Ontario Access News: MEC cuts ties with local group
"We would love to see MEC stand by their declaration that access matters, and renew their support for local orgs"
Jessica Best updated Ontario climbers on behalf of the Ontario Alliance of Climbers (OAC) on July 2 about how MEC has stopped supporting local groups.
Best told Ontario climbers on Facebook that, “MEC recently declared that crag access is super important to them , however, they have decided to only support national organizations instead of local ones, when all access issues are addressed by local initiatives. This has meant that MEC, who was once our biggest supporter, ended our relationship. We would love to see MEC stand by their declaration that access matters, and renew their support for local orgs. Please help us by adding your voice, and leave a comment for MEC on their post [below] telling them you want to see them support local orgs like the OAC once again.”
On May 5, we announced that MEC will be donating a million dollars to a number of national organizations, however they’re cutting ties with more localized ones. MEC gifted money to Alpine Club of Canada, Avalanche Canada, the Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society, Leave No Trace Canada, Parkbus, along with its Active Days, and Nature Link programs, Protect Our Winters, Parks Canada and the Royal Canadian Geographic Society, publishers of Canadian Geographic magazine. They will also continue to support the Association of Canadian Mountain Guides through “funding for schools, clubs and other youth groups to hire ACMG-certified guides and instructors for outdoor adventure trips that may not otherwise be accessible to them because of the cost and potential liability.” Spirit North, “a national charitable organization that uses land-based activities to improve the health and well-being of Indigenous youth, empowering them to become unstoppable in sport, school and life,” will also receive support.
While the support of the above is celebrated and great news, it leaves a number of important access groups, like the Ontario Alliance of Climbers, losing much needed financial support. In September 2020, MEC was acquired by Kingswood Capital Management, LP in the U.S.A. Anders Ourom, a member since the early 1970s and legendary Squamish climber, told us, “MEC has benefited hundreds of thousands of members just in B.C., and millions all across Canada.”
Before the sale of MEC, the organization helped with countless grassroots Canadian climbing access initiatives, including the purchase of land and the construction of a parking area at Skaha.
We’re lucky to have such great access groups in Canada, so be sure to support them when and where you can. And let MEC know below your thoughts on them cutting ties with local access groups. Be sure to follow OAC on Instagram below.
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