On the chamber calendar
The role of chambers of commerce in today’s business reality will be topic “uno” at the monthly chamber dinner meeting next week.
Right in the midst of the Chamber of Commerce week – celebrated annually during the third week of February – the Greater Langley Chamber of Commerce is spotlighting the power chambers and boards of trade across the province have and the roles they play in driving the B.C. economy.
Canadian chamber chair Duncan Wilson will be joined by the BC chamber’s chair Patrick Giesbrecht and CEO Val Litwin will explain how the chambers work together as a network to advance policy, develop key partnerships, and shape conversation on issues of importance to the business community and the economy.
The dinner is being held Tuesday, Feb. 21, with registration and networking at 5 p.m., followed by dinner and presentations at 6:30 p.m. at the Coast Hotel & Convention Centre. The cost is $35 for members and $50 for non-members. Call 604-371-3770 or email events@langleychamber.com.
COLUMN CONTINUES BELOW
What’s ahead for franchises
And, as of last week, B.C.’s new franchise act came into force, providing governance to the previously unregulated franchise industry in B.C.
Business lawyer Jamie Nay, from the Langley-based legal team of Campbell, Burton & McMullan, will be speaking on the issue during a meeting hosted by the Greater Langley Chamber of Commerce.
That meeting, set for Wednesday, Feb. 22, is the latest in the chamber’s Lunch & Learn series. As the series name implies, it runs from 12 (noon) to 1:30 p.m. in the chamber board room (#207-8047 199th St.)
Nay will delve into what this new act will mean for franchisees and franchisors. For instance, the act brought in what he calls “extensive” disclosure requirements for all franchisors in the province.
Anyone interested in participating must pre-register before 5 p.m. Feb. 20 at 604-371-3770 or email events@langleychamber.com. The cost is $10 for chamber members and $15 for non-members. Participants are asked to bring their own lunches.
Also coming up for the chamber, they have chef Vikram Vij speaking about an entrepreneur’s journey during a session Friday, March 31.
He is an Austrian-trained professional chef, restaurateur, award-winning cookbook author, certified sommelier, Food Network host, and judge, and past Dragon on CBC’s Dragons’ Den.
Cooking since he was 10, Vij has made a career out of his passion for food with four successful restaurants under his belt, Vij’s Restaurant, Rangoli, My Shanti, and Vij’s Sutra, as well as Vij’s At Home – a line of prepackaged gourmet curries, and Vij’s Railway Express, a mobile food truck in downtown Vancouver.
The chamber describes him as a man with a clear vision – to spend his life introducing fine Indian cuisine to the masses.
But, all of this success didn’t come easy.
Langley business people are invited to join the renowned restaurateur and entrepreneur as he shares his success story and the lessons he has learned throughout his career.
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