Inspections for Operators & Businesses

Public Health inspects businesses that:

  • Prepare, sell or distribute food to the public
  • Offer a personal service to the public (such as hair, aesthetics, piercing, tattooing)
  • Operate a licensed child care centre
  • Have a recreational water facility
  • Provide public access to non-municipal drinking water

Opening a business?

If you plan to open a business within the City of Guelph, call the City of Guelph’s licensing coordinator at 519-822-1260 ext. 2551 to:

  • Submit a business license application
  • Arrange for other inspections

Request an Inspection

Food premises inspections

Public Health inspects food premises to ensure compliance with the Ontario Food Premises Regulation 493/17. These include restaurants, food carts, institutions that serve food (e.g., child care centres, long-term care facilities), grocery stores and convenience stores that serve food as well as catering companies. Inspections are conducted between one and three times per year depending on the types of food prepared and people served.

To request an inspection, please complete the Notice of Intent to Operate a Food Premises Online Form.

Personal service settings inspections

Public Health inspects personal service settings to ensure compliance with the Personal Services Settings Regulation 136/18. These include salons and spas, tattoo and piercing studios, aesthetics providers, and places that offer manicures/pedicures. Inspections are conducted once a year and additional inspections may be conducted if a complaint is received. 

To request an inspection, please complete the Notice of  Personal Service Setting Online Form.

Licensed child care centre inspections

Public Health inspects licensed child care centres to ensure adherence to infection prevention and control practices and food safety regulations. Infection control inspections are conducted once a year. Additional inspections may be conducted if a complaint is received.

To request an inspection for a new child care facility please fill out the Notice of Intent to Operate a Food Premises Online Form.

Farmers’ markets and special events

We inspect vendors at farmers’ markets and special events who provide food to the public, or offer a personal service to the public (including tattooing, body piercing, nail services, etc.). Both market and event organizers, as well as vendors have forms to complete and provide to Public Health sometimes as early as 60 days before the event.

Small Drinking Water Systems (SDWS)

If your business or organization provides unrestricted access to drinking water for the public and your water is not directly from a municipal source.

Mobile food vendors

Public Health inspects food premises to ensure compliance with the Ontario Food Premises Regulation 493/17. This includes mobile food vendors operating within Wellington and Dufferin Counties and the City of Guelph. Every year mobile food vendors are required to renew their business licence. Please contact the respective municipality office to discuss the requirements for applying for and obtaining a business licence.

Once the business licence application is submitted, please call us at 1-800-265-7293 ext. 4753 to schedule an inspection for your food truck. You may also fill out the Special Event Organizer Application Form to request an inspection.

Recreational water facilities

Public health inspectors inspect public pools, spas, splash pads, wading pools, floatation pools or tanks and public cold plunge pools. If you own or operate one of these facilities, these resources are for you. 

To request an inspection for a new pool, floatation tank, spa, splash pad or wading pool please fill out the Recreational Water Facility Opening Notification Form.

Tobacconists and specialty vape shops

The Smoke-Free Ontario Act (SFOA), 2017 regulates the sale, supply, use, display and promotion of both tobacco and vapour products while also regulating the smoking and vaping of cannabis. The SFOA, 2017 is enforced by Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph Public Health Unit Tobacco and Vaping Enforcement officers and protects and regulates smoking in public places.

To register as a tobacconist or specialty vape shop, visit Tobacconist and Specialty Vape Shop Retailers and fill out the application forms available.

Recreational camps

As outlined in section 10 of Ontario Regulation 503/17 Recreational Camps, all operators of recreational overnight camps are required to:

  1. Notify Public Health 30 days in advance of operating each season. You can do that by completing the online Recreational Camp Opening Notification Form.
  2. Submit a camp safety plan to PHI.Intake@wdgpublichealth.ca prior to opening inspection. 

 

For more information, visit Recreational Camp Providers.

 

International agricultural workers housing

International agricultural workers (IAWs), also known as migrant farm workers or temporary foreign workers, are considered essential workers that come to Ontario to work in the agricultural and related sectors. Housing accommodations for IAWs must be inspected by Public Health. Owners/operators are advised to consult the Ontario Housing Guidelines prior to requesting an inspection.

To request an inspection please fill in the following Notice of Intent to Operate New Housing for International Agricultural Workers Form.  For more information, visit Employers of International Agricultural Workers.

Disclosure

Public Health is required to disclose information gathered during inspections. Any member of the public can request information about any inspection through a Freedom of Information request (FOI). Certain inspection results are made public through our CheckBeforeYouChoose.ca website.

Tickets, orders, closures and infection control complaints are also posted publicly on our website.