Food Safety System in Ontario Faces Major Changes, 113 Recommendations Made by Justice

July 26, 2004

The food safety system in Ontario needs to be revamped, including 113 recommendations, according to a comprehensive 559-page study, "Farm to Fork: A Strategy for Meat Safety in Ontario" prepared by London Superior Court Justice Roland Haines. The Justice was appointed to do a review of the system in January by provincial Attorney-General Michael Bryant, out of concerns that a full public inquiry would jeopardize the investigation at Aylmer Meat Packers. No charges have been laid at Aylmer. Haines called for 'whistle-blower' protection for workers who expose violations, actions which led to newspaper stories resulting in the Aylmer investigation. Haines noted that presently food safety is the responsibility of the ministry of agriculture and he found that there was "evidence of a reluctance to act decisively" as ministry officials worked closely with industry. While stating that, "Meat produced and consumed in Ontario is, for the most part, safe and free of hazardous contaminants," the Justice added, "However, food-borne illness remains a significant public health issue in Ontario."

Other recommendations include: the Food Safety and Quality Act which was passed on Dec. 5, 2001, but which has not yet been implemented because regulations are still being finalized, should be proclaimed into law; every food business in Ontario should have to register with its local board of health; establishing a food inspection agency; creating a food safety division in the agriculture ministry with an investigations and enforcement branch; establish enhanced labs and testing in the province; a new fish inspection program should be developed to license non-federally registered fish-processing plants. Since the Aylmer incident the province has already added 61 full-time and 58 part-time public-service meat inspectors and launched a new food-safety program for smaller food processing firms.