EP® DESIGNATION
Become an Environmental Professional® (EP)
EP Designation Recognizes Your Environmental Expertise and Builds Trust in Your Industry
Connect. Lead. Influence.
Use EP to Make Your Mark in the Sector
The environment is very much in our consciousness as a collective society. Now more than ever, Canadians are asking for accountability. People expect corporations and industries to be good environmental citizens.
Environmental Professionals (EP®) are the next wave of change-makers in the shift to a sustainable Canadian economy. This is the only nationally recognized designation for environmental practitioners with specialized knowledge.
The EP Designation is designed to compliment other professional designations, with the aim of becoming a provincially recognized signatory. We are working with provinces and territories across Canada to achieve this.
Get noticed, cultivate leadership, increase your influence, and safeguard stakeholder trust as a designated EP®.
EMPHASIZE YOUR EXPERTISE
Benefits of the EP® Designation
The benefits of becoming an EP include:



How to Become EP Designated
- Gain national recognition of your area(s) of specialization
- Access an exclusive network of leading industry professionals
- Free passes to EP Meet Up networking mixers
- 25% off live and on-demand training and events
- Participate in the Mentorship Program to build coaching skills and foster workforce growth
- Receive free AD&D insurance coverage for up to $100,000
- Share your knowledge as a webinar speaker or a guest blogger
- Receive discounts from environmentally conscious retailers, travel, and insurance providers
- Potential to win an ECO Impact Award for your environmental work
- Opportunity to join the EP Taskforce to support the movement for Right to Practice
Follow these seven easy steps to start your certification journey today! Otherwise, continue reading to discover more resources related to the Environmental Professional® (EP®) designation. Please note that after step three, the ECO Canada team will work with you directly to complete the remaining stages of your application.
4. Complete Application Criteria & Pass Exam
5. Prepare for Board Approval
6. Pay Certification Fee of $230
7. Celebrate Your New EP Status!
Eligibility
You are eligible for this designation if you meet these criteria:
Education — Must have a recognized Canadian college diploma or university degree, or equivalent international credentials.
Employment History — You must have at least five years of environmental work experience in Canada. This experience must be recent (obtained within the past ten years).
Specializations — As part of your application, you will complete a self-assessment against the National Occupation Standards (NOS), and then have three peer references validate your environmental competency.
EPs are required to select between 1-5 areas of specialization.
Body of Knowledge and Code of Ethics — You must pass the EP Ethics Examination, demonstrating your understanding and adherence to the Guidelines for Ethical Practice and EP Code of Ethics.
Take the eligibility assessment quiz and find out if the EP designation is right for you.
How does your experience fit into specializations?
You will have the option to select a General Designation and proceed right to the exam, or select one or more of 14 Specializations to include as part of your application.
Specializations provide you with an extra credential to promote your areas of expertise. Over 300 competency statements have been classified into one or more of the environmental sub-sectors:
- Environmental Protection
- Resource Management
- Environmental Sustainability
Learn more about where you might fit.
Application & Exam Guide
To gain your EP status, you must pass the Core Knowledge Exam, complete Ethical Guidelines and go through peer validation for your chosen specializations.