Food-handler bylaw in York Region aims to prevent food poisoning cases

Yorkregion.com
Jan. 16, 2017
By Lisa Queen

While it may create a few headaches with staff scheduling, a new York Region food-handler bylaw is being welcomed at Newmarket’s Leslie Street Daycare, director Tammy Cho says.

“I think it’s nice that everyone is going to be on the same page, everyone is going to know the proper way to handle food, especially when serving it to vulnerable people, especially children,” she said.

Of the 10 staff at the centre, four employees including Cho have their food handler’s certificate.

Because the bylaw requires a certified food handler in the kitchen at all times plus a supervisor who does not always have to be on location, Cho has to juggle staff shifts to comply, but says it’s worth it.

In 2015, the region adopted a mandatory food handler certification bylaw, said Becky Hester, manager of health protection.

The region’s 971 high-risk premises, such as daycares, long-term care centres, banquet halls and some restaurants, were given a year to comply. Enforcement began Jan. 1, with fines ranging from $100 to $250.

The region’s 2,831 medium-risk premises have to comply beginning January 2019.

Low-risk establishments selling only prepackaged foods are not included.

“The goal of the bylaw we put through in 2015 is to help prevent food-borne illness or food poisoning in York Region. It’s one of our mandates under the Ministry of Health, so it’s to help assist with that mandate,” Hester said.

“It’s to make sure that the food that is going out to the public is safe to eat.”

York Region is one of nine public health units out of 36 in the province to have a mandatory bylaw, Hester said.

At Markham’s Union Villa Long-Term Care centre, executive director Debra Cooper Burger and Samdai Jagai, manager of food services, applaud the bylaw.

“We serve a very vulnerable population, so safety and food handling is very important to us,” said Cooper Burger, adding the facility has required kitchen staff to complete food handler and food service worker training programs for at least 10 years.

“We have 160 long-term care residents. We serve them three meals and two snacks for 160 people a day. All very specialized diets. So, it’s very important in terms of making sure that we’re handling the food properly, preparing it properly, serving it properly.”

Trained staff can also use their knowledge to educate their families about food handling and preparation at home, Jagai said.

As a moderate-risk restaurant, Mount Albert’s Zucca’s Ristorante and Pizzeria isn’t subject to the bylaw until 2019. But owner Sebastian Zucca welcomes the new requirements and said his establishment already complies.

About 88 per cent of York residents support a mandatory food handler bylaw, Hester said.

The cost of obtaining the certificate ranges from $15 to take the test to $55 for a workshop or online course, including the cost of the exam.

The region offers free courses, available in several languages, for low-income residents and newcomers to Canada within the last three years. There is also a half-price student rate.

For more information, visit york.ca/foodsafety.