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Alberta Supports Contact Centre

Toll Free 1-877-644-9992

Engineering, Architecture, Science and Technology

Pesticide Applicator and Dispenser

Pesticide applicators use pesticides (chemicals) as part of their paid employment to control pests such as weeds, diseases, or destructive insects or animals.

Pesticide dispensers sell and store pesticides as part of their paid employment.

Contact

Environment and Protected Areas Outreach Services
Government of Alberta
9th Floor, South Petroleum Plaza
9920 - 108 Street
Edmonton, Alberta  T5K 2G8
Canada

Call: 780-944-0313
Toll-free in Canada: 1-877-944-0313
Email: aep.outreach-services@gov.ab.ca
Website: alberta.ca/using-pesticides-pesticide-training.aspx

Legislation

Under Alberta’s Environmental Protection and Enhancement Act [pdf] and Pesticide (Ministerial) Regulation [pdf], to apply a commercial-class pesticide such as insecticide, herbicide, or fungicide, you must be one of the following:

  • A commercial agriculturalist (farmer)
  • A certified pesticide applicator
  • Supervised by someone who is certified

To sell pesticides, you must be a certified dispenser. There are 2 types of dispensers in Alberta:

  • Lawn and garden pesticide dispensers, who sell domestic-class pesticides
  • Commercial dispensers, who sell domestic, commercial, and restricted-class pesticides

What You Need

Certification for applicators and dispensers requires successful completion of an exam. Individuals may become certified in 1 or more applicator classes.

For details about certification, contact the Government of Alberta or visit the Government of Alberta website.

A preparatory course is available through home study materials or classroom tutorials. For more information, visit the Lakeland College website.

Working in Alberta

Pesticide applicators and dispensers may be certified by and in good standing with regulatory bodies elsewhere in Canada. If so, they may be eligible for certification in Alberta if their scope of practice and competencies are similar.

For more information, see What if I am already certified in another province or territory in Canada? and the Government of Alberta website.

The certification information in this profile may change at any time and without notice. Before making any career decisions, we advise you to contact the regulatory organization or visit their website for the most updated information.

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