Introduction 

This is the story of an institution that has continuously adapted to survive, reinvent, and remain relevant for more than a century. Since 1907, The Boys’ Farm and Training School and its successor organizations have provided care, rehabilitation, skills training, and employment preparation for Quebec’s English-speaking community. 

Despite repeated challenges from shifting government legislation and reforms, the institution’s mission has endured. Today, its most recent incarnation : INICIO Employment Training Centre continues to empower individuals with the tools and confidence to thrive. 

Early Foundations (1907–1930s) 

The Boys’ Farm was founded in 1907 by prominent Montreal families to provide a safe, structured environment for underprivileged or delinquent boys. Within a year, the Montreal Boys’ School acquired a 250-acre farm in Shawbridge (now Prévost), where cottages, classrooms, and a working farm created a self-sufficient community. 

The first residents arrived from jails and reformatories, but soon the farm grew into a community of over 125 boys. Life was organized around education, farming, carpentry, sports, and music, all within a cottage-based “family group” system. By the 1930s, the school was recognized across Canada as a pioneer of this humane, family-like approach. 

Youth Protection and Expansion (1950s–1960s) 

The 1950s brought sweeping changes as Quebec introduced Social Welfare Courts and Youth Protection legislation. The Boys’ Farm became an official Youth Protection School, broadening its intake to boys from 7 to 18, including victims of abuse and runaways. 

The population swelled, sometimes beyond safe capacity. Fires and financial pressures ended the farming program, and by the late 1960s, the focus narrowed to adolescents with histories of delinquency or serious behavioral problems. Professional childcare staff and modernized admission procedures marked a new era. 

Bill 65 and Provincial Control (1970s) 

In 1970, Bill 65 reorganized health and social services in Quebec, fundamentally altering the Boys’ Farm. A unique legal arrangement split the organization into two entities: 

• A public establishment, funded and controlled by the province, to manage day-to-day services. 

• A private land-owning corporation, which retained the farm property and assets. 

The Quebec government assumed ownership of the buildings without compensation, and the institution’s scope was reduced to that of a detention center. By 1976, girls were admitted, and the name changed to Shawbridge Youth Centres / Les Centres de Jeunesse Shawbridge. 

To preserve independence, private supporters created charitable foundations including the Boys’ Farm and Training School Foundation (1973) and later the Shawbridge Foundation for Troubled Youth (1984), to safeguard assets and sustain programming outside government programming. 

Preserving the Mission Through New Foundations (1980s–1990s) 

Recognizing the need to protect its educational mission, in 1990 the organization created the Employment Readiness Skills (ERS) Youth Development Corporation. ERS became the vehicle for life skills, employment training, and community programs, separate from the detention-focused public centres. 

One notable initiative was the Holiday Tree Project, where youth cultivated and sold Christmas trees from the Shawbridge lands. This project gave participants wages, school credits, and tangible job experience while reinvesting profits to keep the program alive year after year. 

International partnerships followed. Beginning in 1997, ERS collaborated with the International Fund for Ireland, hosting youth from Northern Ireland for job-training and peace-building programs. Over 16 years, more than 50 projects were delivered in Montreal, until the program ended in 2013 with the decline of sectarian conflict. 

Employment Training for Adults (2000s–2020s) 

In 1997, Quebec assumed control of employment training funds, cutting ERS’s federal support overnight. Yet, by 2007, attitudes shifted. Emploi-Québec began funding English-language training programs again, recognizing their importance to the economy. 

ERS operated: 

• PAAS (Programme d’aide et d’accompagnement social): workshops in life skills, personal development, computer literacy, and languages for participants on social assistance. 

• PPE (Projet de préparation à l’emploi): full-time employability programs offering counseling, training, and job search techniques, which remain active today. 

By 2012, ERS rebranded as the ERS Training and Development Centre, focusing on adults 35 and over. In 2023, it became INICIO Employment Training Centre, with new premises in Montreal and a renewed mission to serve Anglophones seeking skills and opportunities. 

Today: INICIO and the T.R.E.E. Foundation 

Today, INICIO continues its century-long legacy of resilience and service. Its programs, funded by Services Quebec, formerly Emploi-Québec, and supported by the T.R.E.E. Foundation for Training and Development, help English-speaking adults develop practical skills, gain confidence, and enter the workforce. 

The dissolution of the original Boys’ Farm Foundation in 2024 simplified the structure, leaving two strong entities: INICIO, delivering programs, and T.R.E.E., ensuring financial support and sustainability. 

Conclusion 

From a farm for troubled boys in 1907 to a modern employment training centre in 2026, the organization has never lost sight of its mission: to prepare people for work and for life. 

It has adapted to changing laws, social needs, and funding landscapes, always guided by the values of care, dignity, and opportunity. With INICIO and T.R.E.E. carrying the mission forward, the legacy of the Boys’ Farm continues—proving that resilience, vision, and community can endure for more than a century.