Food premises

A food premises employee opening the front door of their establishment

Food premises operators can protect public health at the food premises. Southeast Public Health works with you to prevent food-borne illness by approving plans, completing inspections, and providing education about food safety practice. Inspectors at Southeast Public Health are here to help you prepare and serve food safely, ensuring that Ontario Regulation 493/17: Food Premises is followed.

Health Protection and Promotion Act, R.S.O. 1990, c. H.7, s. 16

The Health Protection and Promotion Act is Ontario’s main public health legislation that gives public health units and inspectors authority to help prevent health hazards and to protect public health. It requires those operating food premises to:

  1. follow the regulations under the act
  2. give notice of intent to the public health unit before opening
  3. comply with the appropriate standards, including anybody in or on the premises
  4. give information related to food preparation, storage, sale, etc. upon request from a public health unit
  5. keep records in accordance with the regulations

Following these regulations allows Southeast Public Health to review plans, provide guidance, and conduct inspections to ensure food is served safely.

Ontario Regulation 493/17: Food Premises

Ontario Regulation 493/17: Food Premises is one of many regulations under the Health Protection and Promotion Act. It defines food service premises as places where meals or meal portions are prepared for immediate consumption or sold or served in a form that will allow immediate consumption on the premises or elsewhere. This regulation sets out the food safety requirements for food premises in Ontario. It helps protect the public from food-borne illnesses by establishing standards for:

  • Food handling and storage
  • Temperature control
  • Cleaning and sanitizing
  • Handwashing facilities
  • Equipment and facility maintenance
  • Pest control
  • Food handler training and certification
  • Operation of fixed, mobile, and temporary food premises (farmers’ market vendors are sometimes exempt)

The regulation applies to all food premises, including restaurants, take-out food premises, food trucks, special events and vendors and farmers’ markets and vendors (some farmers’ market are considered exempt from inspections if more than 51% of the vendors at the market are farmers selling their own farm products for food).

You can help to prevent food-borne illness by following the regulation. If you require assistance with understanding the regulation, an inspector at Southeast Public Health can help.

Other rules and regulations

There are other rules and regulations that you will need to abide by to operate a food premises, including the following:

Step 1

Review the Ontario Regulation 493/17: Food Premises to ensure you meet all requirements. If you help understanding part of the regulation, a public health inspector can help.

Step 2

Review the Guide to Opening a Food Premises.

If your business is home-based, review a Guide to Starting a Home-based Food Business.

Step 3

Check with your municipality or township for licensing and zoning approval.

If you are on a septic system, you must contact your local municipality or township for approval of the septic system prior to moving forward to the next step.

Step 4

Complete your safe food handler certification.

Complete the Readiness Checklist. This will provide detailed requirements for your facility to ensure it is ready for an inspection.

Step 5

Prepare and submit your notice of intent to operate a food premises form:

You will need the following information:

  • Detailed floor plan outlining counter space, refrigeration units, sinks (handwash, two or three compartment sink), dishwasher (model information, low/high temperature), storage, and other equipment.
  • If your facility is not using municipal services (water), you will need information regarding the type and location of your water supply.
  • Copies of your safe food handler certificate.
  • A copy of the proposed menu.
  • Hours and days of operation.
  • Brief description of your proposed operation.

Once you have all this information, along with your notice of intent to operate a food premises form, you are ready to submit everything to Southeast Public Health.

Please note: If you are making food products for retail at a production facility in Leeds, Grenville or Lanark Counties please complete this form.

A public health inspector will review your submitted documents and follow up.

Step 6

An inspection will be conducted by a public health inspector. After the inspection:

  • Approval to operate will be granted, or
  • Further action will be required to meet the requirements before approval to operate can be granted.

Special events are events that are open to the general public, such as fairs, festivals, carnivals, public markets, and craft shows.

Organizers

Submit your completed special events organizer application, along with the full list of plans, other relevant information (vendor list, site layout), and all the completed special event vendor application e-forms in one package to Southeast Public Health at least 14 days prior to the event.

If you are organizing a larger event with more than 15 vendors, please contact Southeast Public Health before filling out the special event organizer application.

Vendors

Southeast Public Health requires all food vendors to complete the special event vendor application form online.

Vendors must comply with the special event vendor information and with applicable sections of the Ontario Regulation 493/17: Food Premises. A public health inspector will review the application and will contact you.

  • Food vendors are required to submit a copy of their most recent public health inspection report, or
  • If the kitchen space is rented to prepare food, food vendors must provide a letter from the owner of the kitchen space confirming that your food is prepared at that location. A copy of the kitchen’s most recent public health inspection report shall be included.

Please submit your application to your event organizer. The event organizer is responsible for submitting a special event organizer application and all vendor applications to Southeast Public Health at least 14 days prior to the event.

Food-borne illness occurs when a person eats food that contains harmful microorganisms, or toxins. Food can be contaminated with harmful microorganisms without looking, smelling, or tasting bad. Food-borne illness can cause mild to severe illness, from diarrhea to death. People with weaker immune systems, such as pregnant women, young children, and older adults are more vulnerable to the effects of food-borne illness.

Food premises operators can help to prevent food-borne illness by properly preparing and storing food. To receive resources that can be posted on or in a food premises, complete the following form:

Food safety resources order form

If you have observed improper food safety behaviour, you can submit a complaint below.

Submit a complaint about a facility in:

  • Hastings and Prince Edward Counties
  • Kingston, Frontenac and Lennox & Addington
  • Leeds, Grenville and Lanark Counties