Food Premises Inspections

Under Ontario regulation, Southwestern Public Health inspects all food premises in Oxford County, Elgin County, and the City of St. Thomas.

All of the inspection reports for food premises including restaurants, street vendors, cafeterias, banquet halls and grocery stores are available on our disclosure website, Health Inspect.

What is a food premise?

A food premise is any place where food or milk is manufactured, processed, prepared, stored, handled, displayed, distributed, transported, sold or offered for sale to the public. Examples include:

• Restaurants
• Cafeterias
• Grocery stores
• Banquet halls
• Food trucks

Note: Food premises does not include a private home. If you wish to run a food premises out of your home, it must be in a separate space from your personal kitchen.

What does a Public Health Inspector do?

Public Health Inspectors (PHIs) inspect food premises to make sure they are following the minimum requirements outlined in the Ontario Food Premises Regulation (O. Reg. 493). This includes inspecting:

• How/where food is stored, handled and prepared
• How equipment and food contact surfaces are cleaned and sanitized
• General maintenance and cleanliness of the premise

PHI’s inspect food premises to:

• Complete required routine inspections based on the premises risk assessment
• Investigate complaints foodborne illness or dirty conditions
• Follow-up with re-inspections

If any infractions are noted during an inspection, the PHI will provide education and complete re-inspections to ensure compliance is achieved. Should infractions continue or be an immediate risk to the safety of the food being served to the public, legal action may occur (i.e., tickets and/or closure orders). 

Inspection reports are shared with the owner and posted online on the Health Inspect website.

For more information on a PHI, please visit the Canadian Institute of Public Health Inspectors website.

Risk levels:

• High risk: Inspected at least three times a year.
• Moderate risk: Inspected at least two times a year.
• Low risk: Inspected at least once a year.

Extra inspections may happen if there are complaints or problems found.

How can I view inspection reports?

Inspection results are available online on the Health Inspect website. This database is updated regularly so you can check the most recent report for any food premise.

What are additional resources available on food premises inspections?

• Ontario Food Premises Regulations: Learn about the Ontario laws for food safety.
• Food Safety Protocol: Details on how food premises are inspected.
• Guidance for Risk Categorization (PDF): Understand how risk levels are determined.