Aquatic leadership will provide certifications necessary for employment at City of Toronto indoor/outdoor pools, wading pools and beaches. Certain entry level jobs require basic certifications such as Standard First Aid and Bronze Cross. For information on Bronze level courses, see Become a Lifeguard.
Qualified aquatic personnel, especially lifeguards and swimming instructors, are frequently in high demand. Entry-level jobs with the City of Toronto Aquatics Team include Wading Pool Attendant, Aquatic Program Assistant, Lifeguard and Swim Instructor. Go to Aquatic Jobs to apply.
Wading Pool Attendant is an entry-level job working outdoors during the summer months. To become a wading pool attendant, applicants must hold either Bronze Cross or the Pool Attendant certification.
Prerequisite: Minimum 14 years old
The Pool Attendant certification is designed to teach lifesavers how to safely monitor the shallow waters of a wading pool and customer service skills. In Ontario, a wading pool is less than 0.75 metres (two feet, six inches) in depth.
Job Profile: Wading Pool Attendant
To become a lifeguard with the City of Toronto, applicants must have successfully progressed through the Bronze programs and complete the National Lifeguard – Pool course.
Download a flow chart outlining the steps needed to become a lifeguard with the City of Toronto.
The Bronze programs are a series of levels that teach the required skills to become a lifesaver, including the principles of emergency procedures, water rescues, lifesaving skills, and CPR.
Bronze Medallion and Bronze Cross are offered as extended and condensed courses.
Prerequisites (must have one):
Bronze Medallion and Emergency First Aid with CPR-B teaches candidates to manage complex water rescues. Candidates must be able to complete a 400-metre swim in 12 minutes or less by the course exam date.
In this course, candidates will learn the following:
Bronze Medallion and Emergency First Aid with CPR-B are requirements for other lifesaving certifications.
Prerequisites (must have all, current or expired):
Bronze Cross is one of the prerequisites for the National Lifeguard program and Lifesaving Society Instructor program. Candidates must be able to complete a 400-metre swim in 11 minutes or less by the course exam date.
In this course, candidates will learn the following:
Bronze Cross is a requirement for the following City of Toronto positions:
The National Lifeguard – Pool certification is necessary to lifeguard indoor or outdoor pools.
Prerequisites (must have all, current or expired):
The National Lifeguard certification is Canada’s professional lifeguard standard. The course will provide candidates with the knowledge needed to perform a rescue and the mindset to prevent incidents.
In this course, candidates will learn the following:
National Lifeguard – Pool is a requirement for the following City of Toronto positions:
Under Regulation 565, Lifeguards and Swim Instructors must be a minimum of 15 years of age to be employed.
The National Lifeguard – Waterfront certification is necessary to lifeguard beaches and waterfronts. This certification can be achieved two ways: the National Lifeguard – Waterfront course or the National Lifeguard Waterfront Core course..
Prerequisites (must have all, current or expired):
The National Lifeguard certification is Canada’s professional lifeguard standard. This course is designed to develop the fundamental values, judgment, knowledge, skills and fitness required by waterfront lifeguards. This course emphasizes the lifeguarding skills, principles and practices, and the decision-making processes which will assist the lifeguard to provide effective safety supervision in waterfront environments.
Fitness requirements include a timed run of 100m combined with a 100m swim to recover a conscious victim; tow a victim 100m in 6 minutes or less.
Prerequisite (current or expired): National Lifeguard – Pool
Waterfront Core is a condensed waterfront course for lifeguards certified with National Lifeguard – Pool.
For City of Toronto Lifeguard Waterfront positions, lifeguards must be able to obtain the National Lifeguard Waterfront certification within the first year of employment and continue to meet the certification standards.
To become a Swim Instructor with the City of Toronto, applicants must have successfully completed the National Lifeguard – Pool and the Swim and Lifesaving Instructor courses.
Download a flow chart outlining the steps needed to become a swim instructor with the City of Toronto.
Review “Become a Lifeguard” for details on Bronze and National Lifeguard certifications.
Prerequisites (must have all, current or expired):
This certification prepares candidates to help certified instructors teach swimming lessons.
In this course, candidates will learn the following:
The Lifesaving Society Assistant Instructor certification is an asset for the City of Toronto Aquatic Program Assistant position.
Prerequisites (must have all, current or expired):
In this course, candidates will:
Successful candidates will be able to instruct the Toronto Learn to Swim program, the Lifesaving Society Swim for Life program, Emergency First Aid with CPR-B, Rookie Ranger and Star Patrol and Bronze Star, Medallion and Cross.
The Lifesaving Society Instructor certification is a requirement for the following City of Toronto positions:
Under Regulation 565, Lifeguards and Swim Instructors must be a minimum of 15 years of age to be employed.
There are several routes to advancing aquatic certifications depending on stream(s) of interest and the level of certification(s) a candidate would like to advance to:
Different certifications will require different routes; please pay close attention to the course prerequisites and Lifesaving Society apprenticeship requirements.
Download a flow chart outlining the steps needed to advance aquatic certifications at the City of Toronto.
Prerequisites (must have all, current or expired):
This course is for experienced instructors. It is recommended to be a Bronze Cross Examiner and have 2 years of experience instructing at Bronze level.
Designed to provide candidates with an understanding of the expectations and requirements to teach the National Lifeguard program. The classroom and pool sessions allow participants to demonstrate their knowledge, skills, teaching, evaluation skills, etc. Candidates must bring proof of prerequisite certificates.
The National Lifeguard Instructor Course is a requirement to instruct National Lifeguard courses with the Lifesaving Society.
Prerequisites (must have all, current or expired):
The First Aid Instructor course prepares candidates to teach all aspects of first aid and CPR. This course prepares candidates to plan and organize first aid and CPR courses and teach and evaluate students in the written and practical aspects of the course. Candidates must bring proof of prerequisite certificates.
The First Aid Instructor Course is a requirement to instruct National Lifeguard courses with the Lifesaving Society.
Prerequisites (must have all):
This course is for experienced Examiners. The course provides candidates with an understanding of the expectations and requirements to teach instructors and prepares participants to successfully apprentice as a Trainer on the Instructor course(s) of their choice. The trainer course is the first step in the process to be appointed as a Trainer for the Lifesaving Society. For more information on the Examiner Certification Process visit the Lifesaving Society.
The Examiner Course is a requirement for the City of Toronto Aquatic Examiner position.
Prerequisites(must have one):
This course is for experienced Examiners. Designed to provide candidates with an understanding of the expectations and requirements to teach instructors. The course provides candidates with an understanding of the expectations and requirements to teach instructors, and prepares participants to successfully apprentice as a Trainer on the Instructor course(s) of their choice. The trainer course is the first step in the process to be appointed as a Trainer for the Lifesaving Society. For more information on the Examiner Certification Process visit the Lifesaving Society.
The Lifesaving Society Trainer Course is a requirement to instruct National Lifeguard courses with the Lifesaving Society.
Unsuccessful candidates are required to retake the full course with the exception of unsuccessful Bronze candidates who may take a Challenge Exam as outlined by the Lifesaving Society.
Aquatic qualifications must be recertified in order to remain current. Visit Leadership and Employment Readiness for more information.