FAQ

In Alberta, a commissioner for oaths is appointed by the Inspector of Legal Offices and has been granted specific powers to complete the following:

1. Administer oaths
2. Take and receive affidavits
3. Witness declarations and affirmations for statutory declarations

People who are Commissioners for Oaths Ex Officio

1. a barrister and solicitor
2. a student at law under the Legal Profession Act
3. a full-time commissioned officer in the Canadian Forces
4. a member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta
5. a member of the Alberta House of Commons
6. a member of the Senate of Canada who at the time of his/her appointment as a senator is a resident of Alberta
7. a member of a municipal council in Alberta
8. a member of a Metis settlement council
9. a member of a board of trustees of a school district or a school division in Alberta
10. a justice of the peace
11. a police officer as defined in the Police Act
12. all court judges in Alberta
13. A notary public appointed under the Notaries Public Act

Other locations you may find a commissioner for oaths:

• main branches of banks
• municipal offices
• universities
• hospitals
• lawyers offices 

The Alberta College of Pharmacy has commissioners for oath on staff.

You may request a criminal record check at your local RCMP, provincial police, or city police detachment.

The letter of character reference must be written in the last 12 months and can be written by anyone except family members.  The letter should be written by someone who has known you for at least one year. Suggested sources include:

• employers
• co-workers
• instructors
• coaches
• neighbours
• family friends

There is no specific format or length required for a letter of character
reference but the letter should include the following:

• the capacity in which the writer has known you
• some insight about you (e.g., work ethic, special interests, volunteer work)
• detail about why the writer feels you would make a good pharmacist

The letter may be hand written or typed; form letters or email submissions will not be accepted. The letter must be signed by the writer.

Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL):
www.ets.org/portal/site/ets/

International English Language Testing System (IELTS):
www.ielts.org/default.aspx

Yes, pharmacy technicians must maintain a minimum of $1 million of personal malpractice insurance (claims made or occurrence). The policy must be in the technician’s name. 

You do not require insurance while you are on the Provisional Register.

The language fluency score must not be more than two years old.

As with pharmacists, pharmacy technicians may attempt the PEBC Qualifying Exam three times. After three unsuccessful attempts, if you are able to present evidence, acceptable to the PEBC Board, of successful completion of remediation according to Board specifications, the Board will consider your petition for one final (fourth) attempt. Documentation confirming completion of remediation must be received at PEBC at least three weeks before the date of the examination.

No. You must provide a NAPRA-approved English language testing score at the time of registration.

Please see the requirements for international pharmacy technician applicants.

No. This standard is based directly on NAPRA recommended tests and scores.

Section 23 of the Pharmacy and Drug Regulation outlines the information that a licensee must ensure is displayed on the pharmacy website:

• A copy (scanned is fine) of the pharmacy licence
• The location, mailing address, e-mail address and telephone number of the licensed pharmacy
• The name, pharmacist practice permit number, and business address of the licensee
• A statement that the licensee is required to provide, on the request of a patient, the name and practice permit number of any regulated member who provides a pharmacy service to the patient or who engages in the practice of pharmacy with respect to a patient
• The name and business address of the proprietor
• If the proprietor is a corporation, the name of the proprietor’s representative
• A copy (scanned is fine) of the Patient Concerns Poster

For more information, see the Manage Your Pharmacy section. 

The college accepts these tests and scores to meet the English fluency requirement.

If there is a choice between a general and academic test, the college requires an academic score.

View the current Fee Schedule. You can locate this page on our website under Resource Centre / Registration & Licensure / Fee Schedule.

No. If your pharmacy degree has been obtained from any country other than Canada or the U.S.A., you must provide a NAPRA-approved English language testing score at the time of registration.

Yes, PEBC Qualifying Exam results expire for those registrants seeking initial licensure as a pharmacist or pharmacy technician. PEBC Qualifying Exam results must be current within 3 years at the time of initial application for licensure in Alberta. If the PEBC Qualifying exam results exceed the 3 years limit the registrant will be required to retake both Part I and Part II of the PEBC Qualifying Exam prior to initial licensure in Alberta. The 3 year currency requirement will not apply to those registrants transferring from another province under the Canadian Free Trade Agreement or the MACP agreement.

No. You will be required to complete the assessment process through PEBC and sit both the evaluating and qualifying exams.  Please refer to the PEBC website for additional information.

If you obtained your pharmacy degree at a U.S. college/university, and the college/university has been accredited by the American Council on Pharmaceutical Education, you are not required to complete the evaluating exam and may proceed with the qualifying exam.  Please refer to the PEBC website for additional information.

If you wish to call yourself a pharmacy technician, you must register with ACP. However, pharmacy licensees are not required to hire pharmacy technicians. There are a variety of viable pharmacy business models with and without regulated technicians.  

No. Pharmacy technician is a restricted title. This restriction is stated in Section 15 of the Pharmacists and Pharmacy Technicians Profession Regulation.

Authorization to use titles, etc.

15.1(1) A pharmacy technician and a courtesy pharmacy technician may use the words “registered” and “regulated” and may use the following titles, abbreviations and initials:

(a) pharmacy technician;
(b) pharmacy technologist;
(c) dispensary technician;
(d) dispensary technologist;
(e) Pharm.Tech.;
(f) Ph.T.;
(g) R.Ph.T.

(2) A provisional pharmacy technician may use the title provisional pharmacy technician.

You must be registered on the provisional register to complete Structured Practical Training, the Ethics & Jurisprudence Exam, or Product Release Proficiency. You may complete the PEBC exams and the bridging courses prior to registering with ACP.

After registering on the Provisional Pharmacy Technician Register, you need to identify a pharmacist preceptor who will supervise and verify that you have completed 100 final checks with 100 per cent accuracy. You must complete a minimum of 20 checks per day over a maximum of a three-month period. Candidates who have successfully completed the Alberta Health Services or the Edmonton Zone Covenant Health Technician Checking Validation Procedure may submit that as proof of proficiency.

More information on demonstration of product release proficiency

Candidates who have successfully completed the Alberta Health Services or the Edmonton Zone Covenant Health Technician Checking Validation Procedure may submit that as proof of proficiency.