The Department of Health and Social Services is crafting a new website to publish its inspection reports. In the meantime, it's been a bit slow with updating the current one.
is publicly available information and contains a list of businesses in Yellowknife that require food inspections. And according to that list right now, popular restaurants, coffee shops and pubs in the city look like they haven't had an inspection anywhere between two to five years.
But that's not actually true. The Black Knight Pub, for example, had an inspection done on Aug. 8, 2024. That report noted the premises maintains a clean and sanitary kitchen. But, as of Dec. 16, on the GNWT's website, the only inspection available for the pub is dated by nearly three years, going back to June 2022.
In an email to SA国际影视传媒, the department said that while there may be delays in uploading inspection reports, inspections are still routine.
Some places have up-to-date inspections published on the department's site, one of which includes Freshslice Pizza.
Harpreet Brar, manager of Freshslice Pizza, had his most recent inspection on Feb. 27, 2024, and is in compliance with the GNWT's standards.
Brar said inspections matter because some foods could be expired, and meats can be contaminated with bacteria if it's not stored at proper temperatures.
He added that, in his opinion, inspections should be done every six months.
"Two times a year, so the business owner and business manager should know the food inspector is coming, so they can get prepared for that," he said.
For some, it might be nerve-racking for someone to come in and evaluate their business. But not for Brar, he said.
"If you're following the guidelines, which the food inspector gives to you, I don't think there's any matter for nervousness," he said.
In a follow-up email to SA国际影视传媒, the department cited capacity issues limiting its ability to upload reports. In 2023, it introduced a new digital system that lets Environmental Health Officers conduct inspections with tablets. Prior to that, reports were paper-based and had an outdated database, according to the department.
"By summer 2025, the new system will allow real-time posting of inspection results, eliminating delays and improving public access," a statement from the department reads.
Work on the new site started more than a year ago, as part of a larger overhaul of the Environmental Health inspection program, the department explained. The cost for the new site is about $18,000.
Following NNSL's questions, the Department of Health , explaining the delay. If someone wants current inspection details, they can also contact the department directly, it said in its statement.
