Frank Bucholtz/Special for Langley Advance Times
The Greater Langley Chamber of Commerce has deep community roots dating back to the founding of the Langley Board of Trade in 1931.
The organization was started when the Depression was in full swing, and among those involved was EJ Cox, who started the Langley Advance that same year. It is one of the newspapers that merged into the existing Advance Times, which remains an active Chamber member 92 years later.
At one of its first meetings on October 5, 1931, the Trade Committee dealt with some of the issues that are still relevant today – transportation and work by unlicensed contractors.
EA Easingwood found that traveling peddlers worked in Langley but did not always hold business licenses or pay taxes locally.
In recent years, the chamber has successfully campaigned for mobile business licences.
Another hot topic of the 1931 meeting was the closure of the Canadian National Railway Station at Fort Langley because of the Great Depression. Members of the Trade Committee lobbied to keep it open.
The Chamber continues to discuss transport issues, from advocating a bus service to the Gloucester Estates Industrial Park, to seeking details of SkyTrain arrivals to Langley, to advocating improvements to Highway #1.
The organization eventually became the Langley Chamber of Commerce and acquired its current name after merging with the Aldergrove (1993) and Fort Langley (later North Langley) (2000) Chambers.
Longtime manager and CEO (deceased) Lynn Whitehouse was a key driving force in the Chamber’s success for 30 years, from 1986 to 2016.
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More than any other person, she introduced the Langley Chamber to provincial and national circles as an active member of the British Columbia and Canadian Chambers.
Much has changed since 1931 and even since Whitehouse started the chamber in 1986. Langley is one of the fastest growing communities in BC today
While much of the growth has taken place in the township, Langley City is preparing for major growth and change with the coming of SkyTrain.
The means of communication have also changed significantly. Powerful mobile phones, digital media, software programs like Zoom and constant technological changes have dramatically changed the world of business.
The Chamber’s current CEO, Cory Redekop, believes change will be pervasive going forward.
Vice President Chris Drinovz, an employment attorney at KSW Lawyers, is scheduled to take over as chamber president in September.
He looks back on the Chamber’s long history.
“The year 2023 is our 92nd year as a Chamber of Commerce, making the Langley Chamber one of the longest serving Chambers in the province,” he noted.
“If you think about what Langley would have been 92 years ago, in some ways our community could not have looked any different. Different industries and businesses would have operated, and the community would have had a very diverse population and demographics. Despite these differences, the need for a business association was as relevant then as it is now,” noted Drinovz.
“92 years ago, a group of business owners and professionals came together and realized that when they connected, they were stronger, their voice louder, and their possibilities greater. I think that’s still a pretty relevant thought today.”
READ MORE: Chamber of Langley celebrates creating a community and celebrates 90th anniversary
When asked about the role technology will play in the Chamber’s future, he said: “I think the goal is to merge both (technology and face-to-face meetings) together and try to get the best of both worlds . We have learned during the pandemic that virtual meetings work and technology can be leveraged to provide both convenience and flexibility for members.”
He thought about the future and moved forward without the constraints that have hampered both businesses and individuals for the past three years.
“I am excited about the future of the chamber. Over the past three years, the main focus has been to help our members get through COVID-19. The pandemic is now largely behind us, allowing our business community to come back together, network, collaborate and focus on the other things that will help Langley’s business be more successful.
“Langley is experiencing incredible growth as a community – and so is the Chamber. Over the last six months we have seen really good growth in our chamber membership as we get closer to 1,000 local businesses as members. This also makes us one of the larger chambers in the federal state. I look forward to building on that growth in the coming months and years.
“During my tenure as President, I also look forward to the Chamber continuing to grow and develop our event offering and create more opportunities for business relationships and education.”
He enjoyed serving at the Greater Langley Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors and looks forward to making further contacts with members.
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