Register Your Business
Claim your free Basic First Aid & CPR/AED seat for Small Business Week. Offer valid October 13 to 30, 2026. The form takes about two minutes. Prefer to talk to someone? Call us at 1-866-291-9121.
What is the free first aid training offer for small businesses?
Small Business Week is BDC’s annual celebration of Canadian entrepreneurs, and in 2026 it runs from October 19 to 25. To celebrate, Coast2Coast First Aid & Aquatics is running a free training offer from October 13 to 30, 2026, giving back to the communities around our training centres.
Every eligible small business can send one staff member to a Basic First Aid & CPR/AED course for free. That one person learns how to respond to the most common workplace emergencies, from cuts and burns to choking, allergic reactions and cardiac arrest. Canadian Red Cross certificates are issued to selected business nominees.
Our training centres sit in neighbourhoods full of restaurants, shops, clinics, offices and trades businesses. Many of them have never had anyone on staff trained in first aid. This offer is our way of helping local businesses take that first step at no cost.
Who qualifies for a free seat?
The free seat is open to small businesses that meet these conditions:
- Your business is local. It must be close to a Coast2Coast training location or in the same city as one.
- One seat per business. Each business can claim one free seat for one staff member.
- The participant works for the business. The free seat is for an owner or employee of the business that registers.
- Training happens during the offer period. The free course takes place between October 13 and 30, 2026.
Seats are limited at each location and are given on a first-come, first-served basis, so we recommend registering as soon as possible. If you are not sure whether your business qualifies, register anyway or call us, and our team will confirm.
What does the free Basic First Aid course cover?
Basic First Aid & CPR/AED, formerly called Emergency First Aid, is a one-day Canadian Red Cross course taught in person by a certified instructor. It covers the skills a staff member is most likely to need at work:
- Checking the scene and calling 911
- CPR for adults and how to use an AED
- Choking relief
- Bleeding control and wound care
- Shock
- Allergic reactions and using an epinephrine auto-injector
- Sudden medical emergencies such as a heart attack, stroke, seizure or diabetic emergency
Participants practise on manikins and AED trainers with a certified instructor. Selected business nominees also complete an in-person skills assessment and receive a Canadian Red Cross certificate, issued digitally within 48 hours and valid for three years. Learn more about the Basic (Emergency) First Aid & CPR/AED course.
In Ontario, Basic First Aid meets the WSIB Regulation 1101 requirement for workplaces with 1 to 5 workers per shift, but only when the staff member holds a valid certificate.
Is Your Business Near One of Our Centres?
If your business is close to a Coast2Coast training location or in the same city, you can claim one free Basic First Aid & CPR/AED seat between October 13 and 30.
How do you claim your free seat?
Claiming your free seat takes a few minutes:
- Choose your staff member. Decide who will attend. A manager, shift lead or the person who opens and closes is often a good choice.
- Find your nearest location. Check which Coast2Coast training centre is closest to your business.
- Register your business. Complete the registration form with your business name, address, contact details and the participant’s name. You can also call us at 1-866-291-9121.
- Get your confirmation. Our team confirms your eligibility, your course date and your location.
- Attend the course. Your staff member completes Basic First Aid & CPR/AED between October 13 and 30. Selected business nominees also receive a certificate within 48 hours.
Training 8 or more staff? Save up to 40% on group training
One trained person is a strong start, but most workplace first aid rules require a trained first aider on every shift. If your business runs more than one shift, or your first aider takes vacations or sick days, you need backups.
That is why we also offer a group discount, all year round, not just during the Small Business Week offer. Group discounts start at 8 people, and the more people you train, the bigger the discount, up to 40% off. You can:
- Add more staff to Basic First Aid & CPR/AED
- Send supervisors to the two-day Intermediate (Standard) First Aid & CPR/AED course, which Ontario requires for workplaces with 6 or more workers per shift
- Train staff who only need resuscitation skills in our CPR/AED courses
- Train at a Coast2Coast location or have an instructor come to your workplace through private group training
Mention your free seat when you register, and our team can help you plan group training for the rest of your staff.
Where are our training locations?
Coast2Coast First Aid & Aquatics has training centres in communities across Canada, including the Greater Toronto Area, Ottawa, Hamilton, Kitchener-Waterloo, London, Calgary, Edmonton and Halifax. If your business is close to one of our centres or in the same city, you can claim a free seat at that location. Browse all of our course locations to find the centre nearest to you.
Why does one trained staff member matter?
Small businesses are the backbone of Canada’s economy. According to Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada, 98.2% of Canadian employer businesses have fewer than 100 employees, and they employ about 5.8 million people. In a small team, there may be only one person who knows what to do in an emergency, and sometimes no one at all.
Emergencies at work are more common than many owners expect: cuts, burns, falls, allergic reactions and choking happen in kitchens, shops and offices every day. The most serious is cardiac arrest. Heart & Stroke estimates that about 60,000 out-of-hospital cardiac arrests happen in Canada every year, and CPR with an AED can double a person’s chance of survival. One trained staff member can make that difference for a coworker, a customer or a visitor.
Training 8 or More Staff?
Claim your free seat and tell us how many more staff you want to train. Groups of 8 or more save up to 40%, any time of year.
What happens on training day?
Your staff member arrives at the Coast2Coast location confirmed in their registration. A certified Canadian Red Cross instructor leads the course with hands-on practice and short scenarios. There is no need to prepare in advance, and all equipment is provided.
At the end of the day, selected business nominees complete a skills assessment with the instructor and receive their certificates digitally within 48 hours. Every other participant completes the full training without a certificate.
Key Takeaway
From October 13 to 30, 2026, small businesses close to a Coast2Coast training location or in the same city can send one staff member to Basic First Aid & CPR/AED for free. Certificates are issued to selected business nominees only. Seats are limited, so register early. To train 8 or more staff, group bookings save up to 40% all year round.
Join 200,000+ Canadians Who Are Certified
Claim your business’s free Basic First Aid & CPR/AED seat before spots fill up at your nearest location.
Frequently Asked Questions: Free First Aid Training for Small Businesses 2026
Q1: What is the free first aid training offer for small businesses?
A: From October 13 to 30, 2026, to celebrate Small Business Week, Coast2Coast First Aid & Aquatics is giving eligible small businesses one free seat in a Basic First Aid & CPR/AED course for one staff member. The business must be close to a Coast2Coast training location or in the same city. The one-day Canadian Red Cross course is taught in person, and certificates are issued to selected business nominees only.
Q2: Who qualifies for the free seat?
A: Small businesses located close to a Coast2Coast training location, or in the same city as one, can claim one free seat. The participant must be an owner or employee of the business that registers, and the training must take place between October 13 and 30, 2026. Seats are limited at each location, so they are given on a first-come, first-served basis. Our team confirms eligibility after you register.
Q3: How many free seats can my business get?
A: Each eligible business can claim one free seat for one staff member. If you want to train more people, groups of 8 or more save up to 40%, depending on group size. The group discount is available all year round, so you can train additional staff during the offer or schedule them for a later date that suits your business.
Q4: Which course is free?
A: The free seat is for Basic First Aid & CPR/AED, formerly called Emergency First Aid. It is a one-day Canadian Red Cross course that covers calling for help, CPR and AED use, choking relief, bleeding control, shock, allergic reactions and sudden medical emergencies. Certificates are issued to selected business nominees only. Every other participant receives the same training free, without a certificate.
Q5: When does the free training take place?
A: The free Basic First Aid & CPR/AED training takes place between Tuesday, October 13 and Friday, October 30, 2026, which includes Small Business Week, October 19 to 25. After you register, our team confirms the course date and location for your staff member. Seats are limited at each training centre during the offer, so registering early gives you the best choice of dates.
Q6: How do I claim my free seat?
A: Complete the registration form with your business name, business address, contact details and the name of the staff member who will attend. You can also call Coast2Coast at 1-866-291-9121. Our team will confirm your eligibility, the course date and the location. Your staff member then attends the one-day course between October 13 and 30. Certificates are issued to selected business nominees only.
Q7: Is the free seat really free?
A: Yes. The Basic First Aid & CPR/AED seat is free for one staff member of each eligible business from October 13 to 30, 2026. There is no course fee for that seat. It is our way of supporting the small businesses in the communities around our training centres. Additional staff can be trained at a group discount of up to 40% if you want to train more of your team.
More FAQs: Group Training and Certification
Q8: How does the group discount work?
A: The group discount applies to first aid and CPR training for groups of 8 or more people, and it is available all year round, not only during the Small Business Week offer. The more people you train, the bigger the discount, up to 40% off. Our team confirms the exact discount for your group size when you book, and training can take place at a Coast2Coast location or at your workplace.
Q9: Can I combine the free seat with a group booking?
A: Yes. Your free seat covers one staff member in Basic First Aid & CPR/AED, and if you train 8 or more other staff, they can save up to 40% with a group booking. For example, one employee could take the free Basic course while supervisors take Intermediate First Aid. Mention your free seat when you book, and our team will help you plan training for the rest of your staff.
Q10: Will my staff member receive a certificate?
A: Only if your business nominee is selected. Canadian Red Cross Basic First Aid & CPR/AED certificates are issued to selected business nominees only. Every other participant receives the same full training for free, without a certificate. Selected nominees complete an in-person skills assessment and receive a certificate within 48 hours, valid for three years. Training without a certificate does not count toward workplace requirements such as WSIB Regulation 1101.
Q11: Is the free course online?
A: No. The free Basic First Aid & CPR/AED course is taught in person at a Coast2Coast training location. Fully online first aid courses do not meet workplace requirements because they cannot assess hands-on skills such as chest compressions, using an AED and controlling bleeding. Your staff member practises these skills with a certified instructor, and selected business nominees complete an in-person skills assessment.
Q12: What first aid training does my small business need?
A: It depends on your province and how many workers you have per shift. In Ontario, Regulation 1101 requires Basic First Aid for 1 to 5 workers per shift and Intermediate First Aid for 6 or more, on every shift. In Alberta and Nova Scotia, the hazard level and distance to medical help also matter. Our team can recommend the right course for each staff member.
Q13: What is Small Business Week?
A: Small Business Week is an annual celebration of Canadian entrepreneurs organized by BDC, the Business Development Bank of Canada. In 2026, it runs from October 19 to 25, with events online and in communities across the country. Coast2Coast First Aid & Aquatics marks it by offering local small businesses one free Basic First Aid & CPR/AED seat for one staff member, from October 13 to 30, 2026.
Q14: What if my business is not close to a Coast2Coast location?
A: The free seat is for businesses close to a Coast2Coast training location or in the same city. If your business is farther away, you can still train your team, and groups of 8 or more save up to 40%, and our instructors can deliver private group training at your workplace in many areas. Contact our team to check what options are available for your location.
Q15: What if my staff member cannot attend between October 13 and 30?
A: The free seat applies only to training between October 13 and 30, 2026. If your staff member cannot attend during those dates, contact our team to discuss other options. Group training for 8 or more people, at a discount of up to 40%, is available all year round, at a Coast2Coast location or at your workplace, so you can still plan training for your team later in the year.
Reviewed & Sourced
Written by Godwin Orilua. Reviewed by the Coast2Coast First Aid & Aquatics Instructor Team, a Canadian Red Cross Training Partner.
Sources: BDC, Small Business Week 2026; Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada, Key Small Business Statistics 2025; WSIB, Regulation 1101 First Aid Requirements; Heart & Stroke, Out-of-hospital cardiac arrest and AEDs.
