Board of Certification

** Important Notice for BOC candidates - Fee Increase Effective December 2009

Results from 2008 Employer Survey on Oral Exam and Written Report Content

• Canadian Institute of Public Health Inspectors (CIPHI)
  Board of Certification Oral Examination Content Guide Review
  Employer Survey (PDF file)
  
• Canadian Institute of Public Health Inspectors (CIPHI)
  Board of Certification (BOC) Written Examination Component Review
  Employer Survey (PDF file)

In 1935 the Canadian Public Health Association established qualifications for inspectors relating to post secondary school education and technical training, and conducted examinations for Certification, awarding a Certificate in Sanitary Inspection. In 1963 there was a change in designation from Sanitary Inspector to Public Health Inspector.

The Certificate in Public Health Inspection (Canada) is recognized by the departments of health and other agencies in Canada as evidence of satisfactory training. In the establishment and conduct of certification, the Association had the co-operation and assistance of Federal, Provincial and local Health Authorities and the Canadian Institute of Public Health Inspectors.

In the discharge of its responsibilities, the Canadian Public Health Association appointed a national committee, the committee on the Certification of Sanitary Inspectors (now the Board of Certification of Public Health Inspectors) with representatives of Federal, Provincial and local Health Authorities and the Canadian Institute of Public Health Inspectors.

Certificate in Public Health Inspection (Canada)

The Certificate in Public Health Inspection (Canada), CPHI(C), is granted by the Canadian Institute of Public Health Inspectors to those candidates who fulfill the requirements set forth in the Regulations Respecting the Certificate in Public Health Inspection (Canada) and Governing the Board of Certification of Public Health Inspectors.

This Certificate is a certificate of qualification and is intended to meet the needs of the provinces, municipalities, federal government, and other employers of qualified Public Health Inspectors.

Education

Candidates must hold a degree in a program of instruction approved by the Board of Certification. The following institutions provide programs which are currently approved:

• Ryerson University, Toronto, ON
• British Columbia Institute of Technology, Burnaby, BC
• Concordia University College of Alberta, Edmonton, AB
• University College of Cape Breton, Sydney, NS
  • NB Community College - Bathurst, Bathurst, NB
• First Nations University of Canada, Regina, SK

Candidates who received a degree outside Canada must apply to the Board in advance and pay a fee of CDN$650 to have their academic transcripts reviewed for equivalencies. If full equivalency is granted by the BOC, 12 weeks of field training are required. If courses are lacking they must be obtained (usually from a BOC approved Institution). The $650 must be submitted with all applications. Equivalencies will not be reviewed without submission of the application fee. See FAQ's above for more information.

Practical Experience

In order to be eligible to sit the Examination to obtain the Certificate in Public Health Inspection (Canada), every candidate must satisfactorily complete a twelve (12) week minimum practicum in the basic inspection programs. This practicum must be coordinated by a qualified person who holds the CPHI(C) at the supervisory level of the agency where the practicum is to take place.

Similar field training requirements apply to Canadian Forces qualified candidates. International candidates who are granted full equivalency by the BOC, are also required to complete 12 weeks of field training.

Certification Documents

All of the documents required to apply for certification are now here on-line. This will be more convenient for applicants, and will save on printing and mailing costs for the Institute and the Board of Certification. This is the most recent edition of the certification package, updated and released in January, 2009. You need to obtain and print out all of the documents to have the complete certification information package. The files are in Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF). Either click on each file's name, or download the whole package in one zip file. For more info on how to view and print Adobe PDF files, see below.

• Candidate Information & Instructions (revised January 2010) - candinf10.pdf
• Examination Application Form (revised January 2010) - forma.pdf
• Report on Practicum - formc.pdf
• Certification of Practicum - formd.pdf
• Documentation of Written Inspection Reports - forme.pdf
• Evaluation Form - formf.pdf (revised March 2010)
• Practicum Training Commencement Form - formg.pdf
• Guide for Completion of the Trainee Evaluation Form - formfguide.pdf (new March 2010)
• Instructional Objectives and Guidelines for the Interpretation of Form C - guidelin.pdf
• Payment Method Form - form-payment.pdf
• BOC Practicum Guideline - bocpracticumguide.pdf (revised March 2010)
• BOC Refund Policy - bocrefundpolicy.pdf
  

  OR

• Complete certification package in one ZIP file - certify.zip

  Please note that "Form B - Release of Marks" is no longer included in the document package. Candidates must now submit their own official transcripts to the BOC. Please see the Candidate Information & Instructions document for further details.

  You will need a program such as WinZip to unpack this file. All the above forms are included in this package.

Applicants Repeating the Certification Exam

• Information for candidates repeating both the oral & written portions of the exam - bocrepeatboth.pdf
• Information for candidates repeating only the oral portion of the exam - bocrepeatoral.pdf
• Information for candidates repeating only the written portion of the exam - bocrepeatwritten.pdf

Examination Dates

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q: How do I become a Certified Public Health Inspector (Canada)?

A: There are three steps in this process.

• You must satisfy the educational requirements set by the Board of Certification
• You must complete a 12 week practicum at an agency acceptable to the Board of Certification
• You must pass the BOC certification exam that consists of an oral exam and two written reports.

Further details on these requirements can be found in the Candidate Information Package.

Q. Is there a document that outlines what the 12-week long practicum is all about, detailing the roles and responsibilities of both the trainee and the training agency?

A. Yes, it's called the BOC Practicum Guideline. It can be downloaded (in Adobe PDF format) by clicking on the title, and is essential reading for the anyone involved in the practicum process.

Q. Where can I go to get the education required to become a PHI?

A. There are 5 educational institutions in Canada accredited by the Board of Certification.

• Ryerson University, Toronto, ON
• British Columbia Institute of Technology, Burnaby, BC
• Concordia University College of Alberta, Edmonton, AB
• Cape Breton University, Sydney, NS
  • NB Community College – Bathurst, Bathurst, NB
• First Nations University of Canada, Regina, SK

Q. When are the upcoming exam dates?

A. April 20, 2010 - October 19, 2010 - April 19, 2011 - October 18, 2011

Q. My PHI/EHO education and/or qualifications were obtained outside of Canada. How do I become a Certified Public Health Inspector (Canada)?

A.  This process is guided by Administrative Policy #8.  This policy was revised in November 2009 and can be downloaded here. For more information on how to apply please contact  the CIPHI office at 1-888- 245- 8180 or office@ciphi.ca.

Q. Why is there no Form B in the Candidate Information Package?

A. Form B was the "Release of Marks Form". As of January 2009, the BOC is no longer accepting this form. Candidates must now submit their own transcripts to the BOC. Please see the Candidate Information & Instructions document for further details.

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