Alberta's proposed measures to improve food safety don’t go far enough, advocates say
CBC
It’s been just over two years since Sarah MacDonald’s four-year-old son was hospitalized with E. coli after contracting the harmful bacteria in the 2023 outbreak at several Calgary child-care facilities.
MacDonald’s son, now six, was diagnosed with hemolytic uremic syndrome, a condition that can damage blood vessels and cause life-threatening kidney failure.
She said the experience was distressing for her son, and he’ll face doctor visits well into his teens to monitor his kidneys.
“We did quite a lot of therapy to deal with the trauma,” MacDonald said. “He's doing a lot better now that he's done quite a bit of processing of what happened to him, and has more understanding and just less fear.”
In a bill tabled earlier this week, the Alberta government proposed changes to the Public Health Act to improve food safety rules and better enforce regulations, based on recommendations from an Alberta Health Services report following the outbreak.
The report found the outbreak stemmed from contaminated meatloaf prepared at catering company Fueling Minds Inc.
The company admitted to operating without a food services business license, and received a $10,000 fine.
In addition to provisions to toughen food safety rules and enhance transparency in food inspection reporting, Bill 11 also seeks to create a specialized public investigative team with enhanced enforcement abilities, such as stronger fines and harsher penalties for egregious and repeat offenders.
In a statement, the Ministry of Primary and Preventative Health Services said the investigative team would be designated as peace officers, with the ability to issue tickets and administrative penalties up to $10,000 per violation.
Under the new law, food establishments and child-care facilities would also be required to post printed and digital copies of their most recent inspection reports, with contact information for complaints.
“The province is exploring ways to provide additional clarity and accessibility of inspection results, including options such as a colour-coded system and public signage displayed in a conspicuous location,” the statement added.
“This would allow the public to quickly see the relative risk or compliance status of a facility, helping Albertans make informed decisions while maintaining transparency and accountability.”
Food safety consultant Kouadio Bedie said while the changes in the bill are a good thing, they're overdue.
“From 2023 until now, the old system is still working and that mistake can still happen,” he said.
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