How grading works in Waterloo Region.

Start with the local scale

Region of Waterloo Public Health (Kitchener, Waterloo, Cambridge, Elmira and the surrounding townships) does not give letter grades or scores. Each inspection lists any infractions found, marked critical or non-critical. Critical infractions are the ones most likely to make someone sick; an inspector may require a re-inspection until they are fixed. Many infractions are corrected on the spot during the inspection.

A score is not universal

Never compare results between cities. Some departments add points for violations, others use pass/fail, and a lower score can mean a better result.

Read beyond the latest result

Check the inspection date, each recorded violation, and any follow-up inspection. Closures and re-inspections are labeled in each restaurant’s history.

What's covered here

This page covers restaurants and other food-service businesses inspected under Region of Waterloo Public Health (Check It! We Inspect It.)'s restaurant program. Small markets, bodegas, and corner stores that sell food are usually inspected under a separate retail food program, which most areas don't publish as open records. If a store you're looking for doesn't turn up in search, that's the most common reason — it may be a real, licensed business that simply isn't part of this particular inspection program.