Sally Ann training college Toronto-bound this fall

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This article was published 12/01/2022 (1378 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

AFTER a year-long review, the Salvation Army has decided to move its College for Officer Training from Winnipeg to Toronto.

The move will take place in September. The college, which has been located in Winnipeg since 2005, works with Booth University College to prepare people from across Canada to be leaders in the denomination.

Training for the current group of 24 students, called cadets, will not be disrupted; those in Winnipeg will remain in the city to complete their studies.

Salvation Army territorial commander Floyd Tidd, who is responsible for the church’s operations in Canada and Bermuda, said the move is part of a “larger strategy to transform officer training” for the denomination.

This will include a refresh of the training model and curriculum, along with strengthening community engagement and ministry delivery skills.

The goal is to make the training more “field-focused, giving people the hands-on experience and practical tools needed to minister effectively in diverse communities across our territory,” he said.

Linda Leigh, a national spokeswoman for the Salvation Army, said ministries operated by the church in Winnipeg “have benefited tremendously over the years from the proximity and participation of cadets, and so there will be a sense of loss.”

The church “remains committed to maintaining a strong presence in the greater Winnipeg area through its churches and social programs,” she said.

Booth University College will continue to be the church’s primary partner for higher education for officer training, Leigh said.

The Vaughan Street building that houses the program will continue to be used by Booth University College for its library and business centre, and by the Salvation Army’s Prairie divisional headquarters.

Staff members who teach in the program will be given opportunities to transfer to Toronto or to other ministries when the move occurs.

Michael Boyce, vice-president academic and dean at Booth University College, said he is glad the school will continue to play a role in the program.

However, since the Salvation Army doesn’t require a master’s degree for ordination, he worries university-level courses in the Bible and theology “will be supplanted by more practical offerings,” he said.

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