How to get Food Safe and Serving It Right in BC

Q: What do you need to get in?

No prior experience or educational prerequisites required; Minimum 19 years of age to serve or handle liquor in British Columbia; Computer, tablet, or smartphone with internet access for online learning. Some schools ask for more; check the school page.

Food Safe & Serving It Right Certified Hospitality Professional · British Columbia

Handle food safely and serve alcohol responsibly. You need two short online courses and their exams.

How long

1 to 2 days (12 hours total)

Cost

$40 – $171

12 schools

Who licenses it

Ministry of Health & LCRB

🏫Where you can take this: 12 schools

🔥Coast Mountain College 🏔️College of the Rockies 🌊North Island College ❄️Northern Lights College 🍲ADVANCE Continuing Education 🦺Alert First Aid Inc.+ 6 more

THE ROUTE

The route at a glance

STEP 1

Eligibility & Online Registration

Age 19+ for alcohol service, internet access, and registration on official portals.

STEP 2

FOODSAFE Level 1 Training & Exam

8-hour food safety course covering safe food handling, cross-contamination, and sanitation.

STEP 3

Serving It Right (SIR) Responsible Beverage Service

4-hour online curriculum covering BC liquor laws, intoxication prevention, and legal duty of care.

JOB

Certified Hospitality & Food Service Professional

Immediate hiring as restaurant server, bartender, banquet staff, or kitchen cook across BC.

STEP 1

Eligibility & Online Registration

Age 19+ for alcohol service, internet access, and registration on official portals.

STEP 2

FOODSAFE Level 1 Training & Exam

8-hour food safety course covering safe food handling, cross-contamination, and sanitation.

STEP 3

Serving It Right (SIR) Responsible Beverage Service

4-hour online curriculum covering BC liquor laws, intoxication prevention, and legal duty of care.

JOB

Certified Hospitality & Food Service Professional

Immediate hiring as restaurant server, bartender, banquet staff, or kitchen cook across BC.

This is the overview. For the courses to take, the entry rules, the exams and the schools, open the full route.

See the full route, step by step →

THE JOB

What the job is like

Pay and outlook from WorkBC.

Pay

$17.85 – $30.00 / hr$20 median

Job outlook

4,410 forecasted job openings (2025–2035) · 2025–2035

Where the work is

Metro Vancouver, Whistler & Sea-to-Sky corridor, Vancouver Island

What a day looks like

You serve food and drinks to customers in restaurant dining rooms, lively pubs, hotel banquets, and seasonal outdoor patios.

Watch out for

Watch for slippery kitchen and bar floors, hot plates, and recognize signs of alcohol intoxication.

Where it can lead

You can advance to lead bartender or craft mixologist managing beverage programs.

You can also step up to restaurant shift manager or general hospitality director.

Source: WorkBC career profile, NOC 65200

JOBS

Find jobs

Live postings on the big job boards, searched for this job in British Columbia.

Job Board

WorkBC job board

Search “Food Safe & Serving It Right” in BC →

Job Board

Job Bank (Government of Canada)

Search “Food Safe & Serving It Right” in BC →

Job Board

Search “Food Safe & Serving It Right” in BC →

Job Board

Indeed

Search “Food Safe & Serving It Right” in BC →

QUESTIONS & ANSWERS

Common questions

How long does it take to get Food Safe and Serving It Right in BC?

About 1 to 2 days of training. The main steps are eligibility & online registration, FOODSAFE Level 1 training & exam, serving it right (SIR) responsible beverage service, certified hospitality & food service professional.

What do you need to get in?

No prior experience or educational prerequisites required
Minimum 19 years of age to serve or handle liquor in British Columbia
Computer, tablet, or smartphone with internet access for online learning

Some schools ask for more; check the school page.

How much do food and beverage servers make in BC?

The WorkBC median is $20 / hour. Most earn between $17.85 and $30.00 / hour. 4,410 job openings are expected in BC over 2025–2035.

Do you need a licence?

Yes. You register with the BC Ministry of Health (FOODSAFE) & LCRB (Serving It Right). Before that you pass FOODSAFE Level 1 standardized multiple-choice examination (50 questions, 70% passing mark) and Serving It Right online multiple-choice exam (35 questions, 80% passing mark).

WHERE TO TAKE THIS

Approved colleges, universities & providers

Accredited British Columbia institutions offering recognized programs and courses for this career.

Browse all BC institutions

🥗

BC FOODSAFE Program (BCCDC / Open School BC)

Province-Wide / Online · Online / BC-Wide

Safety Ticket / Certification

FOODSAFE Level 1 Food Handling Safety Course

Provincial food safety training program required under the BC Food Premises Regulation, covering temperature control and hygiene.

Duration1 day

FormatOnline / Distance

Est. CostNot published

See the full page: Food Safe and Serving It Right →

Direct Enrolment Portal

🔥

Coast Mountain College

Terrace & Prince Rupert · Interior & North

Safety Ticket / Certification

FOODSAFE Level 1

BCCDC-approved food safety training delivered at Northwest regional campuses covering safe food receiving, preparation, temperature control, and sanitation.

Duration1 day

FormatIn-Person

Est. Cost$171

See the full page: Food Safe and Serving It Right →

Direct Enrolment Portal

🌊

North Island College

Comox Valley, Port Alberni & Campbell River · Vancouver Island

Safety Ticket / Certification

FoodSafe Level I (TFS-010)

Mandatory food handler safety training for food service workers and operators delivered through NIC Continuing Education in Campbell River and Comox Valley.

Duration1 day

FormatIn-Person

Est. Cost$99

See the full page: Food Safe and Serving It Right →

Direct Enrolment Portal

🏔️

College of the Rockies

Cranbrook, Creston, Fernie, Golden & Invermere · Interior & North

Safety Ticket / Certification

FOODSAFE Level 1 (PVPS-101)

Comprehensive 8-hour food safety certification recognized by Interior Health Authority and delivered at Cranbrook and Creston campuses.

Duration1 day

FormatIn-Person

Est. CostNot published

See the full page: Food Safe and Serving It Right →

Direct Enrolment Portal

🍲

ADVANCE Continuing Education

Vancouver, Richmond, Burnaby, Coquitlam & Prince George · Metro Vancouver

Safety Ticket / Certification

FOODSAFE Level 1 Certification Course

Official BCCDC-approved food safety training with weekly class schedules offered in-person across Metro Vancouver and online via live Zoom.

Duration1 day

FormatHybrid

Est. CostNot published

See the full page: Food Safe and Serving It Right →

Direct Enrolment Portal

🦺

Alert First Aid Inc.

Victoria, Nanaimo & Duncan · Vancouver Island

Safety Ticket / Certification

Foodsafe Level 1 Training Course

Official Island Health recognized 1-day food handling course covering foodborne disease prevention, hygiene, and safe cooking temperatures in Victoria and Nanaimo.

Duration1 day

FormatIn-Person

Est. Cost$99

See the full page: Food Safe and Serving It Right →

Direct Enrolment Portal

🛡️

Mainland Safety Training Company

Surrey, Abbotsford, Langley, Richmond & Chilliwack · Metro Vancouver

Safety Ticket / Certification

FOODSAFE Level 1 Training Course

Interactive classroom training program meeting BC Food Premises Regulation requirements, with multiple weekly dates across Surrey, Richmond, and Abbotsford.

Duration1 day

FormatIn-Person

Est. CostNot published

See the full page: Food Safe and Serving It Right →

Direct Enrolment Portal

🧼

Prosafe Training

Surrey, Richmond, Burnaby, Abbotsford & Langley · Metro Vancouver

Safety Ticket / Certification

Foodsafe Level 1 Course

BCCDC-mandated food handlers course covering foodborne pathogen control, proper sanitizing protocols, and personal hygiene in Surrey, Burnaby, and Richmond.

Duration1 day

FormatIn-Person

Est. Cost$95

See the full page: Food Safe and Serving It Right →

Direct Enrolment Portal

📚

Super Study Learning Center

Surrey · Metro Vancouver

Safety Ticket / Certification

FOODSAFE Level 1 Course Training

Comprehensive 8-hour classroom food safety workshop held in Surrey, preparing workers for mandatory provincial food service hygiene certification.

Duration1 day

FormatIn-Person

Est. CostNot published

See the full page: Food Safe and Serving It Right →

Direct Enrolment Portal

❄️

Northern Lights College

Dawson Creek & Fort St. John · Interior & North

Safety Ticket / Certification

FOODSAFE Level 1 (In-Person)

BCCDC-mandated food safety certification delivered at Northern Lights College campuses covering food storage, bacterial pathogen control, and sanitation standards.

Duration1 day

FormatIn-Person

Est. Cost$169

See the full page: Food Safe and Serving It Right →

Direct Enrolment Portal

📦

go2HR (Distance Education)

Province-Wide · Online / BC-Wide

Safety Ticket / Certification

FOODSAFE Level 1 Distance Education (Offline Package)

Official distance learning course kit containing print workbook, study guide, and instructions for proctored examination invigilation across British Columbia.

Duration8–10 hours

FormatOnline / Distance

Est. Cost$115

See the full page: Food Safe and Serving It Right →

Direct Enrolment Portal

🍷

Responsible Service BC (go2HR)

Vancouver & Online across BC · Online / BC-Wide

Safety Ticket / Certification

Serving It Right (SIR) Certification

Mandatory responsible beverage service certification administered by Responsible Service BC under the Liquor Control and Licensing Act.

Duration4 hours

FormatOnline / Distance

Est. Cost$40

See the full page: Food Safe and Serving It Right →

Direct Enrolment Portal

How to get Food Safe and Serving It Right in BC

The route at a glance

Eligibility & Online Registration

FOODSAFE Level 1 Training & Exam

Serving It Right (SIR) Responsible Beverage Service

Certified Hospitality & Food Service Professional

Eligibility & Online Registration

FOODSAFE Level 1 Training & Exam

Serving It Right (SIR) Responsible Beverage Service

Certified Hospitality & Food Service Professional

What the job is like

Find jobs

WorkBC job board

Job Bank (Government of Canada)

LinkedIn

Indeed

Common questions

How long does it take to get Food Safe and Serving It Right in BC?

What do you need to get in?

How much do food and beverage servers make in BC?

Do you need a licence?

Approved colleges, universities & providers

BC FOODSAFE Program (BCCDC / Open School BC)

FOODSAFE Level 1 Food Handling Safety Course

Coast Mountain College

FOODSAFE Level 1

North Island College

FoodSafe Level I (TFS-010)

College of the Rockies

FOODSAFE Level 1 (PVPS-101)

ADVANCE Continuing Education

FOODSAFE Level 1 Certification Course

Alert First Aid Inc.

Foodsafe Level 1 Training Course

Mainland Safety Training Company

FOODSAFE Level 1 Training Course

Prosafe Training

Foodsafe Level 1 Course

Super Study Learning Center

FOODSAFE Level 1 Course Training

Northern Lights College

FOODSAFE Level 1 (In-Person)

go2HR (Distance Education)

FOODSAFE Level 1 Distance Education (Offline Package)

Responsible Service BC (go2HR)

Serving It Right (SIR) Certification