Purpose

Ontario recognizes drinking water operator, wastewater operator and water quality analyst certificates from other jurisdictions. There are options for applicants from other Canadian provinces and territories, and the United States (U.S.) to be certified in Ontario, including those available under labour mobility rules, reciprocity agreements, and experience equivalency.

Context

Ontario’s recognition of drinking water and wastewater operator and water quality analyst (WQA) certificates from other jurisdictions is based on labour mobility frameworks and certification standards:

  • Reciprocity: Under the Canadian Free Trade Agreement, Ontario recognizes certificates from other Canadian provinces and territories (except Quebec), after verification of the certificate’s validity and the applicant’s good standing. This practice promotes labour mobility across Canada. Ontario will also recognize certificates from U.S. states if certain criteria are met.
  • “As of Right” (Deemed Certification): Under the Ontario Labour Mobility Act, 2009 and Ontario Regulation 199/25: Deemed Certification, eligible operators and WQAs from Canadian jurisdictions can work in Ontario for up to 6 months provided they submit required documentation. Find more information on Ontario labour mobility here: Labour mobility between provinces and territories
  • Water Professionals International (WPI): All Canadian provinces and territories (except Quebec) and many U.S. states are members of WPI and follow their certification model, which uses standardized exams, education and experience qualifications. This alignment supports streamlined labour mobility between member jurisdictions.
  • Experience Equivalency: Used when certificates cannot be recognized through reciprocity, such as those from Quebec or jurisdictions that do not follow the WPI certification model, because their certification model or qualifications differ significantly from those of Ontario. In these cases, the applicant’s experience is assessed against Ontario certification standards. These applicants must also pass Ontario certification exams.

Ministry policy

Reciprocity Under the Canadian Free Trade Agreement

Ontario will accept the certificate of an operator or water quality analyst from a province or territory and issue the comparable Ontario certificate or licence in accordance with the Canadian Free Trade Agreement.

If an operator or WQA applies for Reciprocity in Ontario and their out-of-province certificate is subject to terms, conditions, or limitations, the comparable Ontario certificate or licence issued will be subject to equivalent terms, conditions, or limitations. Where Ontario does not impose equivalent terms, conditions, or limitations, the Reciprocity application cannot be approved.

Process and documents required

A person wishing to have their certificate recognized under the Canadian Free Trade Agreement must:

The Certification Program Administrator, who administers Ontario’s Drinking Water and Wastewater Operator Certification Program will:

  • obtain written verification from the originating province or territory’s regulatory authority that the:
    • out-of-province certificate is valid, and whether it is subject to any terms, conditions or limitations
    • operator or water quality analyst is in good standing

The application will be processed within 30 days of the successful submission of the complete application form and fee.

“As of Right”

Under the Ontario Labour Mobility Act, 2009, if certified drinking water and wastewater operators or WQAs from other Canadian provinces or territories apply to the ministry and provide the necessary documentation they can receive a “Notice of Receipt” and then be “deemed certified” to work in Ontario for a maximum of one, 6-month period based on their certificate or licence from another Canadian province or territory.

If an operator or WQA applies for deemed certification under “As of Right” in Ontario and their out-of-province certificate is subject to terms, conditions, or limitations, their deemed certification will be subject to equivalent terms, conditions, or limitations. Where Ontario does not impose equivalent terms, conditions, or limitations on certificates and licences, the operator or WQA is not eligible for “As of Right” deemed certification.

Process and documents required

A person wishing to be deemed certified through “As of Right” must:

The Certification Program Administrator who administers Ontario’s Drinking Water and Wastewater Certification Program will:

  • obtain written verification from the originating province or territory’s regulatory authority that the:
    • out-of-province certificate is valid, and whether it is subject to any terms, conditions or limitations
    • operator or water quality analyst is in good standing

The application will be processed within 10 business days of the successful submission of the complete application form.

If the operator or WQA meets all requirements, they will be provided with a Notice of Receipt confirming they are deemed certified in Ontario. The applicant can work in Ontario for up to 6 months starting from the date of the notice.

During the deemed certification period, the operator is treated as a certified or licenced operator, and is subject to all the obligations, laws and enforcement processes that apply to an Ontario operator of the same type and class.

To continue working as an operator in Ontario at the end of the 6-month period, the operator must apply for an Ontario certificate or licence through reciprocity (see Reciprocity Under the Canadian Free Trade Agreement section). The application processing timeline for a Reciprocity application is 30 calendar days. Therefore, it is recommended that the completed Reciprocity application is submitted at least 30 days prior to the expiry date of the six-month deemed certification period.

Out-of-province certificate and notice of receipt to be displayed

The owner or operating authority of a drinking water subsystem or wastewater facility must clearly display the out-of-province certificate together with the notice of receipt of every operator deemed certified under “As of Right” they employ, at the person’s workplace or at the premises from which the subsystem or facility is managed.

Applicants from Quebec

As Quebec does not issue drinking water operator certificates, wastewater operator licences, or WQA certificates that are comparable to those issued in Ontario, they are not recognized through reciprocity. Instead, Quebec operators or WQAs can become certified in Ontario through an assessment of their experience while working in Quebec (experience equivalency), and their education and training. They must also pass the certification exam for the type and class of certificate they are requesting.

Experience Equivalency

A person wishing to have their drinking water operator experience from Quebec or jurisdictions that do not follow the WPI certification model considered for an Ontario certificate must:

  • Complete the Drinking Water Certificate and Wastewater Licence Application form (2136E). They must have an authorized representative of the owner or operating authority of the system in which they worked verify the experience they gainedsecure in by signing the appropriate section of the form. Alternatively, experience can be verified by the certifying body by having the certification body sign the form in the place provided.
  • Submit a copy of their out-of-province certificate.
  • Pay the appropriate fee.

The Certification Program Administrator, who administers Ontario’s Drinking Water and Wastewater Operator Certification Program will:

  • obtain written verification from Quebec that the person’s certificate is valid and that to their knowledge, the operator is in good standing

Drinking water operators who obtained an Ontario certificate through reciprocity may apply to upgrade to a higher-class certificate using experience they gained outside Ontario. This out of province experience will be reviewed against Ontario’s certification standards to determine its Ontario equivalent. Any experience found to be comparable will be applied toward the experience qualifications for the class of certificate being requested.

Applicants from the U.S.

Ontario will recognize certificates from operators or WQA from the U.S. if the state is a member of the WPI, and if the state provides the same recognition to operators and WQAs from Ontario.

A person wishing to have their certificate recognized must:

  • complete the Reciprocity Application section of the Drinking Water Certificate and Wastewater Licence Application form (2136E)
  • submit a copy of the certificate they hold and wish to have recognized by Ontario
  • provide the contact information for the state certifying body, including the appropriate contact’s name, phone number and email address
  • pay the appropriate fee

Ontario’s Certification Program Administrator will:

  • obtain written verification from the state that issued the original certificate that the certificate is valid and to the knowledge of the state the operator remains in good standing.
  • obtain written verification from the state that the certificate was obtained by passing a WPI affiliated exam
  • obtain in writing details on the certification program of the state in order to determine how comparable the certificate qualifications are to that of Ontario

Should the certificate qualifications from the state be determined to be equivalent or more rigorous than Ontario’s requirements, the Director may issue an Ontario certificate of the same type and class as held by the applicant.

If the certificate qualifying requirements from the state are determined to be less rigorous than that of Ontario, the Director may issue a certificate of a lower class to the applicant, or a conditional certificate. Where a conditional certificate is issued, the applicant will be required to meet specific conditions, such as completing the training normally required for a certificate of the type and class for which the applicant has been issued conditionally.

Appeals

Appeals apply to reciprocity and experience equivalency certificate applications, and do not apply to “As of Right” applications. Any operator certificate/licence decision made by the Director may be appealed to the Ontario Land Tribunal. Details on appeal rights are included in any letter issued by the Director that denies, suspends or revokes an operator’s certificate/licence.

Contact

For more information, please contact the Ontario Water Wastewater Certification Office.