Do I need Safe Contact certification, and how long does it last?

Yes, if you coach contact football. Safe Contact is Football Canada's safe tackling and blocking program, part of its National Coaching Certification Program.

Football Ontario: Safe Contact is a 1-day course, mandatory for all contact coaches, listed at $50 for members and $150 for non-members. Certification expires every 5 years. Coaches renew with the Safe Contact 2.0 Refresher Course, available through The Locker, every 5 years after initial certification. New coaches get a one-year window to complete it.

Football Alberta: Safe Contact is listed for Novice to Bantam coaches and for high school coaches at $50, expires after 5 years and is renewed with the Safe Contact 2.0 Refresher.

Sources: Football Ontario: https://footballontario.net/coaches/ ; Football Alberta: https://footballalberta.ab.ca/content/span-stylecolor-0000ffcoaching-requirements-amp-nccp-span ; Football Ontario Concussion Protocol/Policy (one-year window for first-year coaches).