Food Handler Training

Happy male cook wearing apron standing by kitchen counter preparing food.

Obtain your Food Handler Certification by learning how to handle and prepare food safely according to the Food Premises Regulation. All food premises, including special event vendors, are required to have at least one certified food handler on site during hours of operation.

Effective January 2024, the HKPR District Health Unit will discontinue our in-person food handler training courses. However, alternative options remain available through our self study and exam challenge opportunities. If you are seeking live instruction, in-person training is provided in partnership with Fleming College or through other commercial programs listed below.

Food Handler Certificate Training

Food handler courses teach participants how to handle and prepare food safely, which is a regulatory requirement under the Food Premises Regulation. The Food Handler Certification is valid for five years.

During the course, students will learn:

The role of the Public Health Inspector and Public Health legislation.
About bacteria that can cause illness.
How to prevent foodborne illness.
Personal hygiene, premises sanitation, and pest control practices within food premises.
Food allergens and food recalls.

Register for the training option below that meets your needs.

Exam Challenge

If you have been previously certified, received training from a third party or have at least two (2) years experience in the food industry, you are eligible to complete the exam without a designated study period. A free copy of the study material is available online in English and French to if you wish to review the materials beforehand. Register to complete the certification exam at one of our Health Unit Offices.

Registration Fee: $30.00 (cash only)
Pre-registration and payment required.
In-person certification exam.

Locations

Port Hope Office: 200 Rose Glen Road
Lindsay Office: 108 Angeline Street South
Haliburton Office: 191 Highland Street, Unit 301

In-Person

In-person Food Handler Certification learning options are offered in partnership with Fleming College.

For a list of other recognized Food Handler Training and Certification programs with the Ministry of Health click here.

Online

In Good Hands: Food Safety Training (Online)

Developed by Public Health Inspectors from the Thunder Bay District Health Unit, this online course offers everyone living in Ontario easy access to a Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care recognized food handler certification. Learn at your own pace at a time and location that is convenient for you. Use your mobile device. Take the exam online when you are ready.

Self Study

Review the Ministry of Health's Provincial Food Handler Training Manual at your own pace and complete the certification exam at one of our Health Unit Offices when you are ready. A print version of the study material is included in the registration fee.

Registration Fee: $42.00 (cash only)
Pre-registration and payment required.
A copy of Food Safety: A Guide for Ontario’s Food Handlers manual will be provided.
Self-directed study and in-person certification exam.

Locations

Port Hope Office: 200 Rose Glen Road
Lindsay Office: 108 Angeline Street South
Haliburton Office: 191 Highland Street, Unit 301

Register for Food Handler Certification

Contact our Environmental Health Department for more information.

To register for the Self Study or Exam Challenge training courses.

Email: inspections@hkpr.on.ca
Phone: 1-866-888-4577 x 5006

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