A daycare at the centre of an E. coli outbreak at several daycares is seen in Calgary on Sept.15, 2023.Jeff McIntosh/The Canadian Press
A report ordered by Alberta after an E. coli outbreak that sickened hundreds of children identified a number of deficiencies with the province’s food safety regulations and oversight, including limited public health inspections and inadequate enforcement tools.
Roughly 450 people, mostly children, were infected last fall in Calgary in connection to 11 daycares across the city, which shared a central kitchen. Thirty-eight children and one adult wound up in hospital because of the bacterial infection and, nearly a year later, some children are still receiving care because of persistent health issues, according to the report.
No new conclusions were drawn about the cause of the outbreak in the 104-page document or in the separate outbreak inspection report by Alberta Health Services, both of which were released on Monday.
It has long been known that meatloaf and its vegan counterpart served to daycare children were the likely source of infection, but the AHS report concluded that investigators can’t yet identify where exactly the E. coli strain came from or explain why some facilities were harder-hit than others. Those questions are unlikely to ever be answered.
The outbreak was declared over last October.
Former Calgary police chief Rick Hanson, who chaired the food safety and licensed facility-based child-care panel, said the review involved input from stakeholders, affected families and experts in the sector. He said the review, which took seven months to complete, made clear that “the food safety expectations of Albertans are not being met” and therefore significant reform to the province’s rules and practices is needed.
Mr. Hanson said the panel’s 39 recommendations, which involve changes to legislation and more broadly fostering a culture of food safety, provide a roadmap to create a “safe and effective food safety system.” Alberta Premier Danielle Smith, who joined him at a news conference on Monday, said her government intends to implement all proposals, but noted some may require consultation with child-care operators and take longer to fulfill.
“When parents put their children in daycare, they do so trusting that their kids will be cared for and kept safe,” she said. “We know this outbreak has shaken that trust and, as policy makers, we must do whatever we can to ensure this doesn’t happen again.”
The daycare operator at the centre of the outbreak was Fueling Brains, which has the same owners as Fueling Minds, the shared kitchen where the meatloaf dishes were prepared. The kitchen, now closed, became a source of public uproar during the crisis when it became known that public health inspectors had repeatedly observed critical violations, including a cockroach infestation and food being transported without temperature control.
AHS, in its report, noted that the E. coli introduced to the central kitchen could have come from an ingredient found only in the meatloaf or only in the special menu lunch; an ingredient found in both menu options; or through a food handler.
It noted that the E. coli strain was a genetic match to bacteria found in privately sold, uninspected beef distributed in Alberta, which resulted in some cases of illness. However, it could not confirm a connection between the two events. Fueling Minds ordered its beef through Gordon Food Service.
Fueling Brains, in a statement, said it will be reviewing the report in detail.
Its directors, Faisal Alimohd and Anil Karim, were charged under municipal bylaws last September. Together, they face 12 charges and a fine of up to $120,000 for operating without the appropriate food services business licence. The duo have entered a not guilty plea. The trial is set to begin in September.
AHS currently “lacks the resources” required for sufficient inspections, concluded the report, with just 82 per cent (of an estimated 34,000 inspections) being completed annually. The government must immediately address this shortfall and, among the recommendations, require a higher frequency of inspections and develop clear and formalized expectations for this work.
Additionally, all licensed child care providers should be required to post their most recent public health inspection report in a conspicuous place, the report noted.
Key among the recommendations was that food handling regulations should be amended so that best practices are made mandatory. “For instance, there is no requirement for food service operators to monitor and record temperatures, which is a crucial aspect of food safety. Clear, enforceable requirements are needed to ensure compliance across all food establishments,” states the report.
The panel said enforcement is also key; granting authorities the ability to issue offence notices, which comes with a range of financial penalties, including mandatory court appearances for chronic offenders or more serious violations.
Other recommendations were related to bolstering training and certification for people handling food in child-care settings and ensuring the province has the capability to take immediate action, including by establishing investigative teams to probe outbreaks or serious violations.