OFFICIAL CIFS

Food Handler Certification
for Canada

Industry-standard Food Handler Certification in your province. Enrol today and earn your government-approved certification, valid across Canada.

OFFICIAL CIFS

Food Handler Certification
for Canada

Industry-standard Food Handler Certification in your province.
Enrol today and earn your government-approved certification, valid across Canada.


The industry standard trusted by 200,000+ food & hospitality professionals

cfs-logo-red-icon

Food Safety Certification from Canada's trusted provider

The Canadian Institute of Food Safety (CIFS) makes it easy for you to earn your food handling certification. Our official Food Handler Certification Course meets Canada’s legal requirements for food safety training.

"Outstanding Student Support"
"Engaging Content"
"Expert Advice"

Faster & easier than ever

Get certified the smarter way

We make it quick and easy to get your Food Handler Certificate. Start in less than 30 seconds and get certified today.

5-reasons-why-all-food-handlers-must-be-trained-in-food-safety_0-Sep-02-2022-01-40-14-75-AM
Step 1

Enrol in Your Course

Getting started takes seconds. With just a few clicks, enrol yourself in the course and begin. 

cfs-steps-2
Step 2

Complete Your Lessons & Exam

At your own pace, complete the easy-to-follow lessons and take your certification exam.

cfs-steps-3
Step 3

Download Your Certificate

As soon as you pass your final exam, your certificate is ready for download. 

Step 1

Enrol in Your Course

Getting started takes seconds. With just a few clicks, enrol yourself in the course and begin. 

Step 2

Complete Your Lessons & Exam

At your own pace, complete the easy-to-follow lessons and take your certification exam.

Step 3

Download Your Certificate

As soon as you pass your final exam, your certificate is ready for download. 

“I could go at my own pace and go back over things if I needed to.”
Katie M.
- Nova Scotia
“It was so convenient and easy to use.”
Angie P.
- Saskatchewan
"I will be recommending your course to anybody I know that needs their certification.”
Mark K.
- Ontario

Official CIFS

Food Handler Certification for Canada

Our course is the fastest, easiest way to get your Food Handler Certificate. Begin immediately and get your certificate within hours, entirely online.

cifs-hero2Everything you need to become a certified Food Handler, all in one course.

The Food Handler Certification Course is divided into four easy-to-follow modules, each with a series of lessons. You’ll stay engaged and retain the material with:

  • Fun & simple lessons
  • Useful study notes & fact sheets
  • Interactive activities
  • Practice quizzes
  • Interesting videos

The course takes approximately eight hours, and can be completed at your own pace – all at once or over 30 days. Our user-friendly navigation allows you to start and stop as many times as you like. The software will remember where you left off so you can easily continue when you log back in.

The course has been developed to accommodate for as many learning requirements as possible.

The course has 11 interactive lessons

Module 1: Understanding food safety
Lesson 1: Understanding food contamination
Lesson 2: Food-borne illness & allergy management
Lesson 3: Food safety laws & responsibilities

Module 2: Preventing food-borne illness
Lesson 4: Personal hygiene & workplace behaviour
Lesson 5: Time & temperature control
Lesson 6: Cleaning & sanitizing
Lesson 7: Maintaining food premises & equipment

Module 3: Working with food safely
Lesson 8: Purchasing, receiving & storing food safely
Lesson 9: Preparing food safely
Lesson 10: Serving & dispensing food safely

Module 4: Managing your food safety plan
Lesson 11: Managing your food safety plan

Final Exam
The final exam is available seven days a week, at multiple times each day – no pre-scheduling required. It runs for one hour and consists of 50 multiple-choice questions. The passing grade is a minimum of 70%. If you don’t pass on your first try, don’t worry! You receive free, unlimited exam retakes so you can write the exam as many times as needed.

The final exam is proctored. Proctors are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, allowing you to complete the exam at any time. Using a computer with a webcam and microphone, simply choose a time that suits you and get started. 

Certificate
Once you pass your exam, your certificate will be emailed to you for download within minutes. Your Food Handler Certificate is valid for five years.

Official CIFS
Food Handler Certification

$99.95

Includes:

  • Online Course and Final Exam
  • Official Certificate, valid for five years
  • Unlimited Exam Attempts
  • 30-Day Course Access
  • Course Notes and Training Resources
  • Free CIFS Membership (a $74.95 Value)
  • No Additional Costs or Hidden Fees

Price excludes any applicable GST / HST. Your personal information and electronic payments are secured using industry-standard 128 bit SSL technology.

Official CIFS
Food Handler Certification

$99.95

Includes:

  • Online Course and Final Exam
  • Official Certificate, valid for five years
  • Unlimited Exam Attempts
  • 30-Day Course Access
  • Course Notes and Training Resources
  • Free CIFS Membership (a $74.95 Value)
  • No Additional Costs or Hidden Fees

Price excludes any applicable GST / HST. Your personal information and electronic payments are secured using industry-standard 128 bit SSL technology.

cifs-hero2Everything you need to become a certified Food Handler, all in one course.

The Food Handler Certification Course is divided into four easy-to-follow modules, each with a series of lessons. You’ll stay engaged and retain the material with:

  • Fun & simple lessons
  • Useful study notes & fact sheets
  • Interactive activities
  • Practice quizzes
  • Interesting videos

The course takes approximately eight hours, and can be completed at your own pace – all at once or over 30 days. Our user-friendly navigation allows you to start and stop as many times as you like. The software will remember where you left off so you can easily continue when you log back in.

The course has been developed to accommodate for as many learning requirements as possible.

The course has 11 interactive lessons

Module 1: Understanding food safety
Lesson 1: Understanding food contamination
Lesson 2: Food-borne illness & allergy management
Lesson 3: Food safety laws & responsibilities

Module 2: Preventing food-borne illness
Lesson 4: Personal hygiene & workplace behaviour
Lesson 5: Time & temperature control
Lesson 6: Cleaning & sanitizing
Lesson 7: Maintaining food premises & equipment

Module 3: Working with food safely
Lesson 8: Purchasing, receiving & storing food safely
Lesson 9: Preparing food safely
Lesson 10: Serving & dispensing food safely

Module 4: Managing your food safety plan
Lesson 11: Managing your food safety plan

Final Exam
The final exam is available seven days a week, at multiple times each day – no pre-scheduling required. It runs for one hour and consists of 50 multiple-choice questions. The passing grade is a minimum of 70%. If you don’t pass on your first try, don’t worry! You receive free, unlimited exam retakes so you can write the exam as many times as needed.

The final exam is proctored. Proctors are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, allowing you to complete the exam at any time. Using a computer with a webcam and microphone, simply choose a time that suits you and get started. 

Certificate
Once you pass your exam, your certificate will be emailed to you for download within minutes. Your Food Handler Certificate is valid for five years.


Protect your brand & limit your liability

Training solutions for every business

Whether you are running a booth at the local farmer’s market or managing food safety for a national business, CIFS helps you meet all legal requirements for food safety training.

Business Enquiries
If you manage a business and need to enrol multiple employees, complete the form below and we'll be in touch soon.


Select a convenient date and time to speak with our business advisor.


 

iStock-800402906-2We work with the public, as well as small, medium and enterprise food businesses in every industry regulated by the Canadian government.

If you're enrolling three or more employees, you're eligible for a complimentary Business Account.

Business Accounts allow you to quickly enrol multiple employees, monitor their training, receive guidance on compliance requirements, be invoiced monthly, and have a dedicated Account Manager.

cifs-sb_0Understanding complex food safety laws and requirements can be challenging and time-consuming.

CIFS provides you and your staff with training, support, and tools to quickly:

  • Comply with federal, provincial, and municipal laws
  • Protect your customers and livelihood
  • Attract more business

How CIFS helps small businesses:

  • Government-approved certification
  • Easy online management
  • 100% online training and exam
  • Health Inspector-ready credentials
  • Priority support and advice
  • Training reminders and notifications
  • Flexible billing
  • Ongoing learning as a CIFS Member

CIFS provides training applicable to your business sector, including:

  • Educational Services
  • Entertainment, Recreation & Events
  • Food & Beverage Manufacturing
  • Food & Beverage Retail
  • Food Service & Hospitality
  • Government & Public Administration
  • Healthcare & Community Services
  • Transportation & Warehousing

cifs-es_0A food safety incident can have a crippling impact on your company. Just one employee improperly washing their hands can poison thousands. 

Protect your customers, brand, and bottom line. Stay fully compliant with food safety certification from the Canadian Institute of Food Safety. We deliver:

  • Compliance with food safety laws
  • An exceptional online certification experience
  • Ongoing support, resources and development

Stay compliant and protect your business with:

  • National compliance guidance
  • 1-on-1 support
  • Easy student management
  • Flexible Training
  • Ongoing learning as a CIFS Member
  • Health inspector-ready credentials

Frequently Asked Questions

When will I get my Food Handler Certificate?

As soon as you pass your final exam, you can request your certificate to be emailed to you. Students typically receive their certificate by email within 60 minutes.

We recommend that you print and save a copy of your certificate so that you can easily access it in the future.

Your access to the course expires after 30 days, so it’s important to ensure you have a saved copy before this date.

What skills do I need to complete the course?

To complete this course, you'll need skills in:

  1. English language, literacy, and numeracy
  2. Computer use
  3. Independent study
How many final exam attempts do I have?

You have unlimited attempts to write the exam, unless you are suspected of cheating. If you are found to have cheated during your exam, then you will be removed from the course and will need to re-enrol and pay for a new course.

Does my certificate expire?

Yes, all Food Handler Certificates expire after 5 years.

How does the food handler exam work?

To write the exam you will need:

  • a computer equipped with a webcam and microphone
  • a relatively quiet room with no people nearby
  • no headphones, cell phones, notebooks or paper nearby
  • a piece of Government issued photo ID

When you click on 'Begin Final Exam' you will be connected to a proctor. When they’re satisfied that exam conditions are met, you may begin. 

The proctor will observe you throughout the exam using the webcam on your computer. Headphones, notes, external monitors, cell phones and people assisting you are not permitted. You will not be allowed to talk to others, leave the room or take notes.

Is my Food Handler Certificate accepted in every Canadian province?

The CIFS Food Handler Certification course is approved and accepted by all provinces and territories in Canada.

Whether you need Food Handler training to start a restaurant in Toronto, work at a hotel in Vancouver, or volunteer at a soup kitchen in Winnipeg, you can register for the CIFS Food Handler Certification Course.

The course is available online, so you can take it anywhere at a time that suits you best, and be sure that your certificate will be accepted throughout Canada.

Is the course 100% online?

Yes, the Food Handler Certification course is 100% online and accessible 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

You complete all of the lessons and quizzes online. Your final assessment is an online test that you are observed completing by a Certified Proctor via a webcam on your computer.

There's no need to visit any classrooms or exam centers when you complete a CIFS course.

What are the course requirements?

Prerequisites
There are no prerequisites for this course.

Technical requirements
You can access your course on any device (with internet access) including your:

  • smartphone
  • tablet
  • laptop
  • computer

To complete your exam you will need a computer or laptop with a webcam. You will also need:

  • a modern browser (available as a free download)
  • an email address
  • Adobe PDF Reader (available as a free download) or Adobe Acrobat
How long does the course take?

The lessons and quizzes take most people around 8 to 10 hours to complete.

This can vary depending on your food handling experience, English language skills and computer literacy.

You don’t need to complete the whole course at once – you can start and stop as often as you need. The course software will remember where you’re up to and will prompt you to resume where you left off.

The final exam works slightly differently. A certified proctor will supervise your exam remotely via a webcam on your computer – there’s no need to book in advance as sessions are available 7 days/week.

You have 30 days from the date of enrolment to complete the course in its entirety, including the final exam.

Does my course expire?

Yes, you have 30 days from your date of enrolment to complete your final exam.

To view your course expiry date, please navigate to your ‘My Courses’ tab located on your main dashboard.

Once your course expires you will lose access to write your exam.

For the HACCP Food Safety Plan Kit, you also have 30 days to access the kit.

How do I renew my Food Handler Certification?

Depending on the province or territory, Food Handler Certification renewal is required or recommended every five years.

The CIFS Food Handler Certification course is approved and accepted Canada-wide. Food Handlers can renew their certification by registering for the CIFS Food Handler course.

Do you accommodate students with special needs?

We’ve designed our course to try and accommodate for as many requirements as possible.

The course materials are delivered via interactive lessons, via audio and also via downloadable course notes. We’ve done this to try and make the course accessible for students with disabilities, or with language/literacy needs.

Once enrolled into the course, students are also able to interact with a qualified food safety trainer via email or telephone. If other tools such as video conferencing are required, this can be arranged.

Please contact us with any concerns and we’ll do our best to accommodate any special requirements.

More questions? We're here to help.

Have more questions about the course or the certification process? Our knowledgeable support team are here to assist. 
 

Call our support team on 1 800-505-9145

Enrol in less than 30 seconds

Ready to Get Started?

With CIFS you'll find the whole process smooth and easy.