First Aid Courses in Downtown Toronto: A Local Guide
Walking distance from U of T, TMU, the hospital corridor, and Bay Street.
Life Safe runs WSIB-approved first aid and CPR courses at 222 Spadina Ave Unit 231 in downtown Toronto — at the corner of Spadina and Dundas in Chinatown. Walking distance from U of T, TMU, OCAD, MaRS, and the major hospitals. Options include Standard First Aid + CPR ($120), Emergency First Aid + CPR ($85), CPR C AED ($35), BLS for healthcare ($55), and recertifications.
The downtown venue
Our downtown Toronto location is at 222 Spadina Ave Unit 231, in the heart of Chinatown at the Spadina and Dundas intersection. The venue is accessible from multiple TTC stations — St. Patrick on Line 1 is a short walk east, Osgoode is a bit further south, and the 505 Dundas and 510 Spadina streetcars both stop directly at the intersection. Limited paid parking is available in the area, though most students arrive by transit.
The space is a dedicated training centre with real CPR manikins (adult, child, and infant), AED trainers, BVMs for BLS, choking simulators, and wound-care supplies. Class sizes are kept small so everyone gets meaningful manikin time.
Which course should you take?
| You’re taking it because… | Take this course | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Your downtown workplace has 6+ workers per shift | Standard First Aid + CPR C AED | ~14 hours over 2 days |
| Your downtown workplace has 1–5 workers per shift | Emergency First Aid + CPR C AED | 1 day (~7 hrs) |
| You’re a UHN, Mount Sinai, or St. Mike’s nurse renewing | BLS Renewal | 3–4 hours |
| You’re a U of T or TMU student needing CPR for placement | BLS or CPR C AED (depends on program) | 4–6 hours |
| You’re a downtown parent in the Annex, Liberty Village, CityPlace | CPR C AED (or Free CPR) | ~4 hours |
| You’re renewing an unexpired SFA card | SFA Recertification | ~8 hours |
Who’s usually in class downtown
Downtown classes draw from the densest concentration of workplaces, hospitals, and universities in the country:
- Bay Street corporate professionals — finance, law, consulting firms with WSIB compliance needs
- UHN, Sinai Health, Unity Health staff — nurses, PSWs, RTs renewing BLS
- U of T students — medicine, nursing, dentistry, kinesiology, physiotherapy, OT, midwifery
- TMU (Toronto Metropolitan) students — nursing, paramedic, midwifery, social work clinical streams
- OCAD students and faculty needing first aid for studios with workshop tools
- MaRS and King-Spadina tech employees training for workplace compliance
- Entertainment district workers — restaurants, bars, venues, theatres
- Downtown daycare and school staff
- New parents from the Annex, Kensington, Liberty Village, CityPlace, the Junction-adjacent neighbourhoods
The downtown’s three Life Safe venues
Within Toronto, Life Safe runs three venues:
- Downtown (222 Spadina) — best for Bay Street, U of T, TMU, hospital corridor, MaRS, entertainment district
- East York (1774 Danforth) — best for Riverdale, Leslieville, Beaches, Michael Garron staff
- Etobicoke / Junction (2381 Dundas W) — best for High Park, Roncesvalles, Humber College area
The certificate is identical from each. Pick whichever is closest to your home or workplace.
What to bring
- A pen and yourself
- Comfortable clothes — you’ll be on the floor doing chest compressions
- A water bottle
- Lunch or cash for nearby food (Chinatown and the surrounding area has unlimited options within 5 minutes)
How to book a downtown class
The downtown schedule is on the Downtown Toronto courses page. Pick a date that works, register, pay online, and show up. Weekday evening classes are particularly popular with Bay Street workers — book a week or two ahead if you need a specific day.
Book your downtown Toronto class
222 Spadina Ave, walking distance from U of T, TMU, MaRS, and the hospital corridor.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is the downtown venue?
222 Spadina Ave Unit 231 — corner of Spadina and Dundas in Chinatown.
How do I get there by TTC?
St. Patrick or Osgoode Station, or 505 Dundas / 510 Spadina streetcars.
Are the courses WSIB-approved?
Yes — certified through Heart and Stroke, Canadian Red Cross, or Lifesaving Society depending on course.
Should I take it downtown or at another Toronto venue?
Same certificate everywhere — pick whichever venue is closest to your home or work.