Open Water Course

Book Your Course

Why train with us?

  • Our retail centre is located on Queen Street in Leslieville, Toronto.

  • Our training pool is only 1km from our retail centre in Leslieville.

  • We are a PADI 5 Star Dive Centre, offering the full PADI range of courses.

  • Classroom and eLearning options.

  • We have our own in-house TICO certified travel agency, ScubaGetaway.

  • We teach children 10 years and older.

  • Diving courses available year-round.

  • Private courses available.

  • Passionate team of Instructors and Divemasters who love to teach.

Pool training takes place at the Jimmie Simpson Recreation Centre, only 1km from our Leslieville retail location. Open water dives take place at Gulliver’s Lake.

Note: For the weekend of June 24-25, pool training will take place at the Matty Eckler Community Recreation Centre (still only 1km from TSC) while the Jimmie Simpson pool is under maintenance.

BUDDY SPECIAL: Having a buddy, someone to train or dive with is not required as divers will always be ‘buddied’ up if alone but there are discounts available for more than one student signing up. The discount is applied by ‘adding a buddy’ at the bottom of the sign up process.

TRAVEL AND COMPLETE YOUR OPEN WATER CERTIFICATION WITH TSC

Scuba Getaway is a travel agency owned and operated by Toronto Scuba Centre. If you’re looking to complete your open water certification dives in a more tropical climate, join us on one of our group trips accompanied by TSC instructors and get certified on vacation! All trip details can be found at ScubaGetaway.com.

ScubaGetaway

Course Description

Diver certification begins here. To enroll in the PADI Open Water Diver scuba diving course with Toronto Scuba Centre you must be 10 years old or older. You need adequate swimming skills but no prior experience with scuba diving is required. During your course you will learn all the scuba skills required to complete your open water certification. On completion of the full course you will be issued with your certification card and will be allowed to present your card anywhere in the world and dive to a depth of 60ft.

The Open Water Diver course consists of three main phases all of which need to be completed to receive certification:

  • Knowledge Development to understand basic principles of scuba diving. You can choose to participate in the instructor-led classroom with textbook or self-learning with the PADI eLearning platform.
  • Confined Water Dives to learn basic scuba skills. Completed in the pool over approximately 5 hours.
  • 4 Open Water Dives to use your skills and explore! Completed with us during the summer or on your planned Scuba Getaway trip.

What You Will Learn

At Toronto Scuba Centre you will learn how to safely use the very latest scuba diving equipment including a scuba mask, snorkel, fins, regulator, buoyancy compensator device and a tank. You even get to use a dive computer during the certification dives. Wetsuits are available to rent if you are concerned about temperature.

What is eLearning

Adding the eLearning option allows students to complete the academic component of their course online instead of receiving a textbook. While the material takes the same time to review, students choosing eLearning will only be scheduled for the in-pool portion of the course; eLearners will forgo 1-on-1 classroom time with a TSC Instructor.

Please note: PADI charges a higher premium for access to their eLearning platform. The eLearning fee you see and are paying is therefore charged by PADI and is not a fee charged by the Toronto Scuba Centre.

Full Course

If you choose the full course option with TSC the price you pay will include your academic preference of eLearning or classroom, your pool training and the 4 open water certification dives. You will receive a TSC divers logbook and your PADI certification card. Pool training is available all-year round, open water certification dives are available from June to September. When choosing your dates, if you are unsure of a particular date just choose one to process your booking and let us know by phone or email that you intend to change your date. This course is completed over 4 days, typically on weekends. Private courses are available.

Class and Pool

If you choose the Class and Pool option with TSC the price you pay will include your text book, your classroom session with your instructor on your chosen weekend and your pool training. Mask, fins and snorkel are included for your pool training so you can experience high quality product before committing to purchasing your own. Pool training is available all-year round. Students who are planning to complete their certification dives outside of Canada us

e this option to save time on their holiday, completing the academic and pool training before they leave. This course is completed over 2 days, typically on weekends. Private courses are available on weekends at our public pool, or anytime in a student’s private pool. eLearning is available to replace the classroom sessions.

Download and complete the PADI medical form before your classroom session

Certification Dives

Four certification dives are conducted only after the academic and pool training have been completed. TSC is happy to enrol any student who presents a PADI referral form dated within the past 12 months from another training facility. This course is completed over 2 days, typically on weekends, but can be completed privately mid-week. Certifications dives take place at Gulliver’s Lake, Millgrove.

Download and complete the Gulliver’s Lake park waiver before your visit

Referral Paperwork

Students wishing to complete their course outside of Canada or with another facility will receive an international referral form to take with them as proof of completing this course. Students will be allowed to complete their certification dives anywhere in the world on presentation of this referral form within 1 year of the pool training.

Prerequisites

Absolutely no prior experience with scuba diving is required!

  • 10 years of age or older (divers under 15 years will receive a PADI Junior Open Water certification)
  • Ability to swim
  • Medically fit for diving

What does TSC Include – The most asked question.

TSC includes all scuba gear for training in-pool training. Mask, fins and snorkel are considered personal items in diving but TSC does include these for the pool training so students can experience a high quality product before committing to purchasing. Wetsuits are optional for the pool, but recommended and available for rental. Students will, however, be asked to rent or purchase these personal items for the Open Water certification dives if they haven’t purchased their own by this time. Students are required to take their equipment to the pool and lake, although accommodations can usually be arranged if planned in advance.