Inspection Process for Health Inspections
Public Health inspectors conduct over 3200 inspections regularly on businesses in the Niagara region to assess if they comply with all health regulations. These businesses include over:
- 2700 food establishments (restaurants, grocery stores, food vendors)
- 500 personal services (tattoo, piercing, barber, tanning, massage, nail salons)
- 350 spas, recreational pools and hotel pools
- 25 beaches
Depending on the services provided, these regulations may include:
- Handwashing and hygiene procedures for employees
- Disinfection and sterilization of equipment
- Cleaning and maintaining of counters and surfaces
- Disposal of single-use needles and razors
- Proper storage, handling, and preparation of food
Critical infractions are corrected immediately, and follow-up inspections are done as required. No facility is given advanced warning of an upcoming inspection.
The inspection reports are posted to our website shortly after the inspection and will include any infractions found at the establishment.
Closures and Convictions
When necessary, inspectors will issue fines or close the establishment, which are posted on the closures and convictions page for six months.
A closure order is issued to the operator of an establishment when an immediate health hazard exists. Failure to comply with an order is an offence, which upon conviction, could result in a significant fine.
Examples of immediate health hazards include:
- Gross lack of sanitation / sterilization
- Repeated non-compliance
- Rodent or insect infestation
- Evidence of food contamination
- Sewage back-up into food preparation or storage areas
- Insufficient potable water to operate in a sanitary manner
- Reusing of needles