Infestations plague Chinatown, Kensington
News
Four restaurants forced to close in past few weeks
By Cassandra Jowett
Rodent infestations continue to bedevil Chinatown and Kensington Market, with health authorities ordering five recent business closures in the span of a few blocks.
Two restaurants on Dundas Street West near Kensington Avenue were closed early last week, and two restaurants on nearby Baldwin Street were shut on March 3 and 26.
Fong On Foods Limited, located at 46 Kensington Ave. , known for making tofu and other soy products, was also closed on March 2 and slapped with a total of $25,000 in fines in court on Monday when it was convicted on charges of food contamination and cockroach infestation dating back to September, 2008.
Jim Chan, manager of healthy environments at Toronto Public Health, said fines can balloon from a few hundred dollars to tens of thousands on repeat offences.
“In this case, the operator did not maintain the level of compliance after the first closure on Sept. 5, 2008. Fines are usually higher on repeat offences.”
Inspectors have recorded nearly 50 infractions dating back to June, 2007.
The business owner, who could not be reached for comment, will appear in court again following the latest closure, which notes six crucial infractions — the most severe rating — including a rodent infestation and sewage back-up.
The other sanctioned restaurants include Ba Le Sandwiches, 538 Dundas St. W.; Kim Vietnamese Restaurant, 546 Dundas St. W.; Chieng Mai Thai Cuisin, 147 Baldwin St.; and Liu Liu Hot Pot, 149 Baldwin St.
The spotlight was first put on the area’s rodent problem in February, 2008, when the blogTO Web site ran a photograph showing rats sitting on a food preparation area near a window at Dumpling House Restaurant on Spadina Avenue. Toronto Public Health closed the restaurant upon inspection.
Then, in October, rats were seen inside another Spadina Avenue restaurant called Happy Seven, causing health inspectors to close down the restaurant.
The restaurant has since gone out of business.
“We’re trying every way we can to take care of this problem,” said Barbara Kwan, vice-chair of the Chinatown BIA.
“We are trying our very best to help with the hygiene of the area.”
Meanwhile, Toronto Public Health is currently investigating the popular Annex sushi restaurant Sushi On Bloor following reports that seven people fell ill after eating there on various dates through March.
The restaurant, at 515 Bloor St. W., was temporarily closed on Friday after a health inspector recorded a number of infractions including inadequate food temperature control, improper employee hand washing and inadequate pest control.
Mr. Chan said the inspector found mouse droppings in the dining room.
The sushi restaurant was inspected four times in March due to inspectors’ concerns and public complaints, but it reopened on Monday when it passed another inspection.
