Food Handler Certification Program

The Haldimand-Norfolk Health Unit offers food handler certification courses and exams in Haldimand and Norfolk counties to help promote safe food handling within the food service industry.

Food poisoning can seriously damage your establishment’s reputation and directly affect your business. Learning and adapting the skills taught in this course will help protect your business and the health of your customers.

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Course Description

This full-day course is designed to help familiarize staff with safe food handling practices and skills that ensure food is stored, prepared, and served in a manner that complies with the Food Premises Regulation under the Health Protection and Promotion Act.

At the end of the course, participants will write a food safety certification exam. Those individuals who successfully pass the exam will receive a Food Handler Certificate from the Haldimand-Norfolk Health Unit that is valid for five years. This certificate is recognized by the Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care and other Health Units in Ontario. Those who wish to study independently may challenge the Health Unit food safety certification exam without taking the full-day course. See below for a list of ‘exam only’ dates and locations.

Two online food handler courses are also available at www.ingoodhands.ca or www.foodsafetytraining.ca. When completing either course you will complete the exam online using a webcam.

Click here to view a Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care (MOHLTC) list of food handler training programs deemed equivalent to the training and certification offered by local public health units as an alternative option.

Registration and Payment

Submission of completed form and payment made in-person will reserve your spot in the chosen course/exam. Please do not mail or email registration forms and/or payment due to limited spots available. Registration fees are non-refundable one week prior to the course/exam. Please make cheques payable to “Grand Erie Public Health”. We accept cash, credit and debit payment in the office.

The Food Handler Certification Program is taught in English only. Upon request, exams can be provided in French, Chinese, Arabic, Punjabi, Spanish and Russian. Please indicate your language choice in the form below. Upon successfully completing the exam, each participant will receive a Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care certificate which is valid for five (5) years. The passing mark is 70%. If unsuccessful in achieving the minimum mark of 70%, the participant will be allowed one re-write free of charge (Full Course ONLY). Please bring a piece of Government issued ID to the course/exam.

Please note, if we did not meet the minimum number of attendees, GEPH reserves the right to cancel in-person courses and exams. For further assistance, please contact the Grand Erie Public Health at 519-426-6170 ext. 3477 or [email protected].

Download the 2025 Food Handler Course Registration Form

Full Course Dates

Simcoe HNHU Office- 185 Robinson St. Suite 200	Dunnville 117 Forest St. East
Thursday, May 8, 2025	Tuesday, April 15, 2025
Thursday, July 17, 2025	Tuesday, June 10, 2025
Tuesday, September 16, 2025	Thursday, August 14, 2025
Thursday, November 6, 2025	Tuesday, October 7, 2025
	Tuesday, December 16, 2025

Exam Only Dates

Simcoe HNHU Office- 185 Robinson St. Suite 200	Dunnville 117 Forest St. East
Tuesday, May 27, 2025	Thursday, April 24, 2025
Tuesday, July 29, 2025	Thursday, June 26, 2025
Tuesday, September 23, 2025	Tuesday, August 26, 2025
Tuesday, November 18, 2025	Tuesday, October 28, 2025
	Tuesday, December 23, 2025