Minister of Education announces CPR, AED, and Opioid Overdose Response Training now mandatory part of the provincial curriculum
Prince Edward Island students now learning how to save lives
CHARLOTTETOWN, Prince Edward Island, May 07, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Advanced Coronary Treatment (ACT) Foundation joined the Government of Prince Edward Island (PEI), and its partners at Colonel Gray Senior High School to launch the lifesaving CPR, AED, and Opioid Overdose Response Training Program available now to intermediate and high school students as part of the ACT High School CPR and AED Program. Teachers across the province are now trained in CPR, AED and Opioid Overdose Response to empower 1,700 students every year from both the Public Schools Branch (Grade 10) and La Commission scolaire de langue française (Grade 9).
The ACT High School CPR and AED Program provides teachers with resources to educate students on how to perform CPR, how to use an AED, and also how to recognize and respond to a suspected opioid overdose, including the use of nasal naloxone. To date, more than 6 million students have been trained in CPR by their teachers across Canada.
“Providing students with CPR training and teaching them how to use AEDs equips them with critical lifesaving skills and knowledge, while also fostering confidence, leadership, and a sense of responsibility. These are the types of lifelong skills they can learn in Island classrooms that can make a real and lasting difference, both in their own lives and in the lives of others,” said the Hon. Robin Croucher, Minister of Education and Early Years.
Minister Croucher announced today that CPR, AED and Opioid Overdose Response Training will now be required learning as part of the student curriculum province wide.
“Empowering students with the skills and confidence to save a life strengthens our entire community. This is a program we are proud to be supporting. This training will not only save lives — it will inspire the next generation to lead, to care, and maybe even to pursue careers in health care,” said Minister of Health and Wellness Mark McLane.
ACT is the national charitable foundation dedicated to establishing CPR and AED training in Canadian high schools free for all students. Teachers are trained to teach students: how to recognize a life-threatening medical emergency; safety issues and emergency scene management; CPR and how to use an AED; and how to respond to a suspected opioid overdose. The program is made possible with funding support from the Government of PEI (Ministry of Health and Wellness), ACT’s health partners, Amgen Canada and AstraZeneca Canada, and community partners: Aleisha Murnaghan Medicine; Dr. Joanne McGinn Medical Corporation; Fitzpatrick Co.; Holland College; IG Wealth Management; Island Emergency Medical Services; Jordan Boyd Foundation; Maritime Electric; Murphy’s Hospitality Group; N. Green Medicine; Paramedic Association; Parkdale Sherwood Lions Club; and Wesley & Patricia Foundation.
“Congratulations to the ACT Foundation, partners, and schools, teachers and students on a successful and vital initiative. Equipping students with the knowledge and tools to recognize and act quickly in emergency situations such as cardiac arrest and overdose events, will undoubtedly save lives. The ACT training program highlights the role we can all play in preventing loss, encouraging people of all ages to take appropriate actions,” said Dr. Harrison Carmichael, Emergency Physician and Provincial Medical Director for the ACT Foundation.
Research indicates that approximately 60,000 out-of-hospital cardiac arrests are happening in Canada each year. Nearly half occur among people under 65 years of age according to the Heart and Stroke Foundation.
With eight in 10 out-of-hospital cardiac arrests occurring at home or in public places, empowering youth with CPR training as part of their high school education will help increase citizen CPR response rates over the long term.
Research indicates that early CPR and AED use can double a person’s chance of survival. The Public Health Agency of Canada reports that over 5,368 apparent opioid toxicity deaths occurred from January–September 2021. According to the Canadian Centre on Substance Use and Addiction, the majority (94%) of opioid overdose deaths happen by accident, and young Canadians aged 15 to 24 are the fastest-growing population requiring hospital care from opioid overdoses.
“We are thrilled with the support of the Government of PEI and all our partners,” said Sandra Clarke, the ACT Foundation’s Executive Director. “Thanks to them, we are able to deploy ACT’s program within schools across PEI ensuring all youth will be empowered to bring their lifesaving skills to current and future families”. See link to many rescue stories.”
Other Partner and Community Quotes
“As a founding partner of the ACT Foundation, AstraZeneca is incredibly proud to support its mission to establish CPR, defibrillator, and Opioid Overdose Response training in Canadian high schools. Congratulations to the Province of PEI and the ACT Foundation for empowering youth across the province with critical lifesaving skills, and raising awareness of the importance of cardiovascular health,” said Gaby Bourbara, President, AstraZeneca Canada.
“Amgen is honoured to support the ACT Foundation as a National Health Partner. Rescue stories are a testament to the quality of the program and the criticality of ensuring that the education community is equipped with the knowledge and skills to contribute. Together we will continue to advance excellence in science literacy, inspire the next generation, help educators to teach more effectively, and improve access to resources for teachers, students, and society at large.” — Ugur Gunaydin, Vice-President and General Manager, Amgen Canada
About the ACT Foundation
The Advanced Coronary Treatment (ACT) Foundation is the national charitable organization establishing free CPR and AED training in Canadian high schools. The program is built on ACT’s award-winning, community-based model of partnerships and support, whereby ACT finds local partners who donate the mannequins and AED training units that schools need to deliver the program. High school teachers are trained to then teach lifesaving skills to their students as a regular part of the curriculum, reaching all youth prior to graduation. ACT’s partners committed to bringing the program to Prince Edward Island are the Government of PEI, our national health partners, AstraZeneca Canada and Amgen Canada, and the many community partners. The ACT Foundation gratefully acknowledges the contribution of Health Canada’s Substance Use and Addictions Program (SUAP) for ACT’s Opioid Overdose Response Training program.
Website: actfoundation.ca
X: @actfoundation #ACT2Save
Facebook: @theactfoundation
Instagram: @theactfoundation
YouTube: YouTube.com/theactfoundation
For more information about the ACT Foundation and the ACT High School CPR and AED Program, contact:
Jennifer Russell
Director of Operations
ACT Foundation
jrussell@actfoundation.ca
Tel: (613) 286-5260
A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/16aeb880-bfab-4d57-a9b6-780abf162d11
