More than 50 restaurants, pools closed or fined due to insanitary conditions By: Kevin Rollason Posted: 7:00 PM CDT Monday, Jul. 9, 2018 Last Modified: 9:48 AM CDT Monday, Jul. 16, 2018 Updates

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This article was published 08/07/2018 (2265 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

A takeout pizza place would have had to sell a lot of 99-cent slices to pay a total of $1,580 in fines issued by the province’s Health Department.

But 99 Cent Pizza is no longer in business at 40 Stadacona St. in Elmwood and the new owners — who’ve changed the name to Pizza Square — have nothing to do with the previous operation.

“There is a new owner here, that was the past owner,” an employee said Monday.

The previous pizza emporium at that address is one of 25 restaurants that were charged, convicted and fined in the last year by the province’s health inspectors.

As well, 31 restaurants, tattoo parlours and public swimming pools were closed for violations dating back to October. Most reopened a day or so later — at least two did on the same day — after the noted violations were addressed.

Mike LeBlanc, the department’s manager of health protection, said violations are rare.

“We’re talking one-tenth of a percentage,” LeBlanc said. “It really is a small percentage of places we have issues with.

“We inspect swimming pools and restaurants, touring events, and others… we have 9,500 food establishments that we look at every year. But 17,000 or 18,000 inspections are done — with some higher risk ones done three times a year. And we also respond to complaints.”

And he said said they are able to do that with 45 field inspectors.

“We do restaurants, we do regional grocery stores, we do food trucks and hotdog carts,” he said.

“There are a lot of food trucks now; four to five years ago the food-truck market exploded 30 to 40 per cent in one year. We’ve seen the same vehicle sold a few times. We don’t restrict their menus. As long as they have the proper equipment on board they can serve whatever they want.”

LeBlanc said inspectors were out in force during the Red River Exhibition and Canada Day celebrations.

“We’re talking one-tenth of a percentage. It really is a small percentage of places we have issues with.” –Mike LeBlanc, health department

And that’s just restaurants and places that serve food. The health inspectors also examine public pools, including those in hotels, YMCAs, condominiums, apartment buildings and summer camps, as well as tattooing and body-piercing parlours.

And parents worried about what their children are eating at summer camps can likely relax.

“I don’t think we’ve ever had one on a closure or a conviction list,” LeBlanc said.

kevin.rollason@freepress.mb.ca

 

Closures and fines, Oct 2017 to May 2018

Closed for health violations:

Megabot (1440 Logan Ave.), Oct. 27-present, operated a body modification establishment without a permit.

Dhaliwal residence (23 Petriw Bay), Nov. 17-present, operated without a permit, failed to register.

Islam/Iqbal residence (98 Acadia Bay), Nov. 23-present, operated without a permit, failed to register.

Kyu Slice (1011 Pembina Hwy.), Dec. 8-17, failed to ensure mechanical dishwasher was sanitizing all utensils and tableware. Operating a food handling establishment with poor general sanitation.

Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory (555 Sterling Lyon Pkwy.), Jan. 2-3, failed to register before operating as food handling establishment and operated without a permit.

Dakota Community Centre Fieldhouse (1188 Dakota St.), Jan. 15-19, operated a food handling establishment without a permit.

African Good General (245 Notre Dame Ave.), Feb. 5-6, operated without permit, handled and sold food under insanitary conditions, failed to ensure potentially hazardous foods came from an approved source, allowed meat that wasn’t inspected and approved in the food handling establishment.

Gizzy’s Restaurant and Lounge (3025 Ness Ave.), Feb. 8-12, operated with poor general sanitation by not making sure there was enough hot potable water available for hand-washing and cleaning. As well, didn’t properly sanitize utensils after cleaning.

Niakwa Pizza (1-921 McLeod Ave.), March 13-15, poor general sanitation with the establishment not kept in good repair, not cleaning and sanitizing food contact services and equipment, and staff washroom not kept in a sanitary condition.

99 Cent Pizza (870 Main St.), March 14-15, operated with inadequate equipment and ventilation maintenance, lack of sanitizing, lack of proper hand hygiene, garbage.

Pal Pizza (1437 Arlington St.), May 3-24, operated with a lack of sanitizing, inoperative triple sink, lack of proper hand hygiene, and untrained food handler.

Cathay House (1631 Regent Ave. W), May 3-7, failed to ensure mechanical dishwasher was capable of sanitizing utensils and tableware and operating with poor general sanitation.

Popocha Tea House (2-2677 Pembina Hwy.), May 9-10, failed to ensure in washing utensils that the three compartment sink method was followed due to no hot water and missing sink drain plugs.

Aaltos (1824 Pembina Hwy.), June 5, handle and sell food under insanitary conditions, poor general sanitation with no hot or cold running water.

Wok N’ Roll (836 McLeod Ave.), July 4-present, failed to ensure dishwasher is able to sanitize, failed to ensure food contact surfaces were washed and sanitized, and failed to maintain safe internal temperatures of potentially hazardous foods.

 

Closures outside Winnipeg 

Golden Lake Restaurant (349 1st Ave., Arborg), Dec. 5-8, handled and sold food under insanitary conditions. 

Riverton Motor Inn Restaurant (83 Main St., Riverton), Feb. 2, operated with poor general sanitation; it wasn’t maintained in good repair and wasn’t kept clean.

Bamboo Green Restaurant (440 Mountain Ave., Neepawa), April 5-10, operating without a permit and not registering, failed to ensure dishwasher was capable of sanitizing, and failed to provide approved sinks to use for manual washing and sanitizing.

Country Corner Cafe (195 Beach Rd. E, Teulon), May 30-June 1, operated with poor general sanitation, namely not kept clean. Also preparing food under insanitary conditions.

Chicken Delight (476 Main St., Selkirk), June 28-present, malfunctioning cooler and lack of refrigeration.

 

Closures of swimming pools

Seven Evergreen (7 Evergreen Place) Oct. 10-13, operated a whirlpool with inadequate water quality.

Best Western Plus Pembina Inn and Suites (1714 Pembina Hwy.), Oct. 20-24, operated a whirlpool with inadequate water quality.

Westminster Court (2945 Pembina Hwy.), Dec. 11-Feb. 6, 2018, operated a pool with inadequate water quality.

Days Inn (695 Berry St.), Jan. 23-25, operated a whirlpool and a pool with inadequate water recirculation or quality.

Airport Motor Hotel (1800 Ellice Ave.), Jan. 30-present, operated a whirlpool with inadequate water recirculation or quality.

Four Points by Sheraton Winnipeg South (2935 Pembina Hwy.), Jan. 31-Feb. 1, operated a whirlpool and swimming pool with inadequate water quality.

Peak Performance and Athletics (863 10th St., Brandon), Feb. 12-present, operated a whirlpool with inadequate water circulation and quality.

Russell Inn (Hwy. 16 and Hwy. 83, Russell), Feb. 15-present, operated a whirlpool without a permit.

Best Western semi-public swimming pool (414 Portage Ave., Headingley), Jan. 5-11, automatic disinfection system failed to operate and operator failed to make sure the free available chlorine level in the pool was kept between 1.0 mg/litre and 5 mg/litre.

Four Points by Sheraton Winnipeg South (2935 Pembina Hwy.), June 12-13, operated a whirlpool with inadequate water quality.

 

Convictions and fines imposed on restaurants and food service establishments

Conviction dates between October 2017 and May 2018. Offence dates provided below:

Kaur residence (31 Petriw Bay), Sept. 28, 2017 — $673.65 fine for not registering before operating and $673.65 fine for operating without a permit.

Citizen in the Exchange (291 Bannatyne Ave.), April 3, 2017 — $349 fine for not ensuring where floors are water flushed that the floor covering is in good repair and a $349 fine for operating with poor general sanitation.

Dhaliwal residence (23 Petriw Bay), Nov. 17, 2017 — $723 fine for not registering before operating and $723 fine for operating without a permit.

Super Taste Pizza (789 Ellice Ave.), Dec. 15, 2017 — $672 fine for selling uninspected meat and $672 fine for peddling uninspected meat.

Latinos Market (173 Osborne St.), Oct. 23, 2017 — $673.65 fine for not registering before operating.

W.H. Escott Company Ltd. (95 Alexander Ave.), Dec. 15, 2017 — $486 fine for not taking effective measures to prevent the entry of pests.

Chicken Delight (1133 Rosser Ave.), Nov. 24, 2017 — $536 fine for not maintaining safe internal temperature for potentially hazardous food.

Pastry Castle Cafe and Bakery (260 Edmonton St.), Feb. 13, 2018 — $672 fine for operating without a permit and a reprimand for failing to register before operating.

99 Cent Pizza (40 Stadacona St.), July 24, 2017 and Aug. 16, 2017 — $537 fine for not maintaining potentially hazardous food at a safe internal temperature, $253 fine for not storing wiping cloths in a sanitizing solution, $253 fine for not having an accurate thermometer for a refrigerated area and another $537 fine for not maintaining potentially hazardous food at a safe internal temperature at the later date.

 

Convictions and fines outside Winnipeg

La Rive (Sabor Latino) (6S-457 9th St., Brandon), Aug. 10, 2017 — $299.65 in fines for failing to keep hand sink accessible and failed to keep establishment clean.

Bamboo Garden Restaurant (440 Mountain Ave., Neepawa), Sept. 12, 2017 — $673.65 fine for dishwasher not sanitizing satisfactorily.

Zeng residence (3-160 4th St., Brandon), Sept. 3, 2017 — $673.65 fine for operating without a permit.

Chalet Restaurant (1701 Middleton Ave., Brandon), Nov. 22, 2017 — $203 fine for permitting an operation unrelated to the food handling establishment.

Tim Tom Asian Grocery (Unit 2 and 3, 559 8th St., Brandon), Nov. 15, 2017 — $300 fine for storing food in garbage bags, bags that have been stapled, and on the floor.

Clay Pot Cafe (2604 Victoria Ave., Brandon), Dec. 1, 2017 — $486 fine for not making sure dishwasher was sanitizing satisfactorily.

La Tienda Mexicana (904 Rosser Ave., Brandon), Dec. 6, 2017 — $722 fine for failing to provide hand cleaning soap and single use towels at the hand sink.

McDonald’s Restaurant (200 Hwy 10A N., Flin Flon), Feb. 6, 2018 – $203 fine for not storing cloths used for wiping food contact surfaces in a sanitizing solution.

Kam Lung Restaurant (2330 Victoria Ave., Brandon), Jan. 17, 2018 — $298 fine for not having dishwasher sanitize satisfactorily.

Roll ‘N Pin (1944 Queens Ave., Brandon), Feb. 15, 2018 — $476 fine for not designating handwashing basins for employees in food preparation areas and $306 fine for not maintaining safe internal temperature of potentially hazardous food.

Roblin Motor Inn (236 Main St., Roblin), Jan. 25, 2018 — $203 fine for not having approved sinks for use in manual washing and sanitizing.

Shawarma Queen (908 Rosser Ave., Brandon), Feb. 20, 2018 — $253 fine for not making sure a food contact surface was thoroughly washed and sanitized.

Whytewold Grocer and Dollar (2 Station Rd., Whytewold), June 19, 2017 — $723 fine for operating without a permit.

Miniota Motor Inn (177 Miniota Road South, Miniota), Feb. 13, 2018 — $298 fine for not keeping the place clean and $203 fine for operating with inadequate lighting.

Source: Manitoba Health