Public Health Inspections
Public Health Inspectors (PHIs) routinely inspect a variety of settings in the region, including but not limited to, premises where food is prepared and/or sold, personal service settings, congregate living settings, and recreational water facilities (e.g., pools and spas). These settings are inspected to ensure compliance with provincial regulations for the health and safety of community residents.
In 2024, PHIs conducted:
- 4,715 compliance inspections and 1,134 re-inspections for food premises
- 13 inspections on small drinking water systems
- 212 compliance inspections and 9 re-inspections for congregate living settings (e.g., long-term care homes, retirement homes, childcare facilities, boarding and lodging homes, and shelters)
- 523 compliance inspections and 60 re-inspections at personal service settings (e.g., hair and barber salons, beauty and nail salons, and tattoo/micropigmentation facilities)
- 1,239 compliance inspections and 317 re-inspections at seasonal housing facilities
In addition, over the year, the WECHU investigated 111 respiratory and enteric outbreaks in a variety of congregate living settings.
Food Handler Training Course and Certification
The Ontario Food Premises Regulation (O. Reg. 493/17) requires every operator of a food service premises to ensure that there is at least one food handler or supervisor on-site who has completed food handler training during every hour in which the premises is operating. The WECHU offers a free online food handler course and in-person certification exam. The online training and exam are available in multiple languages. In 2024, 1,470 Food Handler certificates were issued.
In 2024, the WECHU continued to issue fines to food premises operators who are non-compliant with the O. Reg. 493/17 requirement to have at least one certified food handler onsite. There were 34 changes laid in 2024, with 29 charges resulting in convictions to date.