WSIB First Aid Requirements in Ontario

What first aid does an Ontario employer have to provide?

Under Ontario Regulation 1101, every employer covered by the Workplace Safety and Insurance Act must provide first aid equipment, facilities, and trained personnel at every workplace. Workplaces with five or fewer workers in any one shift need at least one person holding a Basic First Aid certificate. Workplaces with six or more workers in any one shift need at least one person holding an Intermediate First Aid certificate. First aid certificates are valid for three years from the date of issue.

The training requirement, by shift size

The level of first aid training your workplace must have depends on how many workers are present in any one shift at the place of employment. These are the thresholds set in Regulation 1101.

On June 22, 2026, the WSIB updated its First Aid Program to align with Canadian Standards Association (CSA) Z1210:24 and renamed its certificate levels: Emergency First Aid is now called Basic First Aid, and Standard First Aid is now called Intermediate First Aid. Regulation 1101 itself was not amended — the new names are equivalent for compliance purposes, and all certificates issued before June 22, 2026 remain valid until they expire.

Ontario Regulation 1101 first aid requirements, by shift size

1 to 5 workers per shift: Basic First Aid certificate required (equivalent to Emergency First Aid in the regulation) — 8 hours
6 to 15 workers per shift: Intermediate First Aid certificate required (equivalent to Standard First Aid in the regulation) — 16 hours
16 to 199 workers per shift: Intermediate First Aid certificate required, plus one stretcher and two blankets at the station
200 or more workers per shift: First aid room required — not just a station
Certificate validity: 3 years from date of issue
First aider availability: At least one qualified first aider must be present on site at all times when work is in progress

The 200-worker threshold: a first aid room

Workplaces that regularly have 200 or more workers in any one shift must provide a first aid room — not just a station. The room must have hot and cold running water, washbasins, a couch, a stretcher and blankets, and specified instruments and dressings. It must be in the charge of a registered nurse, or a worker who holds an Intermediate (formerly Standard) First Aid certificate, works in the immediate vicinity of the room, and is not doing other work likely to impair their ability to give first aid.

Most employers of five to fifty workers will fall below this threshold and need a station rather than a room.

Choosing a first aid training provider

Training must be delivered by a WSIB-approved provider. Some providers claim to be approved across all Canadian provinces and territories, but the WSIB states that employers must verify a provider is specifically approved by it before purchasing training. The WSIB maintains a list of approved providers on its website.

Online-only programs are not accepted. Regulation 1101 requires first aid training to include a hands-on, practical skills component. Some blended programs — online theory followed by an in-person skills session — are approved; confirm with the provider before booking.

The WSIB accepts current workplace first aid certificates from other Canadian provinces, provided they meet the Canadian Standards Association standard (CSA Z1210:17 or Z1210:24). An out-of-province certificate does not need to be reissued for Ontario compliance.

What a first aid station must contain

A first aid station must have a first aid box with the contents specified for your workplace size in Regulation 1101, a notice board displaying the WSIB Form 82 poster (In Case of Injury), the valid first aid certificates of workers on duty, and an inspection card showing when the kit was last checked.

Kits must be inspected at least four times a year — once per quarter — and the date and inspector's signature recorded on the card.

Medications and ointments must not be included in first aid kits. This includes over-the-counter products, ointments, and EpiPens. First aiders are not trained to administer them, and providing medication can mask the severity of an injury or cause a reaction.

There is no required ratio of first aid kits to employees, but kits must be easily accessible, portable, and visible — not locked away.

First aid station requirements

Form 82 poster: Required at every first aid station — available from the WSIB at no cost
Kit inspection frequency: At least 4 times per year
Medications in the kit: Not permitted — including over-the-counter products and EpiPens
AED required: No — not a requirement under Regulation 1101
Online-only training: Not accepted — hands-on component is mandatory
Cost of training: Borne by the employer for designated first aiders

Record-keeping

Regulation 1101 requires every employer to keep a record of all workplace accidents. The record must include: the circumstances as described by the injured worker, the date and time of the occurrence, the names of witnesses, the nature and exact location of the injuries, and the date, time, and nature of each first aid treatment given.

The regulation does not specify a retention period for these records, but they should be kept for as long as any related claim or litigation could reasonably arise.

Where the authority sits. Syon Safety is not a first aid training provider and does not issue first aid certificates. Workplace first aid training must be delivered by a WSIB-approved provider; certificates are issued by those providers. What Syon Safety provides is the health and safety management framework — including first aid policies, training schedules, records and compliance review — that keeps an employer's first aid program in order.

Frequently asked questions

Does every Ontario employer need to provide first aid?

Yes — every employer covered by the Ontario Workplace Safety and Insurance Act must provide first aid equipment, facilities, and trained personnel at all workplaces, regardless of how few workers are employed.

What first aid training does a business with 5 or fewer employees need in Ontario?

At least one worker must hold a Basic First Aid certificate (called Emergency First Aid in Regulation 1101; renamed Basic First Aid by the WSIB in June 2026). That worker must be present and in the immediate vicinity of the first aid station at all times when work is in progress.

How long is a first aid certificate valid in Ontario?

Three years from the date of issue. An Intermediate First Aid certificate can be renewed once by completing a one-day recertification course with a WSIB-approved provider before the original certificate expires. If it has already been renewed once, a new certificate must be earned from scratch.

Is an AED required in Ontario workplaces?

No. Automated external defibrillators are not required under Ontario Regulation 1101. Individual employers may choose to provide one as a best practice, but it is not a first aid regulation requirement.

Can an online first aid course satisfy Regulation 1101?

No. Online-only courses are not accepted. Training must include a hands-on, practical skills component delivered by a WSIB-approved provider. Blended programs — online theory plus an in-person skills session — may be approved; confirm with the WSIB list of approved providers.

Who pays for first aid training in Ontario?

The employer must cover the cost of training for designated first aiders, including their wages while attending. If a business makes first aid training a condition of hiring, the applicant covers the cost.

Sources

Every regulatory claim above is taken from the body that sets the requirement, listed here so you can check it yourself rather than take our word for it.

How Syon Safety helps

The written program — policies, procedures, JHSC records and training matrices — built to survive an inspection.

Safety Program Documentation →

First aid requirements in Ontario: what every employer must provide