ACERT was formed at a conference at the University of Western Ontario on March 29-31, 1996. In attendance at this conference were representatives from Lakehead University, Trent University, McMaster University, Guelph University, the University of Western Ontario, Wilfrid Laurier University and York University. These delegates gathered after a proposal for such an organization had been discussed at the Provincial Emergency First Response Team Conference (now known as the NCCER) at Lakehead University in the previous month.

On November 13, 1997 ACERT incorporated. Early the next year on February 22 ACERT registered as an official Charity of Canada. This has allowed the organization to better reach its goals and objectives of bettering Campus Emergency Response across Canada.