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Support for environmental conservation in Canada took another step forward recently as citizen-based action group, Ottawa Riverkeeper, was granted $15,000 by Mountain Equipment Co-op™ (MEC), when it announced the latest results of its community grants program.
The grant was awarded to Ottawa Riverkeeper for a public awareness and education campaign – Our River is Not a Dumping Ground – about dumping untreated sewage into the Ottawa River.
In all, member-owned retailer MEC invested more than $730,000 for 76 community-based projects in 9 provinces.
“MEC member purchases make our grants program possible, and none of the good work we support would be possible without their participation,” said CEO David Labistour. “MEC grants are a long-running and integral part of how, collectively, our members help to support Canada’s outdoor community.”
MEC has invested over $17 million in environmental conservation and outdoor recreation projects across Canada since 1987, when its grants program started. Twice each year, MEC members, a director from the co-op’s board and staff are involved in selecting projects to receive support.
“There are so many inspiring initiatives happening right now in Canada to help people get active in the outdoors and protect our precious natural places,” said MEC community program manager Laurie Edward. “MEC is proud to support those efforts by providing one per cent of all our sales to great community projects.”
As a member of 1% for the Planet, MEC commits to investing one per cent of total sales every year to environmental initiatives. This commitment will see MEC contribute over $2.6 million in 2010 alone. 1% for the Planet provides third-party verification of each of its member company’s commitments.
The grants range in dollar value from $1,200 to $50,000. More information about MEC’s community grants program is available at www.mec.ca/community