Childcare CPR & first aid requirements

First Aid & CPR Ontario

If you work in childcare in Ontario — whether at a daycare, preschool, home-based care, or camp — first aid and CPR certification is not optional. It's a licensing requirement, and for good reason: children are among the most vulnerable to choking, allergic reactions, and injuries. Being prepared to respond can mean everything.

Requirements at a glance

Regulatory frameworkOntario Regulation 137/15 (s. 58(2)) under the Child Care and Early Years Act, 2014 — valid Standard First Aid certification including infant and child CPR, issued by a WSIB-approved training agency.
Governing authorityOntario Ministry of Education (Child Care Licensing)
New hire deadlineWithin 90 days of hire
Min. certified staffEvery supervisor and every employee counted in the staff-to-child ratios must hold the certification. A certified person must be present at all times (3-month grace period for a new hire provided another certified staff member remains on site).
Online training acceptanceOnline courses accepted
Online courses accepted

What Ontario requires

In Ontario, the Child Care and Early Years Act and its Regulation 137/15 require every supervisor and every staff member counted in the staff-to-child ratios to hold a valid standard first-aid certificate that includes infant and child CPR, issued by an approved training agency. A certified person must be on site at all times; a newly hired employee has a three-month grace period as long as another certified staff member remains present. For licensing under the Ministry of Education, this is a baseline condition, not an optional extra.

Anaphylaxis and medication administration

Regulation 137/15 requires an individualized anaphylaxis plan for any child at risk and lets trained staff administer emergency allergy medication such as an epinephrine auto-injector. Medication is given only with the parent's written authorization and must be kept in a locked container inaccessible to children — the one exception being asthma or allergy medication a child is permitted to carry and use themselves. The expectation is clear: staff both recognize a reaction and are ready to respond to it.

How our courses meet these requirements

A recognized, standards-based certification — online theory paired with a hands-on skills check — meets Ontario’s requirement and keeps your team ready to act.

Don't wait for renewal day

A child who is choking or unresponsive cannot wait; the seconds before paramedics arrive belong to whoever is standing in the room. Holding a current, standards-based certification means an educator can act with steady hands instead of hesitation — and it keeps the centre squarely within licensing requirements. Families entrust their youngest to your care precisely because they believe that readiness is there.