Rescue Diver
Why train with us?
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Low student to instructor ratios : 3 or 4 students per instructor both in the pool and ocean
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Our retail store is located downtown.
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Diving courses available all year-round. Private courses available.
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We teach children 10 years and older.
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Passionate team of Instructors and Divemasters who love to teach.
PADI Rescue Diver Course | Become a Safer, More Confident Diver
At Diving Sports Canada, we believe in providing the highest quality instruction and customer service to every student. Our mission is to train, mentor, and support divers to become safe, skillful, and confident — ensuring they can enjoy the sport incident-free for many years. We also believe in supporting the passionate professionals who make the diving industry thrive.
Unlike some programs that shorten class times to lower costs, we structure our courses to give you the time and attention needed to truly excel. This approach may mean training takes longer and costs a little more than some other dive companies, but our decades of combined instructor experience ensure that every minute is spent building your skills for long-term diving success.
We schedule our courses with the time it typically takes most students to fully master knowledge and skills — not just the agency minimums. Our instructors are transparent about your progress, and if extra pool or ocean sessions are needed before certification, we make sure you get them. While most students progress on schedule, we understand that some need more time with certain skills, and we’re committed to supporting that journey.
When you train with us, you’re joining a passionate, inclusive diving community that will support you well beyond your class. Whether you want private instruction for one-on-one learning or group training in a supportive environment, we’re here to help you succeed and enjoy diving for life.
The PADI Rescue Diver Course is one of the most challenging and rewarding programs in scuba diving. You’ll learn how to prevent and manage emergencies, assist other divers, and improve your own confidence in the water. Our course goes beyond the basics, ensuring you leave with practical, real-world rescue skills you can rely on.
What’s Included:
- Rescue Diver eLearning course material
- 2 evening classroom sessions for knowledge review & equipment fitting
- 2 evening confined water pool training sessions
- 2 days of ocean training (1–2 dives each day) covering all rescue scenarios
- Transportation between pool and dive shop
- Basic scuba equipment (BCD, regulator, wetsuit or drysuit*)
- Digital certification card upon completion
What’s Not Included:
- Mask, snorkel, and gloves — must be owned (cannot be rented)
- Other personal equipment: dive computer, dive light, compass, DSMB (available for rent)
- Emergency First Response (EFR) and Oxygen Provider training
- Additional pool or ocean training, if required (See private/group rates)
- Optional physical certification card (available for an extra fee)
Prerequisites:
- PADI Advanced Diver (or equivalent)
- Emergency First Response (EFR) training within the last 24 months
- Recent cold water or drysuit experience (10+ dives)
- Drysuit Specialty certification required to rent a drysuit
- Completed medical form (if applicable) – Download here
- All eLearning completed before the first class
Diving in a Drysuit?
Planning to dive in a drysuit during your Rescue course? You must have a Drysuit Specialty certification. Don’t have it yet? Take our Drysuit Specialty Course.
Equipment Rental:
Diving Sports includes all basic gear in our wetsuit/drysuit rental packages. Personal gear (mask, snorkel, gloves) must be owned. Compass, dive computer, and DSMB are not included but can be rented for the course.
Transportation:
Transport from our shop to the dive site is available in our shop van (7-passenger capacity). Seats are first-come, first-served. You may also meet directly at the pool or dive site.
Course Standards:
We follow recognized diver training standards to ensure the highest level of safety and quality. View our official standards here: SDI Rescue Diver Standards.
Cancellation Policy:
Please read our cancellation and rescheduling policy before booking: → View Our Policy
Become a more capable, confident diver with Diving Sports Canada — Vancouver’s trusted scuba training centre.
PADI Rescue Diver Course in Vancouver
Take Your Diving to the Next Level
At Diving Sports Canada, Vancouver’s largest scuba diving shop and training center, we are committed to providing the highest quality scuba instruction. Our PADI Rescue Diver Course in Vancouver is one of the most rewarding steps in your diving journey. This advanced course builds confidence, teaches you how to manage dive emergencies, and transforms you into the kind of dive buddy others can rely on.
Unlike shorter programs, our rescue training is designed with extra time and practice, ensuring you don’t just meet the minimum standards—you master every skill. With decades of combined instructor experience, we go beyond agency requirements to give you personalized, professional scuba training in Vancouver. Whether your goal is to work toward becoming a Divemaster, achieving the Master Scuba Diver rating, or simply being a safer diver in BC waters, this course will prepare you for real-world diving challenges.
Who is this course for?
The Rescue Diver Course is designed for advanced divers who want to build leadership skills, improve safety awareness, and be prepared to respond in emergencies. Imagine you’re mid-dive and your buddy starts to panic due to unexpected current—would you know what to do? This course ensures that you do.
- Divers aiming to become a PADI Divemaster or pursue professional training
- Advanced divers working toward the Master Scuba Diver rating
- Recreational divers who want to be a more reliable and confident dive buddy
- Divers looking to build confidence handling emergency scenarios
What You Will Learn
In the Rescue Diver Course, we focus on both self-rescue skills and assisting others. Training includes 10 different rescue scenarios that cover everything from helping a panicked diver at the surface to locating and assisting an unresponsive diver underwater. You’ll complete eLearning modules and an exam before training, followed by 2 pool evenings and 2 full days of ocean dives at Whytecliff Park.
- Self-rescue techniques and problem-solving underwater
- Assisting tired, panicked, and distressed divers
- Search and recovery of missing divers
- Emergency exits and diver towing
- Managing dive-related stress and accident prevention
By the end of this course, you’ll have the confidence and decision-making tools to handle stressful situations underwater and assist divers in need.
Commitment to Safety and Enjoyment
At Diving Sports Canada, our training philosophy ensures that every student masters their skills at their own pace. Our instructors track your progress, adapt sessions to your needs, and provide extra pool or ocean training if required. This approach guarantees that you leave the course not only certified but truly confident. By joining Diving Sports, you also join a passionate community of divers in Vancouver dedicated to supporting your long-term diving journey.
Location and Contact
Diving Sports Canada
4578 Main Street, Vancouver, BC V5V 3R5
Phone: (604) 694-1886
Email: customerservice@divingsports.com
Training sessions are conducted at Whytecliff Park, West Vancouver, one of BC’s most iconic cold-water dive sites.
