TORONTO — A Friday episode of CBC’s Marketplace news series has revealed there are public health inspection report violations in almost one in four national chain restaurants.
For the special report, Marketplace examined one year’s worth of public health restaurant inspections at 13 national chains in Vancouver, Calgary, Regina, Toronto and Ottawa. The report revealed repeated violations in food handling, hand-washing and keeping food at safe temperatures.
“Food safety is a very serious matter,” Jim Chan, a retired public health inspector, is quoted as saying in a special CBC report about the Marketplace episode. “The public has a right to know so they can make informed choices.”
All 13 chains were contacted about the Marketplace reports and many said their training and health-and-safety standards are taken seriously with any health or safety violations addressed as soon as possible.
Restaurants Canada has responded to the report. “Canada’s restaurant industry safely serves 6.5-billion customers every year at more than 80,000 restaurants across the country. Providing guests with a safe and pleasant dining experience is top of mind for our members,” said Garth Whyte, president and CEO, Restaurants Canada. “Restaurants and inspectors work hand in hand to ensure effective food safety systems in every community. Restaurants Canada will continue to work with public health authorities in every community to ensure the safety of restaurant customers.”
With that in mind, Restaurants Canada has developed the National Food Safety Training Program and publishes a Food Safety Code of Practice that outlines strict procedures for safe food handling.
