Food Safety Complaints

It is the responsibility of the owner, operator and every food handler to make sure a food premises is following the requirements of the Ontario Food Premises Regulation (O. Reg. 493/17) and other applicable laws at all times, and to correct problems as they occur. Public Health Inspectors (PHIs) visit food premises throughout the year to make sure good food safety is practiced and all laws are followed. This helps to reduce the risk of foodborne illness from happening.

Food Premises Concerns

Members of the public can notify the Health Unit about any food safety or food related concerns they have about a food premises. Some concerns may include, but are not limited to:

Employees are not washing their hands before handling food.
Employees are working while they are sick.
Food is not being made in a clean kitchen.
Food was eaten at a restaurant and the person was sick after (vomiting, diarrhea, stomach cramps, etc.).
Calories displayed incorrectly on menus (i.e. Healthy Menu Choices Act).

Note: Please contact the Canadian Food Inspection Agency directly if you have concerns about:

a prepackaged food product that is manufactured by a company and for sale at a different food premises, or
the labelling of a prepackaged food product.

View the Canadian Food Inspection Agency's Report a Food Safety or Labelling Concern web page for more information and/or to report concerns online, or call 1-800-442-2342.

Date of creation: January 21, 2013
Last modified on: January 25, 2024

Notify the Health Unit

To notify the Health Unit about a food safety or food related concern, please contact the Environmental Health Team:

519-663-5317
inspections@mlhu.on.ca

Note: The inspections e-mail will be checked throughout regular business hours (Monday to Friday, 8:30 am - 4:30 pm).

All complaints will be followed up by a Public Health Inspector in a timely manner.