canfitpro · CSEP · gym & studio staff
What CPR do personal trainers actually need in Ontario?
The certification you need
CPR & AED, level depends on your certifying body
Personal training is not a regulated profession in Ontario. What binds you is whichever body certifies you, and their rules differ in ways that matter.
There is no Ontario law here. Personal training is not a licensed profession in this province (there is no college and no licensing statute) so anyone telling you the law requires your CPR is mistaken about where the requirement comes from.
What does bind you is whichever body certifies you, and they set different rules. canfitpro requires CPR Level A with AED as its floor, obtained on a live, in-person course, and treats first aid as recommended rather than required. CSEP's Certified Personal Trainer requires CPR Level C plus first aid at the level now called Basic First Aid.
Requirements change and can vary by employer, site and role, so always confirm what yours asks for before booking. Not sure? Call us at 705-985-3478 or send us a message, and we’ll work it out with you.
Your course
CPR & AED
CPR & AED covers the canfitpro requirement, and you pick your level when you book. Read the CSEP note below before booking if you are a CSEP candidate.
Price
$73 + HST
Online at home
2 hours
In class with us
2 hours
CPR level
CPR-A or CPR-C, with AED
What does CPR-A or CPR-C, with AED mean? The three CPR levels, and who each one is for.
The online part is required and must be finished before your in-class day.
Pick a date and book
Booking is subject to our course policies: refunds, date changes, photo ID and what to bring on the day.
What the requirement actually says
- canfitpro: a valid CPR certificate with AED. CPR-A with AED is the minimum, and CPR-C with AED is expressly accepted. As of 2026 a CPR certificate without AED is not accepted at all, and canfitpro requires the certificate to have been issued within the past two years.
- CSEP Certified Personal Trainer: CPR Level C plus the first aid level now called Basic First Aid.
- Important if you are a CSEP candidate: CSEP's own prerequisites state that CPR must be delivered entirely in person with a practical component, and that online CPR courses will not be accepted. Our courses are blended (theory online, skills in class) so confirm directly with CSEP whether that satisfies them before you book with anyone.
- canfitpro, CSEP and the Ontario Fitness Council are not the only bodies operating here. Trainers in Ontario commonly hold NASM, ACE or ISSA credentials with rules of their own. Check the body that actually certifies you.
- Your gym may have its own obligation. Ontario's workplace first aid regulation attaches to employers covered by the Workplace Safety and Insurance Act, and many fitness businesses are not automatically covered, because "personal physical fitness training services" sits on the list of industries excluded from compulsory WSIB coverage. A facility should confirm its own coverage status rather than assume the regulation binds it.
Source: No Ontario statute or regulation imposes a first aid or CPR requirement on personal trainers or fitness instructors. The requirement comes from certifying bodies such as canfitpro and CSEP.
Check it yourself
- canfitpro: CPR & AED requirements, the AED condition and the live-course requirement
- canfitpro: FAQ, "a valid CPR A & AED or CPR C & AED certificate issued within the past two years"
- CSEP: CPT application requirements, CPR Level C, and the in-person delivery condition
"Every trainer needs CPR-C", not quite
canfitpro's floor is CPR Level A with AED, not CPR-C, although CPR-C with AED is accepted and is the more useful certificate. The trap that actually catches people out is different: since 2026 a CPR certificate without AED is not accepted by canfitpro at all, and canfitpro wants it issued within the past two years. The CPR & AED certificate you will be handed is valid for one year. CSEP separately wants a CPR certificate no more than a year old at each annual renewal, regardless of the date printed on the card. So the question is rarely "which level" and usually "is mine still current by my body's clock, and does it include AED".
Personal trainers & fitness staff: common questions
Will your course satisfy CSEP?
We can't promise that, and we would rather say so plainly. CSEP's prerequisites page states that CPR must be delivered entirely in person and that online CPR courses will not be accepted. Our courses are blended, with the theory online and the skills in class. Confirm with CSEP directly before booking, with us or with anyone else offering blended delivery.
Will your course satisfy canfitpro?
canfitpro requires CPR-A or CPR-C with AED, issued within the past two years, from a live course. Our in-class day is live and hands-on and includes AED. Because canfitpro's own wording about live delivery is what governs, we would still suggest a quick confirmation with them if you want certainty before paying.
Do I need first aid as well as CPR?
canfitpro recommends first aid but does not require it. CSEP-CPT does require the Basic First Aid level alongside CPR-C. Your employer or your insurer may want it regardless, and if you are the person who ends up being the certified first aider on shift at your facility, you will need it.
Does the law require my gym to have a first aider?
Only if the business is covered by the Workplace Safety and Insurance Act. Fitness businesses are frequently outside compulsory WSIB coverage, so this is not automatic. A studio owner should confirm coverage with the WSIB before assuming a legal duty exists, and equally, before assuming it doesn't.
Training more than one person?
We’ll run the course at your site on a date that suits your operation, or host your group at our Barrie centre. Group pricing starts at six people, and a smaller group is welcome at that rate. One invoice for the lot.