Best personal trainer certification in Canada (Updated)

Hey everybody, and welcome to PT Pioneer.

If you’re in the fitness industry in Canada or looking to get started, you’ve come to the right place.

Today’s article covers the best personal trainer certification in Canada.

I cover the best fitness certification in Canada along the following lines:

• Cost
• Accreditation
• Study materials
• Popularity

When you finish reading, you can choose Canada’s best personal trainer certification.

I also highly recommend that you take the quiz and find out which Canadian personal trainer certification is best for your career goals.

With that said, let’s get right into it.

My Top 3 Picks for Best Personal Trainer Certification in Canada

CPT	CPT	Features	Price
	ISSA CPT	Great technique, programming, and periodization Good aerobic and special populations training Less emphasis on corrective exercise	$828 for ISSA
	NASM CPT	Amazing OPT training model Excellent corrective exercise coverage Good coverage of behavior change Vague special populations coverage	Check NASM Pricing
	CanFitPro PTS	Complete course for personal training Requires live coaching session component of final exam High standard of recognition in Canada Appropriate for online and in-person training	Check CanFitPro Pricing

ISSA CPT

The International Sports Sciences Association, commonly known as ISSA, is one of the world’s most prominent health and fitness certification course providers and is considered a standard gold provider.

Overall, it gives the best combination of scientific information and practical skills, allowing you to come out of the gate ready to train clients. The more knowledge and abilities you bring to the table from the get-go, the fast you will advance your career.

On that note, I recommend people pursue a combination of fitness and nutrition certifications when starting in the fitness industry. After all, it would be best to have a good diet and an excellent training program to see real results.

With the CPT and Nutrition coach combo, you can deliver better results to clients, add additional services to your offerings, and ultimately have a much more satisfying and lucrative training career.

This may seem like a lot of money to shell out upfront for 2 entire certifications.

The good news is that if you do choose the ISSA CPT, you can take advantage of our exclusive PTPioneer deal, where you get both the ISSA CPT and Nutrition Coach certifications for the price of the CPT alone – so it’s a complete buy-one-get-one-free from arguably the best certification provider on the planet.

Suppose you want to crush it in your fitness career immediately. In that case, ISSA offers their Elite Trainer program, which gives access to additional ISSA certifications such as the ISSA Strength & Condition Coach, ISSA Corrective Exercise Specialist, and ISSA Bodybuilding Specialist.

These additional certifications allow you to earn more and deliver better results by becoming an expert in a specific fitness niche.

The ISSA often offers additional promotions on top of the Elite Trainer package.

You can check the ISSA website directly for current promotions. If they are currently running a deal, it’s tough to pass up.

ISSA is the first American fitness organization to gain a truly international reach. It has a reputation as the leading distance-based education provider in the health and fitness category.

ISSA is known for focusing on practical training skills aimed at a full spectrum of fitness goals.

ISSA was also the first certifying institute to mandate CEUs for recertification, pioneering a trend that has helped fitness professionals maintain skill and knowledge throughout their careers.

Since its foundation in 1988, ISSA has made a name in the US and worldwide as a top-tier provider of fitness certifications.

Although the competition is stiff in a crowded market, the ISSA certified personal trainer program stands above the rest.

Exam Prerequisites:

To sit for the ISSA CPT exam, you must meet the following criteria:

• 18+ years old
• High school diploma
• First Aid/CPR/AED certification

NASM CPT

Quite often regarded as the most popular certifying agency in the US, the National Academy of Sports Medicine or NASM has been a leader in fitness credentialling for over 34 years.

NASM’s programs and certifications are the most widely recognized and accepted in the North American fitness industry, and its brand is synonymous with well-qualified coaches and instructors.

As of writing, NASM has recently increased its international reach, especially with its revamped online interface and international certification options.

Along with ISSA and a handful of others, NASM is the go-to choice for American fitness professionals, health clubs, and those just north of the border.

Similar to ISSA, NASM offers another amazing deal in the fitness industry with its own NASM Elite Trainer program.

While it is a bit more expensive than the ISSA deal, it’s a no-brainer to double up on the discount if you plan to go with the NASM CPT.

You can stack a variety of certifications in your NASM bundle, so I recommend picking the certs most aligned with your fitness career goals.

NASM is known for its periodic deals on its already incredible offerings. If NASM currently offers any promotions, I would strongly consider it.

You also need to complete CEUs on a 2-year basis, so if you plan to train clients for the long haul, you will need to pay for the additional certification regardless.

The NASM personal trainer certification stands out in the fitness industry among the best.

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• To sit for the NASM CPT exam, you must meet the following criteria:
• 18+ years old
• High school diploma
• First Aid/CPR/AED certification

CanFitPro PTS

Canadian Fitness Professionals, or Canfitpro, is the largest certifying agency for fitness professionals in Canada.

The Canfitpro Personal Training Specialist (PTS)

As such, it has a tried and tested reputation dating back to 1993, with over 24,000 members.

CanFitPro’s reach extends well beyond Canada, having a presence in 25 other countries and being a prominent feature in global fitness trade shows.

To sit for the CanFitPro PTS exam, you must meet the following criteria:

• 18+ years old
• Canfitpro membership
• First Aid/CPR/AED certification

CPTN-CPT

Certified Professional Trainer’s Network, or CPTN, is one of the oldest certifying agencies in the Canadian fitness community, with its roots dating back to 1993.

They are behind Canada’s first certified personal trainer certification, the CPTN-CPT.

Since then, CPTN has led the charge in innovation by providing diverse specialized courses in health and fitness.

CSEP-CPT

The Canadian Society of Exercise Physiology has been around since 1967, making it one of North America’s oldest organizations to promote health and fitness.

Unlike the other certifications under review in this article, CSEP is a specialization platform for undergraduates and graduates in health and fitness-related degree programs.

That means to enroll in a CSEP program; you need to have at least two years of undergrad studies in exercise science or sports medicine-related fields.

CSEP is the only one with a prerequisite I would consider hefty. You’ll need to have undergone at least two years of study in a field related to exercise or sports science.

This could be anything such as:

• Biokinetics
• Kinesiology
• Sports management
• Sports therapy
• Sports medicine
• Exercise science
• Physiotherapy

The Canadian Fitness Market

Canada is a wealthy Western country, just like the United States, as many would propose; as The US’s northern neighbor, they share many cultural and socioeconomic attributes.

One of those happens to be a vibrant and highly profitable fitness industry.

Canada has the 6th largest gym industry, according to statistics by runrepeat.com.

As such, working as a certified fitness instructor in Canada has the potential to be a profitable venture.

Just to give you an idea, here’s a quick sampling of industry data:

Canada also has a relatively low obesity prevalence rate of just over 24% of the population.

In contrast to the US’s 42%, Canada can be considered quite healthy, and when it comes to the fitness industry, a healthy population more or less correlates to a large health and fitness market.

That’s because healthy and health-conscious people are also likely to invest in their health through exercise and nutrition consistently.

A healthy population indicates a population that regularly uses the gym and solicits the services of personal trainers, amongst other things.

Prerequisites

Prerequisites are the requirements that need to be met by prospective candidates before being allowed to enroll in a certification program for personal training or group fitness.

For fitness programs, the prerequisites are usually more relaxed than you would have for a degree program, for an example.

Depending on the certification, prerequisites can range from basic to relatively strict.

Let’s break down some facts on prerequisites for each cert.

With all certifications, you’ll need to be at least 18 years old, and all except one Fit Chicks Academy) require current first responder certificates.

The US-based certifications, ISSA and NASM, also stipulate a high school diploma as part of their acceptance criteria.

Accreditation

When it comes to educational products and services, having a seal of approval from an authoritative body is a good assurance.

This usually comes in the form of accreditation.

However, curiously enough, Canadian fitness certifications don’t require mandatory accreditation.

While most countries don’t have government regulations on health and fitness practices, aside from a few notable examples like the UK, most places have accreditation. 

This is usually done by an independent body or organization comprised of a unified panel of experts and organizations that authorizes certification providers or at least gives them a thumbs up.

That isn’t the case in Canada, where accreditation is not mandated.

Regardless, let’s see what sort of endorsements or accreditations the certifications I’m reviewing might have.

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As you can see, none of the Canadian-based certification providers are accredited.

Two of them, CPNT and CSEP, are endorsed by IDEA Fit, the parent company of ACE or the American Council on Exercise.

This is a legit endorsement since ACE is one of the most widely regarded fitness organizations in the same league as NASM and ISSA.

Speaking of NASM and ISSA, both are accredited, as expected.

NASM is accredited by the National Commission for Certifying Agencies or NCCA.

This is the most prominent accrediting commission for certifying agencies in America.

DEAC, the Distance Education Accrediting Commission, accredits ISSA.

This commission specializes in approving institutes of higher learning that administer their educational services remotely, which is what ISSA is known for

Study Materials Rating

Study materials are the resources you’ll need to grasp the curriculum and required skills for your certification exam.

The quality and relevance of these materials contribute to how successful you’ll be when it’s time to face off with the final exam.

Of course, your dedication and diligence are factors, but what’s the point of being good at studying when you don’t have anything good to study?

So what counts as good study materials?

Well, there are a few things I look for in a good study kit; these include:

• Course textbook
• Course study guide or workbook
• Practice tests/exams or quizzes
• Multimedia learning content for increased accessibility
• On-demand student support

I also look at the variety of packages on offer.

Usually, a certification will provide different package options with different amounts and types of materials included, all based on different learning styles and preferences.

For example, you’ll have a basic package including the bare minimum, such as the course text and exam access. 

Then you’ll have an all-inclusive package with all the bells and whistles on offer, all priced accordingly.

To clearly represent what I think about each cert’s study materials, I’ll rate them out of 10.

NASM takes the crown with the most depth, variety, and options in its multiple study packages.

ISSA is close behind but falls short due to only offering a single package.

CPTN has my least favorite study materials, excluding the exam and textbook.

Canadian PT Certification Cost

Cost is an important factor when choosing an educational service.

Your budget speaks as much as your preference, so finding a cert that’s affordable and relevant to your goals is important.

As you can agree, cost should always correlate with quality, so something that seems expensive may be more value for money than something that costs considerably less.

However, in this section, I will deal with price as an isolated factor, so may the cheapest cert win.

Just so you know, all prices will be in Canadian Dollars, so to work out the price in your local currency, just run a quick check with the Google currency converter.

NASM is the most expensive PT cert, although you can often catch a sweet discount. All packages were on a 30% discount at the time of writing.

CPTN wins out the price wars with $262.50 for their cheapest and $758.45 for their all-inclusive.

Expected Study Time

The hours you’ll need to put in vary from course to course.

It’s worth knowing how much time each cert will require you to dedicate so that you can manage your time and pick something that fits your schedule.

The certification with the least time requirements will be the winner in this category.

CPTN comes out swinging with the shortest overall certification timeframe; However, it may be subjective.

That’s because no one would knock 20 hours of practical work out of the park in a single attempt, and you’ll have to factor in the pre-exam prep.

Regardless, I still think it would take less than 12 weeks.

CSEP has the longest timeframe because you must have 2 years of undergrad studies as a prerequisite.

The course shouldn’t take you more than a couple of months, but collectively, a CSEP cert is worth two years of commitment.

Popularity and Recognition Rating

“Life isn’t a popularity contest” is something unpopular people say.

And when it comes to the education and certification you receive in becoming a certified PT in Canada, popularity and recognition play a role.

Generally speaking, clients and prospective clients don’t care much about which certification you have; in many cases, they don’t even care whether or not you’re certified.

But guess who might care? Your peers and potential employers.

These people will pave the way for you to have a career, and to them, credentials matter, and the reputation of your credentials also plays a role.

Popularity, in this case, is a qualitative impression and not a quantitative measurement

So to understand the popularity and recognition of certification, I’ve developed a scale from 1 to 10.

Canfitpro is by far the most recognized name in fitness credentials in Canada, with ISSA and NASM being two of the most reputable cert providers in North America and possibly the world.

The others in this list are also fairly popular, which is why they are included in my review, but they are not quite as prominent as our top 3 in this category.

Certification Takeaway  

Canfitpro

As the nation’s leading name for Canadian personal training certifications, Canfitpro already scores big on reputability, meaning simply by association, you can leverage your credentials for better opportunities.

With a great suite of study materials and a reasonable price tag, there’s little reason to overlook Canfitpro.

Its only shortcoming is the lack of accreditation, common with all Canadian fitness certifications.

I’ll give Canfitpro a final rating of 9/10.

CPTN

CPTN has a good reputation in the local Canadian fitness scene, although not as highly regarded as Canfitpro.

Their lack of accreditation is a drawback in my book, but in the face of Canadian certs being generally not accredited, I’ll let it slide.

Where I do see a problem is when it comes to the quality of study materials.

The options are limited, and your package excludes the essentials, which must be purchased separately.

7/10 for CPTN

CSEP

CSEP is an excellent choice if you want to take your fitness career to a level of expertise that allows you to work with high-performance, sensitive population groups.

Simply by the required two years of undergrad studies, you can already tell this one is for serious trainers.

This probably isn’t for you if you’re not looking to be a serious, authoritative, top-tier expert.

That, in my opinion, is a minus because it limits inclusivity.

That gives it an 8/10

Fit Chicks Academy

Fit Chicks Academy brings a lot to the table and carves out a niche that needs to be filled.

Although fitness certifications are neutral on gender, the need for female-centric approaches to health and fitness is undeniable. Fit Chicks Academy is a good way to grow as a professional.

The focus on a specific population segment, as welcome as it is, is also very limiting, making FCA not very inclusive.

Although that’s the whole point, I’ll have to take some points away since this review is for all fitness professionals.

That’s an 8/10.

ISSA

ISSA is known for its excellent course material and online delivery.

They also have a great reputation, especially with their CPT certification, which we’re looking at.

Their study package only comes in one flavor, but it gives you all you need and more in a single package, including career support for your training business.

ISSA is accredited, giving it a leg up on many locally-based cert providers.

My score for ISSA is 9/10

NASM

NASM is one of the best options for personal trainer certification programs.

They provide some of the most comprehensive training, exemplified in their CPT cert study program.

They also have the best study materials option, in my opinion, allowing you to choose from 4 different options.

The NASM brand is also easy to leverage and will surely get you noticed by most employers in the fitness industry.

NASM is the most expensive package, which causes them to miss a perfect score, giving them a 9/10 narrowly

Frequently Asked Questions

References

1. “FIT CHICKS Academy,” FIT CHICKS Academy, https://www.fitchicksacademy.com/.
2. “About CPTN,” Certified Professional Trainers Network (CPTN), https://www.cptn.com/About/about.htm.
3. “Our History,” IDEA Health & Fitness Association, https://www.ideafit.com/history/.
4. “CSEP Certified Personal Trainer® (CSEP-CPT),” Canadian Society for Exercise Physiology, https://csep.ca/csep-certification/csep-professional-standards-program-cpt/.
5. “Personal Training Specialist,” canfitpro, https://www.canfitpro.com/personal-training-specialist/.
6. “Company,” International Sports Sciences Association (ISSA), https://www.issaonline.com/company/.
7. “Become a Personal Trainer,” National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM), https://www.nasm.org/become-a-personal-trainer.