They all have an online option, as well as in-person seminars you can take (you can find dates and locations for those on the website for the certification you need, and employers and bartending schools sometimes host them.) They can be a little pricey, ranging from $30 for Saskatchewan’s Serve It Right to $89 for Quebec’s Service In Action. In Nova Scotia ( Serve Right), Quebec ( Service In Action), New Brunswick ( It’s Good Business), Saskatchewan ( Serve It Right), and Newfoundland and Labrador (also It’s Good Business), there’s no legally mandatory certification to serve alcohol, but the programs listed above are “recommended,” and employers have a right to ask their bartenders to have them. Some Provinces Don’t Require Certification Instead, you must apply for a new certification in every province which you want to bartend. There is no National Bartender CertificationĬanada does not have a national card which allows you to bartend in all provinces. Here’s a rundown of the certifications you need to serve alcohol in Canada. Whether it’s a legal requirement or up to your employer, the good news is that none of these certifications are particularly difficult or time-consuming-the main issue is just knowing what you need where.
As legal liabilities societal attitudes change, more and more provinces are requiring certifications on responsible alcohol sales for bartenders, managers, and even event staff and liquor store employees.īartending Certifications are Handled by ProvinceĮven where it’s not required by law, potential employers can still ask you to have one. Your drink list may be a masterpiece, you may have taken the best bartending classes around, but you may still not have what you need to get a job. You may pour beers like a champion and change kegs in seconds.