Officer Training in Canada and Bermuda

Cadet Sessional Information

The training of officers in Canada has been a mobile and flexible task, with training schools, garrisons and colleges (there have been various names) through the years being located strategically to help in the salvation war. For a time, in 1887, there was a women’s training home in Saint John, New Brunswick and, in the same year, one in Brantford, Ontario, while men were trained in Toronto. A year later there is reference, in Army publications, to the “Ottawa Training Depot”.

For a list of Sessional Names or to look up information on a session use the link below.

Sessional List

History of Officer Training in Canada

For Salvation Army training purposes in Canada, the three major locations have been Newfoundland, Toronto and Winnipeg, though there has been cadet training in other locations as well.

St. John’s Newfoundland

In Newfoundland, officer training facilities sprang up in such places as Harbour Grace and Bay Roberts before being centered in St. John’s.

First St. John's Training Garrison — First St. John's
Training Garrison

Second St. John's Training Garrison — Second St. John's
Training Garrison

Third St. John's Training College — Third St. John's
Training College

Fourth St. John's Training College — Fourth St. John's
Training College

Toronto, Ontario

In 1900, Central Canada training was consolidated at the Territorial Training Garrison in Toronto.

Located at 84 Davis Drive, in 192X

84 Davisville — Second Training College
Toronto

Located at 2130 Bayview Ave in 1961

Third Training College Toronto — Third Training College
Toronto

Winnipeg, Manitoba

The Canada West Territory was established in 1915, and a year later the first training school was opened, at 241 Balmoral Street, in Winnipeg. In 1919 a Training Garrison was launched at 259 Fountain Street, with 43 cadets. For eight years this two-storey red brick building served the training needs of the Canada West Territory.

When a new Territorial Headquarters was opened in 1927, at 1091 Portage Avenue, Winnipeg, the training college was part of the complex, but the shadow of the economic depression soon fell across The Salvation Army. With the closure of the Territory in 1931, because of financial pressures brought on by the depression, the last western session of cadets was commissioned just four years after the opening of the new college.

Until recently two Training Colleges (Toronto, Ontario and St. John’s, Newfoundland), plus a small satellite campus in Montreal, Quebec for French-speaking cadets, were operational. As part of its territorial training strategy the Army closed the Toronto college in June 2004 and the St. John’s and Montreal satellite campuses two years later.

In September 2005, the training of cadets returned to Winnipeg.