History of AECC

Funded by Human Resources and Social Development (HRSD) Canada, the Understanding
the Early Years initiative (UEY) began in November 1999. Hosted by the United Way
of the Fraser Valley, the research based initiative was meant to answer the question:
How are our children doing?

A steering committee was formed in September 1999 to guide the activities of the
UEY project. In 2003, this steering committee transitioned to the Abbotsford Early
Childhood Committee (AECC) and became a Children First initiative funded by the
Ministry of Children and Family Development. Children First was a perfect fit with
Understanding the Early Years. It provided community mobilization dollars which could
be used based on the results of research!

In 2005, the AECC was successful in obtaining funding from the School District's
Ready Set Learn Initiative to provide child development and safety fairs in
Abbotsford. These fairs have been highly successful and very well attended.

Since 1999 the AECC has been successful in raising awareness of the importance of
the early years in Abbotsford. A multitude of partnerships have been formed and
services to young children and their families have grown. Using the UEY research a 5
Year Action Plan for early childhood in Abbotsford has been completed. Through the
many partnerships created, children and families in our community now enjoy several
new free events specifically designed to meet their needs: preschool aged children's
sports day (2500 in attendance in 2006), child development and safety fairs,
parachute games in the park at 2 playgrounds, and our most recent Children's Festival
to highlight the rich diversity of our culture in Abbotsford.