How to become a public and environmental health and safety professional
Official title: Public and environmental health and safety professionals
Also called: Environmental officer, Public safety advisor, Public safety officer, Public health inspector, Public safety consultant, Public safety specialist, Public safety coordinator, Health standards inspector, Environmental health officer, Environmental safety advisor, Environmental safety officer, Public health unit supervisor
Public and environmental health and safety professionals review, evaluate and monitor public health and environmental safety hazards and develop strategies to prevent, control and eliminate disease and environmental impact caused by biological and chemical factors. They inspect restaurants, industrial establishments, municipal water systems, public facilities and institutions to ensure compliance with government regulations regarding sanitation, pollution control and the handling and storage of hazardous substances. They are employed throughout the public and private sectors.
Main tasks
- Inspect the sanitary conditions of restaurants, hotels, schools, hospitals and other public facilities or institutions
- Conduct surveys and monitoring programs of the natural environment to identify sources of pollution
- Collect biological and chemical samples and specimens for analysis; measure physical, biological and chemical; and conduct safety and environmental audits
- Investigate health and safety related complaints, spills of hazardous chemicals, outbreaks of diseases or poisonings
- Inspect workplaces to ensure that equipment, materials and production processes do not present environmental hazards to the environment or a health and safety hazard to employees or to the general public
- Lead the development and the implementation of public safety and environmental health and safety programs and strategies to mitigate risk and optimize the general public and worker's health and safety and environmental protection
- Initiate enforcement procedures to fine or to close an establishment contravening municipal, provincial or federal regulations
- Provide consultation and deliver training programs to employers, employees and the general public on issues of public health, environmental protection or workplace safety
How to become one
A bachelor's degree in a discipline such as food science, environmental studies, chemistry or health and safety is usually required. Public health inspectors employed outside Quebec require certification with the Canadian Institute of Public Health Inspectors. Environmental health and safety professionals may require certification with the Board of Canadian Registered Safety Professionals (BCRSP).
Ways in
- University: Health & Public Health degrees, Offered by 16 universities in Canada
Pay · Outlook
- Median pay: $87,750 a year The middle half earn $70,200 to $99,996.
- About 12,100 people worked in this job in 2023, and about 13,300 are projected by 2033. (+9.9%)
- Projected labour market to 2033: balance.
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Questions people ask
How do I become a public and environmental health and safety professional?
A bachelor's degree in a discipline such as food science, environmental studies, chemistry or health and safety is usually required. Public health inspectors employed outside Quebec require certification with the Canadian Institute of Public Health Inspectors. Environmental health and safety professionals may require certification with the Board of Canadian Registered Safety Professionals (BCRSP).
How much does a public and environmental health and safety professional earn in Canada?
Median full-time pay is $87,750 a year (Employment and Social Development Canada (Job Bank)). The middle half earn $70,200 to $99,996.
Is a public and environmental health and safety professional a growing career in Canada?
Yes. Employment is projected to grow 10% by 2033, from about 12,100 to about 13,300 people (Employment and Social Development Canada).
Do you need a degree to become a public and environmental health and safety professional?
Not always. 59% of people in this job hold a bachelor's degree or higher. Ways in include: Health & Public Health degrees.
Sources
- Statistics Canada: Census 2021: employment by occupation, gender and education (98-10-0449) (2021 Census), Statistics Canada Open Licence, retrieved 2026-10-03
- Statistics Canada: National Occupational Classification (NOC) 2021 (Version 1.0), Open Government Licence - Canada, retrieved 2026-10-03
- Employment and Social Development Canada: Canadian Occupational Projection System (COPS) (2024 to 2033), Open Government Licence - Canada, retrieved 2026-10-03
- Employment and Social Development Canada (Job Bank): Wages by occupation (2025 (revised 2025-11-19)), Open Government Licence - Canada, retrieved 2026-10-03
Updated 2026-10-03