The City of Calgary’s recent proposal to hike sidewalk closure fees has sparked some discussion and pushback in recent days.

But these conversations so far have missed an important point – namely, that sidewalk closures can result in a serious interruption to a business, leading to revenue dropping off a cliff.

Read Calgary Chamber CEO Adam Legge’s take on this hot button topic, and learn why sidewalks shouldn’t be closed – ever.

Tuesday September 11, 2012
3:30 pm - 5:30 pm
Calgary Chamber ballroom
100 6th Ave SW

Angel Investors are one of the driving forces of development in Canada, selectively funding and mentoring entrepreneurs and businesses needing support in their endeavours.

Alberta’s formal angel groups – VentureAlberta and Alberta Deal Generator – are among the most active in the country and understand the role of angel groups in supporting business growth. By providing entrepreneurs the knowledge and opportunity to connect with new sources of capital, they offer a collaborative and successful effort to grow a wide range of businesses.

Join the Calgary Chamber and Canadian National Stock Exchange as Randy Thompson, CEO of VentureAlberta, and Henry Kutarna, executive director of Alberta Deal Generator, present their approaches to angel investing.

This is a must-attend event for advisors to companies, accredited investors, potential angels and entrepreneurs seeking financial support.

Wednesday September 12, 2012
12:00 pm – 1:00 pm
Devry Institute of Technology
2700 3rd Avenue SW

For networking to be effective, you need to meet the right type of people who will grow and connect your business.

That’s where Connect for Lunch comes in. The format for this event differs dramatically from other networking events. Before each event, attendees are encouraged to contact us to tell us about their business, their challenges, and the type of people they’d like to connect with to overcome these problems and grow their business. With this information, we get to work placing people at each attendees table who will meet their networking needs.

As an added bonus, event attendees will be treated to a talk by Ranil Herath, president of the DeVry Institute of Technology, on how to use Linkedin for business networking.

Register for focused business networking at its best.

Friday September 28, 2012
11:30 am to 1:30 pm
Fairmont Palliser Hotel, Crystal Ballroom
133 9th Ave SW

Improvements to Alberta’s transportation system can help to boost business productivity and wealth generation through increased personal mobility and quality of life.

Join us as Ric McIver, Alberta’s transportation minister, outlines the government’s overall transportation strategy for the next four years, including such initiatives as the Alberta Traffic Safety Plan, and distracted driver law and the recently introduced stiffer penalties for impaired drivers.

Learn what the government has planned for Alberta’s transportation system – both today and in the future.

Wednesday October 10, 2012
11:30 am – 1:15 pm
Simmons Building
618 Confluence Way SE

Earlier this year, Calgary lured renowned urbanist Rollin Stanley from the United States to lead the city’s planning department and put our city on a path towards smarter growth and development.

Stanley worked as a planner for 21 years in Toronto before rocketing to smart-growth notoriety as planning director in St. Louis and then Montgomery County. He is a staunch advocate of needing to build up and just not out, as well as clustering housing, jobs and stores around transit to cut down on the need to drive.

Join us as new city planner, Rollin Stanley gives a snapshot of his vision for city planning, and learn how these changes will affect both Calgary and the business community.

Friday September 14, 2012
6:30 pm – 11:00 pm
Telus SPARK Science Centre
220 St. George’s Drive NE

This is your last chance to get tickets for the award-winning Calgary Chamber gala.

Last year’s gala was recognized as one of the best corporate events in Canada by Canadian Special Events, and this year’s event is already being talked about as one of the most entertaining evenings yet to be staged in Calgary.

While we can’t reveal all the evening’s secrets, we can tell you that you’ll learn how to use positivity to improve your workplace performance, and have your mind blown by experiences such as molecular gastronomy and digital light painting.

Get your tickets before it’s too late.

Friday September 28, 2012
7:30 am to 9:00 am
Room 205, Calgary Chamber
100 – 6th Avenue SW

Three years ago, the Government of Alberta implemented a new lobbyist registry to oversee the activities of consultants and other organizational lobbyists in the province seeking to influence government decision makers.

What common problems have users of the registry encountered since its implementation? What can be done to avoid these pitfalls? What developments in other jurisdictions should lobbyist in Alberta be aware of? Get answers to all your questions from Brad Odsen, registrar for Alberta’s new Lobbyists Act and general counsel for the Office of the Ethics Commissioner.

Learn how to properly advance your message to government decision makers.

Wednesday September 19, 2012
12:00 pm – 1:00 pm
Self Connection Books
125, 4611 Bowness Road NW

Sometimes we can be our own worst enemy. Sure, we know what we want to achieve, and maybe we even how to achieve it, but for some strange reason we keep preventing ourselves from pulling the trigger on what needs to be done to make that happen.

Join us for the inaugural event in the Chamber’s Street Smarts for Business series to learn why we stand in the way of our own success as Hamish Knox, owner of a Sandler Training Centre, provides valuable insights that will help business owners and sales people propel their career, achieve their goals and increase their profits.

Stop holding yourself back and learn how to achieve your goals in life and business.