Food Safety, Gig Chef Economy & Institutions Regulation

The Government of Alberta is gathering input on the Food Safety and Licensed Facility-Based Child Care Review Panel’s Recommendations - gig chef economy - and modernizing the Institutions Regulation

The Government of Alberta is gathering input on the Food Safety and Licensed Facility-Based Child Care Review Panel’s Recommendations - gig chef economy - and modernizing the Institutions Regulation

  • Gig Chef Economy

    The Government of Alberta is gathering input on the gig chef economy.

    The government is considering options for modernizing food safety legislation, including how the gig chef economy could operate within Alberta.

    The gig chef economy is a system where chefs may work in different kitchens for short periods, often through short-term contracts or freelance work. This may happen on short notice and even for a few hours at a time. Gig chefs might prepare, cook or serve food for catering, onsite dining, curbside pick up, or for sale at another location via online platforms.

    Owners or operators of commercial kitchens provide the space for gig chefs to work by choosing to rent out their kitchen space when it is not otherwise being used. Gig chefs may share the same kitchen space.

    The gig chef economy has its benefits – with owners/operators of commercial kitchens getting an extra source of income and with gig chefs having the chance to work out of different kitchens without having to spend money on their own commercial kitchen.

    The Food Regulation, enforced by Alberta Health Services (AHS), lists the requirements for the safe handling of food that is intended for the public. The primary goal of the regulation is to protect the public from illnesses caused by food. Currently, some requirements within the Food Regulation pose potential barriers to the gig chef economy as they slow down timely access to rentable commercial kitchen space. The Government of Alberta is considering changing or removing some of these requirements that may be considered duplicative or unnecessary – that may create “red tape” – for the gig chef economy without putting food safety at risk.

    Your input in this survey will help inform policies related to the gig chef economy and Alberta’s public health legislation, regulations and policies related to food safety. 

     

    The survey takes 10 to 15 minutes to complete and closes April 13, 2025.  

    You may wish to create an account to save your progress, but this is not required to complete the survey. 

    Take Survey

  • Food Safety

    The Government of Alberta is gathering input on the Food Safety and Licensed Facility-based Child Care Review Panel's Recommendations

    The Government of Alberta is considering the implementation of recommendations from the Food Safety and Licensed Facility-Based Child Care Review Panel’s (Review Panel) final report. This survey seeks input on select recommendations. If the recommendations are implemented, some legislation may need to be updated, and those updates could affect the broader foodservice industry.  


    Your input will help inform decisions related to: 

    • The implementation of the Review Panel’s recommendations, and 

    • Alberta’s public health legislation, regulations and policies related to food safety. 


    The survey takes 20 to 25 minutes to complete and closes April 13, 2025.

    You may wish to create an account to save your progress, but this is not required to complete the survey. 

    Take Survey

  • Institutions Regulation Modernization

    The Government of Alberta is gathering input to modernize the Institutions Regulation.

    The Institutions Regulation aims to prevent injury and the spread of disease in licensed child and adult care facilities by outlining maintenance and operations requirements for the facilities and associated grounds.  

    The Institutions Regulation was created in 1981 under the Public Health Act and was last updated in 2003. Updating the Institutions Regulation will improve practices at applicable care settings and will address identified issues. The Government of Alberta is investigating potential changes to the Institutions Regulation such as, but not limited to: 

    • Considering which child and adult care program facilities the regulation should apply to.

    • Updating definitions and requirements that are outdated, addressed in other legislation, duplicative, or no longer necessary.

    • Clarifying requirements and the intent of the regulation.

    • Reviewing health and safety requirements to align with current standards.

    • Reviewing what food handling and food safety requirements in the Institutions Regulation might be integrated in the Food Regulation.


    The government is considering updates to the Institutions Regulation to reflect an approach that emphasizes the achievement of specific outcomes, rather than listing specific requirements to meet that outcome. This approach will recognize operator differences and give them more flexibility to meet the needs of those in their program or facility. Additionally, the government is considering updating the regulation to focus on identifying, assessing and reducing risks. If implemented, guideline document(s) could be developed that operators can reference as a framework for practice, where appropriate, to support them in achieving outcome-based requirements. 

    An updated regulation could clarify or expand its application to the following programs and services that provide care regulated by the Government of Alberta: 

    • Child care programs operating under the Early Learning and Child Care Act (except Centre for Newcomers programs). This includes child care programs being offered or provided under the former regulations as a group family child care program or an innovative child care program. 

    • Emergency shelters under the Shelter Accommodations Expectations guidelines. 

    • Child care programs operating under the Child, Youth and Family Enhancement Act (except kinship care and foster homes). 

    • Child and adult care residential addiction treatment services programs under the Mental Health Services Protection Act. 

    • Child care programs operating under the Protection of Sexually Exploited Children Act. 

    • Early Childhood Services (ECS) programs, charter schools and private schools operating under the Education Act. 


    Your input will help inform Alberta’s Institutions Regulation, Food Regulation and associated policies and guidelines. 


    The survey takes 15 to 20 minutes to complete and closes April 13, 2025.  

    You may wish to create an account to save your progress, but this is not required to complete the survey. 

    Take Survey