18.12.2025 CanCham Update for December, 2025
18.12.2025

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Dear CanCham Members and Friends,

This has been a good year for CanCham. A sincere thank you to all members and friends who participated and contributed. Political challenges arising from President Trump’s policies affecting Canada, as well as the broader geopolitical situation in Europe, have in fact created numerous opportunities for CanCham members. We have responded—and continue to respond—accordingly.

Key Activities and Developments in 2025: In 2025, CanCham focused on the following activities and developments:

1. supporting the Embassy of Canada to Latvia;
2. advancing CanCham’s Strategic Partnership Initiative (SPI);
3. supporting the Canadian Armed Forces in Latvia;
4. joining the Foreign Investors’ Council in Latvia (FICIL);
5. participating in the CanChams of Europe network;
6.  organizing a “Show & Tell” event;
7. organizing numerous social events to facilitate business networking.

Embassy of Canada to Latvia: The Embassy of Canada to Latvia has identified two strategic priorities: support for the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) in their leadership role within Task Force Latvia (TFL) as part of NATO’s commitment to Latvia’s security, and the advancement of commercial and trade relations between Canada and Latvia. Nicolas Lepage, Canadian Senior Trade Commissioner for Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia, is an active member of the CanCham Board and a valued partner. He has established a strong and constructive working relationship with CanCham, and his guidance in support of the Embassy’s objectives helps align our activities and strengthen our collective impact. CanCham is pleased to collaborate with the Embassy and to contribute in support of these shared priorities whenever possible.

CanCham’s Strategic Partnership Initiative (SPI): Serving the interests of our members remains CanCham’s highest priority. To that end, the Strategic Partnership Initiative (SPI) has been selected as CanCham’s principal instrument for advancing member value and long-term engagement.

The Government of Canada has emphasized the strategic importance of Europe as part of its efforts to diversify economic activity beyond the U.S. market. As a Canadian chamber operating in Latvia, CanCham recognizes its role in supporting this objective by facilitating meaningful commercial connections between Canadian and Latvian businesses.

Through the SPI, CanCham seeks to attract Canadian companies interested in developing strategic partnerships with CanCham members and partners in Latvia. These partnerships are designed to be mutually beneficial, offering members potential export opportunities to Canada and opportunities to represent Canadian firms in Northeastern Europe.

To support this initiative, CanCham has established a dedicated team based in Canada to advance outreach and partnership development. A structured strategic approach is currently being finalized, with intensified implementation activities planned for early in the new year.

Further details on the Strategic Partnership Initiative are available on CanCham’s website. See https://cancham.lv/about-cancham/strategic-partnerships.

The Canadian Armed Forces in Latvia: CanCham supports the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) and Task Force Latvia (TFL) through the organization of in-person seminars conducted in close coordination with the Embassy of Canada to Latvia. In 2025, this support included the organization of two procurement-focused seminars related to service provision, as well as the use of CanCham’s communication platforms to disseminate CAF-approved information and promote awareness of member capabilities. Looking ahead, CanCham plans to maintain a structured annual program comprising one services-focused seminar for CAF/TFL and one construction-focused seminar in collaboration with Defence Construction Canada (DCC), reinforcing its ongoing commitment to supporting CAF operations and member engagement.

Foreign Investors’ Council in Latvia (FICIL): In 2025, CanCham joined FICIL, strengthening its engagement with a leading platform that works closely with the Latvian government to promote transparent, sustainable, and commercially sound economic policies. Through FICIL, CanCham intends to contribute to constructive dialogue with policymakers, support evidence-based decision-making, and participate in efforts to identify and address regulatory and structural barriers to investment and business growth. CanCham members are encouraged to engage in relevant FICIL working groups to help advance both their organizational interests and broader economic objectives.

CanChams of Europe: CanCham representatives participated in the CanChams of Europe meeting in Brussels, which focused on strengthening collaboration among European CanChams in response to current economic and geopolitical challenges. Officials from the Government of Canada also participated, outlining Canada’s strategic prioritization of Europe as a key trading partner. These discussions helped inform and reinforce CanCham’s strategic focus on attracting Canadian companies to the region and underpin the development of the Strategic Partnership Initiative.

Show & Tell Event: Show & Tell events provide CanCham members and partners with a platform to present their businesses, highlight recent developments, and share accomplishments with the broader CanCham community, including representatives from the Canadian Armed Forces and the Embassy of Canada to Latvia. In 2025, the event featured twenty-one presentations, with presentations maintained on the CanCham website, reinforcing transparency, knowledge-sharing, and engagement across the membership and stakeholder community. See https://cancham.lv/show--tell/show-and-tell-28042025.

Currently scheduled upcoming events – 2026 (for updates, follow upcoming events):

• Thursday, January 8th, 2026 at 18.30 – Happy New Year CanCham Corner
• Monday, January 26th, 2026 at 18.30 CanCham Annual General Meeting.
• Monday, February 16th, 2026 at 11.00 to 14.00 - Procurement Seminar luncheon with Defence Construction Canada (DCC) and companies providing construction related services.
• Monday, March 9th, 2025 at 18.30 – Women in the Military
• Monday, April 20th, 2026 at 16.00 – CanCham Show & Tell – Member Presentations and Business Networking
• Wednesday, July 1^st, 2026 – Canada Day

Past events this year included:

• Thursday, January 9th, 2024 – CanCham Corner. Report
• Monday, January 27th, 2025 – CanCham AGM.
• Monday, February 17th, 2025 – Military Procurement. Report
• Friday, March 14th, 2025 - “More than a Dance”. Canadian Embassy supported the premiere of the documentary “More than a Dance” in Latvia.
• Wednesday, March 26th, 2025 - Business Networking Luncheon with Dr. Jonathan Calof in Riga. Report.
• Monday, April 28th, 2025 - Show & Tell. Report. Presentations are posted in the CanCham web site.
• Monday, June 9, 2025 - Canada: new government, renewed priorities. An update with H.E. Brian Szwarc, Ambassador of Canada to Latvia. Report.
• Tuesday, July 1st, 2025 - CanCham’s Canada Day BBQ. Report.
• Thursday, September 4th, 2025– CanCham Corner at the Wellton Riga Hotel & SPA. Report.
• Monday, September 22nd, 2025 – Strategic Partnership Seminar (members only) via ZOOM. Report.
• Thursday, September 25th, 2025 - Pullman Grand Reopening - Four Senses of Nature Report.
• Thursday, October 2nd, 2025 - International School of Riga (ISR) official opening of its new Secondary School Campus at Skanstes Iela 27. Report.
• Monday, October 13th, 2025 - Canadian Thanksgiving Dinner. Report.
• October 15^th to 17, 2025 - CanChams of Europe meeting in Brussels.  Report.
• Monday, October 27th, 2025 – Procurement Seminar luncheon with the CAF/TFL. Report.
• Thursday, October 30^th, 2025 - FICIL High Council Meeting. Report.
• Wednesday, November 5^th, 2025 - Riga Business School opening of Ķīpsala Campus. Report.
• Monday, December 1st, 2025 – CanCham Christmas. Report.

Those who are not yet familiar with CanCham are invited to review our brochure, available on the CanCham website, which outlines our mission, activities, and membership benefits. See brochure (https://cancham.lv/about-cancham/brochure). We would appreciate the support of our members and partners in sharing this information within their networks and encouraging interested organizations to join the CanCham community.

For ongoing news and updates on upcoming events, please visit the CanCham website at https://cancham.lv/ for updates.

On behalf of CanCham, I extend best wishes to all members, partners, and stakeholders for a Merry Christmas and a happy, healthy, and rewarding New Year.