Ontario has two levels of workplace first aid certification: Basic First Aid and Intermediate First Aid (known until June 2026 as Emergency First Aid and Standard First Aid). Choosing between them isn’t about ambition — it’s about what your workplace, school or placement actually requires.
Side by side
- Basic First Aid — 8-hour blended program. Online theory plus a practical session of about four hours (typically 9:00 AM – 1:00 PM). Covers scene management, primary assessment, CPR, AED, choking, severe bleeding, wounds and bandaging.
- Intermediate First Aid — 16-hour blended program. Online theory plus a full practical day starting at 9:00 AM. Everything in Basic, plus detailed patient assessment, musculoskeletal injuries, head/neck/spinal considerations, burns, shock, environmental and medical emergencies, advanced bandaging and team response scenarios.
The workplace threshold
Ontario’s first aid requirements scale with workplace size. The common rule of thumb: workplaces with up to five workers on a shift require a first aider with Basic First Aid; workplaces with six or more on a shift require Intermediate First Aid. Employers are responsible for determining their own requirements — including situations with multiple shifts, floors or sites — so treat this as orientation, not legal advice, and confirm with your employer.
What schools and placements ask for
Colleges and placement agencies set their own requirements, and they most commonly ask for the comprehensive level — Intermediate First Aid with CPR/AED. Nursing, PSW, ECE and other healthcare programs frequently name it in admission or placement letters, sometimes still under the old “Standard First Aid” name. Some programs name a specific CPR level as well. Read your letter carefully; it is the authority.
Still not sure?
Ask the organization that set the requirement. If their wording is ambiguous — or mixes old and new course names — contact us before booking. Matching you to the right course is part of the job, and rebooking because of a wrong guess wastes your time and money.