EverydayHeros Canada
Book
All posts
October 22, 20254 min read

BLS Renewal in Toronto: What to Expect (and What's Changed)

Renewing your BLS card in Toronto? Here's the current HSF renewal format, timing, and what's new in the 2020 guidelines that still trips people up.

If your HSF BLS card is about to expire (or just did), you don't need to redo the full course. Renewal is shorter, cheaper, and focused on the parts that have changed.

Timing

HSF BLS cards are valid for 1 year. You can renew up to and slightly past the expiry — but if you've let it lapse by more than a few months, most employers will ask for the full course.

Format

A typical renewal takes 2–3 hours: a brief guidelines update, skills practice, and the same skills test as the full course. No 4-hour theory block.

What students still get wrong from the 2020 update

  • Compression rate ceiling — 120/min is the upper limit, not a target. Faster compressions usually means shallower compressions.
  • Opioid-associated cardiac arrest — naloxone is now explicitly in the BLS algorithm for suspected overdose.
  • High-quality CPR over fancy adjuncts — the guidelines lean harder on "compressions first, deep, fast, full recoil" before worrying about advanced airways.

Bring your current (or expired) card if you have it. Book a renewal slot — most weeks have same-week dates available.

Keep reading
BLS vs CPR: What's the Difference, and Which Do You Need?
BLS and CPR sound the same but cover different skills, audiences and certifications. Here's how to choose the right course in Toronto.
How to Pass Your BLS Skills Test on the First Try
Five things instructors actually watch for during the BLS skills check — and the small habits that separate a pass from a re-test.