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About the exam
FOODSAFE Level 1 is British Columbia's food handler training program, and under section 10 of the Food Premises Regulation every operator of a food service establishment must hold the certificate or an equivalent. The passing grade is 70%, and the certificate is valid for 5 years.
FOODSAFE is an initiative of the Province of British Columbia under the Ministry of Health's Food Safety Team, with courses developed using guidance from the BC Centre for Disease Control (BCCDC) and the regional health authorities (foodsafe.ca). ExamHub is an independent study resource and is not affiliated with FOODSAFE, the Ministry of Health, the BCCDC or Open School BC. Our free practice bank has 150 questions across five topic areas, listed below.
In Québec, managers of food establishments take a separate MAPAQ manager course, with its own MAPAQ manager practice test.
Quick facts
As of 5 Nov 2026, from foodsafe.ca, Open School BC and the Food Premises Regulation (sources at the bottom of this page).
What's covered
Sample Questions
Here are sample questions from our complete 150-question bank, showing core food safety concepts covered in FOODSAFE Level 1.
Frequently Asked Questions
Every operator of a food service establishment must hold a FOODSAFE certificate or its equivalent. Section 10(1) of the BC Food Premises Regulation says: "Every operator of a food service establishment must hold a certificate for the successful completion of the food handler training program known as FOODSAFE or its equivalent." The regulation says "operator" includes a manager and an owner or lessor of the premises. Source: Food Premises Regulation, B.C. Reg. 210/99, sections 10 and 1 (bclaws.gov.bc.ca, consolidation current to 3 Nov 2026).
The regulation does not require every worker to hold the certificate. Section 10(2) says the operator must ensure that, while the operator is absent, at least one employee present in the establishment holds it. The regulation does not use the word "shift"; foodsafe.ca reads it as at least one person on each shift holding a valid FOODSAFE Level 1 certificate or an approved equivalent, and notes that many employers require all staff to hold one. Check your employer's policy. Sources: bclaws.gov.bc.ca (Food Premises Regulation, section 10) and foodsafe.ca/recertify.html.
The online final exam is 50 multiple choice questions, and foodsafe.ca lists a passing grade of 70% for online, in-class and distance Level 1, which is 35 of 50 on a 50-question exam. The 50-question count comes from Open School BC's online course page; the pages we checked do not state the question count for the in-class or distance exam. Sources: openschool.bc.ca/foodsafe_level1 and foodsafe.ca/faq.html (checked 5 Nov 2026).
The online course is $69 and the distance education course is $115; classroom and videoconference fees are set by each course provider. foodsafe.ca lists the online fee at $69 (its FAQ gives fees excluding taxes) and the distance education fee at $115, which includes the workbook, activity book, USB video resource, exam materials, certificate and shipping. Prices as of 5 Nov 2026. Sources: foodsafe.ca/courses/level-1.html and foodsafe.ca/faq.html.
The classroom and videoconference courses take 7-8 hours (one day for the classroom course). The online course can take anywhere from one to twenty days, including the final exam; Open School BC lists about 7 hours of content and 20 days of access. Distance education learners have up to 6 months. Sources: foodsafe.ca/courses/level-1.html and openschool.bc.ca/foodsafe_level1 (checked 5 Nov 2026).
Yes. The online Level 1 course ends with a proctored online final exam. Open School BC says it requires a desktop or laptop (mobile devices are not supported), a webcam and microphone, and government-issued photo ID to create your proctoring account, and that your webcam video, microphone audio and screen activity are recorded to verify identity and exam integrity. The online course and exam are in English only. Sources: openschool.bc.ca/foodsafe_level1 and foodsafe.ca/courses/level-1.html (checked 5 Nov 2026).
Yes, in person. foodsafe.ca lists a French workbook, and the in-person exam is offered in unilingual English or French as well as in bilingual versions in several other languages. The online course and exam are English only. Tell your course provider ahead of time; extra fees may apply for workbooks in other languages. Source: foodsafe.ca/courses/level-1.html (checked 5 Nov 2026).
A FOODSAFE Level 1 certificate is valid for 5 years after it is issued, and the expiry date is shown on your certificate. To renew it, see the Refresher question below. Source: foodsafe.ca/faq.html (checked 5 Nov 2026).
The Refresher is the online recertification course from Open School BC; foodsafe.ca lists it at $55 (excluding taxes) with a passing grade of 80%. Only people with a valid, non-expired FOODSAFE Level 1 certificate can register, and you must register before the certificate expires. Once it has expired you must take the full Level 1 course (in person, online or by distance education). A valid holder can also recertify by retaking the full course. Sources: foodsafe.ca/faq.html and foodsafe.ca/recertify.html (checked 5 Nov 2026).
In part. foodsafe.ca says FOODSAFE meets the food safety training requirements of New Brunswick, Saskatchewan, the Northwest Territories, Nova Scotia, Manitoba and Yukon. Alberta recognizes the combination of FOODSAFE Level 1 and Level 2 as equivalent to its food handler requirement, and FOODSAFE materials are also used in Ontario and Prince Edward Island (the page does not say those provinces formally recognize it). Confirm with your local health authority. Inside BC, the BC Centre for Disease Control (BCCDC) determines which other courses are equivalent. Sources: foodsafe.ca/outside-bc.html and foodsafe.ca/faq.html (checked 5 Nov 2026).
Sources
Checked 5 Nov 2026. Always confirm current details with the official pages.