To make a complaint about a food premises you can submit your complaint on-line or by contacting Toronto Health Connection. Instructions on how to submit an on-line complaint can be found at the City of Toronto website.
Public Health Inspectors look for any conditions that are in violation of the Ontario Food Premises Regulation or any other condition that may result in food-borne illness.
Food premises = any commercial business that handles, stores or displays or uses food for sale. Examples are:
Public Health Inspectors look for any conditions that are in violation of the Ontario Food Premises Regulation or any other condition that may result in food-borne illness. Public Health Inspectors investigate complaints about restaurants and food establishments, including:
An inspection, by a public health inspector, is required prior to the operation of any mobile food premises. A mobile food premises consists of a 'mobile food preparation vehicle', a 'hot dog cart', a 'coffee truck' or an 'ice cream truck'.
Inspection fee: $201.20 (Cheque or money order made payable to the Treasurer, City of Toronto). Cash is not accepted.
Payment is made at time of inspection. Inspection of mobile carts can be done at a selected number of Healthy Environments regional offices - regardless of where the caller resides or will operate the cart (within the City of Toronto).
Before your hot dog cart can be put to use, it must meet the requirements of the Ontario Food Premises Regulation 562/90. There is information on the City of Toronto website which can help you prepare for your inspection.
Toronto Public Health ONLY does inspections for health hazards of any type in a private residence when there is a likelihood of a public health hazard. Residential units such as apartment and condo units, and multi-residential dwellings with more than 10 occupants are inspected because there is the potential for exposure to the public.
Complaints about air quality, for example, will be investigated for multi-residential dwellings; those in private residences are advised to contact the Canadian Mortgage & Housing Corporation (CMHC).
Toronto Public Health is part of the inspection process of properties where mould has been found because indoor mould growth has been associated with health concerns and may cause allergies and respiratory diseases.
Complaints about pests (rats, rodents, insects, cockroaches etc) or animals (dogs) will only be investigated by Public Health when they concern restaurants or premises (including groceries) serving food.
If this is not a restaurant or food premises (ie. grocery store) and you have concerns about rodents or pests on other private property, please refer to: Bylaw enforcement - pests - vermin - insects - cockroaches - rodents - rats - mice - on private property
Related information: