/en/explore/in-store-pickup) at this location.

You can [return](/en/explore/covid-19-shipping-and-returns-updates) products to any store.


Phone: (250) 448-7637

Our bike mechanics can do it all, from installing fenders to building wheels from scratch. Not sure what work your bike needs? Bring it in for a free safety inspection and we’ll let you know. Call us to set up a bike shop visit. Small repairs can be done while you shop.

Bike fitting services are temporarily paused.



## Tune-up packages
###### *Parts are not included in tune-up prices.* **Add-on services for all Tune-up packages: bike cleaning fee $20, hub repack (single) $20, spoke replacement $10 (spokes and nipples not included).



#### Basic Tune-up $100
*For when your bike hasn’t had a tune-up after a season of light use. Designed to get you rolling smoothly again by solving your drivetrain issues, imprecise shifting, loose feeling brakes, or when the whole bike is feeling slightly off.*

- Full bike safety check; all bolts, pivot points, and components inspected for proper torque and wear levels
- Light cleaning -- Frame and fork wiped down and inspected 
- Tires inflated, chain lubricated, and grease applied to seatpost
- Bearing adjustments -- including headset, and front and rear hubs
- Brake systems adjusted -- including cable adjustments and pad position 
- Shifting systems adjusted  -- including cable adjustments and hanger alignment
- Minor wheel truing -- lateral truing and light radial adjustments (spoke replacements extra)
- Minor components installed (chain, cassette, brake pads, tubes) 

#### Advanced Tune-up $140
*For when your bike hasn't had a tune-up after a season of regular riding or has issues caused by dirt, component wear, or light damage. If your bike has poor or inconsistent shifting, soft brakes, or the wheels aren’t straight, this package is for you.*

- Includes every service from the Basic Tune-up, plus:
- Major wheel truing as needed -- including tension and dish adjustments
- Drivetrain removed and fully washed, lubricated, and reinstalled
- Frame, fork, and wheels cleaned -- including braking surfaces
- Installation of up to 2 cables, with housing **parts extra

#### Advanced Plus Tune-up $220
*A comprehensive service for well-used bikes that need of some TLC.*

- Includes every service from the Advanced Tune-up, plus:
- Headset and Wheel bearings cleaned and repacked
- Hydraulic brakes bled, or the installation of all cables and hosing for non-hydraulic systems
- Installation of intermediate-level components (bottom bracket, spoke replacements, tubeless sealant refresh) **parts extra

#### Premium Tune-up 
*Available in Road and MTB specific packages. This complete service gets your bike looking and feeling brand new.*

- Includes every service from the Advanced PLUS Tune-up, plus:
- Complete tear down and rebuild (MTB includes linkages)
- Full frame, component, and wheel detailing
- ** NOT included -- Specialty services such as: Suspension services, dropper post services, and wheel building.




### A la carte bike services
 
|**Wheels**|**Price**|
| ---|--- |
| Tire or tube install| $12|
| Specialty Tire or Tube Install (e-bikes, fat bikes, etc)| $20|
| Wheel true| $15 – $20|
| Wheel build| $70 and up|
| Hub adjustment| $10 – $20|
| Hub overhaul| $25|
| ---|--- |
|**Brakes**|**Price**|
| Brake adjustment| $15 – $25|
| Brake bleed| $30|
| Cable and housing replacement -- *Installation cost per cable and housing length*| $10|
| ---|--- |
|**Drivetrain**|**Price**|
| Gear adjustment| $15 – $20|
| Chain installation| $8 - $17|
| Bottom bracket replacement -- *BB Removal, frame prepped, installation (parts not included)*| $30|
| Shimano internal geared hub service -- *Disassembly, fluid replacement, and lubrication*| $70|
| Shimano Di2 reprogramming and firmware update -- *call for store availability*| $35|
| Cable and housing replacement -- *Installation cost per cable and housing length*| $10|
|---|--- |  
|**Other services**|**Price**|
| Headset adjustment| $10|
| Headset overhaul| $30|
| Miscellaneous accessory install| $10 – $35|
| Bar tape installation -- *Tape extra*| $25|
| Bike boxing -- *Partial disassembly and packaging for shipping or airplane travel*| $60|
| General repairs -- *Minimum shop charge is $5*| $80/hr|





If you love trails, snow, water or fresh air, this is your store. Visit MEC Kelowna for outdoor gear, know-how and inspiration.

Located in the heart of the city, MEC Kelowna is a prime location for Okanagan residents and visitors. The store opened in 2016 after doing extensive renovations to an existing building, which included updates to make the space more energy efficient. Here are some of the green features:

- Moved into an existing building, which saved on construction materials and the embodied energy costs.
- Significant updates to the roof insulation, since that’s a major spot to cut down on heat loss (just like people, buildings can lose a lot of heat through their highest point).
- Rooftop solar system pre-heats the hot water for the building to cut down on energy required.
- Upgraded to a high-efficiency HVAC to reduce energy use, and a heat recovery ventilator reduces the amount of energy required to heat the building.
- Furniture is certified by Level, a third-party sustainability certification program that looks at environmental and social impacts.
- To cut down on materials required, there are minimal floor coverings.
- To reduce energy consumption, we use predominately high-efficiency LED lighting controlled by auto dimmers and occupancy sensors in some areas, and on automated schedules elsewhere.
- Landscaping uses non-invasive species that encourage bird and insect populations, and doesn’t need irrigation except for in drought conditions.
- Low-flow fixtures such as toilets, urinals and shower heads reduce overall water consumption.

Like all MEC buildings, we’re proud to say that this store is carbon neutral. We purchase Green Electricity Certificates and Green Natural Gas Certificates from [Bullfrog Power](https://www.bullfrogpower.com/), which means that Bullfrog procures renewable energy (wind, micro-hydro and biogas) on our behalf for electricity and natural gas.

MEC aims to maximize efficiency and minimize environmental impacts in our stores. Learn more about our [green buildings](/en/explore/green-buildings).



| Mounting| 
|----|----|
| ---| ---|
| Classic| $30|
| Skate| $30|
| Alpine| $50|
| Alpine touring| $50|
| Binding removal*With purchase of new binding or skis*| Free|

| Base tune-up| 
|----|----|
| ---| ---|
| General repairs*Minimum shop charge is $5*| $70/hr|
| Hot wax (hand)| $35|
| Pine tar*Call for availability*| $30|

| Additional services| 
|----|----|
| ---| ---|
| Boot liner molding*With purchase of boots*| Free|
| Boot fitting| $20|

| Snowshoe services| 
|----|----|
| ---| ---|
| Binding replacement| $70/pair|
| Rivet replacement (per rivet)| $15/unit|
| Binding strap replacement (per strap)| $15/unit|



Phone: (514) 788-5878

Our bike mechanics can do it all, from installing fenders to building wheels from scratch. Not sure what work your bike needs? Bring it in for a free safety inspection and we’ll let you know. Call us to set up a bike shop visit. Small repairs can be done while you shop.

Bike fitting services are temporarily paused.



## Tune-up packages
###### *Parts are not included in tune-up prices.* **Add-on services for all Tune-up packages: bike cleaning fee $20, hub repack (single) $20, spoke replacement $10 (spokes and nipples not included).




#### Basic Tune-up $100
*For when your bike hasn’t had a tune-up after a season of light use. Designed to get you rolling smoothly again by solving your drivetrain issues, imprecise shifting, loose feeling brakes, or when the whole bike is feeling slightly off.*

- Full bike safety check; all bolts, pivot points, and components inspected for proper torque and wear levels
- Light cleaning -- Frame and fork wiped down and inspected 
- Tires inflated, chain lubricated, and grease applied to seatpost
- Bearing adjustments -- including headset, and front and rear hubs
- Brake systems adjusted -- including cable adjustments and pad position 
- Shifting systems adjusted  -- including cable adjustments and hanger alignment
- Minor wheel truing -- lateral truing and light radial adjustments (spoke replacements extra)
- Minor components installed (chain, cassette, brake pads, tubes) 

#### Advanced Tune-up $140
*For when your bike hasn't had a tune-up after a season of regular riding or has issues caused by dirt, component wear, or light damage. If your bike has poor or inconsistent shifting, soft brakes, or the wheels aren’t straight, this package is for you.*

- Includes every service from the Basic Tune-up, plus:
- Major wheel truing as needed -- including tension and dish adjustments
- Drivetrain removed and fully washed, lubricated, and reinstalled
- Frame, fork, and wheels cleaned -- including braking surfaces
- Installation of up to 2 cables, with housing **parts extra

#### Advanced Plus Tune-up $220
*A comprehensive service for well-used bikes that need of some TLC.*

- Includes every service from the Advanced Tune-up, plus:
- Headset and Wheel bearings cleaned and repacked
- Hydraulic brakes bled, or the installation of all cables and hosing for non-hydraulic systems
- Installation of intermediate-level components (bottom bracket, spoke replacements, tubeless sealant refresh) **parts extra

#### Premium Tune-up 
*Available in Road and MTB specific packages. This complete service gets your bike looking and feeling brand new.*

- Includes every service from the Advanced PLUS Tune-up, plus:
- Complete tear down and rebuild (MTB includes linkages)
- Full frame, component, and wheel detailing
- ** NOT included -- Specialty services such as: Suspension services, dropper post services, and wheel building.




### A la carte bike services
 
|**Wheels**|**Price**|
| ---|--- |
| Tire or tube install| $12|
| Specialty Tire or Tube Install (e-bikes, fat bikes, etc)| $20|
| Wheel true| $15 – $20|
| Wheel build| $70 and up|
| Hub adjustment| $10 – $20|
| Hub overhaul| $25|
| ---|--- |
|**Brakes**|**Price**|
| Brake adjustment| $15 – $25|
| Brake bleed| $30|
| Cable and housing replacement -- *Installation cost per cable and housing length*| $10|
| ---|--- |
|**Drivetrain**|**Price**|
| Gear adjustment| $15 – $20|
| Chain installation| $8 - $17|
| Bottom bracket replacement -- *BB Removal, frame prepped, installation (parts not included)*| $30|
| Shimano internal geared hub service -- *Disassembly, fluid replacement, and lubrication*| $70|
| Shimano Di2 reprogramming and firmware update -- *call for store availability*| $35|
| Cable and housing replacement -- *Installation cost per cable and housing length*| $10|
|---|--- |  
|**Other services**|**Price**|
| Headset adjustment| $10|
| Headset overhaul| $30|
| Miscellaneous accessory install| $10 – $35|
| Bar tape installation -- *Tape extra*| $25|
| Bike boxing -- *Partial disassembly and packaging for shipping or airplane travel*| $60|
| General repairs -- *Minimum shop charge is $5*| $80/hr|




### Free display space
Not-for-profit groups and local clubs that share MEC values can use our floor space to tell people what’s going on. Let people know about outdoor issues, collect input on plans, or just get the word out about your club. For more info, please email mon_aa@mec.ca or phone the store.

### Free meeting room
*We’re taking precautionary steps due to COVID-19, and pausing all bookings of the Community Room for the moment.  We take your health seriously and are following the recommendations of public health agencies to practice social distancing and limit gatherings. We will continue to monitor and reassess the situation as it evolves. For groups with a current booking, we’ll contact you by email to ensure you can plan accordingly. *



If you love trails, snow, water or fresh air, this is your store. Visit MEC Montreal for outdoor gear, know-how and inspiration.

MEC Montreal opened in 2003, and was our first store in Quebec. It was also the first retail building in Quebec to meet the national C2000 Green Building Standard, and the amount of energy it consumes is nearly 70% less than was required by the Model National Energy Code at the time of construction. Here are some of the green features:

- The wood deck inside the curved roof was salvaged from the Seagram’s distillery in Ville Lasalle. Salvaged wood is also used in the entrance canopy and railings.
- To reduce material waste, the concrete slabs contain 27% blast furnace slag (a by-product of steel manufacturing).
- 50% of the materials used in the building are made of recycled content, by weight.
- Walls are insulated with cellulose fibre from recycled newsprint to cut down on energy consumption (they provide about twice as much thermal insulation as conventional retail buildings from the same era).
- Captured precipitation (stormwater run-off) from the roof is stored in a 45,000L underground cistern, and is used for landscaping and toilet water – this cuts our potable water use in half.
- To keep energy usage down, the concrete floor acts as a thermal reservoir that’s warmed or cooled by fluid pumped through embedded piping. Twelve geothermal wells pump extracted heat in winter and disperse heat in summer.
- There’s mostly natural ventilation with fresh air coming in through underground tunnels. In summer, warm air rises and escapes through roof vents and motorized window openings.
- CO2 sensors keep a good balance of fresh air coming in, so energy isn’t wasted in heating or cooling.
- Lots of daylight reduces the need for artificial lighting. The lights we do have shut off automatically when there’s enough natural light to save energy (for both the lights and the energy needed to cool heat from the bulbs).

Like all MEC buildings, we’re proud to say that this store is carbon neutral. We purchase Green Electricity Certificates and Green Natural Gas Certificates from [Bullfrog Power](https://www.bullfrogpower.com/), which means that Bullfrog procures renewable energy (wind, micro-hydro and biogas) on our behalf for electricity and natural gas.

MEC aims to maximize efficiency and minimize environmental impacts in our stores. Learn more about our [green buildings](/en/explore/green-buildings).



For the safety of staff and members, we are pausing in-store gear repair services for a while. Thanks for your understanding. Want to try some repairs on your own? Learn how to fix your own gear with these [how-to articles and videos on popular gear repair topics](/en/explore/product-care-and-maintenance).

### Recycling
If you bought any of the items below at MEC, you can bring them back to our store for recycling:

- Batteries (no broken or corroded ones please).
- Bike tires (no tubes) – they can get ground up for tarmac or playground surfaces.

Due to safety concerns, we do not accept used flammable goods, including camping gas canisters, stove fuel, flares, bear bangers and bear spray. Please contact your local waste management office to find out how to properly dispose of these items.

Have a question about something that’s not on the list above? Give us a call or contact your local municipal recycling program.



| Mounting| 
|----|----|
| ---| ---|
| Classic| $30|
| Skate| $30|
| Telemark| $50|
| Alpine touring| $50|
| Binding removal*With purchase of new binding or skis*| Free|

| Base tune-up| 
|----|----|
| ---| ---|
| General repairs*Minimum shop charge is $5*| $70/hr|
| Hot wax (machine)| $15|
| Hot wax (hand)| $35|
| Machine sharpen and wax| $35|
| Pine tar*Call for availability*| $30|

| Additional services| 
|----|----|
| ---| ---|
| Skin fit and shaping*Call for availability*| $25|
| Boot liner molding*With purchase of boots*| Free|
| Boot fitting| $20|
| Boot punching (First punch)| $50|
| Boot punching (Additional punch)| $25|

| Snowshoe services| 
|----|----|
| ---| ---|
| Binding replacement| $70/pair|
| Rivet replacement (per rivet)| $15/unit|
| Binding strap replacement (per strap)| $15/unit|



Easter Monday

Phone: Call(905) 333-8559

Our bike mechanics can do it all, from installing fenders to building wheels from scratch. Not sure what work your bike needs? Bring it in for a free safety inspection and we’ll let you know. Call us to set up a bike shop visit. Small repairs can be done while you shop.

Bike fitting services are temporarily paused.



## Tune-up packages
###### *Parts are not included in tune-up prices.* **Add-on services for all Tune-up packages: bike cleaning fee $20, hub repack (single) $20, spoke replacement $10 (spokes and nipples not included).




#### Basic Tune-up $100
*For when your bike hasn’t had a tune-up after a season of light use. Designed to get you rolling smoothly again by solving your drivetrain issues, imprecise shifting, loose feeling brakes, or when the whole bike is feeling slightly off.*

- Full bike safety check; all bolts, pivot points, and components inspected for proper torque and wear levels
- Light cleaning -- Frame and fork wiped down and inspected 
- Tires inflated, chain lubricated, and grease applied to seatpost
- Bearing adjustments -- including headset, and front and rear hubs
- Brake systems adjusted -- including cable adjustments and pad position 
- Shifting systems adjusted  -- including cable adjustments and hanger alignment
- Minor wheel truing -- lateral truing and light radial adjustments (spoke replacements extra)
- Minor components installed (chain, cassette, brake pads, tubes) 

#### Advanced Tune-up $140
*For when your bike hasn't had a tune-up after a season of regular riding or has issues caused by dirt, component wear, or light damage. If your bike has poor or inconsistent shifting, soft brakes, or the wheels aren’t straight, this package is for you.*

- Includes every service from the Basic Tune-up, plus:
- Major wheel truing as needed -- including tension and dish adjustments
- Drivetrain removed and fully washed, lubricated, and reinstalled
- Frame, fork, and wheels cleaned -- including braking surfaces
- Installation of up to 2 cables, with housing **parts extra

#### Advanced Plus Tune-up $220
*A comprehensive service for well-used bikes that need of some TLC.*

- Includes every service from the Advanced Tune-up, plus:
- Headset and Wheel bearings cleaned and repacked
- Hydraulic brakes bled, or the installation of all cables and hosing for non-hydraulic systems
- Installation of intermediate-level components (bottom bracket, spoke replacements, tubeless sealant refresh) **parts extra

#### Premium Tune-up 
*Available in Road and MTB specific packages. This complete service gets your bike looking and feeling brand new.*

- Includes every service from the Advanced PLUS Tune-up, plus:
- Complete tear down and rebuild (MTB includes linkages)
- Full frame, component, and wheel detailing
- ** NOT included -- Specialty services such as: Suspension services, dropper post services, and wheel building.




### A la carte bike services
 
|**Wheels**|**Price**|
| ---|--- |
| Tire or tube install| $12|
| Specialty Tire or Tube Install (e-bikes, fat bikes, etc)| $20|
| Wheel true| $15 – $20|
| Wheel build| $70 and up|
| Hub adjustment| $10 – $20|
| Hub overhaul| $25|
| ---|--- |
|**Brakes**|**Price**|
| Brake adjustment| $15 – $25|
| Brake bleed| $30|
| Cable and housing replacement -- *Installation cost per cable and housing length*| $10|
| ---|--- |
|**Drivetrain**|**Price**|
| Gear adjustment| $15 – $20|
| Chain installation| $8 - $17|
| Bottom bracket replacement -- *BB Removal, frame prepped, installation (parts not included)*| $30|
| Shimano internal geared hub service -- *Disassembly, fluid replacement, and lubrication*| $70|
| Shimano Di2 reprogramming and firmware update -- *call for store availability*| $35|
| Cable and housing replacement -- *Installation cost per cable and housing length*| $10|
|---|--- |  
|**Other services**|**Price**|
| Headset adjustment| $10|
| Headset overhaul| $30|
| Miscellaneous accessory install| $10 – $35|
| Bar tape installation -- *Tape extra*| $25|
| Bike boxing -- *Partial disassembly and packaging for shipping or airplane travel*| $60|
| General repairs -- *Minimum shop charge is $5*| $80/hr|






### Free display space
Not-for-profit groups and local clubs that share MEC values can use our floor space to tell people what’s going on. Let people know about outdoor issues, collect input on plans, or just get the word out about your club. For more info, please email bur_aa@mec.ca or phone the store.

### Free meeting room
*We’re taking precautionary steps due to COVID-19, and pausing all bookings of the Community Room for the moment.  We take your health seriously and are following the recommendations of public health agencies to practice social distancing and limit gatherings. We will continue to monitor and reassess the situation as it evolves. For groups with a current booking, we’ll contact you by email to ensure you can plan accordingly.  *



If you love trails, snow, water or fresh air, this is your store. Visit MEC Burlington for outdoor gear, know-how and inspiration.

MEC Burlington opened in 2008, and was designed to meet LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Gold certification. Compared to conventional retail buildings from the same period, it was made to be 70% more energy efficient. Here are some of the green features:

- A photovoltaic system generates energy that’s fed into the power grid.
- The structure and envelope are designed to be disassembled and repurposed when the building reaches the end of its useful life.
- There are separate systems for heating, cooling and ventilation to maximize energy efficiency. For heating, there are high-efficiency gas boilers with radiant in-floor heating. For cooling, there’s an ice storage system that uses off-electricity. And for ventilation, there’s a fan-assisted displacement system with heat recovery.
- Many high clerestory windows at roofline reduce the need for artificial lighting. The lights we do have turn down or off automatically when there’s enough natural light to save energy (for both the lights and the energy needed to cool heat from the bulbs).
- The combo of low-flow fixtures and grey water usage cuts potable water requirements by half.
- Captured precipitation (stormwater) provides water for all non-potable uses, like toilets and garden watering. Stormwater gets retained and infiltrated on site and won’t discharge water to municipal storm drains (except under extraordinary circumstances, like an enormous storm).
- Landscaping uses non-invasive species that encourage bird and insect populations.

Like all MEC buildings, we’re proud to say that this store is carbon neutral. We purchase Green Electricity Certificates and Green Natural Gas Certificates from [Bullfrog Power](https://www.bullfrogpower.com/), which means that Bullfrog procures renewable energy (wind, micro-hydro and biogas) on our behalf for electricity and natural gas.

MEC aims to maximize efficiency and minimize environmental impacts in our stores. Learn more about our [green buildings](/en/explore/green-buildings).



For the safety of staff and members, we are pausing in-store gear repair services for a while. Thanks for your understanding. Want to try some repairs on your own? Learn how to fix your own gear with these [how-to articles and videos on popular gear repair topics](/en/explore/product-care-and-maintenance)

### Recycling
If you bought any of the items below at MEC, you can bring them back to our store for recycling:

- Batteries (no broken or corroded ones please).
- Empty CO2 cartridges used for bike tires and avalanche safety.
- Bike tires (no tubes) – they can get ground up for tarmac or playground surfaces.

Due to safety concerns, we do not accept used flammable goods, including camping gas canisters, stove fuel, flares, bear bangers and bear spray. Please contact your local waste management office to find out how to properly dispose of these items.

Have a question about something that’s not on the list above? Give us a call or contact your local municipal recycling program.



| Mounting| 
|----|----|
| ---| ---|
| Classic| $30|
| Skate| $30|
| Telemark| $50|
| Alpine touring| $50|
| Binding removal*With purchase of new binding or skis*| Free|

| Base tune-up| 
|----|----|
| ---| ---|
| General repairs*Minimum shop charge is $5*| $70/hr|
| Hot wax (hand)| $35|
| Pine tar*Call for availability*| $30|

| Additional services| 
|----|----|
| ---| ---|
| Skin fit and shaping*Call for availability*| $25|
| Boot liner molding*With purchase of boots*| Free|
| Boot fitting| $20|

| Snowshoe services| 
|----|----|
| ---| ---|
| Binding replacement| $70/pair|
| Rivet replacement – per rivet| $15/unit|
| Binding strap replacement – per strap| $15/unit|



Phone: 450.688.2712

Our bike mechanics can do it all, from installing fenders to building wheels from scratch. Not sure what work your bike needs? Bring it in for a free safety inspection and we’ll let you know. Call us to set up a bike shop visit. Small repairs can be done while you shop.

Bike fitting services are temporarily paused.



## Tune-up packages
###### *Parts are not included in tune-up prices.* **Add-on services for all Tune-up packages: bike cleaning fee $20, hub repack (single) $20, spoke replacement $10 (spokes and nipples not included).




#### Basic Tune-up $100
*For when your bike hasn’t had a tune-up after a season of light use. Designed to get you rolling smoothly again by solving your drivetrain issues, imprecise shifting, loose feeling brakes, or when the whole bike is feeling slightly off.*

- Full bike safety check; all bolts, pivot points, and components inspected for proper torque and wear levels
- Light cleaning -- Frame and fork wiped down and inspected 
- Tires inflated, chain lubricated, and grease applied to seatpost
- Bearing adjustments -- including headset, and front and rear hubs
- Brake systems adjusted -- including cable adjustments and pad position 
- Shifting systems adjusted  -- including cable adjustments and hanger alignment
- Minor wheel truing -- lateral truing and light radial adjustments (spoke replacements extra)
- Minor components installed (chain, cassette, brake pads, tubes) 

#### Advanced Tune-up $140
*For when your bike hasn't had a tune-up after a season of regular riding or has issues caused by dirt, component wear, or light damage. If your bike has poor or inconsistent shifting, soft brakes, or the wheels aren’t straight, this package is for you.*

- Includes every service from the Basic Tune-up, plus:
- Major wheel truing as needed -- including tension and dish adjustments
- Drivetrain removed and fully washed, lubricated, and reinstalled
- Frame, fork, and wheels cleaned -- including braking surfaces
- Installation of up to 2 cables, with housing **parts extra

#### Advanced Plus Tune-up $220
*A comprehensive service for well-used bikes that need of some TLC.*

- Includes every service from the Advanced Tune-up, plus:
- Headset and Wheel bearings cleaned and repacked
- Hydraulic brakes bled, or the installation of all cables and hosing for non-hydraulic systems
- Installation of intermediate-level components (bottom bracket, spoke replacements, tubeless sealant refresh) **parts extra

#### Premium Tune-up 
*Available in Road and MTB specific packages. This complete service gets your bike looking and feeling brand new.*

- Includes every service from the Advanced PLUS Tune-up, plus:
- Complete tear down and rebuild (MTB includes linkages)
- Full frame, component, and wheel detailing
- ** NOT included -- Specialty services such as: Suspension services, dropper post services, and wheel building.




### A la carte bike services
 
|**Wheels**|**Price**|
| ---|--- |
| Tire or tube install| $12|
| Specialty Tire or Tube Install (e-bikes, fat bikes, etc)| $20|
| Wheel true| $15 – $20|
| Wheel build| $70 and up|
| Hub adjustment| $10 – $20|
| Hub overhaul| $25|
| ---|--- |
|**Brakes**|**Price**|
| Brake adjustment| $15 – $25|
| Brake bleed| $30|
| Cable and housing replacement -- *Installation cost per cable and housing length*| $10|
| ---|--- |
|**Drivetrain**|**Price**|
| Gear adjustment| $15 – $20|
| Chain installation| $8 - $17|
| Bottom bracket replacement -- *BB Removal, frame prepped, installation (parts not included)*| $30|
| Shimano internal geared hub service -- *Disassembly, fluid replacement, and lubrication*| $70|
| Shimano Di2 reprogramming and firmware update -- *call for store availability*| $35|
| Cable and housing replacement -- *Installation cost per cable and housing length*| $10|
|---|--- |  
|**Other services**|**Price**|
| Headset adjustment| $10|
| Headset overhaul| $30|
| Miscellaneous accessory install| $10 – $35|
| Bar tape installation -- *Tape extra*| $25|
| Bike boxing -- *Partial disassembly and packaging for shipping or airplane travel*| $60|
| General repairs -- *Minimum shop charge is $5*| $80/hr|



### Free display space
Not-for-profit groups and local clubs that share MEC values can use our floor space to tell people what’s going on. Let people know about outdoor issues, collect input on plans, or just get the word out about your club. For more info, please email lav_aa@mec.ca or phone the store.

### Free meeting room
*We’re taking precautionary steps due to COVID-19, and pausing all bookings of the Community Room for the moment.  We take your health seriously and are following the recommendations of public health agencies to practice social distancing and limit gatherings. We will continue to monitor and reassess the situation as it evolves. For groups with a current booking, we’ll contact you by email to ensure you can plan accordingly.  *



It’s small, but it does the trick. Available for use by local outdoor clubs, environmental groups and NGOs that have a similar mandate as MEC. Please email lav_aa@mec.ca at least a month before your event to reserve the space.

- Space: fits up to 35
- Equipment: wall-mounted TV with HDMI, dry erase whiteboard, MEC guest wifi
- Seating and tables: long tables, office chairs, folding chairs



If you love trails, snow, water or fresh air, this is your store. Visit MEC Laval for outdoor gear, know-how and inspiration.

The space we are taking over provides great potential to bring the MEC brand to life inside and out.

The design will be in-keeping with the new architectural embodiment of the MEC brand, with extensive use of wood on both the inside and outside of the building. Green building features will include a high-performance building envelope and heating, cooling and ventilation (HVAC) system.

All MEC facilities are subject to our internal green building program, which establishes minimum performance standards. MEC Laval will be no different.

Two of the most important aspects of green buildings are the building envelope and the heating, ventilation and air conditioning (or HVAC) system. The Laval store will provide R40 and R60 thermal performance in the walls and roof, respectively, and feature a best-in-class roof top HVAC system.

Energy efficient lighting will also be used throughout the store. Plus, Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs) will be purchased for all energy consumed by MEC Laval.

MEC aims to maximize efficiency and minimize environmental impacts in our stores. Learn more about our [green buildings](/en/explore/green-buildings).



Professional ski and snowboard shop services to set you up for the season. Some services may not be available year-round. Call us to set up a visit.

When you buy 2 or more of the big 3 items (skis, boots or bindings), we’ll mount your bindings for free. This offer applies to all types of ski equipment sold at MEC, and proof of purchase is required. If you’re shopping online, you can take advantage of this deal by placing your order via phone at 1.888.847.0770 or 604.876.6221.



| Mounting| 
|----|----|
| ---| ---|
| Classic| $30|
| Skate| $30|
| Telemark| $50|
| Alpine touring| $50|
| Binding removal*With purchase of new binding or skis*| Free|

| Base tune-up| 
|----|----|
| ---| ---|
| General repairs*Minimum shop charge is $5*| $70/hr|
| Hot wax (hand)| $35|
| Machine sharpen and wax| $35|
| Pine tar*Call for availability*| $30|

| Additional services| 
|----|----|
| ---| ---|
| Skin fit and shaping*Call for availability*| $25|
| Boot liner molding*With purchase of boots*| Free|
| Boot fitting| $20|



Phone: (416) 340-2667

Our bike mechanics can do it all, from installing fenders to building wheels from scratch. Not sure what work your bike needs? Bring it in for a free safety inspection and we’ll let you know. Call us to set up a bike shop visit. Small repairs can be done while you shop.



## Tune-up packages
###### *Parts are not included in tune-up prices.* **Add-on services for all Tune-up packages: bike cleaning fee $20, hub repack (single) $20, spoke replacement $10 (spokes and nipples not included).



#### Basic Tune-up $100
*For when your bike hasn’t had a tune-up after a season of light use. Designed to get you rolling smoothly again by solving your drivetrain issues, imprecise shifting, loose feeling brakes, or when the whole bike is feeling slightly off.*

- Full bike safety check; all bolts, pivot points, and components inspected for proper torque and wear levels
- Light cleaning -- Frame and fork wiped down and inspected 
- Tires inflated, chain lubricated, and grease applied to seatpost
- Bearing adjustments -- including headset, and front and rear hubs
- Brake systems adjusted -- including cable adjustments and pad position 
- Shifting systems adjusted  -- including cable adjustments and hanger alignment
- Minor wheel truing -- lateral truing and light radial adjustments (spoke replacements extra)
- Minor components installed (chain, cassette, brake pads, tubes) 

#### Advanced Tune-up $140
*For when your bike hasn't had a tune-up after a season of regular riding or has issues caused by dirt, component wear, or light damage. If your bike has poor or inconsistent shifting, soft brakes, or the wheels aren’t straight, this package is for you.*

- Includes every service from the Basic Tune-up, plus:
- Major wheel truing as needed -- including tension and dish adjustments
- Drivetrain removed and fully washed, lubricated, and reinstalled
- Frame, fork, and wheels cleaned -- including braking surfaces
- Installation of up to 2 cables, with housing **parts extra

#### Advanced Plus Tune-up $220
*A comprehensive service for well-used bikes that need of some TLC.*

- Includes every service from the Advanced Tune-up, plus:
- Headset and Wheel bearings cleaned and repacked
- Hydraulic brakes bled, or the installation of all cables and hosing for non-hydraulic systems
- Installation of intermediate-level components (bottom bracket, spoke replacements, tubeless sealant refresh) **parts extra

#### Premium Tune-up 
*Available in Road and MTB specific packages. This complete service gets your bike looking and feeling brand new.*

- Includes every service from the Advanced PLUS Tune-up, plus:
- Complete tear down and rebuild (MTB includes linkages)
- Full frame, component, and wheel detailing
- ** NOT included -- Specialty services such as: Suspension services, dropper post services, and wheel building.




### A la carte bike services
 
|**Wheels**|**Price**|
| ---|--- |
| Tire or tube install| $12|
| Specialty Tire or Tube Install (e-bikes, fat bikes, etc)| $20|
| Wheel true| $20 – $25|
| Wheel build| $70 and up|
| Hub adjustment| $10 – $20|
| Hub overhaul| $25|
| ---|--- |
|**Brakes**|**Price**|
| Brake adjustment| $20 – $25|
| Brake bleed| $30|
| Cable and housing replacement -- *Installation cost per cable and housing length*| $10|
| ---|--- |
|**Drivetrain**|**Price**|
| Gear adjustment| $15 – $20|
| Chain installation| $17|
| Bottom bracket replacement -- *BB Removal, frame prepped, installation (parts not included)*| $30|
| Shimano internal geared hub service -- *Disassembly, fluid replacement, and lubrication*| $70|
| Shimano Di2 reprogramming and firmware update -- *call for store availability*| $35|
| Cable and housing replacement -- *Installation cost per cable and housing length*| $10|
|---|--- |  
|**Other services**|**Price**|
| Headset adjustment| $10|
| Headset overhaul| $30|
| Miscellaneous accessory install| $10 – $35|
| Bar tape installation -- *Tape extra*| $25|
| Bike boxing -- *Partial disassembly and packaging for shipping or airplane travel*| $60|
| General repairs -- *Minimum shop charge is $5*| $80/hr|






### Free meeting room
*We’re taking precautionary steps due to COVID-19, and pausing all bookings of the Community Room for the moment.  We take your health seriously and are following the recommendations of public health agencies to practice social distancing and limit gatherings. We will continue to monitor and reassess the situation as it evolves. For groups with a current booking, we’ll contact you by email to ensure you can plan accordingly.  *





If you love trails, snow, water or fresh air, this is your store. Visit MEC Toronto for outdoor gear, know-how and inspiration.

| Mounting| 
|----|----|
| ---| ---|
| Classic| $30|
| Skate| $30|
| Binding removal*With purchase of new binding or skis*| Free|



| Base tune-up| 
|----|----|
| ---| ---|
| General repairs*Minimum shop charge is $5*| $70/hr|
| Hot wax (hand)| $35|
| Pine tar*Call for availability*| $30|

| Additional services| 
|----|----|
| ---| ---|
| Boot liner molding*With purchase of boots*| Free|
| Boot fitting| $20|

| Snowshoe services| 
|----|----|
| ---| ---|
| Binding replacement| $70/pair|
| Rivet replacement (per rivet)| $15/unit|
| Binding strap replacement (per strap)| $15/unit|



Friday

Sunday

Thursday

Christmas Eve

Boxing Day

Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday

New Years Eve

New Years Day

**MEC is closely monitoring provincial government guidelines to ensure the safety of all members and staff.**

#### Service updates  
- Climbing walls and play areas are closed.  
- Clinics, events and community room bookings are paused.  
- Rental services are paused.  
- Repair shops are open for bike and ski repairs only.

#### Facilities and supply chain
- We are following all government advisories regarding gathering sizes and retail operations  
- We remain committed to our responsible sourcing practices. MEC continues to uphold standards for the health and safety of people who make and distribute the products we sell.   









Phone: 519.896.4972

Our bike mechanics can do it all, from installing fenders to building wheels from scratch. Not sure what work your bike needs? Bring it in for a free safety inspection and we’ll let you know. Call us to set up a bike shop visit. Small repairs can be done while you shop.

Bike Fitting services are temporarily paused.

## Tune-up packages
###### *Parts are not included in tune-up prices.* **Add-on services for all Tune-up packages: bike cleaning fee $20, hub repack (single) $20, spoke replacement $10 (spokes and nipples not included).



#### Basic Tune-up $100
*For when your bike hasn’t had a tune-up after a season of light use. Designed to get you rolling smoothly again by solving your drivetrain issues, imprecise shifting, loose feeling brakes, or when the whole bike is feeling slightly off.*

- Full bike safety check; all bolts, pivot points, and components inspected for proper torque and wear levels
- Light cleaning -- Frame and fork wiped down and inspected 
- Tires inflated, chain lubricated, and grease applied to seatpost
- Bearing adjustments -- including headset, and front and rear hubs
- Brake systems adjusted -- including cable adjustments and pad position 
- Shifting systems adjusted  -- including cable adjustments and hanger alignment
- Minor wheel truing -- lateral truing and light radial adjustments (spoke replacements extra)
- Minor components installed (chain, cassette, brake pads, tubes) 

#### Advanced Tune-up $140
*For when your bike hasn't had a tune-up after a season of regular riding or has issues caused by dirt, component wear, or light damage. If your bike has poor or inconsistent shifting, soft brakes, or the wheels aren’t straight, this package is for you.*

- Includes every service from the Basic Tune-up, plus:
- Major wheel truing as needed -- including tension and dish adjustments
- Drivetrain removed and fully washed, lubricated, and reinstalled
- Frame, fork, and wheels cleaned -- including braking surfaces
- Installation of up to 2 cables, with housing **parts extra

#### Advanced Plus Tune-up $220
*A comprehensive service for well-used bikes that need of some TLC.*

- Includes every service from the Advanced Tune-up, plus:
- Headset and Wheel bearings cleaned and repacked
- Hydraulic brakes bled, or the installation of all cables and hosing for non-hydraulic systems
- Installation of intermediate-level components (bottom bracket, spoke replacements, tubeless sealant refresh) **parts extra

#### Premium Tune-up 
*Available in Road and MTB specific packages. This complete service gets your bike looking and feeling brand new.*

- Includes every service from the Advanced PLUS Tune-up, plus:
- Complete tear down and rebuild (MTB includes linkages)
- Full frame, component, and wheel detailing
- ** NOT included -- Specialty services such as: Suspension services, dropper post services, and wheel building.




### A la carte bike services
 
|**Wheels**|**Price**|
| ---|--- |
| Tire or tube install| $12|
| Specialty Tire or Tube Install (e-bikes, fat bikes, etc)| $20|
| Wheel true| $15 – $20|
| Wheel build| $70 and up|
| Hub adjustment| $10 – $20|
| Hub overhaul| $25|
| ---|--- |
|**Brakes**|**Price**|
| Brake adjustment| $15 – $25|
| Brake bleed| $30|
| Cable and housing replacement -- *Installation cost per cable and housing length*| $10|
| ---|--- |
|**Drivetrain**|**Price**|
| Gear adjustment| $15 – $20|
| Chain installation| $8 - $17|
| Bottom bracket replacement -- *BB Removal, frame prepped, installation (parts not included)*| $30|
| Shimano internal geared hub service -- *Disassembly, fluid replacement, and lubrication*| $70|
| Shimano Di2 reprogramming and firmware update -- *call for store availability*| $35|
| Cable and housing replacement -- *Installation cost per cable and housing length*| $10|
|---|--- |  
|**Other services**|**Price**|
| Headset adjustment| $10|
| Headset overhaul| $30|
| Miscellaneous accessory install| $10 – $35|
| Bar tape installation -- *Tape extra*| $25|
| Bike boxing -- *Partial disassembly and packaging for shipping or airplane travel*| $60|
| General repairs -- *Minimum shop charge is $5*| $80/hr|





### Free meeting room
*We’re taking precautionary steps due to COVID-19, and pausing all bookings of the Community Room for the moment.  We take your health seriously and are following the recommendations of public health agencies to practice social distancing and limit gatherings. We will continue to monitor and reassess the situation as it evolves. For groups with a current booking, we’ll contact you by email to ensure you can plan accordingly.  *



It’s small, but it does the trick. Available for use by local outdoor clubs, environmental groups and NGOs that have a similar mandate as MEC. Please email at least a month before your event to reserve the space.

- Space: fits 15–20, large windows, natural light
- Equipment: Wall-mounted TV with HDMI, projector with HDMI input, mobile projector display, dry erase whiteboard, MEC guest wifi
- Seating and tables: long tables, office chairs, folding chairs



MEC Kitchener is a new purpose-built store that has been constructed to our specifications. The store will join the co-op’s growing portfolio of high-performance green buildings.

All MEC facilities are subject to our internal green building program, which establishes minimum performance standards. MEC Kitchener will be no different. Like all MEC buildings, we’re proud to say that this store will be operationally carbon neutral.

The building incorporates key elements of MEC’s renewed architectural brand, including a distinctive floating canopy to mark the store’s entrance and wood-infused interiors to define the store and display merchandise.

Green building features will include:

- A high-performance building envelope and heating, cooling and ventilation (HVAC) system
- A high R-value thermal barrier, allowing for superior insulation and energy savings.
- Energy-efficient LED lighting and low-flow fixtures throughout the store.

Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs) will be purchased for all energy consumed by MEC Kitchener. We purchase Green Electricity Certificates and Green Natural Gas Certificates from [Bullfrog Power](https://www.bullfrogpower.com/). Bullfrog procures renewable energy (wind, micro-hydro and biogas) on our behalf for electricity and natural gas.

MEC aims to maximize efficiency and minimize environmental impacts in our stores. Learn more about our [green buildings](/en/explore/green-buildings).



| Mounting| 
|----|----|
| ---| ---|
| Classic| $30|
| Skate| $30|
| Binding removal*With purchase of new binding or skis*| Free|

| Base tune-up| 
|----|----|
| ---| ---|
| General repairs*Minimum shop charge is $5*| $70/hr|
| Hot wax (hand)| $35|

| Additional services| 
|----|----|
| ---| ---|
| Boot liner molding*With purchase of boots*| Free|
| Boot fitting| $20|

| Snowshoe services| 
|----|----|
| ---| ---|
| Binding replacement| $70/pair|
| Rivet replacement (per rivet)| $15/unit|
| Binding strap replacement (per strap)| $15/unit|



(418) 522.8884

Our bike mechanics can do it all, from installing fenders to building wheels from scratch. Not sure what work your bike needs? Bring it in for a free safety inspection and we’ll let you know. Call us to set up a bike shop visit. Small repairs can be done while you shop.

Bike fitting services are temporarily paused.



Welcome back! MEC in Quebec is open with limits to the number of people inside, plus reduced hours and services. We are following the advice and guidance of local health authorities to ensure we are providing the safest possible environment to MEC members and staff.

Note, we are not yet accepting returns in person. For the safety of MEC staff, we are accepting returns by mail only.



If you love trails, snow, water or fresh air, this is your store. Visit MEC Québec City for outdoor gear, know-how and inspiration.

The space we are taking over provides great potential to bring the MEC brand to life inside and out.

The design will be in-keeping with the new architectural embodiment of the MEC brand, with a distinctive floating canopy to mark the store’s entrance and wood-infused interiors to define the store and display merchandise.

All MEC facilities are subject to our internal green building program, which establishes minimum performance standards. MEC’s new Quebec City store will be no different.

Two of the most important aspects of green buildings are the building envelope and the heating, ventilation and air conditioning (or HVAC) system. The new Quebec City store will provide R40 and R60 thermal performance in the walls and roof, respectively, and feature a best-in-class roof top HVAC system.

Energy efficient lighting will also be used throughout the store. Plus, Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs) will be purchased for all energy consumed by MEC’s Quebec City store.

MEC aims to maximize efficiency and minimize environmental impacts in our stores. Learn more about our [green buildings](/en/explore/green-buildings).



For the safety of staff and members, we are pausing in-store gear repair services for a while. Thanks for your understanding. Want to try some repairs on your own? Learn how to fix your own gear with these [how-to articles and videos on popular gear repair topics](/en/explore/product-care-and-maintenance).

### Recycling
If you bought any of the items below at MEC, you can bring them back to our store for recycling:

- Batteries (no broken or corroded ones please).
- Bike tires and tubes – they can get ground up for tarmac or playground surfaces.
- Climbing rope – it could become dog leashes, acoustic insulation or stuffing.

Due to safety concerns, we do not accept used flammable goods, including camping gas canisters, stove fuel, flares, bear bangers and bear spray. Please contact your local waste management office to find out how to properly dispose of these items.

Have a question about something that’s not on the list above? Give us a call or contact your local municipal recycling program.



| Mounting| 
|----|----|
| ---| ---|
| Classic| $30|
| Skate| $30|
| Telemark| $50|
| Alpine touring| $50|
| Binding removal*With purchase of new binding or skis*| Free|

| Base tune-up| 
|----|----|
| ---| ---|
| General repairs*Minimum shop charge is $5*| $70/hr|
| Hot wax (hand)| $35|
| Pine tar*Call for availability*| $30|
| Base cleaning| $10|
| Base binder application| $10|

| Additional services| 
|----|----|
| ---| ---|
| Skin fit and shaping*Call for availability*| $25|
| Boot liner molding*With purchase of boots*| Free|
| Boot fitting| $20|

| Snowshoe services| 
|----|----|
| ---| ---|
| Binding replacement| $70/pair|
| Rivet replacement (per rivet)| $15/unit|
| Binding strap replacement (per strap)| $15/unit|



Phone: 519.668.6657

Our bike mechanics can do it all, from installing fenders to building wheels from scratch. Not sure what work your bike needs? Bring it in for a free safety inspection and we’ll let you know. Call us to set up a bike shop visit. Small repairs can be done while you shop.



If you love trails, snow, water or fresh air, this is your store. Visit MEC London for outdoor gear, know-how and inspiration.

The space we have taken over provides great potential to bring the MEC brand to life inside and out.

The completely refurbished building incorporates key elements of MEC’s renewed architectural brand, including a distinctive floating canopy to mark the store’s entrance and wood-infused interiors to define the store and display merchandise.

Our new architectural design is featured in the building and improvements include a new roof with R40 thermal protection and a high-performance heating, cooling and ventilation system.

As part of MEC’s extensive green building program, the store operates on renewable energy.



Phone: (416) 221-0030

Our bike mechanics can do it all, from installing fenders to building wheels from scratch. Not sure what work your bike needs? Bring it in for a free safety inspection and we’ll let you know. Call us to set up a bike shop visit. Small repairs can be done while you shop.

Bike fitting services are temporarily paused.



Bike services

Every purchase at MEC supports your community. From helping people get to Rouge National Urban Park, to leading nature walks and teaching families how to plan their first camping trip, these local organizations and programs make getting outside just a little bit easier. MEC works with many groups in the North York community, including:



Never camped before? Don’t know where to start, or just want a refresher before your next trip? With support from MEC, [Parks Canada’s Learn to Camp program](https://www.pc.gc.ca/en/serapprocher-connect/ltc-dlc) introduces you and your family to the basics of camping in Canada’s beautiful natural settings. Through overnight experiences and daytime workshops, you’ll learn camping skills like how to set up a tent, plan a camping menu and cook outdoors.



MEC and the Canadian Wilderness Parks and Wilderness Society (CPAWS) are working together to create community support for conservation in Rouge National Urban Park and around the GTA. As a chapter of CPAWS, [Wildlands League](https://wildlandsleague.org/)’s mission is to protect the natural world that supports us with a connected network of wild lands and protected natural areas, and to promote recreation and resource use in ways that are sustainable for nature, communities and the economy.



MEC partners with [Parkbus](https://parkbus.ca/index) to help thousands of Canadians visit national and provincial parks from major cities across Canada – including a free shuttle from Toronto to Rouge National Urban Park. From day trips and family camping weekends to wilderness expeditions, Parkbus offers accessible transportation options to help city dwellers connect with nature.



[Healing in Nature: Bereavement Network](http://bereavementnetwork.ca/) (HNBN) is a non-for-profit project that provides grief support for youth and young adults through nature walks. They host walking groups on local trails for youth and young adults who are grieving, including newcomers to the community and refugees.



### Grants and donations
Our grant program has given tens of millions of dollars to conservation and the outdoor community in Canada – everything from product donations and advocacy projects to activity funding and land acquisitions. Find out if your community project is eligible and learn [how to apply for support](/en/explore/apply-grant-support).



If you love trails, snow, water or fresh air, this is your store. Visit MEC North York for outdoor gear, know-how and inspiration.

Events

MEC North York is part of the co-op’s growing portfolio of high-performance green buildings. All MEC facilities are designed to meet these performance standards as part of our internal green building program.

The building incorporates key elements of MEC’s renewed architectural brand, including a distinctive floating canopy to mark the store’s entrance and wood-infused interiors to define the store and display merchandise.

Like all MEC buildings, MEC North York is operationally carbon neutral. The store is designed to be almost 50% more energy efficient than a comparable commercial building, based on Model National Energy Code for Buildings [MNECB] 1997.

Green building features includes a high-performance building envelope and heating, cooling and ventilation (HVAC) system, as well as extensive LED lighting. In addition:

- The high-performance building envelope includes structural insulated panels (SIPs), which allow for superior insulation and energy savings.
- The HVAC system features a heat recovery ventilator with underfloor air distribution, and energy-efficient heat pumps for heating and cooling.
- Energy-efficient LED lighting is installed in 80% of the retail areas.

MEC North York is spread over two floors, with a feature stairwell connecting the two levels. The space is marked by a saw-tooth roof lined with clerestory windows that flood the retail floor with natural light.

MEC North York meets the Tier 1 level of the Toronto Green Standard (TGS).

We purchase Green Electricity Certificates and Green Natural Gas Certificates from [Bullfrog Power](https://www.bullfrogpower.com/). Bullfrog procures renewable energy (wind, micro-hydro and biogas) on our behalf for electricity and natural gas.

MEC aims to maximize efficiency and minimize environmental impacts in all our stores. Learn more about our [green buildings](/en/explore/green-buildings).



| Mounting| 
|----|----|
| ---| ---|
| Classic| $30|
| Skate| $30|
| Telemark| $50|
| Alpine touring| $50|
| Downhill| $50|
| Binding removal*With purchase of new binding or skis*| Free|

| Base tune-up| 
|----|----|
| ---| ---|
| General repairs*Minimum shop charge is $5*| $70/hr|
| Hot wax (machine)| $15|
| Hot wax (hand)| $35|
| Machine sharpen and wax| $35|
| Pine tar*Call for availability*| $30|

| Additional services| 
|----|----|
| ---| ---|
| Skin fit and shaping*Call for availability*| $25|
| Boot liner molding*With purchase of boots*| Free|
| Boot fitting| $20|



Phone: (403) 269-2420

Our bike mechanics can do it all, from installing fenders to building wheels from scratch. Not sure what work your bike needs? Bring it in for a free safety inspection and we’ll let you know. Call us to set up a bike shop visit. Small repairs can be done while you shop.

Bike fitting services are temporarily paused.



## Tune-up packages
###### *Parts are not included in tune-up prices.* **Add-on services for all Tune-up packages: bike cleaning fee $20, hub repack (single) $20, spoke replacement $10 (spokes and nipples not included).




#### Basic Tune-up $120
*For when your bike hasn’t had a tune-up after a season of light use. Designed to get you rolling smoothly again by solving your drivetrain issues, imprecise shifting, loose feeling brakes, or when the whole bike is feeling slightly off.*

- Full bike safety check; all bolts, pivot points, and components inspected for proper torque and wear levels
- Light cleaning -- Frame and fork wiped down and inspected 
- Tires inflated, chain lubricated, and grease applied to seatpost
- Bearing adjustments -- including headset, and front and rear hubs
- Brake systems adjusted -- including cable adjustments and pad position 
- Shifting systems adjusted  -- including cable adjustments and hanger alignment
- Minor wheel truing -- lateral truing and light radial adjustments (spoke replacements extra)
- Minor components installed (chain, cassette, brake pads, tubes) 

#### Advanced Tune-up $160
*For when your bike hasn't had a tune-up after a season of regular riding or has issues caused by dirt, component wear, or light damage. If your bike has poor or inconsistent shifting, soft brakes, or the wheels aren’t straight, this package is for you.*

- Includes every service from the Basic Tune-up, plus:
- Major wheel truing as needed -- including tension and dish adjustments
- Drivetrain removed and fully washed, lubricated, and reinstalled
- Frame, fork, and wheels cleaned -- including braking surfaces
- Installation of up to 2 cables, with housing **parts extra

#### Advanced Plus Tune-up $240
*A comprehensive service for well-used bikes that need of some TLC.*

- Includes every service from the Advanced Tune-up, plus:
- Headset and Wheel bearings cleaned and repacked
- Hydraulic brakes bled, or the installation of all cables and hosing for non-hydraulic systems
- Installation of intermediate-level components (bottom bracket, spoke replacements, tubeless sealant refresh) **parts extra

#### Premium Tune-up 
*Available in Road and MTB specific packages. This complete service gets your bike looking and feeling brand new.*

- Includes every service from the Advanced PLUS Tune-up, plus:
- Complete tear down and rebuild (MTB includes linkages)
- Full frame, component, and wheel detailing
- ** NOT included -- Specialty services such as: Suspension services, dropper post services, and wheel building.




### A la carte bike services
 
|**Wheels**|**Price**|
| ---|--- |
| Tire or tube install| $12|
| Specialty Tire or Tube Install (e-bikes, fat bikes, etc)| $20|
| Wheel true| $20 – $25|
| Wheel build| $70 and up|
| Hub adjustment| $10 – $20|
| Hub overhaul| $25|
| ---|--- |
|**Brakes**|**Price**|
| Brake adjustment| $15 – $25|
| Brake bleed| $30|
| Cable and housing replacement -- *Installation cost per cable and housing length*| $10|
| ---|--- |
|**Drivetrain**|**Price**|
| Gear adjustment| $15 – $20|
| Chain installation| $8 - $17|
| Bottom bracket replacement -- *BB Removal, frame prepped, installation (parts not included)*| $30|
| Shimano internal geared hub service -- *Disassembly, fluid replacement, and lubrication*| $70|
| Shimano Di2 reprogramming and firmware update -- *call for store availability*| $35|
| Cable and housing replacement -- *Installation cost per cable and housing length*| $10|
|---|--- |  
|**Other services**|**Price**|
| Headset adjustment| $10|
| Headset overhaul| $30|
| Miscellaneous accessory install| $10 – $35|
| Bar tape installation -- *Tape extra*| $25|
| Bike boxing -- *Partial disassembly and packaging for shipping or airplane travel*| $60|
| General repairs -- *Minimum shop charge is $5*| $80/hr|




### Free display space
Not-for-profit groups and local clubs that share MEC values can use our floor space to tell people what’s going on. Let people know about outdoor issues, collect input on plans, or just get the word out about your club. For more info, please email cal_aa@mec.ca or phone the store.

### Free meeting room
*We’re taking precautionary steps due to COVID-19, and pausing all bookings of the Community Room for the moment.  We take your health seriously and are following the recommendations of public health agencies to practice social distancing and limit gatherings. We will continue to monitor and reassess the situation as it evolves. For groups with a current booking, we’ll contact you by email to ensure you can plan accordingly. *



If you love trails, snow, water or fresh air, this is your store. Visit MEC Calgary for outdoor gear, know-how and inspiration.

When we build a store, we try to recycle or reuse buildings and/or building materials wherever possible. There were fewer opportunities to do this at our Calgary site than at our other stores, but we’ve found ways to improve where we can. Here are some of the green features:****

- To cut down on materials required, there are minimal floor and ceiling coverings.
- To let in as much natural light as possible, we have energy-efficient double-paned windows.
- Since there’s not a lot of natural light in this building, we use energy efficient fluorescent tubes for base lighting and have replaced some of the accent lighting with energy saving LED fixtures.

Like all MEC buildings, we’re proud to say that this store is carbon neutral. We purchase Green Electricity Certificates and Green Natural Gas Certificates from [Bullfrog Power](https://www.bullfrogpower.com/), which means that Bullfrog procures renewable energy (wind, micro-hydro and biogas) on our behalf for electricity and natural gas.

MEC aims to maximize efficiency and minimize environmental impacts in our stores. Learn more about our [green buildings](/en/explore/green-buildings).



| Mounting| 
|----|----|
| ---| ---|
| Classic| $30|
| Skate| $30|
| Telemark| $50|
| Alpine touring| $50|
| Downhill| $50|
| Binding removal*With purchase of new binding or skis*| Free|

| Base tune-up| 
|----|----|
| ---| ---|
| General repairs*Minimum shop charge is $5*| $70/hr|
| Hot wax (machine)| $15|
| Hot wax (hand)| $35|
| Machine sharpen and wax| $35|
| Pine tar*Call for availability*| $30|

| Additional services| 
|----|----|
| ---| ---|
| Skin fit and shaping*Call for availability*| $25|
| Boot liner molding*With purchase of boots*| Free|
| Boot fitting| $20|
| Boot punching (First punch)| $50|
| Boot punching (Additional punch)| $25|

| Snowshoe services| 
|----|----|
| ---| ---|
| Binding replacement| $70/pair|
| Rivet replacement (per rivet)| $15/unit|
| Binding strap replacement (per strap)| $15/unit|



Victoria Day

Phone: 705.792.4675

Our bike mechanics can do it all, from installing fenders to building wheels from scratch. Not sure what work your bike needs? Bring it in for a free safety inspection and we’ll let you know. Call us to set up a bike shop visit. Small repairs can be done while you shop.

Bike fitting services are temporarily paused



### Free display space
Not-for-profit groups and local clubs that share MEC values can use our floor space to tell people what’s going on. Let people know about outdoor issues, collect input on plans, or just get the word out about your club. For more info, please email bar_aa@mec.ca or phone the store.

*We’re taking precautionary steps due to COVID-19, and pausing all bookings of the Community Room for the moment.  We take your health seriously and are following the recommendations of public health agencies to practice social distancing and limit gatherings. We will continue to monitor and reassess the situation as it evolves. For groups with a current booking, we’ll contact you by email to ensure you can plan accordingly.  *



If you love trails, snow, water or fresh air, this is your store. Visit MEC Barrie for outdoor gear, know-how and inspiration.