In what is a rarity, provincial health inspectors did not issue any warnings over the past month.
The Guardian checks in with the senior environmental health officer each month to go over a list of warning letters that is posted to the provincial government’s website.
However, from April 1 to May 1, the search turned up nothing.
Ryan Neale confirmed Monday that there were no “food”-related warnings issued in April.
There weren’t even any warnings issued for operating without a valid food premise licence, but Neale explained that April is the first month of the new licensing cycle and is considered a grace period for operators. Therefore, they don’t issue warnings for licence violations.
Operators are simply given an “unsatisfactory” indication and provided with a certain period of time to submit their application. This is for existing premises only that may have just forgotten that licences expired on March 31.
Health inspectors use a graduated level of enforcement — a warning letter which identifies a matter which needs to be corrected, notice of intent to issue a health order and, the most serious one, an actual health order which gives inspectors the authority to shut down a food premise business.
The Guardian will be checking in with Neale again in June.
