The kitchen behind Calgary’s E. coli outbreak in more than a dozen daycares has been charged with operating without a business licence..Fueling Minds, the catering company and school lunch provider, was charged by the City of Calgary for operating without a food services licence, the city said in a news release Wednesday. .According to the city, Fueling Minds is affiliated with the Fueling Brains Academy, the daycare operator at the centre of the outbreak..Although it had a provincial daycare operator’s licence, it had been food catering services to five third party daycares which required a supplemental City of Calgary business licence..The corporation and its two directors have each been hit with 12 charges under the Business Licensing Bylaw. If convicted, they could face a total fine amount of up to $120,000. .The City of Calgary does not licence commercial daycare centres including food preparation or food service contained within these centres; provincial regulations govern these types of businesses..However, The City does require a business licence for a third-party food services business if they are contracted to provide food and catering services. .Before a licence can be issued to a food services business, it must have completed a health inspection, fire inspection and land use approvals. ."It is of utmost importance that businesses in Calgary have the proper licences in order to ensure a safer environment for Calgarians and the employees who work at such locations," says Michael Briegel, the city’s deputy chief of business safety.."While the vast majority of businesses do comply, those that don’t could be putting people at risk. The City of Calgary takes this very seriously." .It comes as health officials and Premier Danielle Smith hold a press conference this morning to detail the investigation. .According Dr. Mark Joffe, there are 351 lab confirmed cases and 37 confirmed secondary cases. Four children remain in hospital..Joffe said initial investigations suggest the disease spread through contaminated meatloaf and vegan meatloaf.....more to come
