Facility Inspections

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Food Safety

Under Ontario’s Food Premises Regulation (O. Reg. 493/17), our Public Health Inspectors (PHIs) inspect all food premises within the region. A food premises 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: A 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.

PHI’s inspect food premises to:

  • Complete required routine inspections based on the premises’ risk assessment
  • Investigate complaints of foodborne illness or unsanitary 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, such as tickets and closure orders.

Pools and Spas

GEPH inspects public pools, spas, and Class C facilities (such as splash pads, wading pools, and water slide receiving basins) to test water quality and ensure proper safety precautions are in place.

Public health inspections are mandated by the Health Protection and Promotion Act and are carried out to ensure compliance with the Ontario Public Pools Regulation (R.R.O. 1990, Reg. 565).

Water-related illnesses can be passed through contaminated recreational water, and poor safety precautions can cause serious injury. These inspections help prevent waterborne illnesses and injuries, and ensure that all facilities maintain proper disinfection, circulation, and signage. Operators must meet construction, maintenance, and operational standards to remain compliant.

Small Drinking Water Systems

If you provide access to drinking water for the public and your water is not provided by a municipal source, you may be operating a Small Drinking Water System (SDWS). These systems must follow the requirements under Small Drinking Water Systems (O. Reg. 319/08).

Public Health Units across Ontario inspect and regulate Small Drinking Water Systems. Please contact Southwestern Public Health (SWPH) if you are, or believe you may be, a Small Drinking Water System and you have not received a site-specific risk assessment by a Public Health Inspector.

Examples of Small Drinking Water Systems include: a food service establishment, a place that operates primarily for the purpose of providing overnight accommodation to the travelling public, a trailer park or campground, a marina, a church, a mosque, a synagogue, a temple or other place of worship, a recreational camp, a recreational or athletic facility, a place, other than a private residence, where a service club or fraternal organization meets on a regular basis, or any place where the general public has access to a washroom, drinking water fountain, or shower.

There are five classes of Small Drinking Water Systems.

  • Small Non-Municipal Non-Residential (e.g., church, motel, B&B, restaurant)
  • Large Non-Municipal Non-Residential (e.g., large resort)
  • Small Municipal Non-Residential (e.g., community hall, sports field/arena)
  • Large Municipal Non-Residential (e.g., airport, large sports complex)
  • Non-Municipal Seasonal Residential (e.g., trailer park, campground)

Seasonal Housing

Each year, GEPH helps ensure that safe and suitable housing is provided for both domestic and foreign migrant workers. Public Health Inspectors work closely with housing owners to ensure compliance with standards set out by the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care.

GEPH collaborates with seasonal work employment agencies, such as the Foreign Agricultural Resource Management Services (FARMS), to inspect accommodations prior to occupancy (often as part of the Service Canada application process). These inspections help ensure that housing conditions meet public health requirements and that the safety and well-being of workers are protected.

Boarding and Lodging Homes

GEPH inspects licensed boarding and lodging homes to ensure safe and healthy living conditions for residents. These inspections include assessments of sanitation, water supply, ventilation, waste disposal, pest control, and general maintenance. Facilities serving vulnerable populations are given additional attention to reduce health risks.

Schools

Public Health Inspectors support schools by inspecting environmental conditions that may impact student and staff health. This includes washroom facilities, water supply systems, air quality, and food safety in cafeterias or meal programs. Schools are also supported in outbreak prevention, emergency preparedness, and general safety education.

Camps

Recreational camps are inspected before and during the operating season to ensure compliance with health and safety standards under Ontario Regulation 503/17. This includes assessing drinking water systems, food preparation areas, sleeping quarters, sanitation facilities, and recreational water safety. These inspections help ensure a safe experience for all campers and staff.