The words “Municipal Government Act” may be among the most snore-inducing in the English language for many folks, right up there with “heated typographical debate” and “extensive regulatory framework.”

However, there are a number of reasons why you should care that the Provincial Government tabled a new MGA last week after a 4-year review process, the top one being that it will likely affect how much tax you pay and how our city is developed.

Read our latest blog to learn the top reasons it could affect your business. 

Thursday, June 23, 2016
8:30 am – 5:00 pm
Stampede Conference Centre
20 Roundup Way SW

Onward is a unique, world-class conference created to help you revolutionize your business and inspire the change our city needs to build a bigger and brighter future.

But who is Peter Diamandis?

Dr. Peter H. Diamandis, the keynote speaker at Onward, is an international pioneer in the fields of innovation, incentive competitions and commercial space. He is the founder of the X PRIZE, Singularity University and Human Longevity Inc., and on the board of Hyperloop One, developing Elon Musk's technology.

As a Chamber member, buy one ticket for $99 and you'll get a second one for free – offer extended until June 10th!

If you strive for innovation and are looking for a little inspiration, this is one event you can't afford to miss.

Alberta's new reality involves rethinking how we do business to build a brighter future for our companies, today. Even our banking institutions are looking for new ways to innovate and support local businesses through transitional times.

In this week's guest blog, ATB Financial's Director of Product Innovation, Chett Matchett, introduces their new approach to small business lending. It's called LendR, and it's a platform that harnesses the power of the community to change how small businesses get the money they need to grow.

Learn more about how LendR works and how you (and your business) can get involved.

Every year, in the third week of October, we shine a light on the vibrant community of small but mighty business owners in our city with the Small Business Week Calgary Awards and Expo.

So don't wait for someone else to nominate you, make your own luck and apply for the award you think your business deserves today. Applications are due by 11:59pm on Sunday, June 26th.

Remember, if you were already nominated, you don't have to apply for the same award you were nominated for but without a completed application, your business won't make it front of the judges!

Make sure you apply for an award today!

Thursday, July 7, 2016
5:30 pm – 7:30 pm
Fiasco Gelato Cafe
110, 221 19th Street SE

Please note that Business After Hours are members-only events. If you are not a Calgary Chamber member, please contact us at membership@calgarychamber.com.

Just because it's summer time doesn't mean you can't be building the relationships your business needs to grow and succeed. And what better way to do that than bonding over a scoop of gelato or two? That's what our upcoming Business After Hours at Fiasco Gelato is all about.

As you network with some of Calgary's top business leaders, you'll sample a ton of their famous gelato and sorbetto, and also experience the magic of how it's made.You will also have a unique chance to see what makes Fiasco tick with a behind-the-scenes tour of their office and production facility.

Tickets will go fast – don't miss the most delicious Business After Hours of the summer!

• Chamber success stories: WestJet
• Chamber success stories: Vets to Go
• Chamber success stories: Fiasco Gelato
• Chamber success stories: Cru Juice
• Chamber success stories: Minhas Brewery
• Article: Bloomberg – Alberta's action on climate is being noticed

Tuesday, June 28, 2016
8:30 am – 12:00 pm
Calgary Chamber
600, 237 8th Avenue SE

In this final edition of our Resiliency Workshop series for the season, zenandinno's Co-Founders, Les Mottosky and Kate McKay, will walk you through how to lead a culture of innovation from vision to execution. You'll learn what it takes to:

• Develop a brand promise and mantra
• Build strategy from vision, and the important versus the urgent
• Master meeting fundamentals
• Understand culture builders and breakers
• Generate, prepare and execute innovative ideas

Join us to learn the leadership skills you need to foster innovation in your business.

Tuesday, July 26, 2016
5:00 pm – 7:00 pm
charbar rooftop patio
618 Confluence Way SE

Please note the date and location for this event has changed.

For many of us, people aren't part of the business, they are the business. Your employees count on you to lead by example in celebrating the small wins, staying focused on the why of your company, and building an atmosphere they want to show up to every day.

At this upcoming edition of Fast-Growth Champions, learn best practices for recruitment, retention and engagement as well as insights and trends from industry leading HR decision makers.

Join us on charbar's rooftop patio for a fantastic evening of networking, fresh ideas and inspiring stories.

For years, small- and medium-size businesses have had as little insight about their Instagram posts as the average user. But soon, they'll be able to see how photos and videos are performing beyond total likes and views.

Instagram is rolling out a number of new features meant to help businesses better understand what resonates with fans. With a new business dashboard built into the mobile app, brands and advertisers will be able to see impressions, reach and engagement—along with when users saw posts—compare those stats with prior weeks.

Learn more about this exciting upcoming update for using Instagram as your business.

Servus Credit Union, Alberta's largest credit union, is a member-owned, community-based financial institution with roots dating back to 1938. To help individuals and businesses alike succeed, the company offers a full line of financial products and services at over 100 locations in over 62 communities in Alberta.

Servus prides itself on poviding a community-minded approach to banking. They strive to show an interest in your life and community in order to best help you make your dreams come true.

Learn more at Servus.ca

As a Calgary Chamber member you have the opportunity to access great discounts from Lundgren and Young Insurance. Take advantage of a 20% discount on automobile policies and 5% discount on homeowners policies.

Our members also get a dedicated broker, Air Miles Reward Miles, a 6 business hour response guarantee and 4 Calgary branches to serve you.

Learn more about how you can benefit from these great discounts from Lundgren and Young Insurance.

These Prestige members have shown a substantial and unwavering commitment to supporting the work of the Calgary Chamber. We thank our Prestige members: Suncor, TELUS and Nexen Energy, a CNOOC Limited Company, for helping to make Calgary a better place to live and work for all.