Handling food safely is important to help reduce the risk of becoming sick after eating and drinking. Anyone who prepares food can benefit from food safety training. As of July 1, 2018, the Ontario Food Premises Regulation 493/17 requires that at least one supervisor or food handler on-site in a food service premises have a valid food handler certificate at all times. In order to successfully obtain the food handler certificate, you must score at least 70% on the certification exam. Once issued, food handler certificates are valid across Ontario for five years.
To obtain your Food Safety Training Certification for the first time or to re-certify you can:
- Register for the in-person food handler challenge exam only
- Register to attend an in-person course and in-person exam
- Sign up for an online course and take the exam in-person
- Read the course manual at home on your own and take the exam in-person
Food Safety Training Exam
In order to obtain Food Safety Training Certification, you must write the exam. Exams are $25 and photo identification must be presented prior to writing the exam.
- Guelph - Exams will take place at Conestoga College starting in 2020.
- Fergus - Exams will take place at our Fergus office. Call 1-800-265-7293 ext. 4278 or 4753 to register for one of the following dates.
- January 15, 2020, 9 a.m.
- February 11, 2020, 9 a.m.
- March 11, 2020, 3 p.m.
- April 8, 2020, 3 p.m.
- May 4, 2020, 9 a.m.
- June 17, 2020, 9 a.m.
- July 13, 2020, 3 p.m.
- August 20, 2020, 3 p.m.
- September 9, 2020, 9 a.m.
- October 6, 2020, 9 a.m.
- November 18, 2020, 9 a.m.
- December 15, 2020, 9 a.m.
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Orangeville - Exams will take place at our Orangeville office. Call 1-800-265-7293 ext. 4278 or 4753 to register for one of the following exam dates:
- January 16, 2020, 3 p.m.
- February 18, 2020, 10:15 a.m.
- March 18, 2020, 3 p.m.
- April 16, 2020, 3 p.m.
- May 19, 2020, 10 a.m.
- June 18, 2020, 3 p.m.
- July 16, 2020, 3 p.m.
- August 24, 2020, 10 a.m.
- September 16, 2020, 10 a.m.
- October 15, 2020, 3 p.m.
- November 17, 2020, 10 a.m.
- December 16, 2020, 3 p.m.
Food Safety Training Course
In-person Course
The Food Safety Training course is administered through Conestoga College. Students will write the exam as part of the in-person course.
Online Course
The following online courses all offer quality training in preparation to write the food handler exam. Please note that it is only necessary to complete one course of your choice.
Here is the complete list of Food Safety Certification programs approved as equivalent courses by the Ministry of Health and Ministry of Long-Term Care.
Read the course manual at home
Our Food Handler Certification manual is available for purchase and pick-up at our Guelph, Fergus or Orangeville offices. The cost of the manual is $10.
The provincial food handler training manual is available online for free (PDF, 156 pages, 7 MB).