A mountain emerges in Burlington, Ontario

    Mountain Equipment Co-op's new store will serve Southwestern Ontario

    VANCOUVER, Nov. 25 /CNW/ - Residents of Southwestern Ontario woke up
today to a new mountain - in Burlington. Mountain Equipment Co-op(TM) (MEC),
Canada's largest co-operative and leading outdoor retailer, opened its twelfth
store there, south of Queen Elizabeth Way on a 1.8-acre site at the
intersection of Brant Street and Leighland Road.
    MEC's Burlington store will serve more than 100,000 members who live
within its range, stretching west of Greater Toronto throughout the Niagara
Peninsula.
    "MEC exists to serve our members' clothing and equipment needs - and to
support and celebrate Canada's outdoor community," said CEO David Labistour.
"We are extending our reach into Southwestern Ontario to help MEC members
access products, services and resources to enhance their outdoor experiences,
and to encourage the activities that are our passion."
    The Burlington store gives MEC members access to a comprehensive
selection of clothing and gear - from the MEC-brand and other leading
manufacturers - designed to optimize outdoor activities and perform in
real-world conditions.
    Burlington store manager Anita Cairns said, "We look forward to welcoming
new members and to encouraging them to play outdoors in self-propelled ways."
    Hiking, camping, cycling, canoeing and snowsports - are the five most
popular activities among MEC members. All can be pursued in Southwestern
Ontario.
    The store will employ 79 people upon opening, in a mix of full- and
part-time, casual and senior positions. Staffing will increase during holiday
and seasonal peaks to meet member demand.
    With over 19,000 square feet devoted to retail space (of 27,000 sq.ft.
total), the Burlington store will feature some 7,500 products that span the
various activities MEC supports. It also includes a bike shop (opening spring
2009) to service members' need for repairs or the installation of parts and
accessories that they purchase.
    "MEC's Burlington store is the culmination of a long and thorough process
to satisfy several key accessibility and sustainability objectives," said
Labistour. "Burlington is the hub of MEC's membership base in the region; and
the store is located near the GO Station and major arteries connecting to
surrounding areas. To minimize our environmental footprint, we again took
great care to construct the store to standards that are at the forefront of
green building in Canada."
    MEC Burlington features a combination of structural elements and
operational systems that are expected to make it 70 per cent more efficient
than a conventional building. Energy conservation is at the core of MEC's
green building approach, and the Burlington store incorporates existing and
innovative solutions to achieve efficiency. The store will be LEED certified
and is on track to achieve a Gold rating.
    "We are pleased to welcome Mountain Equipment Co-op to Burlington and
applaud this leading retailer's commitment to encouraging active living and
adhering to rigorous green building standards," said Burlington Mayor Cam
Jackson. "MEC's new Burlington store is a compliment to our city's growing
economy and our commitment to a greener future."
    MEC provides financial support to outdoor recreation and wilderness
conservation projects through its community involvement grants. Since 2006, it
has funded 131 projects in Ontario totaling $647,895. This includes a $100,000
land acquisition grant to the Bruce Trail Association for its Rush Cove
project as well as a $10,000 recreation access grant to the Share the Road
Cycling Coalition to make Burlington more bicycle friendly.
    MEC's Burlington store is the outdoor retailer's third location in
Ontario, after Toronto and Ottawa. As part of its multi-channel retail
offering, MEC now operates 12 stores across Canada as we well as www.mec.ca
and a service centre.
    Anyone can join MEC and become part-owner in the Co-op by purchasing a $5
lifetime individual membership. Members are entitled to buy gear and are
eligible to vote on how the Co-op is governed. MEC membership forms can be
found in retail stores and online.

    About Mountain Equipment Co-op

    Mountain Equipment Co-op is Canada's leading retailer of outdoor
clothing, gear and service for self-propelled activities. Established in 1971,
MEC has more than 2.9 million members throughout Canada and around the world.
Widely recognized for its commitment to sustainability - economic, social,
environmental - MEC is a member of One Percent for The Planet, an alliance of
some 500 companies in 20 countries that annually allocate one per cent of
their total revenues towards various community-based environmental
initiatives. Wilderness conservation and recreation access are the focus of
MEC community grants, which total over $12 million since 1987 when MEC began
providing financial support to Canada's outdoor community. Additional
information about MEC is available online at: mec.ca

    /NOTE TO PHOTO EDITORS: A photo accompanying this release is available on
    the CNW Photo Network and archived at http://photos.newswire.ca.
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    members of the media/

For further information: or to arrange an interview, please contact: Tim
Southam, Mountain Equipment Co-op, W: (604) 707-4480, C: (778) 388-1275,
tsoutham@mec.ca; Josie Haynes, Optimum Public Relations, W: (416) 934-8012, C:
(416) 909-0889, josie.haynes@cossette.com