MEC Pride Logo

Our roots

In 1971, a group of west coast mountaineers made a decision to do business differently, and they turned an unconventional retail model into a thriving business. Although MEC has evolved over time, our grassroots foundation still holds up: make things happen, deal fairly, find strength in community, and inspire adventure.

A startup idea

In the late sixties and early seventies, climbing in Vancouver wasn’t yet mainstream and climbing gear was hard to find. If you wanted a rope or an ice axe, your best bet was to cross the border and gear up at REI in Seattle.

The idea of making gear available in Canada surfaced on a trip to Mount Baker in 1970. A group of four climbers, socked in at the base of the glacier, had nothing to do but sit in the tent and talk. Through the weekend, the talk of opening a gear store crystalized into a commitment to start something like REI in Canada.

Initially, they considered a structure that would have benefited the small group of founders. But ultimately, they decided the business would be a consumer collective that existed to benefit its members, and that they would sell gear for rock climbing, mountaineering, ski mountaineering, and hiking.

Early operation

Equipment came from REI and another small Seattle company, MSR. With a lean mark-up of 20%, the new operation could buy wholesale, pay duties, and be competitive in the Vancouver market. Gradually they could afford to purchase a few items without advance payment, and drove them around to outdoor club meetings, where they would show off the gear and sign up new members.

For the first three years, MEC was run solely by volunteers. There were no paid employees until the business could support a store with regular hours and gear on the shelves. These early stores weren’t so much places to buy stuff as they were places to hang out, plan trips, get advice, and talk about gear.

Coming into our own

Things weren’t easy at the start. There were disagreements, there wasn’t much money, there were vendors who refused to sell to an enterprise that didn’t charge the manufacturer’s suggested retail price, but the philosophical attachment to doing business differently was powerful. The founders and many others who joined them were willing to give time and energy and to be steady patrons.

Fueled by those who believed in being part of a values-based enterprise, MEC thrived, and continues to demonstrate the best of what business can be in our society.

MEC Incorporated

1971 MEC is formally incorporated on August 2, with six members, and about $65 of operating capital.

MEC pricelist 1972

1972 The first catalogue is produced: a single page, typed and taped to a door in the UBC Student Union Building. Membership grows to 250 by the end of the year and the operation moves to the Dominion Building on West Hastings Street.

MEC Catalog 1974

1973 The store moves to 2068 4th Avenue to accommodate the in-stock gear.

1974 The year begins with a healthy membership of 700. They begin to receive catalogues in the mail.

MEC 1975 catalogue cover

1975 Our Vancouver store expands to include the downstairs level (our first storefront presence). Alongside all the gear, we have a notice board for outdoor activities happening in the area.

MEC Catalog 1976

1976 The Board votes to return patronage dividends to members in proportion to their purchases. This stabilizes the financial situation considerably. In addition to selling gear, we advertise rentals in our catalogue: cross-country skis and snowshoes.

MEC Catalog 1977

1977 The Canadian Mountain Co-operative votes to be absorbed by MEC, and three members drive a U-haul full of gear to Alberta to open a store in Calgary. The Vancouver store moves to a space near Granville Island.

1978 Rain gear technology takes a huge leap forward with the introduction of Gore-Tex parkas, pants and anoraks.

MEC Catalog 1979

1979 MEC and Hine-Snowbridge agree to set up a Canadian factory to make backpacks and panniers. The company evolves into Serratus Mountain Products, the “house” brand for 25 years.

MEC Catalog 1980

1980 The first ever member survey is conducted. People note that the availability of equipment could be improved. (It turns out not to be the last time we hear this feedback.)

MEC Catalog 1982

1981 MEC reaches 57,000 members and celebrates its 10th anniversary.

1982 The Vancouver store moves to West 8th Avenue, where it remains for a dozen years.

MEC Catalog 1983

1983 MEC begins accepting payment by credit card even though the additional cost was a significant slice of our very slim margin.

MEC 1984 catalogue cover

1984 MEC reaches 90,000 members living in Canada, plus 1,000 international members. We conduct our second-ever member survey, with an incentive of a cool poster for filling it out.

MEC Catalog 1985

1985 MEC opens a store in Toronto, a contentious decision at the time, as there are no “mountains” near Toronto.

1985/86 MEC winter catalogue cover

1986 We reach 140,000 members and publish our first-ever full colour catalogue. Tech is evolving: our winter catalogue notes that likely changes are ahead for avalanche beacon frequencies (to 457KHz, now the standard).

MEC Catalog 1987

1987 MEC establishes The Environment Fund and makes a donation to the Federation of Mountain Clubs of BC to purchase property containing the Smoke Bluffs, a climbing area threatened by development. The entire bluffs were purchased for $70,000. Members receive a share redemption of $350,000.

MEC Catalog 1988

1988 In-house product development begins. The first major product produced is the Nevé Gore-Tex Parka. The group initially thought a product run of 1,600 would suffice. By year end, they’d produced 10,000.

MEC Catalog 1989

1989 Several staff members take leave to clean up an oil spill on the west coast of Vancouver Island. The staff are paid honoraria and reimbursed for expenses. Members receive a share redemption of $650,000.

1990

1990 Membership reaches 250,000. At the time, this is 1% of the population of Canada. From 1987 to 1990, MEC’s growth rate was over 30% a year.

1991

1991 20 years, 330,000 members and $36.5 million in annual sales. Our Toronto store expands to more than twice its size, and we celebrate our 20th anniversary with a special edition logo on shorts, Swiss army knives and sleeping bags.

MEC Catalog 1993

1992 MEC opens a store in Ottawa. We create (as far as were aware) the only kids’ Gore-Tex jacket in North America that was fully approved by Gore at the time.

1993 The Endowment Fund for the Environment is created as a charitable public fund to support the creation of parks and protected areas. Members receive a share redemption of $900,000.

MEC Catalog 1994

1994 MEC starts making fleece jackets and pants out of recycled polyester made from plastic soda bottles. And we create a policy that requires environmental consultation for all new buildings and renovations.

MEC Catalog 1995

1995 One of the 47 environmental projects funded is a $100,000 land acquisition grant to aid the purchase of Jedediah Island and preserve it as a Provincial Park. Our Vancouver store moves into a much larger space on West Broadway, which was formerly an auto repair shop.

MEC Catalog 1996

1996 In a survey, 44.9% of members report that they would use the internet to get information or to communicate with MEC, if we were connected to it.

MEC Catalog 1997

1997 MEC reaches 1 million members. At the end of the year, we launch mec.ca, a small online brochure of backcountry information.

MEC Catalog 1998

1998 We create a line of garments made from 100% organically grown cotton. MEC also starts our own fabric lab, where we can test materials to make sure the products we make meet our standards.

The MEC store in Edmonton opens. The Toronto store moves (again) to a King Street West building that gets an award for environmental design.

MEC Catalog 1999

1999 Pack technology evolves to the point that MEC no longer sells external frame backpacks, once a staple piece of outdoor gear. Our head office moves into a new building that was formerly an auto parts warehouse.

MEC Catalog 2000

2000 Split boards arrive in the product assortment so snowboarders can access the backcountry. The Ottawa store makes a move to its current location, and becomes the first retail store in Canada to meet the rigid C2000 green buildings standards. Members receive a share redemption of $1.2 million.

MEC Catalog 2001

2001 The website becomes transactional so members can buy gear online. MEC opens in Halifax, and celebrates 30 years of history. Members receive a share redemption of $1.2 million.

MEC Catalog 2002

2002 MEC opens a store in Winnipeg that is rated the most energy-efficient retail building in Canada.

MEC Catalog 2003

2003 MEC comes to Québec with a store in Montréal, and begins to translate all its communications into French.

MEC Catalog 2004

2004 MEC opens stores in Québec City and in North Vancouver. Membership reaches 2 million. Members receive a share redemption of $1 million.

MEC Catalog 2005

2005 After years of declining sales for Serratus products, MEC closes the manufacturing facility, one of the most difficult and contentious decisions we have ever faced.

MEC becomes a founding partner of Leave No Trace Canada, and joins the Fair Labor Association. We also support the Land Conservancy to protect the Skaha Bluffs climbing area, and members receive a share redemption of $2 million.

MEC Catalog 2006

2006 The website becomes fully bilingual. MEC opens a store in Victoria – our eleventh location – and celebrates our 35th anniversary. We also become bluesign® system partners. Members receive a share redemption of $2.1 million.

MEC Catalog 2007

2007 MEC joins 1% for the Planet, a group of businesses that donate 1% of gross sales to environmental causes. Members receive a share redemption of $3.6 million.

MEC Catalog 2008

2008 MEC opens a store in Burlington with a rooftop solar system that feeds power into the Ontario grid. All stores eliminate single-use plastic bags, which keeps about 3.4 million single-use bags out of the landfill each year.

MEC Catalog 2009

2009 Membership reaches 3 million people, nearing 10% of the population of Canada, and we open a store in Longueuil. MEC kicks off roll-packing (a.k.a. “sushi-roll” packing) to reduce the use of plastic polybags when products are shipped from the factory. Members receive a share redemption of $344,000.

MEC Catalog 2010

2010 We develop our own line of MEC bikes, which start making space in all stores to service bikes too. We also open a store in Barrie, our fourth in Ontario. Members receive a share redemption of $2.2 million.

MEC 40th anniversary

2011 MEC turns 40 and reaches $261 million in annual sales and 3.3 million members. We open a store in London, Ontario, and becomes a founding member of the Sustainable Apparel Coalition. Members receive a share redemption of $2.4 million.

MEC store opening St. Denis

2012 We release an iPhone app that makes it possible to buy a membership and shop for products on a smartphone. We also ramp up our activity and events program across the country, and relocate our North Vancouver store.

A boutique-style MEC opens in Saint-Denis, Montréal. (Years later, we said au revoir. We loved this little store, but a travel boutique wasn’t quite right for us.)

MEC logo on gift card leaning against stones

2013 We receive accreditation from the Fair Labor Association, open a new store in Langley, launch our mobile website, and unveil a new logo.

Membership tops 4 million people.

MEC Head Office

2014 Members receive a share redemption of $4.5 million. We host over 5,000 community events, from running races and century rides to bike maintenance clinics and festivals.

MEC opens a new head office, offers our first Fair Trade USA Certified t-shirts, and starts introducing the Higg Index social and environmental assessments into our supply chain.

MEC Outdoor Nation

2015 MEC now has more than 2,000 employees and 4.5 million members.

Members receive a share redemption of $5.4 million. We launch MEC Outdoor Nation, a movement that focuses on getting young people outside.

MEC Kelowna

2016 MEC opens new stores in Kelowna, Laval, South Edmonton and North York. The London store moves to a new location, doubling in size. Members receive a share redemption of $1.8 million.

4 people watching sunrise

2017 MEC welcomes its 5 millionth member.

We open a store in Kitchener, and relocate our Edmonton and Québec City stores. We also break ground on the site for the new Vancouver store in Olympic Village.

Tosh Sherkat climbing in gym

2018 MEC opens a second store in Calgary. We become the founding partner of Climbing Escalade Canada to support the development of young climbers.

Our CEO signs the Outdoor CEO Diversity Pledge, and MEC releases three documentaries of Canadian adventurers sharing their lived experiences with wild spaces.

Canoe Portage in Toronto

2019 MEC Toronto relocates to Queen Street West and becomes our first-ever flagship store, complete with a Queen Street portage and a bouldering wall.  We launch MEC All Out (the evolution of our community program) and Rad Pants make a triumphant return – they sell out in about a day and a half.

Van inside Vancouver store

2020 A new Vancouver flagship store opens in Olympic Village. After almost 25 years in the old space, the new store is a big upgrade, with a bouldering wall, huge murals that celebrate local landscapes and a nod to the original “store” parked inside.

Heritage product logo

2021 50 years of getting after it! A milestone year and a year of wild storms. MEC emerges from real business challenges with a new structure and new owners. To celebrate 50 years of legendary products, we release an anniversary line that includes insulated Toaster Suits, indestructible packs and fleece jackets in rad shades of eggplant, jade and blue spruce.