West Toronto Farm Boy temporarily closes for ‘preventative maintenance’ amid pest infractions

The Farm Boy store at 740 Dupont St. was closed on Sept. 16 for "preventative maintenance" amid pest infractions. (Farm Boy/photo)

A Farm Boy store in Toronto’s Annex area has temporarily closed for “preventative maintenance,” according to a note posted on its door, after receiving a conditional pass late last month by the city’s DineSafe program.

The Farm Boy at 740 Dupont St., just west of Christie Street, was closed on Tuesday, but is slated to reopen at 8 a.m. on Wednesday.

“We anticipate reopening in a timely manner. We apologize for the inconvenience and appreciate your patience as we take every step to provide the safest possible environment,” the memo reads, pointing customers to other nearby locations at 81 St. Clair Ave. E. and 29 Bathurst St.

In a statement provided to CP24, Farm Boy indicated it is “taking proactive and preventative measures” and closed its Dupont/Christie location to “ensure the health, safety, and well-being of our customers and team members.”

“We apologize for the inconvenience and appreciate our customers’ patience as we take every step to provide the safest possible environment,” a spokesperson wrote.

On Aug. 27, inspectors observed three DineSafe infractions at this Farm Boy location.

One was deemed “significant” for failing to protect against harbouring of pests and a ticket was issued pending a Sept. 16 re-inspection.

The two other infractions were found to be “minor” in nature and were for failing to ensure equipment surface was sanitized as necessary and failing to protect against the entry of pests.

Receiving a yellow, or conditional, DineSafe card does not mean that a premises must close.

Toronto Public Health (TPH) told CP24 it “has not conducted any additional inspection since the date noted on the DineSafe webpage, and the current closure of the store is not the result of any further inspection by TPH.”

The Farm Boy on Dupont Avenue passed its previous inspection on Feb. 5 but received a conditional pass with one or more infractions observed the month prior.

Midtown Farm Boy store closed earlier this month after failing DineSafe inspection

Tuesday’s move comes less than two weeks after another Farm Boy store in the city, at 2149 Yonge St., was shut down after failing a food safety inspection.

The City of Toronto’s DineSafe web site indicates the store was last inspected on Sept. 8 and subsequently ordered to close after inspectors observed “one or more crucial infractions ... under the Food Premises Regulation that present an immediate health hazard that cannot be corrected during an inspection.”

Farm Boy’s Yonge/Soudan location received a red card for four infractions, two of which are deemed “crucial,” for food premise maintained in manner permitting health hazard (rodents) and for failing to protect food from contamination or adulteration.

The midtown supermarket was also handed a “significant” infraction for failing to protect against harbouring of pests, and a “minor” one for food premise not being maintained with food handling room in sanitary condition.

“This action was taken due to a violation of the Ontario Food Premises Regulation that presented an immediate health hazard, involving a rodent infestation without an effective method of pest control, along with a minor infraction on safe food handling,” Toronto Public Health previously said in a written statement.

The health unit said this notice requires the store to close to the public immediately and remain closed until “all health hazards are corrected.”

The Farm Boy store at 2149 Yonge St. has not reopened and “continues to remain closed as per the Section 13 Order,” TPH told CP24 on Tuesday.

In a follow-up statement, Farm Boy reiterated that “based on learnings from (its) Yonge and Soudan location” they’re “taking proactive and preventative measures and have temporarily closed the Farm Boy Dupont and Christie location.”

“Our focus right now is on working closely with third-party experts, building management, and our food safety teams to ensure the highest standards are fully met before reopening either location,” the company said.

“At the same time, we are undertaking a company-wide comprehensive review of our protocols to ensure the health and safety of our customers and employees.”