What Should Be in a First Aid Kit? Canada Checklist

The kit is usually easy to find until someone needs it. Then the missing gloves, half-used tape and expired wipes become obvious. A useful first aid kit is a small system: core supplies, household-specific additions, a known storage location and a review habit.

By 72hours.ca Editorial Team · Editorial review updated 08 August 2026 · For Canadian households, travellers and general kit buyers

What should be in a first aid kit in Canada?

No single list fits every household, but a practical kit should cover the categories below. The Canadian Red Cross first aid kit checklist also includes emergency and health contacts, a pencil and pad, eye patches, a thermometer and related reference items. Use its list as a starting point, then adapt it to the setting and people who will use the kit.

Which first aid kit supplies are the core?

Barriers and personal protection

Keep disposable gloves and any appropriate barrier device in intact packaging. Choose materials and sizes that suit the likely users. Inspect packaging during each review and follow the labelled storage directions; damaged packaging should not be counted as ready stock.

Cleaning and covering

Include the supplies your selected kit or contents list uses for cleaning and covering minor injuries: gauze, adhesive bandages, dressings, tape and labelled wipes or soap where appropriate. A large quantity of one bandage size is less useful than a clearly organized range that matches the people and activities around the kit.

Securing, supporting and basic tools

Roller or triangular bandages, safety pins, scissors and tweezers can help a kit cover different situations. Keep tools clean, functional and protected from corrosion. Add a pencil and pad or a current information card if the kit’s setting makes note-taking useful.

Reference and access information

A basic first aid manual, emergency contacts and the kit location should be easy to find. The Canadian Red Cross recommends storing a kit where it is dry and easy to access, making sure household members know where it is and checking items regularly. Do not hide the kit so well that only one person can retrieve it.

What should you add for your household?

Use context to decide additions rather than copying an endless list. Ask who is likely to use the kit, where activities happen and how quickly outside help can be reached. A home with young children may need storage and labelling decisions that differ from a workshop or a vehicle. A household that hikes, camps or travels may need a separate portable kit instead of stripping supplies from the home kit; the Canadian hiking emergency kit checklist covers that use case in more detail.

• People: consider household size, accessibility needs and whether more than one person may need supplies at once.
• Activities: review cooking, gardening, sports, tools, pets, camping and travel routines for relevant non-medication additions.
• Location: consider stairs, multiple floors, a detached garage or a cabin where a second small kit may be practical.
• Personal needs: manage prescribed medicines, personal devices and individual health plans separately with the appropriate healthcare professional. This checklist does not recommend medicines or doses.

Where should a first aid kit be stored?

Choose a location that is visible, dry, reachable by responsible household members and protected from damaging heat, moisture and clutter. Tell everyone who may need it where it is. If children are present, balance accessibility with safe storage of anything that should not be handled without adult supervision.

A single main kit can work in a small home. A second compact kit may make sense near a workshop, on another floor or with travel gear, provided each kit is labelled and checked. Avoid moving the only kit from room to room without returning it to its known location.

How often should you check a first aid kit?

Check it immediately after use and on a recurring schedule. The Canadian Red Cross recommends checking general first aid kit items every six months, replacing expired, damaged or contaminated supplies and restocking after use. For item-by-item decisions, follow the expiry date, storage directions and replacement instructions on the product label or manufacturer documentation.

1. Open the kit and compare its contents with your list.
2. Remove used, expired, wet, torn or questionable items from ready stock.
3. Check that scissors, tweezers and closures still work.
4. Record what needs replacing and return the kit to its labelled location.

Common first aid kit mistakes

• Buying a kit once and never checking it after supplies are used.
• Ignoring labelled storage directions for a vehicle or secondary kit, or leaving damaged packaging in ready stock.
• Assuming the outside case proves that the contents are complete.
• Mixing a first aid kit with a 72-hour emergency kit until neither is easy to carry.
• Adding medicines or treatment instructions without a household plan or professional guidance.

Choose a kit you can actually maintain

Use this checklist to audit what you already own, then choose a format that keeps the categories visible and the supplies easy to replace. Browse the 72hours.ca First Aid Kits collection for the commercial next step, or request pricing if you are planning kits for a team, site or organization. The right kit is the one people can locate, understand and restore after use.