The Ontario Public Health Standards, Food Safety Protocol 2016, and Guidance Document for the Risk Categorization of Food Premises, 2015 outlines an inspection schedule based on the risk to the public.
High-Risk - (minimum three inspections per year, not less than once every four months)
A premises that prepares hazardous foods and meets one or more of the following criteria:
- Serves vulnerable and/or immunocompromised populations like in hospitals, long-term care facilities and child care centres
- Preparation of foods that involve multiple preparation steps (e.g., defrosting, cooking, cooling, reheating, and hot holding)
- History of past foodborne illnesses or outbreak associated with the establishment
- History of critical infractions within the past year
- Food safety plan is warranted but not in place, and hazard analysis critical control point program not in place
Medium-Risk - (minimum two inspections per year, not less than once every six months)
A premises that meets one of the following criteria:
- Prepare hazardous foods but do not meet the criteria outlined in the High Risk category above
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Prepare non-hazardous foods with extensive handling and/or high volume of patrons (e.g., full service restaurants, bakeries)
- Operates as food take-out business only
Low-Risk - (minimum one inspection per year, not less than once every 12 months)
A premises that meets one of the following criteria:
- Does not prepare hazardous foods, but sells pre-packaged foods
- Prepares non-hazardous foods with limited to no food handling
(e.g., convenience stores, church kitchens, public hall kitchens)
