First aid certificates for work in BC and Ontario

A first aid certificate shows that you know how to help someone who is hurt or suddenly sick at work until medical help arrives. Some jobs ask for one. Even when a job doesn't, it is a useful line on your resume.

Workplace first aid is different in BC and Ontario. Each province has its own course names, its own approved trainers, and its own rules about who needs a certificate.

We checked these facts on October 12, 2026. Rules and course names change, so follow the links to the official pages for the latest details.

BC: WorkSafeBC certificate levels

In BC, a workplace first aid attendant must hold a valid certificate issued by WorkSafeBC or by a trainer WorkSafeBC recognizes (OHS Regulation, Part 3). There are three levels (WorkSafeBC):

The transportation endorsement is a separate one-day course. You need a valid basic or intermediate certificate to take it.

Old names. On November 1, 2024, the names changed. OFA Level 1 is now basic, OFA Level 2 is now intermediate, and OFA Level 3 is now advanced. A certificate issued before that date stays valid until it expires. So if a job posting asks for "OFA Level 1", it means the same level as basic first aid.

When BC employers need a first aid attendant

Every BC employer must write a first aid assessment for each workplace and review it at least every 12 months (WorkSafeBC). The assessment depends on:

• How many workers are at the workplace on a shift, including managers and part-time staff
• The hazard rating WorkSafeBC gives the type of business: low, moderate, or high
• How remote the workplace is. A site is remote if an ambulance needs more than 30 minutes to get there in normal conditions.

The answers decide the size of the first aid kit and whether the workplace needs one or more first aid attendants, and at what level.

A first aid attendant must be at least 16 years old and hold a certificate in good standing at the level the workplace needs (OHS Regulation, section 3.15).

Ontario: WSIB certificate levels

In Ontario, workplace first aid follows the WSIB's rules. On June 22, 2026, the WSIB updated its first aid program and renamed the courses (WSIB):

• Basic First Aid (formerly Emergency First Aid): an 8-hour course
• Intermediate First Aid (formerly Standard First Aid): a 16-hour course

The regulation, Regulation 1101, still uses the old names. The WSIB says Basic is the same level as Emergency, and Intermediate is the same level as Standard. Certificates issued up to June 21, 2026 stay valid until they expire (WSIB news release).

Use an approved trainer. For workplace first aid, you must take the course with a WSIB-approved provider. You can search the WSIB provider list by location, level, language, and format. The WSIB warns that some providers claim to be approved across Canada, so check that the WSIB has approved them before you pay (WSIB).

When Ontario employers need first aid

The WSIB bases the rule on how many workers are on each shift (WSIB):

• 5 or fewer workers per shift: at least one person with a Basic First Aid certificate
• 6 or more workers per shift: at least one person with an Intermediate First Aid certificate

How long a certificate lasts

BC. All WorkSafeBC certificates are valid for 3 years (WorkSafeBC).

• To renew basic or intermediate, you take the course again.
• For advanced, if your certificate is still valid, you can take a 35-hour refresher course. You can also challenge the exam if you have a CPR/AED certificate from the past 6 months.
• If your advanced certificate has expired, you must take the full course again.

Ontario. All first aid certificates are valid for 3 years from the date of issue (WSIB). You can renew an Intermediate certificate one time with a one-day recertification course, as long as you take it before the certificate expires. After that, you need the full course again.

Put a reminder in your phone a few months before your certificate expires. Courses can fill up.

What it costs and who pays

Neither WorkSafeBC nor the WSIB publishes a course price. Prices vary by training provider, so contact a few approved providers and compare.

Ontario. The WSIB explains who pays (WSIB):

• If a business chooses you to be one of its first aiders, the business must pay for the training and your wages while you train.
• If a business makes first aid a hiring requirement, you pay for the course yourself.

BC. BC's Employment Standards policy says training for a certificate you can use with many different employers is generally not "work", so an employer doesn't have to pay you for that time (BC Employment Standards definitions). If an employer asks you to get first aid training, ask before you enrol whether they will pay for the course or your time.

Before you sign up

• Ask which level the job needs. Basic and intermediate are different courses. Take the one the job asks for.
• Get a workplace course. In BC, it should be a WorkSafeBC-recognized course. In Ontario, it should come from a WSIB-approved provider.
• Moving provinces? The WSIB accepts workplace first aid certificates from elsewhere in Canada if they meet the CSA Z1210 standard (WSIB news release). In BC, check with WorkSafeBC before you rely on an out-of-province certificate.
• Planning to work in security? In Ontario, security guard basic training includes emergency first aid and CPR. If you already hold a valid certificate from an approved trainer, you can skip that part (Ontario).

On your resume, list the certificate name, the provider, and the year, for example "Intermediate First Aid, 2026". Our resume guide shows where it goes.

Next steps

• Become a security guard: BC security worker licence or Ontario security guard licence
• Learn about chemical safety training: WHMIS training
• Write your first resume: Your first resume with no experience
• Find entry-level jobs in Metro Vancouver and the Greater Toronto Area