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
Opening a business?
If you’re opening a food business (including a restaurant, cafeteria, grocery store, hotdog cart or catering vehicle), follow these steps.
Before opening a new licensed child care centre, call us at 1-800-265-7293 ext. 4752 to review your business plans (including services offered, age groups, food service, etc).
Personal service operators must notify us in writing of their intent to open a business at least 14 days prior to the planned opening. Download the Notice of Personal Service Setting Operation or use our online form.
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
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.
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.
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.
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.
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 Public Health at 1-800-265-7293 ext. 4753 to schedule an inspection for your food truck.
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.
Recreational water facilities
Public health inspectors monitor public pools, public spas, public splash pads and public wading pools. If you own or operate one of these facilities, these resources are for you.