Food Safety Course Certificates

Approved in Alberta
Section 31 of the Food Regulation describes the requirement for a food sanitation and hygiene
training program. Successful completion of this program means that an individual holds a
certificate issued by the Minister or an individual holds a document that the Minister considers
equivalent to such a certificate.
In order to meet the above requirement, individuals have several options in Alberta:

OPTION 1
Complete a one or two day certification course offered by Alberta Health Services. For
more information and class schedules please click here or copy and paste the following
web address into your internet browser: http://www.albertahealthservices.ca/3151.asp
Complete a course by Health Canada - First Nations Inuit Health Branch (FNIHB).
Contact your Environmental Health Officer / Public Health Inspector about upcoming
courses.
Students who achieve a minimum of 70% on the exam receive a provincial certificate in
food sanitation and hygiene. Their names are entered on the provincial database of
certified food workers.

OPTION 2
Complete a course through one of the following accredited educational institutions:
NAIT - HOS103 Food Sanitation and Safety
SAIT - FSAN255 Food Safety & Sanitation
SAIT - FSAN202 Food Safety & Sanitation
Red Deer College - HOSP 215 - Food Safety & Sanitation Management
NAIT and Red Deer College - FNM90 Online course through E-campus Alberta
These educational institutions teach their own curriculum, but the students write a
provincial exam that is maintained by the province of Alberta. As in Option 1, students who
achieve a minimum of 70% on the exam receive a provincial certificate in food sanitation
and hygiene. Their names are entered on the provincial database of certified food workers.

An Alberta Journeyman Certificate holder in the Cook or Baker trade issued by Alberta
Apprenticeship after 1990 will have the Food Sanitation and Hygiene Certificate issued by the
province. This is a mandatory certification in the apprenticeship training institutes.
A person who has acquired an Alberta Journeyman Certificate in the Cook and Baker Trades
issued before 1990 with or without bearing the Interprovincial Red-Seal Certification may not
necessarily have obtained their food sanitation and hygiene certificate.
The same is true for those who have acquired an Alberta Certificate of Qualification in the Cook
or Baker trade. The food sanitation and hygiene certificate is not a pre-requisite to obtaining the
Alberta Certificate of Qualification.
A person who has an Out of Province Certificate in the Cook and Baker Trades bearing the
Interprovincial Red-Seal also does not guarantee that they have obtained the equivalent
certificate in food sanitation and hygiene.

OPTION 3
Complete any one of the following independent courses approved by the province of Alberta:
Canadian Food Safety Group - FoodSafe Level II (Level I is a prerequisite), SafeCheck,
TAP: Food Safety Manager Certification (Online Training Achievement Program)
Canadian Restaurant & Foodservices Association - NFSTP (Classroom & Online)
Province of British Columbia - FoodSafe II (Classroom only)
TrainCan - Advanced.fst, Alberta Basics.fst (Classroom only)
ADVANCED.fst 3rd Edition, BASICS.fst 3rd Edition (Classroom & Online)
National Restaurant Association (USA) - ServSafe Manager (Classroom only)
Retail Council of Canada - Foodwise (previously known as MUST III and was instructed by
the Canadian Council of Grocery Distributors, approved prior to 2002)
Contact your nearest Environmental Public Health office (as listed below) to confirm if a course meets
the requirement for a food sanitation and hygiene training program in Alberta.

For more information, please contact your nearest Environmental Public Health office.
Edmonton Main Office
Calgary Main Office
Lethbridge Main Office

780-735-1800
403-943-2295
403-388-6689

Grande Prairie Main Office

Red Deer Main Office
www.albertahealthservices.ca/eph.asp

780-513-7517
403-356-6366

4EPHE-12-001
Created: Nov/06
Revised: Jun/14