At the Ontario First Nations Technical Service Corporation (OFNTSC) we employ the Circuit Rider Training Program (CRTP) by utilizing certified operators to give training to operators in First Nation communities.

The use of the CRTP allows operators to receive training within their own communities, reducing the need for downtime and coverage as the operator is generally onsite while receiving training by providing onsite training to all operators in First Nation Communities

The training that is provided consists of Director approved courses that count for Continuing Education Units (CEUs) that are necessary for upgrading and renewing licenses. The use of the CRTP allows operators to receive training within their own communities, reducing the need for downtime and coverage as the operator is generally onsite while receiving training.

At the end of the training, they will obtain a certificate of proof of completion with the allotted CEU hours obtained from the course. OFNTSC will also help maintain and keep track of CEU and OJT hours to ensure operators have the necessary amount when it comes to upgrades or renewals and will work with operators who find they are missing necessary training hours.

Click Here for CEU Approved Courses Provided by OFNTSC

CORE Training for Operators

The Circuit Rider Training Program provides a CORE training package to First Nation communities to further engagement and increase CEU allocation for communities as a stepping stone for operators unsure of what courses to take. The core training will include:

• Plan Reading – 0.4 CEU
• Operate and Maintain Filters – 2.1 CEU
• Controls and Instruments – 1.8 CEU
• Record Keeping – 0.6 CEU
• Acts and Regulations for FN Water and Wastewater Operators – 0.7 CEU
• Intake and Groundwater Wells – 1.2 CEU

This will provide operators who complete the core training plan a total of 6.8 CEU and operators can select courses from our list of Director Approved CEU courses to continue their training and accumulating CEU.

Core Training for Wastewater Facilities     

With the development of WSER (Wastewater Systems Effluent Regulations) and the growing need of ensuring operators are responsible for the treatment of wastewater effluent and that they meet regulations requirement for Safe Drinking Water, OFNTSC and CRTP will be providing a 10 module OJT plan for wastewater facilities as well as core training for CEU as well which includes:

• Plan Reading – 0.4 CEU
• Basic Applied Mathematics for water and wastewater plants – 1.8 CEU
• Record Keeping – 0.6 CEU
• Occupational Health and Safety – 0.8 CEU
• Basic Electricity – 0.9 CEU
• Standard Operating Procedure, Flow Charting, Logbooks – 0.7 CEU
• Emergency Response Planning – 0.7 CEU

Facility Classification

Municipal residential drinking water subsystems and wastewater facilities are required to be classified from a Class 1 to 4 facility. Depending on the complexity of the treatment process, generally the more treatment processes available to a facility the greater the classification of the plant. The importance of a facility classification is that an operator license that can be obtained can be at most one Class higher than the plant they operate. For example, an operator working at a Class II facility water treatment plant can only achieve a Class III license from the experience gained from working at that facility. Working at a Class III or higher facility is the only way to obtain a Class IV license.

Each drinking water subsystem and wastewater facility is classified using a point system detailed outlined in Ontario regulations (O.Reg) 128/04 and O.Reg 129/04.

Small communities can have what are known as Limited/Small Systems facilities, these are the facilities that operate from a well system with the basic need for treatment process which is usually in the form of chlorination and are not classified as a Class 1 to 4 facility.

CEU and OJT Requirement for Each Classification

It should be noted that OJTs can be substituted with excess CEUs but not vice versa; an operator who has 28 CEUs can renew their Class 1 with no OJT hours but one who has 90 hours of OJT and no CEUs cannot renew their Class 1. The ratio being 0.1CEU is equivalent to 1 hour OJT.