Food Premises Guidelines

Operators of food facilities are responsible for ensuring that food served to the public is safe and must have written food handling and sanitation procedures to ensure no health hazards occur at their premises.

Responsibilities are outlined in the Food Safety Act and Food Premises Regulation.

For food safety concerns or information on permits and health approvals please contact your regional health authority directly.

How to contact your health authority

Visit your health authority website for locations, hours of operation and contact information. Contact the health unit or office closest to the location or business and ask to speak to an Environmental Health Officer.

Not sure what health authority you live in? Find your health authority by community name.

Food safety guidelines

Guidelines for restaurants, farmers' markets, mobile vendors

Ensuring Food Safety – Writing Your Own Food Safety Plan – The HACCP Way – A Guide for Food Service Operators – HACCP stands for "Hazard Analysis - Critical Control Points | Chinese | Punjabi
Guideline for Food Premises Operating Permits and Fees Guidelines
Food Protection: Vital to Your Business | Simplified Chinese | Traditional Chinese | Punjabi
Temporary Food Markets – Guidelines for the Sale of Foods at Temporary Markets
Mobile Food Premises Guidelines
Guidelines for the Production of Dairy Products in Food Establishments

Guidelines for food processing facilities

Guidance shown below was developed during COVID-19

Equipment and Reusable containers

Washing your hands after handling returned beverage containers and reusable food containers will minimize spread of infectious diseases, such as norovirus and COVID. Further information about reusable containers, now acceptable at food premises when requirements are met, are found on the Ministry of Health site.

Cooking & foods

Guidelines for Using Time as a Public Health Control at Ambient Temperatures
Guidelines for restaurant sous vide cooking safety in British Columbia (BCCDC, July 2017) | French (courtesy of New Brunswick Ministry of Health)
Sous vide style cooking requirements (one page outline)

Eggs

For guidelines on retail meat operations, see Meat, Poultry & Eggs Guidelines.

Food Premises – Guideline for Pooling Eggs Safely |Traditional Chinese | Simplified Chinese | Korean | Punjabi | Tagalog | Vietnamese

Fish and Shellfish

For guidelines on retail fish operations, see Fish & Shellfish Processing Plant Guidelines.

Oysters

Sushi

Sushi safety

Tuna & farmed fish

Fish retail: Guideline for the exemption of certain species of tuna and farmed fish from the parasite destruction processes (freezing) prior to service in a raw of lightly cooked form

Kombucha processing and alcohol control

Guidance for evaluating alcohol:

Alcohol testing for kombucha (September 2021)

Evaluating alcohol control in kombucha (July 2021)

Provincial Health Services Authority