Edmonton lands free CPR training as national tour kicks off

Coast2Coast First Aid is bringing its free Train the Next Hero CPR and AED workshops to Edmonton on Nov. 14, part of a six-city tour in 2026. The one-hour sessions aim to give the public hands-on emergency skills at no cost, with limited spots and free registration required.

Why it matters: - The Edmonton stop gives residents free access to basic lifesaving skills that can make a difference before paramedics arrive. - The event is part of the first national Train the Next Hero tour, extending a program that began after a mass-casualty incident in Toronto. - Coast2Coast First Aid is using the workshop to expand public training in CPR, AED use, choking response and opioid poisoning response.

What happened: - Coast2Coast First Aid will host Train the Next Hero in Edmonton on Saturday, Nov. 14, 2026. - The free workshops are set for Coast2Coast First Aid Edmonton at 10080 Jasper Ave, Suite 504, in the Uniko Centre downtown. - The event is open to the public, requires no prior experience and is taught by Canadian Red Cross certified instructors. - Edmonton and Calgary are opening the six-city tour, which is the first time Train the Next Hero has been held in Alberta.

The details: - Each workshop lasts one hour and covers CPR, automated external defibrillator use, choking response and opioid poisoning response. - Participants will practice with CPR manikins and AED trainers. - All equipment is provided. - Session times start at 10 a.m., 11 a.m., 12 p.m. and 1 p.m., then continue at 3 p.m., 4 p.m., 5 p.m. and 6 p.m. - Registration is free but required through Eventbrite. - Each person must register with their own email address. - There are no walk-ins, and late arrivals cannot join a later session. - The workshop location is near downtown Edmonton and Oliver, at Jasper Avenue and 100 Street. - The venue is within walking distance of Sir Winston Churchill Square, Rogers Place, the Fairmont Hotel Macdonald and the North Saskatchewan River valley. - Media are welcome to attend and film workshops on Nov. 14. - Interview and filming requests go to Godwin Orilua at marketing@c2cfirstaidaquatics.com. - More information is available on the Train the Next Hero 2026 page.

Between the lines: - Train the Next Hero began in North York after the Yonge Street van attack on April 23, 2018, when bystanders were first on scene in the minutes after the attack. - Coast2Coast First Aid held the first Train the Next Hero at Mel Lastman Square less than a month later. - Nearly 3,000 people have registered for the event since it launched, including 880 in 2025. - The national tour adds scale to a program that has been tied from the start to community response and bystander preparedness. - The free class is introductory only and does not provide certification. - The workshop includes a discount on full Canadian Red Cross certification courses. - Full certification typically takes 4 to 8 hours of in-class training, plus similar online learning for blended courses and a skills assessment. - Coast2Coast First Aid also offers Alberta OHS approved Standard First Aid and Emergency First Aid courses year-round at its Edmonton centre.

What's next: - Coast2Coast First Aid will take Train the Next Hero to Calgary, Windsor, North York, Ottawa and Halifax during the 15-day tour. - Edmonton residents who want certification can move from the free workshop to full Canadian Red Cross first aid courses at the same training centre. - Coast2Coast First Aid says registration is available for Edmonton and the other tour stops on the Train the Next Hero 2026 page.

The bottom line: - Edmonton gets a free, hands-on CPR and AED training day as a national public-safety tour expands into Alberta for the first time.