It is the instructor’s responsibility to always run their courses within their first aid certification’s scope of practice.
Paddle Canada Instructors are required to maintain a minimum of Standard First Aid and CPR (14 hours) or Wilderness First Aid (16 hours) as well as CPR training. Insurance and sanctioned courses are not valid unless all instructors and registered assistants on the course meet the minimum first aid
requirements as outlined in the specific course syllabus.
Please see the specific instructor course syllabus regarding first aid requirements for Paddle Canada instructors.
First Aid Policy for Courses Operating in the Wilderness
Instructors are required to have wilderness first aid and CPR (16 hour) training as a minimum whenever they are teaching in a location where it will take more than one hour to reach medical care. If you are uncertain how long it will take to reach medical care, get wilderness first aid certification.
Waterfront Skills and Waterfront Instructor courses are exempted from this policy only if the course is offered in a camp or club setting where nursing or other qualified medical staff are onsite throughout the duration of the course.
Wilderness First Aid Training
Defining first aid prerequisites for outdoor leaders is a challenge as there are a number of course providers across North America and courses with similar lengths have syllabus that vary widely.
Paddle Canada will accept any course that meets the time requirement of the specific instructor course syllabus and is approved by Wilderness Medical Society, Human Resources and Skills Development Canada, or the appropriate provincial/territorial government Occupational, Health and Safety authority.
