What training does a shipper/receiver need in Ontario, and where do you get it locally? This guide covers the five courses that come up on almost every dock: health and safety awareness, WHMIS, forklift, TDG and first aid. For each one it explains what the law asks for, who issues the certificate, how long it lasts, and where to take it in Waterloo Region and Guelph.
Your training path on a Waterloo Region dock
In the order most people need it. Steps 03 to 05 depend on the job.
| Step | When | Training | Key facts |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | First days on the job | Worker health and safety awareness | Free, 45 to 60 minutes, required by O. Reg. 297/13 |
| 02 | Before handling hazardous products | WHMIS: generic plus workplace specific | WSPS generic eCourse is free; employer reviews training yearly |
| 03 | Before you drive a lift truck | Forklift operator training and evaluation | About 1 day; $149 to $195 at one Waterloo centre |
| 04 | If you pack or ship dangerous goods | TDG training certificate | Valid 36 months by road; WSPS eCourse $169 |
| 05 | At least one person every shift | Workplace first aid | Basic (8 h) for 5 or fewer on a shift, Intermediate (16 h) for 6 or more; valid 3 years |
This directory was compiled on October 9 and 10, 2026, from provincial and federal guidance and from each provider's own website. Prices change and several providers only quote by phone, so treat the numbers as a starting point and confirm before you book.
Which training does a shipper/receiver in Ontario actually need?
A shipper/receiver in Ontario usually needs health and safety awareness training and WHMIS. Forklift training is needed before operating a lift truck, TDG before handling or shipping dangerous goods, and first aid if you are the designated first aider on your shift.
| Training | When you need it | Who issues or signs off | Does it expire? | Typical cost and time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Health and safety awareness | Every worker, in the first few days | Province provides it; employer keeps the record | No | Free, 45 to 60 min |
| WHMIS | If you may be exposed to or handle hazardous products | Employer, with generic and workplace specific parts | No expiry date; employer reviews training at least yearly | Free to low cost, about 1.5 h generic |
| Forklift (lift truck) | Before operating one | Employer confirms competence; provider issues a training certificate | Law sets no date; providers often use 3 years | About 1 day, $149 to $195 (one Waterloo centre) |
| TDG (dangerous goods) | If you handle, offer for transport, or transport dangerous goods | Employer issues the certificate | 36 months for road | $169 eCourse, about 10.5 h, plus job training |
| First aid | At least one trained person on every shift | WSIB approved provider | 3 years | 8 h Basic or 16 h Intermediate |
Health and safety awareness: free, and done in an hour
Ontario's Worker Health and Safety Awareness in 4 Steps meets the basic awareness training requirement under O. Reg. 297/13. New workers should complete it within the first few days on the job. You can do it as an eLearning module, which takes 45 to 60 minutes in one sitting and ends with a proof of completion certificate, or as a workbook with your supervisor.
The workbook is available in English, French and Ukrainian, and you can request other languages by email from the province. Save or print the eLearning certificate before you close it. For the workbook, the signed copy is your record.
WHMIS: a free online course, plus training on your own site
WHMIS training is required when workers may be exposed to hazardous products. Think cleaning chemicals, aerosols, adhesives, or anything that arrives with a safety data sheet. In Ontario the rules sit in Regulation 860.
WHMIS has two parts, and a certificate from an online course only covers the first:
- Generic training covers symbols, labels and safety data sheets. Workplace Safety and Prevention Services (WSPS) offers its WHMIS 2015 for Workers eCourse free. It takes about 1.5 hours and ends with a printable certificate.
- Workplace specific training covers the actual products on your site: how to store, handle and dispose of them, and what to do in an emergency. Your employer has to provide this part.
Good to know A WHMIS certificate has no expiry date. The employer must review WHMIS training with the joint health and safety committee or health and safety representative at least once a year. Many workplaces simply redo it yearly.
Forklift training in Kitchener, Waterloo, Cambridge and Guelph
There is no government forklift licence in Ontario. Section 51 of Regulation 851 says a lift truck must be operated by a competent person. The province's guideline describes that as knowing the hazards, the truck, and the workplace rules, and showing the skills to someone with expert knowledge. Training providers issue a certificate. Your employer should keep a record of who is competent on which truck class.
These providers list forklift training in or around Waterloo Region:
| Provider | Where | What they list | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Worksite Safety | Unit 3, 45 Northfield Dr W, Waterloo | One day public class. Instructor led (8:30 to 4:00) or blended (about 4 h online, then afternoon in class). Practical test on a Class 4 propane forklift. Bring your own lunch. | $149 blended, $195 instructor led (page also shows $129 to $175; confirm) |
| Liftow | 615 Trillium Dr, Kitchener (classroom theory) | New operator training (2 to 3 days), refresher, online theory with a practical at your workplace. Also WHMIS, TDG (ground) and working at heights. | Quote |
| BCL Machinery | 196 McIntyre Dr, Units 4 and 8, Kitchener | Classroom theory plus hands-on testing, at their facility or on site with your equipment. | Quote, 519-895-0750 |
| STS Canada | On site in Kitchener and Cambridge (office in Markham) | About one day. Classes I to VII. Lists certificates as valid for 3 years. | Quote |
| Safety First Training | Lists reach truck training in Cambridge | Counterbalance and narrow aisle reach truck. Group pricing for larger classes. | Quote, 905-672-3600 |
Which truck class? Train on the truck you will actually drive. A counterbalance forklift, a narrow aisle reach truck and an electric pallet rider are different classes. A certificate on one does not prove competence on another.
No Guelph public class found We did not find a public forklift class listed in Guelph itself. Guelph workers usually go to Waterloo or Kitchener, or their employer brings an on site trainer. If you run training in Guelph, tell us and we will add you. We deliver across all four cities, see Delivery Areas.
TDG: if you ship batteries, chemicals or aerosols
Transportation of dangerous goods (TDG) training is federal. Anyone who handles, offers for transport or transports dangerous goods must be adequately trained and hold a training certificate. On a shipping dock that often means lithium batteries, paints, solvents, aerosols and some cleaning products.
- Your employer issues the certificate, not the school. It must show the employer's name and address, your name, an "Expires on" date, what you are trained in, and both signatures.
- It expires 36 months after it is issued for transport by road.
- No certificate yet? You may only handle dangerous goods while physically accompanied by someone with a valid certificate. A camera does not count.
- Courses help with the general part. The WSPS TDG eCourse costs $169 and takes about 10.5 hours. Job specific training from your employer is still needed. Liftow also lists a TDG (ground) course.
First aid: who needs it, and where to take it locally
Under Regulation 1101, every workplace needs at least one person with valid first aid training on site at all times. The level depends on how many people work on a shift:
- 5 or fewer workers on a shift: Basic First Aid, an 8 hour course (formerly Emergency First Aid).
- 6 or more workers on a shift: Intermediate First Aid, a 16 hour course (formerly Standard First Aid).
Certificates are valid for three years and must come from a WSIB approved provider. There are no approved online-only courses. Blended courses still include an in-person part. Certificates issued before June 22, 2026 stay valid until they expire.
| Provider | Address | Contact |
|---|---|---|
| St. John Ambulance, Kitchener-Waterloo | 250 Gage Ave, Kitchener (at Belmont Ave W) | 519-579-6285 · [email protected] |
| St. John Ambulance, Guelph | 1007 York Rd, Unit 5, Guelph | 519-821-3400 · [email protected] |
Both offices are open weekdays 8 am to 4 pm. Check any other provider against WSIB's approved list before you book.
Going further: customs and supply chain courses
If you handle cross-border shipments, customs knowledge is the next step up. Since the United States suspended its duty-free threshold for low-value parcels on August 29, 2025, more small shippers in the region need commercial invoices and correct product codes on every US shipment. The Canadian International Freight Forwarders Association (CIFFA) runs two self-paced online programs:
- CIFFA Accredited Practitioner in Customs (CAPC): Canadian customs, CBSA operations and trade agreements. 80 to 100 hours, $690 for members or $890 for non-members.
- Certified Customs Specialist (CCS): US import customs, run with the NCBFAA. 320 hours, $1,200 for members or $1,500 for non-members.
How to get training paid for
If you are unemployed, laid off or underemployed, you may not have to pay for training yourself.
- Better Jobs Ontario can cover up to $35,000 in tuition, books and transportation, plus a living allowance of up to $500 a week. It applies to eligible programs of two years or less at a recognized Ontario college or private career college. You start with an Employment Ontario employment services provider, who assesses whether you qualify. EmployNext lists the providers near you.
- Region of Waterloo Employment Services offers free one-on-one support, including help with training, education and upgrading. Employers who hire unemployed workers may qualify for training incentives and wage subsidies.
- Ask your employer. Forklift, WHMIS workplace training, TDG job training and first aid are usually employer duties. Most employers pay for them and book them for you.
Checklist for a new shipper/receiver
- Health and safety awareness completed, certificate saved or workbook signed
- Generic WHMIS course done, and workplace WHMIS covered by your supervisor
- Forklift training on the exact truck class you will use, with your name on the employer's record
- TDG certificate signed by your employer, if you pack or ship dangerous goods, with the expiry date in your calendar
- You know who the first aider is on your shift, and where the first aid kit is
- Copies of every certificate kept somewhere you can find them when you change jobs
Coming next on KW Shipping Desk A free over, short and damaged (OS&D) report template, and a pallet calculator for how many boxes fit on a pallet.
Sources
- Ontario, Worker health and safety awareness in four steps
- WSPS, WHMIS frequently asked questions
- WSPS, WHMIS 2015 for Workers eCourse
- Ontario, Guideline for the safe operation of powered lift trucks: competency
- Worksite Safety, Forklift certification Waterloo
- Liftow, Kitchener forklift training centre and Liftow forklift training
- BCL Machinery, Training
- STS Canada, Forklift training Kitchener
- Safety First Training, Reach forklift training Cambridge
- Transport Canada, TDG bulletin: TDG training
- WSPS, Transportation of Dangerous Goods eCourse
- WSIB, First Aid Program
- Waterloo Wellington Healthline, St. John Ambulance Kitchener-Waterloo and Guelph
- CIFFA, Customs education
- eShipper, US de minimis changes for Canadian sellers
- Conestoga College, Better Jobs Ontario
- Region of Waterloo, Employment supports