Training and certification

You must be trained and certified to sell, transfer, buy or use certain pesticides in Ontario.

The type of training and/or certification depends on:

  • where you use pesticides (e.g., on a commercial farm or as part of an extermination business)
  • what kind of pesticides you use or sell – refer to Guide of Pesticide Classes

Most pesticides training and certification is offered through the University of Guelph, Ridgetown Campus.

For more information, contact the university by:

Most certification and training must be renewed every 5 years.

Farmers

If you are a commercial farmer, you must pass the Grower Pesticide Safety Course  to become a Certified Farmer and/or to use Class B or C pesticides on your farm.

A Grower Pesticide Safety Course Certificate is not required to purchase or use Class D pesticides on your own farm or a farm you operate on a regular basis.

To be certified, you need to:

  • take a 1-day course and
  • pass a 2-part exam.

The University of Guelph delivers this training and administers the exam.

For the purchase of Class E (neonicotinoid-treated corn and soybean seeds), please refer to the Neonicotinoid rules for growers webpage.

For more information, refer to the certified farmers section of the Guide to Pesticide Licensing.

Train farm assistants

If you employ farm assistants, you also need to complete a half-day course that qualifies you to train farm assistants in pesticide safety.

Farm assistants

All farm assistants who use Class B or Class C pesticides must be trained and supervised.

Farm assistants include:

  • family members
  • farm employees
  • seasonal workers

You can get pesticides training as a farm assistant in 2 ways:

  1. attend the Grower Pesticide Safety Course and do not write the exam
  2. attend an on-farm training session presented by a qualified assistant instructor
    • qualified assistant instructors are Certified Farmers who have taken the half-day course to become a qualified assistant instructor

For more information, refer to the Supervised and assistant farmers section of the Guide to Pesticide Licensing.

Sell pesticides – vendors

If you have a general class vendors licence, you must ensure that at least one employee that works full time at the sales outlet covered by the licence is certified to sell pesticides.

To be certified, you need to:

The University of Guelph delivers this training and administers the exam.

For more information, refer to the Vendor licences section of the Guide to Pesticide Licensing.

Pesticide spills

In the event of any fire, accident, spill, or theft that may result in the release of a pesticide into the environment, you must immediately notify:

Spills Action Centre
1-800-268-6060

Report pollution and spills