While Canada may not be the first place you think of when it comes to training as a yoga teacher, that doesn’t mean that there’s a shortage of studios to train at. No matter where you’re living in Canada or where you’d like to visit, you will be able to find yoga teacher training in Canada, and most likely with a great view. Talk about a great bonus!
All of the training mentioned in this article offer in-person training while some also offer hybrid training or online yoga teacher training in Canada, so you have ample choices.
Top Yoga Courses in Canada
From coast to coast, you have quite a number of choices when it comes to getting your yoga certification in Canada. Take a peek at these top yoga schools that offer 200-hour training programs and more.
Kootenay Yoga School
Immerse yourself into a yoga training program that will help you to disconnect from all around you. Picture yourself, two weeks of yoga in nature, feeling the uneven ground beneath your feet, nothing but the sound of nature, breathing, and your teacher’s voice as you practice outside in beautiful British Columbia. This 200-hour certification training is completely off-grid in The Kootenays for a truly unique experience that takes you out of every day so you can focus solely on your vinyasa training. Of course you’ll practice other styles such as yin, restorative, and Hatha too for a well-rounded experience.
Your home will be your off-grid tent and lessons will be sent to you before coming to the site so that you have more time to enjoy nature and the peace and serenity that come without technology or many other people being around. While this training may be short, you will without a doubt walk away with all of the foundations expected from a 200-hour course and a newfound sense of serenity.
South Okanagan Yoga Academy (SOYA)
You can’t miss checking out what South Okanagan Yoga Academy has to offer when considering doing a YTT in Canada. With over 25 years of experience teaching teachers, the programs offered at SOYA are amongst the best in Canada and beyond. You have a few options for how to do your training and where. With training held in destinations around British Columbia, in Alberta, New Brunswick, and even in the US, you have plenty of choices. Plus, you can train online, do a hybrid program of online and in-person, opt to do training on weekends only, or do a full immersion over the course of just a couple of weeks.
Hatha yoga is what’s taught here, that combines ancient teachings with modern times from the founders who have been teaching for over 42 years internationally. You’ll most certainly be in great hands with this YTT in Canada.
Modo Yoga
For yoga teacher training in Ontario, look no further than Modo Yoga which was founded in Toronto, Canada, and since it began in 2004, the studio has expanded across the country and to offer more than just yoga classes but training as well. What makes Modo Yoga different is that it has its own essential poses that you’ll see practiced in each and every class. Modo yoga is similar to Bikram yoga, though I would describe it as less intense. It’s practiced in a hot room and through repetition of poses in similar sequences you really can learn how to grasp each and every pose.
Modo Yoga offerings training online, in Toronto, Ontario, and in Gibsons, British Columbia. The in-person training is just 2 weeks but a 50-hour online course must be completed before joining the training in the location of your choice. This hybrid model is a great way for those to get their certification without having to spend 3+ weeks off of work or away!
Sivananda Ashram Yoga Camp
Located in the Laurentian Mountains in Val-Morin, Quebec, Sivananda Ashram Yoga Camp is a well-known centre for retreats, yoga classes, and yoga teacher training. If you’re looking for more of a traditional yoga teacher training in Canada, this is a top choice. In 4 weeks you will leave with a deep understanding of yoga and yourself. The program is based on the ancient gurukula teaching system which aims to include the students day to day life into the training as well, making it easier to combine with the outside world once you step off of the mat.
With this training program, you will dive into Hatha yoga, as well as meditation, yoga anatomy and physiology, philosophy, Raja yoga, Bhakti yoga, Karma yoga, Jnana yoga, and for something that’s different than most yoga teacher training courses, studying the Bhagavad Gita. While the Bhagavad Gita is an important text to those who practice yoga, it is not often taught in YTT courses. This training in Canada is the closest to what you’d expect to experience in India.
Breathing Space
An excellent choice for those on the East Coast is Breathing Space Yoga Studio. The 200-hour yoga teacher training in Halifax is available throughout the year in a number of destinations other than Halifax including Moncton, New Brunswick, and St. John’s, Newfoundland and is taught on weekends over 9 months (one weekend per month). Missed weekends can be made up at any training.
The training itself is vinyasa-style but touches on a number of styles from a variety of yoga lineages such as Ashtanga, Anusara to Tantra, and more. 180 of the training hours will be spent in person with 20 hours of self-study at home. What makes this program stand apart is the mentorship portion which is a true highlight that will no doubt help you get on your feet with confidence as a new yoga teacher. This program can also be taken online if you so wish.
Pure Yoga
Pure Yoga is a local studio in Ottawa, Ontario that has branched into a number of other ventures that all embrace the yogic lifestyle and movement. From Pure Fit to Ritual (an amazing style of class to release energy), and even a vegan restaurant, Pure is an excellent choice for those in the Ottawa region. The training itself takes place over a number of weekends in-person (online if restrictions require the studio to do so) and is taught by a number of exceptional teachers that I can personally vouch for because I’ve practiced at this studio and with most of the teachers who lead the training!
This Ottawa yoga teacher training course goes above and beyond the required 200-hours. You can expect to leave this training with an incredible base of knowledge that covers all of the basics, along with the business of yoga, diversity and inclusion, and more. This training focuses on vinyasa sequences and will leave you feeling more deeply connected with your practice and yourself.
Prana Yoga Studio
Last but certainly not least, Prana Yoga Studio you’ll often see featured in round-ups of the best yoga teacher training in Canada. The studio is located in Edmonton and is not just for those interested in 200-hour yoga training in Canada, as the studio offers advanced yoga teacher training with their 300-hour course as well as others that include further education including prenatal yoga.
The course is taught over 6 months with courses beginning in January and July for the 200-hour YTT with a number of teachers who will guide you through how to teach Hatha and vinyasa-style sequences. What’s so great about a program like this is that it gives you time to truly embrace what you’re learning and to apply it. Included with this training, you also get to practice online or in the studio for 6 months, taking what you recently learned onto the mat to putting it into practice right away.
What’s next?
- Get my How to Choose a YTT Mini Guide! Avoid scams, what you MUST consider & my top course recommendations
- Need a way to deepen your practice before YTT? Try my 30-day yoga adventure – Journey Home
- Practice yin & vinyasa classes with me on YouTube to prepare for your upcoming training