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Part of Search public engagements

Food safety engagement

Albertans provided feedback on the Food Safety and Licensed Facility-Based Child Care Review Panel’s recommendations.

Overview

The Government of Alberta is considering the implementation of recommendations from the Food Safety and Licensed Facility-Based Child Care Review Panel’s final report and continues to gather input from Albertans and other key stakeholders. Starting this fall, we want to hear more from the foodservice industry on select topics. 

Status

  • Open

  • Results under review

  • Completed

Who is listening

Ministry of Primary and Preventative Health Services

Get informed

The Government of Alberta is investigating the implementation of the Food Safety and Licensed Facility-Based Child Care Review Panel (Review Panel) recommendations. If the recommendations are implemented, some legislation may need to be updated, and those updates could affect the broader food service industry.

Background

On September 4, 2023, Alberta Health Services (AHS) declared an outbreak of Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (E. coli) O157:H7 in multiple licensed child care facilities in Calgary linked to a shared kitchen. In response, the Government of Alberta appointed an external review panel to identify opportunities for strengthening the legislation and inspection processes that govern food safety in kitchens servicing licensed facility-based child care, and the child care settings themselves.

The Review Panel submitted its final report to the Minister of Health and Minister of Jobs, Economy and Trade, outlining a series of recommendations to better protect the health and safety of Alberta’s children in these settings.

See pages 12 and 13 of the Review Panel’s final report for information on the activities the Review Panel undertook to inform their recommendations.

Other resources

Stakeholder engagement

  • Spring 2025: Albertans were invited to complete an online survey on food safety in the context of the Review Panel’s recommendations from March 24 to April 21, 2025. Additional stakeholders shared their perspectives through written submissions requested in March 2025.
  • Fall 2025 and Early 2026: Building on feedback received in the spring, we are engaging the foodservice industry on the potential implementation of a food safety inspection grading system or a food safety culture excellence recognition program.
    • Relevant associations and organizations were invited to provide written feedback in November 2025.
    • Further engagement opportunities are planned to occur in early 2026.
       

Outcomes

 Feedback received from this engagement will help inform decisions related to:

  • the implementation of the Food Safety and Licensed Facility-Based Child Care Review Panel’s recommendations, and
  • Alberta’s public health legislation, regulations and policies related to food safety.

See the Food Safety and Licensed Facility-Based Child Care Review Panel web page for updates on the implementation of the Review Panel’s recommendations.

Contact

For questions regarding the food safety engagement:
Email: [email protected]