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The TBDHU is following a revised province-wide risk assessment for food premises called the Operational Approaches for Food Safety Guideline, 2019.
This guideline is expected to make better use of the time spent inspecting food premises.
Food premises include places…
Like public beaches, pools and other artificial recreational waters are great places to have fun and cool off in the summer. However, they can also be a breeding ground for recreational waterborne illnesses (RWIs), including a wide variety of infections such as gastrointestinal, skin, ear,…
Download the BodyWise Operator Education Package (PDF):
Background
Public health inspectors from the Thunder Bay District Health Unit visit personal service settings to make sure operators are meeting the minimum requirements under Ontario law; Ontario Regulation 136/18: Personal…
Is Your Organization Interested in Serving Wild Game to the Public?
TBDHU has recently revamped its process for approving applications to serve wild game to the public.
You can apply to serve wild game on a one-time basis such as a fundraising event, or if you are a non-profit, you can apply to…
Section 32 of Ontario Regulation 493 requires that every food premises operator must ensure that at all times during operation there is at least one food handler or supervisor on the premises who has completed provincially-approved food handler training. The Thunder Bay District Health Unit (TBDHU…
What is Food Poisoning?
Foodborne illness, commonly known as food poisoning, happens when people eat food containing harmful germs or organisms including bacteria, viruses, parasites or fungi. Many foods naturally contain small amounts of these germs, but our bodies can usually handle them without…
If you are planning to sell or give away food to the public, learn how to put food safety first! Download a copy of TBDHU’s Special Event Guidelines – Operating Guidelines for Event Organizers and Food Vendors (PDF)
All persons and/or organizations planning to hold an event where food will be…
Providing food to the public carries an immense responsibility. Proper food handling steps must be followed to reduce the risk of foodborne illness (food poisoning) whether you are a national food producer/manufacturer, a restaurant owner, or operating a home-based business. The role of the Thunder…
Beach Notifications
The Thunder Bay District Health Unit will notify the public of any issues concerning beaches tested by the Health Unit.
Beach advisories will be issued in beaches outside of Thunder Bay (with the exception of private beaches and provincial parks) when recreational water…
Our lakes are great places to relax, cool down, and have some family time during the summer. But bacterial infections such as E. coli can put a damper on the fun. Our role is to monitor public beaches within the city and district (with the exception of beaches within provincial parks) and alert…
Food safety is extremely important to ensure that the food we eat is safe and free from germs that cause foodborne illness. The Thunder Bay District Health Unit’s role is to maintain food safety in our communities by:
Inspecting preparation areas and procedures for food served to the public…
Water – it’s not just for drinking! Kids and adults alike love to splash around in it, water ski on it, and dive down into it, especially on a hot day. But water is also an excellent place for germs to live. Whether it is outdoors at our local beaches and lakes or indoors in our pools and spas, we…
We all love sunny days, but the sun can be damaging to our health without the proper precautions. Holes in the Earth’s natural defence against ultraviolet (UV) rays – the ozone layer – have left us at an even higher risk for skin cancer.
The role of the Thunder Bay District Health Unit is to raise…
The tools used in body art services (including tattoos, body piercing and micro-pigmentation – also known as “permanent makeup”) and salon services (including manicures and pedicures) often come into contact with blood and other bodily fluids. This increases the risk for transmitting serious…
Extreme heat events due to a changing climate are a growing public health risk in Canada. Because of our cooler climate in the Thunder Bay District, we can be more susceptible to extreme heat than those who are regularly exposed to it.
Heat Illnesses
Extreme heat puts everyone at risk of heat…