2026 Small Business Week Summit
Small Business Week takes place next week, offering businesses opportunities to learn, connect, and grow. As a BBOT member, you'll have even more access through the BC Chamber of Commerce’s Small Business Week Summit, featuring a week of free sessions with industry experts sharing practical strategies to navigate today’s business challenges. Explore the upcoming events below and take advantage of these additional opportunities available to you as part of B.C.’s business community.Â
Overview
A free week of practical sessions helping B.C. small businesses manage tariff pressures, protect their margins and find new paths to growth.
For B.C.'s small businesses, the Canada-US trade war is not a headline. It's a daily reality showing up in supplier invoices, lost orders, delayed shipments and hard decisions about what comes next. This October, the BC Chamber of Commerce invites you to move from uncertainty to strategy.
2026 Small Business Week Summit is a week of focused, practical sessions designed to help you respond with confidence. Each session connects you with experts, peers and partners who understand what you're facing and can help you make smarter decisions now, not someday.
Tariffs and trade tensions have changed the rules for businesses of every size. This year's Summit tackles the questions owners are asking right now: How do I protect my margins? Where can I find new customers and suppliers closer to home? What support is available, and how do I access it? From strengthening supply chains and diversifying markets to tapping into growing opportunities across Canada, you'll leave with practical strategies you can put to work right away.
12:00 PM - 01:00 PM
What The Year Ahead Will Cost B.C. Small Business
An economic outlook for B.C. small business with Bryan Yu, Chief Economist, Central 1. Tariffs and trade tensions are already showing up in your costs, your customers' spending and your hiring plans. Bryan Yu will walk through what to expect over the next year: which costs are likely to rise, how customer demand may change, and where new opportunities may arise. You'll leave with a clearer picture to plan your budget and your next moves.
12:00 PM - 01:00 PM
Cybersecurity and AI basics for Small Business, with Fortinet
With Tim Wostradowski, Principal Security Strategist, Fortinet. Small businesses rely on more technology than ever, from payment systems and cloud software to AI tools and emails. Every one of those connections is another way a cyberattack or outage can reach you. This session will cover the most common risks small businesses face today, how one problem can spread through your operations, and how to decide what's worth the investment so your business is ready to withstand whatever comes its way.
12:00 PM - 01:00 PM
After the U.S.: Where B.C. Exporters Go Next
Led by Export Navigator, this session is for any business wondering, "Where else could I be selling?" Export Navigator has been helping BC businesses find new markets since 2016, identifying domestic and international opportunities. You'll walk away with a practical look at how to start exploring new markets and what support exists to get you there.
12:00 PM - 01:00 PM
Business Next Door: Getting into Western Canada's Supply Chains
A conversation with BC Chamber & Alberta Chambers of Commerce. You might expect selling to customers in Alberta to be as simple as selling in B.C. Often it isn't. Different rules, licences and purchasing requirements can slow down or block businesses trying to grow within Canada. Jen Riley and the Alberta Chamber will explain the barriers owners run into most and how chambers are working to remove friction for interprovincial trade.
12:00 PM - 01:00 PM
From B.C. to the World: Reaching Overseas Customers Through Port of Vancouver
Presented by Vancouver Fraser Port Authority. With the U.S. market less predictable, more Canadian businesses are looking to sell overseas. Vancouver Fraser Port Authority is Canada's gateway to markets across Asia and beyond, and this session will show how it connects businesses like yours to customers in new countries. You'll also hear how the Port is investing in the terminals, rail and shipping capacity needed to move more Canadian goods to the world, and what that means for your business's growth.