BEGIN:VCALENDAR VERSION:2.0 PRODID:-//ChamberMaster//Event Calendar 2.0//EN METHOD:PUBLISH X-PUBLISHED-TTL:P1H REFRESH-INTERVAL:P1H CALSCALE:GREGORIAN BEGIN:VTIMEZONE TZID:America/Los_Angeles BEGIN:DAYLIGHT RRULE:FREQ=YEARLY;BYMONTH=3;BYDAY=2SU DTSTART:20070101T000000 TZOFFSETFROM:-0800 TZOFFSETTO:-0700 TZNAME:Pacific Daylight Time END:DAYLIGHT BEGIN:STANDARD RRULE:FREQ=YEARLY;BYMONTH=11;BYDAY=1SU DTSTART:20070101T000000 TZOFFSETFROM:-0700 TZOFFSETTO:-0800 TZNAME:Pacific Standard Time END:STANDARD END:VTIMEZONE BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20261019T170000 DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20261019T200000 X-MICROSOFT-CDO-ALLDAYEVENT:FALSE SUMMARY:Small Business Week: Adapt. Connect. Grow. DESCRIPTION:Join us as we kick off Small Business Week 2026\, celebrating New Westminster's small business community! Hosted by the New West Chamber of Commerce\, in partnership with the City of New Westminster\, Downtown Business Association\, Uptown Business Association\, Sapperton Business Collective\, and Tourism New West\, this evening is for entrepreneurs\, small business owners\, and their teams.Event Agenda5:00PM - 5:15PMCheck-In & Networking5:15PM - 5:30PMWelcome & Opening Remarks5:30PM - 6:15PMPanel6:15PM - 6:30PMNetworking & F&B6:30PM - 7:15PMBreakout Sessions7:15PM - 7:50PMNetworking7:50PM - 8:00PMClosing RemarksWhat To ExpectInsights from leaders at the Business Council of BC\, the Canadian Federation of Independent Business\, Douglas College\, BDC\, and BIABC. on the trends and challenges shaping small business todayHands-on breakout workshops with practical tools you can use right away (More information is in the registration link)Networking with fellow local business owners and organizationsA celebration of the hard work and risk-taking behind running a small businessAdditional detailsRefreshment and light snacks providedComplimentary childcare (ages 3 12)\, led by City of New West Parks & Recreation staffDate: Monday\, October 19\, 2026\nTime: 5:00 pm - 8:00 pm\nLocation: Anvil Centre\, 777 Columbia Street\nCost: Free event for small businesses\, registration required\nWebsite: Register here\n\nFor more information about Small Business Week and the full lineup of events happening throughout October\, please visit the City of New Westminster website. PanelistsLaura Jones\nPresident & CEO of the Business Council of British ColumbiaLaura Jones is President and Chief Executive Officer of the Business Council of British Columbia\, a non-partisan organization representing leading businesses across all sectors of the provincial economy. She is a nationally recognized public policy leader\, known for her work on regulatory modernization and economic competitiveness\, including the creation of Canada's annual Red Tape Awareness Week.Laura has chaired the federal External Advisory Committee on Regulatory Competitiveness and has advised governments at both the provincial and federal levels. Before joining the Business Council\, she was the Chief Strategic Officer and Executive Vice President of the Canadian Federation of Independent Business\, where she led national advocacy\, research\, and member engagement initiatives.Her work has been published by the OECD and the Harvard Journal of Law & Public Policy. She holds a B.A. in Economics from Mount Holyoke College and an M.A. in Economics from Simon Fraser University.\n\n\nJeremy Heighton \nPresident\, Business Improvement Areas of British ColumbiaFor almost 35 years\, Jeremy has consistently found himself in a leadership role\, whether it is consulting for the largest multi-national military organization on leadership and organizational dynamics\, or coaching small business on start-up\, operations and effective strategy. Jeremy is a passionate community leader who believes in the strength of servant leadership\, effective process and policies\, and the power of people (People\, Process\, Profit). Regardless of his role\, Jeremy leans in and commits to finding the pathways which best serve the most people possible while focusing on the greatest outcomes.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nKalith Nanayakkara\nSenior Policy Analyst\, CFIB\, British ColumbiaKalith Nanayakkara is CFIB's Senior Policy Analyst for British Columbia. Based in Vancouver\, he leads research\, advocacy\, and communications on issues affecting small businesses across the province\, including taxation\, crime\, red tape\, and affordability.\nKalith began his career advocating for students at Canada's leading research universities before moving into public policy and communications at the BC Legislature and serving as Press Secretary in the Mayor's Office at the City of Vancouver. He brings experience in government relations\, strategic communications\, and stakeholder engagement\, with a focus on making policy accessible and practical for small business owners.\nComing from a family of small business owners\, Kalith is passionate about strengthening entrepreneurship and reducing barriers for local businesses. He also brings an entrepreneurial mindset to his work\, having co-founded a Vancouver-based creative brand focused on storytelling\, media\, and community engagement.\nKalith holds a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from the University of British Columbia.\n\n\n\n\n\nSarah Lloyd\, CPA\, CBV\nBusiness Centre Manager\, BDC \n\nSarah is a Business Centre Manager at BDC\, working with mid-sized businesses across Greater Vancouver. A Chartered Professional Accountant and Chartered Business Valuator\, Sarah helps entrepreneurs grow stronger and more profitable businesses through tailored financing and advisory solutions. Leveraging BDC's extensive network and expertise\, she supports business owners with creative funding strategies for expansion\, acquisitions\, real estate\, equipment\, and working capital needs.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nBreakout Sessions 1. Cross-promotion & Collaboration: Teaming up with New West businesses - presented by the New Westminster Chamber + New West BIAs2. Financing Growth: Securing and selecting the right capital at the right time - presented by Sarah Lloyd (BDC)3. Own Your Digital Presence in the AI EraSpeaker: Dave Keighron - Professor\, Douglas CollegeDave Keighron is a marketing educator\, practitioner\, and podcast host with a focus on helping businesses and students bridge the gap between strategy and execution. He is a Professor of Marketing at Douglas College and University Canada West\, where he specializes in social media marketing\, digital strategy\, analytics\, entrepreneurship\, and AI-powered marketing applications.With over 15 years of industry and teaching experience\, Dave works closely with small businesses\, startups\, and community organizations to design practical\, results-driven marketing strategies. His approach emphasizes clarity\, authenticity\, and sustainable growth helping organizations choose the right platforms\, develop a consistent brand voice\, and engage meaningfully with their audiences.Dave is also the host and creator of several business and education-focused podcasts\, including Innovation Fuel and Marketing Corner Talks\, which spotlight real-world business challenges and teaching innovations. More recently\, his work has expanded into AI and marketing\, exploring how tools like generative AI and automation can support smarter decision-making without losing the human side of brand-building.Dave is passionate about experiential learning\, community partnerships\, and empowering small business owners with practical tools they can apply immediately. X-ALT-DESC;FMTTYPE=text/html:

Join us as we kick off Small Business Week 2026\, celebrating New Westminster'\;s small business community! \;

Hosted by the New West Chamber of Commerce\, in partnership with the City of New Westminster\, Downtown Business Association\, Uptown Business Association\, Sapperton Business Collective\, and Tourism New West\, this evening is for entrepreneurs\, small business owners\, and their teams.

Event Agenda

5:00PM - 5:15PMCheck-In &\; Networking
5:15PM - 5:30PMWelcome &\; Opening Remarks
5:30PM - 6:15PMPanel
6:15PM - 6:30PMNetworking &\; F&\;B
6:30PM - 7:15PMBreakout Sessions
7:15PM - 7:50PMNetworking
7:50PM - 8:00PMClosing Remarks

What To Expect

Additional details

Date: Monday\, October 19\, 2026
Time: 5:00 pm - 8:00 pm
Location: \;Anvil Centre\, 777 Columbia Street
Cost: \;Free event for small businesses\, registration required


Website: \;Register here

For more information about Small Business Week and the full lineup of events happening throughout October\, please visit the City of New Westminster website. \;

Panelists

Laura Jones
President &\; CEO of the Business Council of British Columbia

Laura Jones is President and Chief Executive Officer of the Business Council of British Columbia\, a non-partisan organization representing leading businesses across all sectors of the provincial economy. She is a nationally recognized public policy leader\, known for her work on regulatory modernization and economic competitiveness\, including the creation of Canada&rsquo\;s annual Red Tape Awareness Week.

Laura has chaired the federal External Advisory Committee on Regulatory Competitiveness and has advised governments at both the provincial and federal levels. Before joining the Business Council\, she was the Chief Strategic Officer and Executive Vice President of the Canadian Federation of Independent Business\, where she led national advocacy\, research\, and member engagement initiatives.

Her work has been published by the OECD and the Harvard Journal of Law &\; Public Policy. She holds a B.A. in Economics from Mount Holyoke College and an M.A. in Economics from Simon Fraser University.




Jeremy Heighton  \;
President\, Business Improvement Areas of British Columbia

For almost 35 years\, Jeremy has consistently found himself in a leadership role\, whether it is consulting for the largest multi-national military organization on leadership and organizational dynamics\, or coaching small business on start-up\, operations and effective strategy. Jeremy is a passionate community leader who believes in the strength of servant leadership\, effective process and policies\, and the power of people (People\, Process\, Profit). Regardless of his role\, Jeremy leans in and commits to finding the pathways which best serve the most people possible while focusing on the greatest outcomes.









Kalith Nanayakkara
Senior Policy Analyst\, CFIB\, British Columbia

Kalith Nanayakkara is CFIB&rsquo\;s Senior Policy Analyst for British Columbia. Based in Vancouver\, he leads research\, advocacy\, and communications on issues affecting small businesses across the province\, including taxation\, crime\, red tape\, and affordability.

Kalith began his career advocating for students at Canada&rsquo\;s leading research universities before moving into public policy and communications at the BC Legislature and serving as Press Secretary in the Mayor&rsquo\;s Office at the City of Vancouver. He brings experience in government relations\, strategic communications\, and stakeholder engagement\, with a focus on making policy accessible and practical for small business owners.

Coming from a family of small business owners\, Kalith is passionate about strengthening entrepreneurship and reducing barriers for local businesses. He also brings an entrepreneurial mindset to his work\, having co-founded a Vancouver-based creative brand focused on storytelling\, media\, and community engagement.

Kalith holds a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from the University of British Columbia.





Sarah Lloyd\, CPA\, CBV
Business Centre Manager\, BDC  \;

Sarah is a Business Centre Manager at BDC\, working with mid-sized businesses across Greater Vancouver. A Chartered Professional Accountant and Chartered Business Valuator\, Sarah helps entrepreneurs grow stronger and more profitable businesses through tailored financing and advisory solutions. Leveraging BDC&rsquo\;s extensive network and expertise\, she supports business owners with creative funding strategies for expansion\, acquisitions\, real estate\, equipment\, and working capital needs.












Breakout Sessions \;

1. Cross-promotion &\; Collaboration: Teaming up with New West businesses - presented by the New Westminster Chamber + New West BIAs

2. Financing Growth: Securing and selecting the right capital at the right time - presented by Sarah Lloyd (BDC)

3. Own Your Digital Presence in the AI Era

Speaker: Dave Keighron - Professor\, Douglas College

Dave Keighron is a marketing educator\, practitioner\, and podcast host with a focus on helping businesses and students bridge the gap between strategy and execution. He is a Professor of Marketing at Douglas College and University Canada West\, where he specializes in social media marketing\, digital strategy\, analytics\, entrepreneurship\, and AI-powered marketing applications.

With over 15 years of industry and teaching experience\, Dave works closely with small businesses\, startups\, and community organizations to design practical\, results-driven marketing strategies. His approach emphasizes clarity\, authenticity\, and sustainable growth &mdash\; helping organizations choose the right platforms\, develop a consistent brand voice\, and engage meaningfully with their audiences.

Dave is also the host and creator of several business and education-focused podcasts\, including Innovation Fuel and Marketing Corner Talks\, which spotlight real-world business challenges and teaching innovations. More recently\, his work has expanded into AI and marketing\, exploring how tools like generative AI and automation can support smarter decision-making without losing the human side of brand-building.

Dave is passionate about experiential learning\, community partnerships\, and empowering small business owners with practical tools they can apply immediately.

LOCATION:777 Columbia Street New Westminster BC V3M 1B6 UID:e.3395.1656502 SEQUENCE:3 DTSTAMP:20261023T224704Z URL:https://members.newwestchamber.com/chamber-events/Details/small-business-week-adapt-connect-grow-1950408?sourceTypeId=Hub END:VEVENT END:VCALENDAR