We offer lifeguard certification courses for all ages through the Canadian Red Cross and the Lifesaving Society. If you are interested in teaching swimming, becoming a lifeguard or improving your safety skills, you'll need to take these programs.

Leadership program levels

There are different certification levels you can achieve within these programs. Minimum age requirements or pre-requisites must be met in order to take a leadership course.

Canadian Swim Patrol

Recommended pre-requisites: Swim Kids 10, 10 to 12-years-old

This Lifesaving Society course is an excellent introduction to the Bronze levels. You will learn a variety of problem solving, decision making and lifesaving skills. You will earn Rookie, Ranger or Star Patrol awards, which are broken down into swimming, first aid and rescue skills.

Bronze Star

Recommended pre-requisites: Canadian Swim Patrol, 10- to 12-years-old

The Bronze Star program is an excellent introduction to Bronze Medallion. There is an emphasis on fitness and rescue skills in order to prepare you for further leadership courses. You also learn CPR, develop water-smart confidence and the lifesaving skills to become your own personal lifeguard.

Bronze Medallion and Emergency First Aid

Pre-requisites: 13-years-old or Bronze Star

These are lifesaving certifications that begin to prepare you as a future lifeguard. Bronze Medallion focuses on fitness, strokes and rescue skills. Emergency First Aid focuses on CPR, first aid skills and choking. Please bring pre-requisite information to the first class. An examiner will evaluate your skills at the end of the course. 100% attendance is mandatory.

Bronze Cross

Pre-requisites: Bronze Medallion and Emergency First Aid

The skills learned in Bronze Medallion are strengthened in Bronze Cross and new skills are introduced, such as spinal injury management techniques and advanced water rescues. Fitness and resuscitation skills are a priority. Please bring pre-requisite information to the first class. An examiner will evaluate your skills at the end of the course. 100% attendance is mandatory.

Swim for Life and Lifesaving and Emergency First Aid Instructors

Pre-requisites: 15-years-old, Bronze Cross, Emergency First Aid

This is a two certification course. The Lifesaving Society Swim for Life Instructor Course prepares the candidate to teach and evaluate the swimming strokes and related skills found in the Lifesaving Society's Swim for Life Program.

The Lifesaving Instructor course prepared the candidate to organize, plan, teach and evaluate lifesaving and first aid skills as well as resuscitation techniques to instruct Lifesaving Society's Canadian Swim Patrol, Bronze Medallion, Bronze Cross and Emergency First Aid programs. 100% attendance is mandatory.

National Lifeguard Service and Standard First Aid

Pre-requisites: Bronze Cross, 16-years-old

The National Lifeguard Service (NLS) course is recognized as the national standard for lifeguard training. You will learn techniques specifically suited to more difficult and complicated first aid and aquatic emergencies. The course focuses on teamwork, accident prevention, rescues and public relations. Please bring pre-requisite information to the first class. An examiner will evaluate your skills at the end of the course. 100% attendance is mandatory. You will be legally qualified to lifeguard in the province of Ontario by successfully completing the course.

Leadership program benefits

These programs help teach teamwork, problem solving, time management, physical fitness and communication skills. You will also gain job skills that help develop self-confidence. Instructor and lifeguard positions are paying part-time jobs and provide great experience for résumés.