New food handling rules impact community events

 In News

Due to a new provincial regulation, anyone handling food to be consumed by the general public will require special training. 

The new food premises regulation (493/17) under the Health Protection and Promotion Act came into effect on July 1. Administered locally by the Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit, the goal is to prevent food-borne illness by ensuring that food is safely prepared and served.

Many professionals have known this change was coming as the health unit has communicated with more than 3,000 food premises in Simcoe-Muskoka, including the Township of Clearview, owners of the community halls, but the information is just now trickling down to the volunteers who prepare and distribute food at community events. 

“With this regulation change, what it is saying is that any food service premises has to have a minimum of one food handling trained individual working during every hour of operation,” said Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit food safety manager Tony Makrostergios. 

The rule only applies to events when food is being served to the general public. Church groups preparing food for their congregation, clubs serving food to members, private functions and funerals, internal club bake sales, and certified farmers’ market vendors are exempt. Makrostergios said the reason is that there is a reasonable expectation that a food-borne illness can be tracked among members and invited guests. The training is to take an extra precaution when the wider public is consuming the food being served. 

The requirement does apply to church strawberry suppers and food events at community halls, anytime that attendance is open to the public. 

“The way the Ontario Public Health standards are written, which guides the boards of health, every health unit in Ontario has to provide a way that training is available for those who want to get food handler certified,” said Makrostergios.

There are three options for becoming certified: a one-day in-person course, an online course and a self-study option, all end with an exam. The cost is $40 for the full day workshop with printed manual, thermometer and exam and $15 for the online and self-study options.

“Our role is to educate. We are not an enforcement agency,” said Makrostergios. 

If there was a violation on inspection, it would be noted and the expectation would be that come the next inspection, there would be at least one person certified, he said. 

“It is in full effect now. However we also understand that not everyone may know about it but by the end of the year, everyone should know,” said Makrostergios. “We recognize that it’s new and there will be some time for education and promotion.”

Those in violation could face a fine of about $350, including fees, but Makrostergios stressed that the goal is to educate, not penalize.

For more information, visit www.simcoemuskokahealth.org/Topics/FoodSafety or call the health unit’s Collingwood office at 705-445-0804.

Recent Posts

Leave a Comment

0