This is what the public deserves, and what the meat industry wants. If potential exists for an Ontario plant to produce unsafe food, corrective action is taken immediately. If a plant is found to be producing unsafe food, it is shut down until the problem is rectified. Ontario meat plants abide by the law, or they simply aren't permitted to operate. In 1999 we revoked seven plant licenses.
Public safety comes first.
Ontario's plants have become much more efficient in their slaughter operations over the last few years, while the inspection program has become more efficient in delivering services. There has also been a reduction in the number of meat plants in Ontario as operators choose to leave the business rather than keep up with increasing global food safety standards. But this has had no effect on the vigilance of our inspection processes. With our current complement of inspectors we have the capacity to handle almost 20,000 more inspection hours per year than we do now - making Ontario's inspection system not just the most effective but also the most efficient in Canada. While our system remains strong, recent advances in science and technology have given Ontario an opportunity to advance our meat inspection system even further.