Victoria First Aid a top provider of food safety and sanitation courses in Victoria, British Columbia. If you want to get trained in food safety or need certification for training, you can visit our website. We have an online enrollment form available all day, with requests processed during our regular operating hours. You may also enroll via e-mail, telephone call, and in-person – which ever is most convenient for you.
Courses in FOODSAFE
The FOODSAFE program was created in order to decrease the incidence of foodborne illness in British Columbia. The program, funded by the Ministry of Advanced Education and Labour Market Development, is handled provincially by the British Columbia Center for Disease Control (BCCDC). It is also governed by Food Premises Regulation, a public health act in British Columbia, which makes it available in service providers all over the province.
Victoria First Aid, in accordance with the act, has two levels of food safety available. Both levels focus on the concepts of safety and sanitation in the entire food handling process. The programs range from three hours to twelve hours, with special courses taking up to six months to complete.
- FOODSAFE level 1 ($110) – This is a skill-oriented course targeted at food service workers who directly handle food. It runs for eight hours and is a prerequisite for the second level of food safety training.
- FOODSAFE level 2 ($165)- Unlike the first level, the second level is planning-oriented and targeted towards supervisor staff (managers, owners, executive chefs). It runs for twelve-hours.
- Refreshers – Refresher courses are update courses, focused on the basics and new skills and concepts in food safety. It is three hours long; training fees are available upon request.
- Correspondence training ($85, $110 with an extension) – Correspondence training is targeted at students who work and do not have time for regular classes. Students who take food safety courses by correspondence have to finish the program in six months, or eight months if they apply for an extension.
Certification
If you pass all the examinations in the level you signed up for, you will be awarded with a food safety and sanitation training certificate. These training credentials are valid for five after they are first issued, but are renewable through a refresher course (also available at Victoria First Aid).
Getting started: How can a person become infected by foodborne illness?
Pathogens are the leading cause of foodborne illness (FBI). They are microorganisms that can cause disease and are quite infectious. Through improper food handling, these pathogens can end up on food products that are ingested by consumers. Food handling starts from food preparation and ends in storage and food service. If the food safety guidelines are not followed at any point in the food process, there is a risk that the food is contaminated and unsafe to be sold.
Direct food handlers are the usual culprits of contamination, but the supervisory staff is just as responsible. Planning and management on overall work safety and sanitation have a big role in making food safe to sold in food establishments.