ONTARIO: Food-safety ratings welcomed by eateries

07.may.09
Windsor Star
Monica Wolfson

When Wayne Strong gets his food safety score, he plans to proudly
display it in the front door of his bed and breakfast and maybe even use
the results in advertising.
"Once you are, as a facility, able to get five stars, market the hell
out of it," said Strong, president of Ye Olde Walkerville Bed &
Breakfast. "A community that is enlightened about the system will look
for a five-star place. I welcome this. I think for people who do the
right thing, this is an affirmation of what I'm doing is right."
On June 1, all establishments that serve or prepare food will post a
sign in the window telling the public that the "food safety stars are
coming soon." The star-rating system called Safe Food Counts will be
rolled out over the next few months as businesses are inspected. The
Windsor-Essex County Health Unit held an information session Tuesday for
restaurant owners and operators.
During a pilot project held Feb. 2 to March 17, investigators gave 80
per cent of the 565 restaurants inspected a four- or five-star rating.
The standing-room-only crowd Tuesday eagerly embraced the rating system.
One woman who operates a church kitchen, which is not currently
inspected, said she wants to be inspected so that she can post the
results.
The inspection results and ratings for each restaurant, grocery store
and food service outlet will be available online at safefoodcounts.ca.