Alberta Health Services (AHS) has revealed that it’s getting an increase in complaints bordering on caterers operating out of their homes without a genuine food-handling permit in Calgary, causing an increase in inspections of these kinds of businesses.
In a statement made available to CBC, AHS stated that its Environmental Public Health (EPH) team regularly handles issues pertaining to food-handling permits in Calgary.
In the statement, AHS said: “Permits and an inspection system are in place to provide assurances that food supplied to Albertans is safe.
“Without oversight and enforcement, the potential for outbreaks related to food-borne illness is increased.”
According to the AHS website, closure orders have been issued to four food establishments in Calgary for operating without valid food-handling permits in 2024. Ten food establishments were issued closure orders in 2023.
That implies an increase in closure orders connected to unlicensed operations since 2021 and 2022, as one and four food establishments were shut down, respectively.
AHS disclosed it encourages those who want to commence a food service business to contact its EPH division to begin the licensing process so that food handling is done in a safe way.
