Frequently Asked Questions

Topic 1: I'm New to BCRPA and Looking to Become a BCRPA Registered Fitness Leader

How do I become a Fitness Leader?

BCRPA is widely recognized within the province and is recognized nationally through the Fitness Leadership Canada. BCRPA Registered Fitness Leaders have recognition within the fitness industry as having met certain qualifications and standards as professionals.

For a full step-by-step guide to become registered with BCRPA, you can go to the Become a Fitness Leader section.

As we recognize that many individuals come to BCRPA with a range of experience and education, we also have course bypass and transfer options that may allow you to bypass certain portions of the registration process. You can find more information and the application here.

I am new to BCRPA's Fitness Program – How do I create an account?

You can create an account on The Registry^® of Fitness Professionals website to start the registration process. To create an account, click on the Fitness Professionals Login/Register box on the home page and you will be taken to a page where it will ask you to “Create or Activate a MyFitnessRegistry account”.

After inputting your contact information, a confirmation email will be sent to you which will allow you to access your account.

Topic 2:  Questions About the Fitness Theory Exam 

I’m just getting started. Do I need to take a Fitness Theory Course?

The Fitness Theory Course is NOT a requirement for BCRPA Registration, however it is highly recommended for Fitness Students.

A list of BCRPA-approved fitness theory course providers is available online.

I’m preparing for the Fitness Theory Exam. Where can I purchase a Fitness Theory Manual?

Fitness Theory Manuals are not available for purchase from BCRPA.

To purchase a Fitness Theory Manual, you will need to order one from the publisher or a bookstore (if available). The CFES, Body Blueprint, and Kinesiologist.ca's manuals can be purchased directly from the supplier:

• Body Blueprint
• Kinesiologists.ca

How do I schedule a Fitness Theory Exam?

Once you have created an account on The Registry^® and paid for the Fitness Theory Exam, an e-mail will be sent to you with a link to an online booking form to schedule a pre-arranged sitting. You can purchase a Fitness Theory Exam under the Exam History tab on your account.

To request exam accommodations, please email us.

Topic 3: Questions About First Aid and CPR Certification 

How do I add my First Aid/CPR certification details to my account?

1. Log in to The Registry^®
2. Open the "First Aid Certificate" tab or the "CPR Certificate" tab
3. Click on the “+ Assign Certificate” button. 
4. Fill out the required fields and click “Save”.

If you took your First Aid/CPR together, select “Check this if the certificate is for both First Aid & CPR” box under the First Aid Certificate tab, and then you do not have to fill out the CPR Certificate tab separately.

Note: You are not required to submit copies of your certificates unless you are flagged for a random audit after inputting your details. 

What are the First Aid and CPR certification requirements?

BCRPA requires a minimum of Emergency First Aid and CPR-A; higher levels such as Standard First Aid and CPR-C are also accepted.

We consider First Aid & CPR valid according to the expiry date listed on the certificate; if no expiry date is listed, we will accept it as current for 2 years from the date of issue. Depending on your employer or facility, they may require higher levels or a more frequent re-certification.

First Aid/CPR must come from the following organizations or from companies that are authorized by them to provide these certifications:

• Red Cross
• St. John's Ambulance
• Canadian Ski Patrol
• Lifesaving Society, or
• Heart and Stroke Foundation. 

All courses must be done partially in-person; online only training will not be accepted. 

Topic 4: The Registry^® of Fitness Professionals - My Account and Registration Information

I am an existing Fitness Leader – How do I access my account/reset my password?

1. Go to The Registry^® of Fitness Professionals website.
2. Click on the Fitness Professionals Login/Register box on the home page and you will be taken to a login page.
3. Click “Forgot your password or email?”  and you will be taken to an Advanced Search Page. 
4. Enter your name, email and/or phone number.  Once your account is located, the system will send you an email with a link that will allow you to reset your password.

My Registration is expiring soon. What are my renewal requirements?

Full details on your renewal requirements can be found on the Renewing my Registration page. In summary, if your expiry date is coming up, you will need to log in to your account on The Registry^® to:

1. Update your CPR and First Aid certification details if they are expired, or near expiring
2. Check your CEC balance, and submit any outstanding CECs, if required
3. Purchase your renewal 

Fitness Leaders who have been expired for over 1 year must complete additional steps before they will be allowed to renew. Please go to the I'm Expired, Now What? page for additional information. 

Where can I find my Fitness Registration Certificate?

Thanks to your Professional Profile on The Registry^® of Fitness Professionals employers can easily search for you to verify your registration. Direct your employer to The Registry^® and have them click on "Find a Fitness Professional" to search for you by name. 

Note: Your Professional Profile will default to being listed on The Registry^®. If you have hidden your Professional Profile through your User Account, your employer will not be able to search for you.  

I still need a hard copy. Where can I get one?

1. Log in to your account on The Registry^®
2. At the top of your User Account page, click the "Download Registration Confirmation" button

• • This document includes your name, registration expiry date, and fitness specialties.

Topic 5: Courses, Workshops, and Continuing Education Credits (CEC)

How Can I earn CECs?

There are a number of ways to earn CECs for your renewal

1) Pre-approved Workshops and Courses

• Pre-approved Workshops: BCRPA provides a current listing of approved workshops. These workshops are offered in a variety of topic areas and are conducted in classroom settings, online and/or through correspondence. 
• How do I verify my CECs for this option? Detailed steps on how to update your CEC log can be found on this page.
• Pre-approved Specialty Module Courses: If you are already a Fitness Leader and you complete an additional specialty module course, you can put that educational time towards your CEC criteria for your upcoming renewal. Please note that adding another module will not increase your CEC requirements at future renewal periods.

• • How do I verify my CECs for this option? The conductor of your BCRPA-approved course is required to submit your results online through The Registry^® on your behalf. You can verify that this has occurred by logging in to your account on The Registry^® and checking your My Courses and Workshops tab - under “Workshops” to see if the course conductor has done so.  You can also see a listing of courses that you have completed since the launch of The Registry^®.

2) External Courses and Workshops (not pre-approved by BCRPA)

• External Workshops: If you have attended a conference or taken a course, workshop or some other kind of educational training that wasn’t pre-approved by the BCRPA for CECs, you may still be able to receive credits for it.
• Approvals will be given to professional development workshops/training only. The content must demonstrate that it meets BCRPA's continuing education standards. The content must also show that the workshop/training was targeted at improving the professional quality of a Fitness Leader.

• Post-Secondary Academic Courses: If you are currently taking an accredited college/university course and it’s related to your role as a Fitness Leader, you can receive CECs. 1 college/university credit = 10 BCRPA CECs.

Additional details can be found on the CEC page.

How do I submit my CECs?

Detailed steps on how to submit CECs can be found here. 

I submitted my CECs but they are not showing up on my account!

There may be a few reasons why your account does not show the CECs you have submitted.

1. You have been randomly audited and you have been asked to provide proof via email.  If this is the case, you will see your petition listed as “Pending”
2. Your CEC petition has been declined.
3. We have not reviewed your CECs yet.
4. The CECs you submitted we’re not earned within your current registration period.

To check the status of your CEC petition, log in to your account on The Registry^®.

Once you have logged in to your account, go to the "CEC Log" accordion. You will be able to review the status of your CEC applications, including those that have been declined. An explanation is provided for declined CEC petitions. If applicable, please re-submit the CEC petition with the required corrections.

How many CECs do I require to renew?

As a requirement of renewal, Fitness Leaders are required to submit the following number of CECs every years.

• First-year registration (Fitness Students): Zero CECs are required in your first year of registration, as you will be required to complete a specialty course within this period.
• We are transitioning to a one-year renewal process. Changes to your CEC requirements will be in effect once you have renewed your registration. 
  • Fitness Leader (2-year registration): 12 credits required
  • SFL/TFL (2-year registration period): 16 credits required
  • Fitness Leader (1-year registration): 6 credits required
  • SFL/TFL (1-year registration period): 8 credits required

For example: If your registration period is January 1, 2020 – January 2022, you can only submit workshops that you have completed within this registration period. Workshops completed prior to January 1, 2020, would not be accepted.

Topic 6: Insurance Questions

Am I covered under insurance as a BCRPA Registered Fitness Leader?

Each Fitness Leader that obtains BCRPA Registration automatically receives Commercial General Liability insurance coverage through SportBC Insurance Agencies Ltd.

This program ensures that you have adequate insurance coverage as long as you are:

• Currently registered with BCRPA and all credentials are up to date
• Working within your Scope of Practice
• Working at locations within Canada

To find out more about the insurance policy and the Personal Training package, view this page.

What are my insurance options?  

All Fitness Leaders have the choice to renew their registration to include either $2 million or $5 million general liability insurance coverage.  

Fitness Leaders with a Personal Training Specialty have the additional choice of renewing their registration without additional personal training insurance. This option is for those who have purchased insurance through another provider or who are not currently practicing as personal trainers. In these cases, Fitness Leaders will still be covered under the general liability insurance for all other specialties. 

Personal Trainers still in a 2-year renewal cycle, which does not include personal training insurance coverage, can purchase the $2million or $5million general liability insurance through their account on The Registry® of Fitness Professionals under the “Personal Training Insurance” tab.   

Review the insurance page for additional details on the coverage. 

Where can I find a copy of the Certificate of Insurance?

You can find a copy of the policy for your Commercial General Liability insurance coverage in the link below:  

Click here to view the and download the Certificates of Insurance effective February 1, 2023 - 12:01 am February 1, 2024

Note: The Policy is for BCRPA Registered Fitness Leader access only – login required. If you do not have an account on the BCRPA website, you can create one here. Please use the same email that you use for your account on The Registry® of Fitness Professionals.