Career Pathway Canada

EMR course

Emergency Medical Responder (EMR)

Part of the route toEmergency Medical ResponderΒ·Certificate

An entry-level emergency medical course that prepares you to provide life support and earn your provincial responder licence.

How long
80–105 Hours (2–3 Weeks)
Cost
$3,065
Schools
12 in BC

THE ROUTE

How this program works, step by step

Grade 11 to the job. Open any step to see what is inside.

The route (8 steps)

BC Route
1Grade 11 Preparation
2Grade 12 Graduation
3Admissions & Prerequisites
4Application Process
5Program Curriculum
6Where to Take It
7Licensing & Certification
8Career Destination

For the best view, open the map full screen.

STEP BY STEP

Step by step

The same route as the map, as a list.

1

Step 1 of 8

Grade 11

⏱ 1 School Year
  • Grade 10 English completion or equivalent language fluency
2

Step 2 of 8

Grade 12

⏱ 1 School Year
  • Fluency in spoken and written English
3

Step 3 of 8

What you need to get in

  • Minimum 16 years of age (18 or 19 recommended for employment and licensing)
  • Valid Basic Life Support (BLS) or Standard First Aid CPR-C certificate
  • Valid CPR-C / BLS certification
  • Standard First Aid with CPR-C (or BLS)
  • Pre-reading package completion prior to Day 1
4

Step 4 of 8

How to apply

  • Enrol at an accredited institution such as the Justice Institute of British Columbia or St. John Ambulance
  • Select a full-time 3-week cohort or a weekend modular option
  • Pay course tuition of $1,850 CAD
  • Review pre-reading packages covering basic human anatomy and medical vocabulary
5

Step 5 of 8

EMR course

⏱ 80–105 Hours (2–3 Weeks)
  • 80 to 105 hours combining lectures and hands-on clinical simulation labs
  • Rapid trauma assessment and medical emergency management
  • Airway suctioning, oral airway insertion, and bag-valve-mask ventilation
  • Spinal motion restriction, fracture splinting, and commercial tourniquet hemorrhage control
  • Administration of symptom relief medications including oxygen, oral glucose, and naloxone
6

Step 6 of 8

Where to take it

⏱ 12 schools in BC
  • North Island College β€” 12 days (Not published)
  • Alert First Aid Inc. β€” 15 days (Not published)
  • Coast Medical Training Incorporated β€” 15 days (Not published)
  • Columbia Paramedic Academy / Columbia Learning β€” 15 days (Not published)
  • Firemedix Training β€” 6 weeks (Not published)
  • First Response Safety Training (Read Fire & Medical) β€” 15 days (Not published)
  • Justice Institute of British Columbia β€” 3 weeks ($3,065)
  • Medi-Pro First Aid β€” 15 days (Not published)
  • and 4 more, see the list below
7

Step 7 of 8

Exams and registration after

  • Emergency Medical Assistants Licensing Board (EMALB) provincial written examination
  • EMALB practical scenario candidate evaluations
8

Step 8 of 8

Leads to: Emergency Medical Responder

  • Explore Emergency Medical Responder wages, job outlook, and career pathways

SCHOOLS

Where you can take this(12 schools)

Compare tuitions, campus locations, and delivery formats across approved institutions in British Columbia.

🌊
Public College

North Island College

Comox Valley, Port Alberni & Campbell River

Duration12 days
TuitionNot published
DeliveryIn-Person
β€œ12-day professional pre-hospital responder course covering trauma management, clinical diagnostics, CPR HCP, and AED certification across Vancouver Island.”
🦺
Safety / Specialized Provider

Alert First Aid Inc.

Victoria, Nanaimo & Duncan

Duration15 days
TuitionNot published
DeliveryHybrid
β€œCanadian Red Cross emergency responder program across Victoria, Nanaimo, Burnaby, and Vancouver with 90% EMALB pass rate.”
πŸ”οΈ
Trade Academy

Coast Medical Training Incorporated

Vancouver & Surrey

Duration15 days
TuitionNot published
DeliveryHybrid
β€œEMALB officially recognized intensive responder program offering full-time and weekend cohorts with on-site licensing exam hosting.”
πŸš‘
Duration15 days
TuitionNot published
DeliveryHybrid
β€œEMALB-recognized comprehensive responder program taught by practicing paramedics with full Schedule 1 and Schedule 2 endorsements.”
πŸš’
Trade Academy

Firemedix Training

Surrey

Duration6 weeks
TuitionNot published
DeliveryHybrid
β€œOperational fire hall based responder training instructed by career paramedics and firefighters with simulated emergency response.”
🚨
Safety / Specialized Provider

First Response Safety Training (Read Fire & Medical)

Prince George

Duration15 days
TuitionNot published
DeliveryIn-Person
β€œNorthern BC emergency services responder training academy in Prince George delivering 120-hour NOCP-aligned certification.”
πŸš‘
Safety / Specialized Provider

Justice Institute of British Columbia

New Westminster / Victoria / Kelowna / Chilliwack

Duration3 weeks
Tuition$3,065
DeliveryIn-Person
β€œComprehensive foundational emergency medical instruction preparing candidates for EMALB provincial paramedic board examinations.”
🩺
Safety / Specialized Provider

Medi-Pro First Aid

Kelowna

Duration15 days
TuitionNot published
DeliveryHybrid
β€œOkanagan intensive Canadian Red Cross responder program including Basic Life Support (BLS) and comprehensive practical scenarios.”
πŸ₯
Duration15 days
TuitionNot published
DeliveryIn-Person
β€œEMALB-recognized Vancouver Island training program in Nanaimo preparing candidates for provincial paramedic board evaluations.”
⚑
Safety / Specialized Provider

Priority Care First Aid (Priority Care EMS Education)

Langley

Duration15 days
TuitionNot published
DeliveryHybrid
β€œFraser Valley pre-hospital responder course taught by veteran 911 paramedics covering full EMALB provincial scope.”
🧼
Safety / Specialized Provider

Prosafe Training

Surrey, Richmond, Burnaby, Abbotsford & Langley

Duration3 weeks
TuitionNot published
DeliveryIn-Person
β€œFull-scope 120-hour Canadian Red Cross responder training meeting all EMALB Schedule 1 and Schedule 2 endorsements.”
🩹
Safety / Specialized Provider

St. John Ambulance BC & Yukon

Vancouver / Surrey / Victoria / Kelowna

Duration80–100 hours
TuitionNot published
DeliveryIn-Person
β€œHands-on practical training covering emergency childbirth, advanced airway management, and spine board immobilization.”

Official Sources

Last verified Β· September 2026