Glossary

The public health inspector observed one or more infractions during the required inspection. These infractions were able to be corrected by the operator during the required inspection. No follow-up inspection is required.

The public health inspector observed one or more infractions under the applicable legislation and scheduled a follow-up inspection to ensure that the infraction was corrected.

The premises was operating in accordance with the applicable legislation at the time of the inspection. Please keep in mind for public beaches, this refers to the beach being free of health hazards at the time of inspection. Weather and other factors could have changed the water quality since the last inspection.

A boil water order is issued when there is the presence or possible presence of bacteria or other micro-organisms in the water. The operator is required to boil the water before use or switch to a commercially prepared water supply until the water is rendered safe. This order will be lifted (rescinded) once corrective action is taken and satisfactory water sample results are achieved.

A closure order requires a premises to close until such time as the health hazard has been eliminated. Situations that would result in a closure order being issued to a food premises include the following: no hot water, lack of potable drinking water, or a power failure. Some examples of when a closure order would be issued to a public pool or spa would include: unbalanced water chemistry, adverse water sample results, missing or inoperable safety equipment.

In addition to required inspections, public health inspectors have the duty and the authority to investigate and conduct additional inspections as necessary to address complaints. These inspections are used to assess potential health hazards.

A charge is considered a conviction when the person or business charged is found guilty or admits to being guilty of an offence. This is a decision of a Judge or Justice of the Peace in a court of law. An individual identifies their guilt by paying the amount indicated on the ticket.

The public health inspector observed an infraction under the applicable legislation during the course of the inspection; however, the owner or operator corrected the infraction prior to the end of the inspection.

A drinking water order is issued as a safety measure due to the possible chemical contamination of the water supply and boiling the water may cause more harm and/or will not eliminate the contamination. Once correction actions have been taken and upon receipt of satisfactory water sample results, this order will be lifted (rescinded).

During the course of a required inspection, if a public health inspector identifies infractions or concerns, a follow-up inspection is conducted at a later date. This is to ensure that appropriate corrective action was taken by the owner or operator. These inspections are also referred to as re-inspections.

Infractions may also be known as violations or non-compliant items. This refers to a situation where the operator is not complying with a requirement listed in the legislation.

A licensed child care setting is a premises operated by a person licensed under the Child Care and Early Years Act, 2014. Examples include child care centres, nursery schools, and before/after school programs.

An offence notice is also known as a charge, certificate of offence, or ticket. Public health inspectors and tobacco enforcement officers are designated as provincial offences officers. This designation allows them to issue an offence notice for each infraction when contraventions to applicable legislation are observed. Not all legislation allows charges to be laid.

Public health inspectors can issue orders under the authority of the Health Protection and Promotion Act. Commonly referred to as Section 13 Orders, these are issued when the public health inspector is of the opinion, upon reasonable and probable grounds, that a health hazard exists, and that the requirements specified in the order are necessary to decrease the effect or eliminate the health hazard. Orders are typically issued when there is an imminent health risk for which the only means of preventing human illness is by ordering the premises to take action specified in the order until such time the health hazard is eliminated.

Tobacco enforcement officers can issue a prohibition order under the authority of the Smoke-Free Ontario Act (SFOA). This order is issued when a tobacco retailer has been convicted under the SFOA more than twice within 5 years. The prohibition order prohibits the retailer from selling tobacco products for a minimum of 6 months. When the tobacco vendor is the retailer/owner of the premises and is convicted under the SFOA, the conviction applies toward a prohibition order. When the tobacco vendor is an employee of the premises and is convicted under the SFOA, the conviction does not apply toward a prohibition order.

Public health inspectors have the duty and the authority under the Health Protection and Promotion Act to inspect premises within their jurisdiction to ensure compliance with various pieces of legislation. These inspections are used to make sure that the minimum standards set out in the applicable legislation are met. These inspections may also be referred to as routine or compliance inspections.

When the conditions set-out in an order have been met, the order is lifted (rescinded). This means there is no longer an imminent risk to the health of the public and the issue has been resolved.

A small drinking water system may be a privately or publicly owned and operated drinking water system that provides non-municipal drinking water to the public. These systems use private wells/cisterns or surface water drawn from rivers, lakes or ponds and are common in rural areas. Some examples of small drinking water systems may include, seasonal trailer parks, campgrounds or resorts with six or more connections, restaurants on private water systems, hotels, motels, and bed and breakfast accommodations, libraries, gas stations, recreational and athletic facilities, places of worship, places where service clubs and fraternal organizations meet, and any place where the general public has access to a drinking water fountain, shower, or washroom.

A summons can be given instead of a ticket. A summons is a legal document that requires the person charged to appear in an Ontario Court of Justice regarding an infraction. The summons typically leads to a trial date being set. During a trial, a Justice of the Peace will determine a fine or sentence if the person or business is convicted.

This may refer to recreational water samples collected and tested for bacteria or blue-green algae toxin. It may also refer to drinking water samples collected and tested for bacteria.