Comparison
ACLS programs in Canada
Canadian organizations that publish their own ACLS program are listed from A to Z. A blank-looking answer means the public page did not state that detail. It does not mean the feature is missing.
Reviewed 26 October 2026. Course pages change. Use the linked source for the version you would actually take.
| Topic | Canadian Heart Association | Heart & Stroke Foundation of Canada |
|---|---|---|
| Where to read it | canadianheart.com/programs/acls | Heart & Stroke ACLS |
| Who it is for | Health-care professionals who participate in or manage resuscitation, including acute care, emergency, critical care, and prehospital settings. | Health-care providers. The provider course is described for people new to Heart & Stroke ACLS or who do not use the skills often. Renewal is described for people who use the skills regularly. |
| Course options | Initial provider and renewal. Private group sessions are also offered. | ACLS Provider, ACLS Provider Renewal, and ACLS Experienced Provider. Experienced Provider is described as suitable for highly experienced ACLS providers. |
| How it is taught | Live instructor-led classes, either virtual or in a classroom. The organization says the virtual class is not a recording, and that both formats lead to the same certificate. A computer with internet is required for virtual attendance; a webcam and microphone are not, according to the course FAQ. | Instructor-led classroom, or blended learning with self-paced online work plus an instructor-led classroom component. |
| Published time | A number of hours is not stated on the public program page reviewed. | Provider: about 14 classroom hours, or self-paced online work plus about 10 classroom hours. Renewal: about 8 classroom hours, or self-paced online work plus about 6 classroom hours. Experienced Provider duration was not on the summary page. |
| Before you start | Prerequisites are not listed on the public program page reviewed. | Provider: a current Heart & Stroke BLS Provider certificate, and a precourse self-assessment with a passing score of 70 percent. The provider manual and the 2020 emergency cardiovascular care handbook are listed as materials. |
| What the course covers | The program page names prevention and early recognition of cardiac arrest, high-quality CPR, airway and cardiovascular management, post-arrest care, and team performance. The course FAQ also lists respiratory arrest, acute coronary events, stroke, bradycardia, tachycardia, return of spontaneous circulation, and team communication. | The program page names systems of care, immediate post-cardiac arrest care, acute dysrhythmia, stroke, acute coronary syndromes, and team communication, building on basic life support. |
| How completion is assessed | An online evaluation system used during the class, which the organization says participants open on a smartphone. | The provider description refers to coaching, correction, and final testing. The public summary does not itemize a written exam or a skills checklist. |
| Credential | An ACLS certificate. The organization says the virtual and classroom certificates are the same. | An ACLS Provider certificate. Renewal leads to the same kind of provider credential. |
| Stated validity | The course FAQ says certification requirements may vary by employer, regulator, or credentialing organization. A fixed expiry is not printed there. | Valid for 2 years, as printed on the Heart & Stroke ACLS pages. |
| Science basis, as printed | The programs page says the course reflects the latest ILCOR guidelines for CPR and emergency cardiovascular care. | The ACLS page says the program is based on the 2020 guidelines. Listed materials include a 2020 handbook. |
| Continuing education, as printed | No Mainpro+ or Royal College credit entry is published on the ACLS pages reviewed. The organization states that employers, regulators, and health-care organizations recognize its programs. | Eligible for CFPC Mainpro+ credits. Royal College MOC Section 1 credit is described as an unaccredited group-learning resuscitation activity. Heart & Stroke also says learners should check their own college. |
Programs developed outside Canada
The American Heart Association publishes an ACLS provider course and, on its international course page, says that international materials are adapted for learners outside the United States and Canada. That page says the international course reflects the American Heart Association’s 2025 guidelines and that the completion card is valid for two years.
A 2018 American Heart Association program administration manual says American Heart Association training centers and instructors are not permitted to teach in Canada unless they are aligned with a Heart & Stroke training program. The same manual says a Heart & Stroke provider card is recognized by the American Heart Association and may be used to enter an American Heart Association renewal or instructor course in the same discipline. That manual is several years old, so treat it as a dated policy document rather than a guarantee of today’s classroom rules.
Local training sites
Companies and hospitals across the country schedule ACLS days. Examples found while checking sources include sites that advertise Heart & Stroke ACLS, and at least one site that says it can issue either a Heart & Stroke or a Canadian Heart Association card. Those hosts are delivery channels. They are not repeated here as separate programs, because a partial directory would leave most classrooms out.
Read the source list before you rely on a cell in the table.