Mountain Equipment Co-op

Mountain Equipment Co-op

Type	Cooperative
Industry	Outdoor equipment
Founded	Vancouver, British Columbia (1971)
Headquarters	Vancouver, British Columbia
Number of locations	21
Key people	David Labistour, CEO
Website	www.mec.ca

Mountain Equipment Co-op (MEC) is a Canadian consumers' cooperative, which sells outdoor recreation gear and clothing exclusively to its members. MEC is notable for its commitment to environmental protection and other causes. As a co-op, MEC sells only to customers who hold a lifetime membership, which is technically a share and can be purchased by anyone for $5. MEC bills itself as Canada's largest supplier of outdoor equipment. Since its founding in Vancouver, British Columbia in 1971, MEC has expanded across Canada and now operates stores in eighteen cities. Once catering to mountaineers and climbers, MEC now targets a broader clientele. This is evidenced by changes in its marketing imagery, which historically focused on high level climbing and alpinist imagery. MEC has over 4.3 million members in Canada and internationally.

Members can shop at any of the twenty-two retail stores, on-line, or on the phone. MEC also operates a "Corporate & Group Sales" store for large orders. Among MEC's largest "corporate" members are the military, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, parks agencies and various search and rescue organizations. MEC stores are often known for their use of eco-friendly design features. The Ottawa and Winnipeg stores were the first and second retail buildings in Canada to comply with Canada's C2000 Green Building Standard, which acknowledges buildings that achieve energy consumption 50% less than similar conventional structures.

The co-op designs and produces the majority of its gear although also carries products by many other well-known companies. A significant proportion of the company's inventory is manufactured in Asia although they also have six contract factories in Canada. Furthermore, directed by the members, MEC fulfills its core purpose: inspire and enable everyone to lead active outdoor lifestyles. They accomplish this by selling outdoor gear, clothing, and services. MEC's head office and phone/service centre are located in Vancouver. Its distribution centre is located in Surrey, British Columbia.

Each year, every member of MEC has the opportunity to vote in the elections for its board of directors, as well as on "special resolutions", through a variety of methods. Before the election period, an information package with platforms of candidates and information on resolutions is distributed. Election results are announced at the annual general meeting.