Food premises

Complete the notice of intent to operate a food premises application if you are opening a new food premises, changing, or taking ownership of an existing food premises.

If the food premises will not be on municipal services, you must provide information on the type and location of the water supply, and water treatment system, if applicable.

You must also contact your municipality or township for review and approval of the septic system prior to submitting your application to Southeast Public Health.

Once Southeast Public Health has reviewed and approved your application, a copy of the approved plans may be provided to you to use for your building permit application. Any proposed changes to the approved plan must be reviewed and approved again by the area Public Health Inspector.

Once construction is complete, please email our environmental health team to schedule a pre-opening inspection.

At least one certified food handler must be onsite during all hours of operation, and all staff preparing food should be trained in safe food handling.

Public Markets

Food vendors at public markets must meet the requirements of Ontario Regulation 493/17 Food Premises. For more information about the requirements, please visit our special event requirements.

Farmers’ market notification forms

• Farmers’ market manager notification form in Leeds, Grenville and Lanark Counties
• Opening a mobile food premises in Leeds, Grenville and Lanark Counties
• Notification of seasonal food premises reopening in Hastings and Prince Edward Counties

Food safety requirements

• All prepared and processed foods offered for sale must come from an approved food premises.
• Ungraded eggs, uninspected meat and unpasteurized milk cannot be offered for sale.
• All hazardous foods must be kept at 4°C (40°F) or colder at all times during transport and sale. Mechanical refrigeration may be required.
• Frozen foods must be frozen at all times during transport and sale. Mechanical refrigeration may be required.
• If food samples are to be offered to the public there may be additional requirements including handwashing and safe food handler training. Equipment used for preparing and handling food samples will need to be washed, rinsed, and sanitized in the same manner that meets the requirements of Ontario Regulation 493/17 Food Premises. 

Farmers’ market food premises regulation exemption

Farmers’ Markets and their food vendors are exempt from the Food Premises Regulation if greater than 50 percent of the vendors are producers of farm products who are primarily selling or offering for sale their own products intended for use as food. While an exempt market is not subject to the requirements of the Food Premises Regulation, they are still required to operate safely and may be inspected under the Ontario Health Protection and Promotion Act R.S.O. 1990, c.H.7 for the presence of health hazards.

Calculation to determine whether a farmer’s market meets the exemption criteria

The number of vendors who are producers of farm products who are primarily selling or offering for sale their own products intended for use as food, divided by, the total number of market vendors including non-food vendors, multiplied by, 100 percent. If the result is greater than 50 percent, the market is exempt from the Food Premises Regulation. If the result is less than or equal to 50 percent, the market is not exempt from the Food Premises Regulation.

Farmers’ markets are physical locations, and food vendors should not be selling their value-added goods online.

For more information on Farmers’ Market Responsibilities and Requirements, please visit Farmers Markets Ontario – Food Safety Matters, Roles and Responsibilities.

For more information on selling specific food items, please visit Farmers Markets Ontario – Food Safety Matters, Practices and Regulations. 

Definitions

Farm

A farm in a rural area with a barn, silo, fields, etc. with a full-time farmer; a hobby farm in a rural area with fields and a farmer on a part-time basis, or a producer who grows only local produce on their own property or a common gardening area.

Farmers’ market food vendor

The operator of a stall or other food premise that is located at a central location at which a group of persons who operate stalls or other food premises meets to sell or offer for sale to consumers products that include, without being restricted to, farm products, baked goods and preserved foods, and at which the majority of the persons operating the stalls or other food premises are producers of farm products who are primarily selling or offering for sale their own products.

Farm products

Products that are grown, raised or produced on a farm and intended for use as food and include, without being restricted to, fruits and vegetables, mushrooms, meat and meat products, dairy products, honey products, maple products, fish, grains and seeds and grain and seed products.

Approved food premises

Any food premises that is inspected by Southeast Public Health, or other public health unit, and meets the requirements of Ontario Regulation 493/17.

Hazardous food

Any food that can support the growth of pathogenic (disease causing) organisms or the production of the toxins of such organisms. This includes products such as milk, eggs, meat, poultry, fish, seafood, cooked beans and legumes (including tofu and tempeh), cooked grains (including pasta), cooked vegetables, or food mixtures including such products.

Step 1

Review the Food Premises Regulation to ensure you meet all requirements.

Review a Guide to Starting a Home-based Food Business.

Step 2

Check with your municipality or township for licensing and zoning approval.

Are you on a septic system? You must contact your local municipality or township for approval of the septic system prior to moving forward to the next step.

Step 3

Complete your safe food handler certification.

Step 4

Prepare/submit your notice of intent to operate a food premises form:

• Notice of intent to operate a food premises form for Hastings and Prince Edward Counties
• Notice of intent to operate a food premises form for Kingston, Frontenac and Lennox & Addington
• Notice of intent to operate a food premises form for Leeds, Grenville and Lanark Counties

You will need the following information:

• Detailed floor plan outlining counter space, refrigeration units, sinks (handwash, two or three compartment sink), dishwasher (model information, low/high temperature), storage, and other equipment.
• If your facility is not using municipal services (water), you will need information regarding the type and location of your water supply.
• Copies of your safe food handler certificate.
• A copy of the proposed menu.
• Hours and days of operation.
• Brief description of your proposed operation.

Once you have all this information, along with your notice of intent to operate a food premise form, you are ready to submit everything to Southeast Public Health.

Step 5

If you are making food products for retail at a production facility, please complete this form.

A public health inspector will review your submitted documents and follow up. Please note, your public health inspector may request a food safety plan.

Step 6

Complete the Readiness Checklist and email to:

Have resources emailed directly to you for downloading and printing, including:

• Handwashing and dishwashing signage for food premises
• Daily, weekly, and monthly logs
• Checklists and schedules

Food safety resources order form

• Learn more about home canning
• Instructions on writing a food safety plan
• Food labelling for industry
• Guide to food and beverage manufacturing in Ontario
• Guidelines for restaurant sous vide cooking safety
• Kombucha tea
• National Center for Home Food Preservation
• Ball Corporation canning guide
• Bernardin home canning
• Michigan State University Extension, “Using, storing and preserving beets”