First Aid Program

No, Regulation 1101 is not changing at this time.

Yes. The names of first aid certificates in the updated program are in line with the Canadian Standards Association (CSA) Z1210:24 and are called Basic First Aid and Intermediate First Aid. In Regulation 1101, the names of certification levels remain Emergency First Aid and Standard First Aid. Businesses continue to meet the requirements of Regulation 1101 in the updated program as Basic First Aid is equivalent to Emergency First Aid and Intermediate First Aid is equivalent to Standard First Aid.

No. Applications for training providers for the updated First Aid Program opened on September 18, 2025, and closed on January 15, 2026. We anticipate re-opening applications in five years.

All businesses covered by the WSIA are required to have first aid equipment, facilities, and trained personnel in all workplaces.

All businesses in Ontario covered by the Workplace Safety Insurance Act (WSIA) must provide first aid training to their employees. The required training depends on the number of employees per shift:

• For workplaces with five or fewer people working on any one shift, at least one person must have an Basic First Aid certificate. This program is 8 hours long and offered by organizations across the province.
• For workplaces with six or more people working on any shift, at least one person must have an Intermediate First Aid certificate. This program is 16 hours long and is offered by organizations across the province.

As outlined in the Workplace Safety Insurance Act (WSIA), a worker is a person who has entered into or is employed under a contract of service or apprenticeship. You can review the WSIA for more information.

A dedicated first aider must hold an appropriate certificate and be able to provide prompt treatment. For example, you shouldn’t choose someone to be a first aider if they often work off-site or in closed-door meetings.

There is no required ratio of trained first aiders to total employees under Regulation 1101 (PDF) . You must have at least one person on site at all times who has a valid first aid certificate.

You should assess your workplace to determine how many first aiders you need based on things like the size and layout of your workplace. For example, a first aider should be able to reach an injured person within two minutes.

All employees, regardless of their employment status, must be given first aid treatment when they need it.

Businesses covered by Regulation 1101 are required to cover the cost of first aid training for employees who are selected as designated first aiders for the business. This includes covering wages for designated first aiders when they’re completing an approved first aid training program. If a business makes first aid training a hiring requirement, the applicant must cover the cost of training with an approved training provider.

Yes. Businesses covered by Regulation 1101 are required to cover the cost of first aid supplies including kits (boxes), stations and facilities.

First aid kits should be part of a first aid station. You should place first aid stations strategically throughout your workplace. Your first aid stations should include:

• a first aid kit
• the  “In case of injury poster (Form 82)”
• a first aid inspection card
• a list of the first aiders in that area

First aid stations should be placed where people can easily access them for quick treatment at any time. This will look different for each workplace. You need to assess your workplace to ensure first aid stations are readily available. First aid stations must be easy to find and near an employee who has a valid first aid certificate.

All vehicles used for work purposes, including personal vehicles, should also have a first aid kit and supplies.

The list is different depending on the size of your business.

Your workplace can meet Regulation 1101 first aid kit obligations by supplying either the  Regulation 1101 (PDF)  first aid requirements or the Canada Standard Association (CSA) Z1220 first aid kit. You can find a list of required items in sections 8 to 13 of Regulation 1101.

You should also include a CPR mask or other barrier device and non-latex gloves in various sizes in your first aid kit. Do not include over-the-counter medications.

Businesses must inspect first aid equipment at least once every three months.
 

There is no ratio of first aid kits to employees. You need to make sure that first aid kits are easily accessible so that people can reach or access a first aid kit quickly.

A first aid kit should be portable and shouldn’t be kept in a locked cabinet, drawer or room. It should be in an area where it is visible or marked with a sign identifying its location.

You can put together a first aid kit using the first aid kit/room lists in our  First Aid Regulations (Regulation 1101) (PDF)  or you can purchase ready-made first aid kits from a supplier of your choice. We don’t endorse any particular first aid kit vendor.

You can order or download and print a new in case of injury poster (Form 82).

Over-the-counter medications cannot be included in first aid kits.

Don’t provide medication to someone who has been injured or is ill. It could lead to an allergic reaction or could mask the severity of the injury or illness, which could delay getting needed medical attention.

In training, first aiders aren’t taught to use these items. Providing medication or applying ointment is outside the scope of what first aiders are taught to do.

EpiPens® aren’t required under Regulation 1101 and shouldn’t be included in the first aid kits.

Yes, some alternatives are approved for first aid kit contents. They include:

• dressing forceps = single use tweezers
• dressing scissors = single use scissors
• denatured ethyl alcohol = single use antiseptic wipes
• adhesive plaster and dressing = adhesive bandages
• instrument sterilizer = no longer used by first aiders – use single use items and discard
• enamel footbath = can use a stainless steel bowl.

AEDs aren’t required under Regulation 1101.

The first aid requirements for employees working off-site are the same as for employees working on-site (e.g., first aid stations and certified first aiders).

All work crews must have adequate first aid supplies and a trained first aider according to the size of the crew.

Regulation 1101 doesn’t have requirements around people working alone. However, working alone should be considered a hazard. All employees should have access to first aid supplies. As a best practice, employees who work alone should have emergency first aid training.

If you have questions about Regulation 137/15 of the Child Care and Early Years Act, you can contact the Ministry of Education. We administer first aid Regulation 1101 under the WSIA.

You should contact an approved first aid training provider to get certified or recertified.

Only training providers approved by us are allowed to offer workplace first aid training in Ontario. WSIB-approved providers can use third-party/affiliate providers to deliver first aid training on their behalf. The names of the third-party/affiliate providers are not included in the list of WSIB-approved providers, however they must be listed on the website of the approved provider they work with.

If you are seeking first aid training and aren’t sure if a third-party/affiliate first aid training provider provides training on behalf of a WSIB-approved provider, you can ask for their approved provider’s name, check to see if the approved provider is on the list of WSIB-approved training providers, and contact the approved provider or check their website to confirm the third-party/affiliate provider before you purchase a service. Please contact [email protected] if you need assistance.

WSIB-approved training providers must issue all certificates for workplace first aid training, including those provided through their third-party/affiliate training providers.

Note: all WSIB-approved training providers must display a First Aid Program badge on their website. Third-party/affiliate providers must also display the badge if they have a website. Training providers can display the badge in English and/or French based on language(s) in which they offer their services.

WSIB-approved first aid training providers are required to display a First Aid Program badge on their website as of June 22, 2026. The badge lets businesses and first aiders know the provider is approved by us to deliver training. The QR code on an approved provider badge takes users to the our list of approved providers. Affiliate trainers must also display the badge if they have a website. The QR code on an affiliate badge takes users to the approved provider’s list of affiliate trainers. The badge may also be displayed on social media, print materials and email signatures, but this is not required. Training providers can display the badge in English and/or French based on language(s) in which they offer their services.

 

You must select a WSIB-approved provider for workplace first aid training. Some providers may claim to be approved in all Canadian provinces and territories, however you must ensure they are approved by us.

Review our list of approved training providers and if you’re not sure if a first aid training provider is WSIB-approved, you can email [email protected] to confirm before you purchase services.

WSIB-approved first aid training providers are required to display a First Aid Program badge on their website. Affiliate trainers must also display the badge if they have a website. Training providers can display the badge in English and/or French based on language(s) in which they offer their services.

There are some approved blended programs that use online learning for first aid theory, with skill demonstrations in a classroom with an instructor.

There are currently no approved online-only programs that meet the criteria for first aid training. Online-only programs don’t allow participants to show that they’ve learned the required skills.

Advanced level certification as outlined in the Canadian Standards Association Z1210:24 is not a workplace first aid requirement in Ontario and isn’t offered as part of our First Aid Program. Some approved training providers may choose to offer advanced level certification to first aiders and emergency response teams seeking advanced training and skills. For your convenience, you can see which WSIB-approved training providers offer advanced level certification as outlined in Canadian Standards Association (CSA) Z1210:24 on our page of training providers.

No, CPR training isn’t the same as first aid training. There is a CPR component to first aid training we recognize. Any of the following, when taken as part of an approved emergency first aid or standard first aid program, would meet the requirements for the CPR component in Regulation 1101:

• CPR A: includes CPR techniques for adults only
• CPR B: includes CPR techniques for adults and children
• CPR C: includes CPR techniques for adults, children and infants
• CPR-HCP (Healthcare provider): covers all aspects of CPR skills and theory for adult, child and infant victims, including rescue breathing (artificial respiration) and the use of AEDs and bag-valve-masks (BVM)

We accept all current workplace first aid certificates issued within Canada if they are in line with the Canadian Standards Association (CSA) Z1210 (either the CSA Z1210:17 or the CSA Z1210:24 editions). First aiders can also recertify out-of-province certificates that are in line with CSA Z1210 if certificates are eligible for recertification.