About the Association
The Association of Alberta Childcare Entrepreneurs (AACE) is a not-for-profit organization created by a group of private childcare centre owners. It was founded in December 2021 when the Alberta Government began sending out communications about the Affordability Grant program. A group of concerned operators who could not find the answers to their questions formed an alliance to support each other.
Since its inception, AACE has attracted more concerned operators as the Government plans to move toward a cost control framework and other government issues at all levels have become more prevalent.
We focus on:
Advocacy: We are building connections with MLAs, MPs, Ministers, future Premier candidates, Chamber of Commerce, CFIB, CARDUS and many others. We are having meetings, writing letters, and challenging our elected officials and departments on the matters that mean most to you. We are surveying our members to find out what matters most to them and sharing this information with Government officials.
Media: We are issuing news releases and talking to the press to ensure our story is told. We are sharing information and knowledge about proposed policy and helping journalists tell the story of private childcare operators.
Resources: We share poignant resources with passionate childcare centre entrepreneurs so they can grow their skill sets and offer high quality programs. We host webinars and provide templates so that members fully understand current issues and changes. We provide infographics and simple breakdowns of policy so that it is easy to understand.
Support:
We have created a community so childcare entrepreneurs can feel supported. Our online members only group, member meetings, and easy access to our board members ensure our members feel respected and have the touch points they need to operate and navigate changes.
Our Board
Each of our members brings a unique set of skills and expertise to our organization.
Our Mission
We are small business owners fighting to keep private childcare a choice for Alberta families, ensuring the most important individuals continue to benefit: our children.
Objectives
a) promoting and advocating for the best interests of all privately owned licensed childcare centres in Alberta and sharing information for the mutual benefit of the members;
b) promoting and establishing resources to further develop leadership qualities among our members and emerge as successful leaders in their businesses;
c) promoting the recognition of privately owned childcare owners for their historic contributions to Alberta families through the provision of quality licensed childcare;
d) to provide a forum for the discussion of issues of importance or of interest to the members;
e) to represent the members and present their views to other associations and government and regulatory agencies;
f) to work and/or lobby with government agencies to develop quality assurance procedures that can be endorsed by government;
g) promoting parental choice for licensed childcare in Alberta; and other complementary purposes not inconsistent with these purposes
h) to undertake activities ancillary and incidental to the attainment of the above-mentioned charitable purposes