O n February 12, 1919, delegates began arriving in Regina to attend the first convention and meeting of the Sas- katchewan Society of Sanitary and Heating Engineers under the leadership of then President N.B. Roantree of Roantree and O’Neil. It is doubtful those delegates could have imagined that a century later their Association would evolve into what is now the Mechanical Contractors Association of Saskatchewan Inc. and that it would still be growing and thriving. The sign-in sheet, which is currently on display at the MCAS office, shows that 33 contractors from around the province attended that first convention. The Executive Committee Minutes illustrate that even in the beginning, the MCAS was there to protect the interests of the mechanical contractor. The minutes read that members of the Jobbers Association were selling materials to others than those in the plumbing and heating industry. The secretary was directed to write a letter instructing the members of the Jobbers Association to “take some steps whereby this evil may be remedied.” Fairly strong language at the time. INDUSTRY FOCUSED, MEMBER DRIVEN HISTORY OF THE MECHANICAL CONTRACTORS ASSOCIATION OF SASKATCHEWAN INC. The precedent was set at that meeting – the Association would tackle the issues that mattered most to its members head on. Those early years were spent organizing local associations across the province in the areas of Regina, Saskatoon, Moose Jaw and Prince Albert. Today the Association operates as a provincial organization with its office located in Saskatoon. In 1995 the Mechanical Contractors Association of Canada cele- brated its 100th Anniversary. In the commemorative book that was published, a story is recounted of the 1948 Plumbing apprentice- ship class in Moose Jaw. There were 11 students from across the province enrolled but they were lacking the necessary tools to gain proper training. Local members stepped forward and provided the tools the apprentices required, and class could resume. An early ex- ample of the members of the Association supporting their industry. In the early years the financial records of the Association were kept by Harold Dietrich who was paid $50 per month for his services. From 1966 to 1980 Tom Baylis acted as the secretary-manager, first on a volunteer basis and eventually earning a small salary on a 12 MCAS www.mca-sask.com COVER