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First Aid & CPR for Security Companies

First Aid & CPR Training for Security Guards

Every Canadian security guard licence requires a valid First Aid and CPR certificate, and each province sets its own required level. As a Canadian Red Cross Training Partner, we certify guard teams to the standard that applies where they work, on your site or ours.

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First Aid & CPR Certification for Security Guards

To obtain or renew an Ontario security guard licence under the Ministry of the Solicitor General and the Private Security and Investigative Services Act, guards must hold a valid Basic First Aid (formerly Emergency First Aid) certificate with CPR/AED Level C from a WSIB approved provider. Blended courses require a mandatory in-person skills evaluation on CPR feedback manikins and AED trainers. Certificates are valid three years and issued within 48 hours.

Ontario

To be licensed as a security guard in Ontario, you must hold a valid Emergency-Level First Aid certificate that includes CPR from a WSIB approved provider, set by the Ministry of the Solicitor General under the Private Security and Investigative Services Act. Fully online-only courses are not accepted: certification requires an in-person, hands-on skills evaluation.

Other provinces

Outside Ontario, each province licenses security guards and sets its own first aid rule. Alberta, British Columbia, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Nova Scotia and others require either Basic First Aid (formerly Emergency First Aid) or Intermediate First Aid (formerly Standard First Aid) with CPR, while some set it through the employer or the province's Occupational Health and Safety rules. Tell us where your guards work and we will confirm the standard and certify your team to it.

Every course includes a mandatory in-person skills evaluation. Guards practise on CPR feedback manikins in adult, child, and infant sizes, AED trainers, triangular dressings, and EpiPen trainers, never live equipment. A fully online certificate does not satisfy the licence requirement in any province.

Basic/Emergency First Aid with CPR/AED Level C

Individual
🏫 1 day in class | 💻 Blended option | 📜 3-year certificate

Courses Offered

  • Basic/Emergency First Aid with CPR/AED Level C
  • CPR/AED Level C
  • Intermediate/Standard First Aid with CPR/AED Level C

The certificate security guards use for the licence. CPR/AED Level C covers adults, children and infants, with choking, bleeding, shock and medical emergencies. Take it in one day in class, or choose the blended option to cut classroom time.

3-Year Certification Blended & In-Person Canadian Red Cross WSIB & OHS Approved
  • Meets the Ontario security guard licence first aid requirement
  • Hands-on practice on CPR feedback manikins (adult, child and infant), AED trainers, triangular dressings and EpiPen trainers, never live equipment
  • Certificate issued within 48 hours of completion

Who is this for? New and renewing security guards, mobile patrol, loss-prevention and event-security staff across Canada.

Not sure which course you need? See Which Course Should I Take?, or private & group training for 8+.
Book Now Dates & Registration

On-Site Group Training for Guard Teams

Popular
🏢 We come to you | 👥 Savings for 8+ | 🧾 Central billing

Courses Offered

  • Basic/Emergency First Aid with CPR/AED Level C
  • Intermediate/Standard First Aid with CPR/AED Level C
  • Recertification for renewing guards

Certify a whole roster at once. We deliver private training at your office or site anywhere in Canada, or your guards attend any of our 35+ public locations. Flexible days, evenings and weekends keep posts covered.

On-Site or Public Group Savings 8+ Central Billing Flexible Scheduling
  • One invoice for the whole team, with group registration
  • Certificates within 48 hours, optional 24-hour fast-track
  • Instructors who are RNs, paramedics and physicians

Who is this for? Security firms, in-house guard teams, event and facilities companies certifying or renewing staff in bulk.

Group rates for 8+ guards Request private & group training or call 1-866-291-9121.
Request Group Training See Public Locations

Which Course Fits Your Role?

Find your role and the course security teams most often need. Not sure? We will confirm the right level for your province.

RoleRecommended course
Security guardBasic/Emergency First Aid with CPR/AED Level C
Security & investigationIntermediate/Standard First Aid with CPR/AED Level C
Protection officerIntermediate/Standard First Aid with CPR/AED Level CHigher-risk contracts may add First Responder or EMR.
Mobile patrolBasic/Emergency First Aid with CPR/AED Level C
Loss prevention officerBasic/Emergency First Aid with CPR/AED Level C
Event & venue securityBasic/Emergency First Aid with CPR/AED Level C
Find a course near youGroup training for your team

The Emergencies Security Guards Actually Face

Guards are first on scene long before paramedics arrive. This training is built around the calls your team gets.

🫀

Cardiac arrest in public

Malls, venues and offices mean sudden collapse. CPR and AED skills in the first minutes decide the outcome.

🩸

Assaults and bleeding

Guards manage altercations. Controlling severe bleeding and shock keeps a person stable until EMS arrives.

💊

Overdose response

Rising opioid calls on patrol. Recognizing an opioid overdose, giving rescue breaths and using naloxone where available keeps a person alive until EMS arrives.

🧊

Slips, falls and fractures

Wet floors and stairwells cause injuries on site. Guards learn to assess, immobilize and hand off safely.

😮‍💨

Choking and airways

Food courts and crowds bring choking calls. Clear steps for adults, children and infants build fast confidence.

🌡️

Medical episodes

Seizures, diabetic and allergic emergencies happen on shift. Guards learn to recognize and respond calmly.

First Aid Requirements Across Canada

Every province sets its own workplace first aid rule through its own regulator, but almost all of them now point to the same national training standard, CSA Z1210, and the same kit standard, CSA Z1220. That is why a Canadian Red Cross certificate from Coast2Coast is recognized nationwide. We deliver group and on-site training anywhere in Canada.

ProvinceRegulator and governing rule
OntarioWorkplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB) — Regulation 1101 under the Workplace Safety and Insurance ActRequirements scale with workers per shift and hazard rating.
AlbertaAlberta Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) Code, Part 11 and Schedule 2Set by hazard level, workers per shift, and travel time to medical care.
British ColumbiaWorkSafeBC — Part 3 of the Occupational Health and Safety RegulationSubstantially revised November 1, 2024; requires a written first aid assessment.
QuebecCNESST — First-Aid Minimum Standards RegulationAmended February 12, 2026; applies broadly, including offices. Certificates valid up to three years.
SaskatchewanSaskatchewan Occupational Health and Safety RegulationsRequirements scale with workers per shift and the nature of the work.
ManitobaManitoba Workplace Safety and Health Act and its regulationsSet by worker count per shift and type of work; strong lone-worker provisions.
Nova ScotiaOccupational Health and Safety Act and Workplace Health and Safety Regulations, administered by the Department of Labour, Skills and Immigration
New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, PEIWorkSafeNB, WorkplaceNL, and the Workers Compensation Board of PEI, each under their own provincial occupational health and safety legislation

Not sure which rule applies to your sites? Tell us where your team works and we will confirm the required certification level for each province before you book.

200,000+
students certified since 2014
99.9%
course pass rate
50+
instructors: RNs, paramedics, physicians
Top 3
Canadian Red Cross Partner, 2023 to 2025

Why Security Companies Choose Coast2Coast

Built for teams, not just individuals.

🏢

On your site or ours

Private training at your office or site, or any of our 35+ locations across Canada.

💳

Simple central billing

One invoice for the whole team, with group savings for 8 or more staff.

⚡

Certificates in 48 hours

Digital certificates issued fast, with an optional 24-hour fast-track.

✔

WSIB & OHS approved

Canadian Red Cross Training Partner and Heart & Stroke accredited trainer.

📅

Flexible scheduling

Days, evenings or weekends to fit shift work and keep sites covered.

🤖

Coasty study tutor

Our AI tutor answers First Aid and CPR questions and helps staff prep.

Certify Your Guards in Three Steps

Tell us your team

Send your headcount, preferred dates and location. Not sure which course? We confirm what your guards need.

We schedule the class

Private session on your site or a seat in a public class. Instructor, equipment and materials handled.

Team gets certified

Guards complete the course and receive Canadian Red Cross certificates within 48 hours.

How to Get Your Ontario Security Guard Licence

An Ontario security guard licence is issued by the Ministry of the Solicitor General under the Private Security and Investigative Services Act, which governs private security and investigative services across the province. The standard licence is for unarmed work, protecting persons and property; carrying a firearm needs separate authorization and is not part of it. Applicants must be at least 18, legally entitled to work in Canada, hold a clean criminal record, and pass a criminal record check. Many security professionals work for registered employers, and Coast2Coast delivers the mandatory Basic/Emergency First Aid with CPR/AED Level C step, on your site or at 35+ locations.

Basic Security Training Course

New applicants to a security career complete a 40-hour basic security training course from a Ministry-approved provider. The course content covers the Act, legal authorities, report writing and emergency response, and includes First Aid and CPR. On completion you receive a training certificate and a training completion number, which you need to book the exam.

The Licensing Exam

After training, sit the ministry licensing exam, which consists primarily of 60 multiple-choice questions with a 62% pass mark, or 37 of 60. The exam fee is $35 plus HST, and the test can be retaken until you pass.

Criminal Record and Judicial Matters Check

Submit a Criminal Record and Judicial Matters Check dated within six months, two government-issued IDs, and a full-face photo. A clean record is required, and the criminal record check must show no disqualifying offences.

Fees, Validity and Renewal

A new licence costs $80, and the security guard licence is valid until your second birthday after it is issued, up to two years, renewing for $80. You can renew up to 90 days before it expires. A correctly completed online application is processed in up to 15 business days; a mail application can take up to 30 calendar days. As a security professional you must carry your licence, or a physical copy, on duty, supporting public safety on every site.

The same framework licenses security guards and private investigators across Ontario's security industry. Coast2Coast handles the First Aid and CPR requirement so your guards can complete the licence.

Certifying a Whole Security Team?

We come to your workplace or site anywhere in Canada with all equipment included. Groups of 8+ save up to $40 per person, with centralized billing, group registration, and certificates for First Aid and CPR/AED Level C.

Request Group Training

Security Guard First Aid FAQ

Medically reviewed by Aryan Sekhavati, Director.

Yes. We deliver private, on-site First Aid and CPR training at your office or site anywhere in Canada, with equipment included, or your guards can attend any of our 35+ public locations. Groups of 8+ get group rates and central billing.

Yes. A security guard licence requires a valid First Aid & CPR certificate. The exact rule is provincial; in Ontario it must be an Emergency-Level First Aid certificate that includes CPR from a WSIB approved provider.

Security guards use Basic/Emergency First Aid with CPR/AED Level C, the standard certificate accepted for licensing. Not sure? Try Which Course Should I Take?

CPR/AED Level C, which covers adults, children and infants plus automated external defibrillator use. It is included in the Basic First Aid (formerly Emergency First Aid) course guards take for the licence.

Complete the mandatory basic security training, hold a valid Basic First Aid (formerly Emergency First Aid) certificate with CPR, pass the licensing test, and apply to the Ministry of the Solicitor General. See our full guide, how to get a security licence in Ontario. Coast2Coast provides the first aid step.

Alberta sets its own process through the provincial regulator. See our step-by-step Alberta security licence guide. We provide the First Aid and CPR certification your application needs.

Requirements are provincial and generally include being of legal age, completing mandatory training, and holding a valid First Aid & CPR certificate. More detail is in what qualifications do I need to be a security guard.

No. Certification needs an in-person skills test, so we use a blended format: theory online, then a short in-class session for the hands-on CPR and AED skills. A fully online certificate is not accepted for the licence.

Basic/Emergency First Aid with CPR/AED Level C is valid for three years. Once it expires the full course is retaken rather than renewed, so plan recertification before a licence lapses.

Yes. A security guard licence must stay backed by a current certificate. Because an expired certificate is retaken rather than renewed, book recertification before it lapses so a licence renewal is not held up.

Private group rates depend on headcount and location, with savings for 8 or more staff. Send your team size and preferred dates for a quote, or enrol guards in a public class.

Yes. We train guard teams across Canada, including Alberta and other provinces, and match the certificate to your province's licensing standard.

The Ontario security guard licence fee is $80, and renewal is also $80. The licensing exam costs an additional $35 plus HST and can be retaken until you pass.

The licensing exam has 60 multiple-choice questions, and the pass mark is 62%, which is 37 of 60. Results are usually available within five business days.

Yes. Applicants must submit a Criminal Record and Judicial Matters Check dated within six months, plus two government-issued IDs, and hold a clean criminal record.

An Ontario security guard licence is valid until your second birthday after it is issued, up to two years. You can renew for $80 up to 90 days before it expires, and online applications process in up to 15 business days.

Certify Your Security Team the Right Way

WSIB approved Basic/Emergency First Aid with CPR/AED Level C, delivered by a Top 3 Canadian Red Cross Training Partner and matched to your province's licence rule. Group rates for 8+ guards.

Book Group Training Call 1-866-291-9121