Big Bear Food Mart
417 Aberdeen Ave, Hamilton ON L8P 2S1 · Convenience / Variety
Inspection summary
Big Bear Food Mart has been inspected 10 times by City of Hamilton Public Health Services since April 14, 2022. The most recent inspection, on October 21, 2025, found no infractions.
1 of 10 inspections on record found no infractions at all. In the past 12 months there was 1 inspection with 0 infractions recorded. The higher-risk findings here relate to: Cleaning and sanitizing, Food temperature control and Protecting food from contamination.
Recent inspections have recorded fewer infractions than earlier ones, so the record is improving.
What these findings mean
Health authorities word their violations differently, so we group them by what they mean for food safety. Higher-risk findings are the ones inspectors treat as critical, because they can directly make someone sick.
Cleaning and sanitizingHigher risk
Anything that touches food, such as cutting boards, dishes and utensils, must be washed, rinsed and sanitized. Inspectors check dishwasher temperatures, sanitizer strength and how wiping cloths are stored. Poor sanitizing lets bacteria survive from one use to the next.
Recorded 9 times across 7 separate inspections, most recently on October 17, 2025. For example:
Equipment, utensils, multi-service articles and all food contact surfaces are properly constructed
Food temperature controlHigher risk
Bacteria multiply fastest between about 4 °C and 60 °C (40 °F to 140 °F). Inspectors check that cold food stays cold, hot food stays hot, cooked food is cooled quickly, and that staff have accurate thermometers. Temperature problems are one of the most common causes of food poisoning, so these are treated as critical findings.
Recorded 4 times across 4 separate inspections, most recently on October 17, 2025. For example:
Food is held at 4°C (40°F) or less
Protecting food from contaminationHigher risk
This covers how food is stored, prepared and displayed: raw meat kept away from ready-to-eat food, food covered and stored off the floor, and nothing dripping or splashing into it. Cross-contamination from raw to cooked food is a direct route for salmonella and E. coli.
Recorded 4 times across 3 separate inspections, most recently on October 17, 2025. For example:
Food in storage protected from contamination
Food safety training and certificationLower risk
Most jurisdictions require a certified food handler or manager on site, and some require allergen or food-worker training. These findings mean the paperwork or the trained person was missing at the time. They do not by themselves mean food was handled unsafely.
Recorded 8 times across 7 separate inspections, most recently on February 27, 2025. For example:
Certified food handler present in the food service premise
About this data
These results come from City of Hamilton Public Health Services, which inspects food premises and other public facilities in this area. We republish the authority's public disclosure data and refresh it regularly; the official record is the final word.
10 inspections
- Re-inspection
0 infractions
- Complaint
3 infractions
- Equipment, utensils, multi-service articles and all food contact surfaces are properly constructed
- Food is held at 4°C (40°F) or less
- Food in storage protected from contamination
- Routine Inspection
3 infractions
- Testing reagent used to determine concentration of sanitizer
- Hot holding: minimum of 60°C (140°F) after cooking / rapid re-heating
- Ensure food is held above 60°C (140°F) after cooking / rapid re-heating
- Certified food handler present in the food service premise
- Ensure certified food handler or supervisor is present during all hours of operation
- Re-inspection
1 infraction
- Separate hand washing basin provided for food handlers
- Routine Inspection
3 infractions
- Testing reagent used to determine concentration of sanitizer
- Food is held at 4°C (40°F) or less
- Certified food handler present in the food service premise
- Routine Inspection
3 infractions
- Equipment, utensils, multi-service articles and all food contact surfaces are properly constructed
- Testing reagent used to determine concentration of sanitizer
- Certified food handler present in the food service premise
- Ensure certified food handler or supervisor is present during all hours of operation
- Re-inspection
2 infractions
- Testing reagent used to determine concentration of sanitizer
- Provide and use test reagent to determine concentration of sanitizer
- Certified food handler present in the food service premise
- Ensure certified food handler or supervisor is present during all hours of operation
- Testing reagent used to determine concentration of sanitizer
- Routine Inspection
6 infractions
- Floors, walls, and ceilings clean and in good repair and maintained in a sanitary manner
- Separate hand washing basin provided for food handlers
- Hand washing station must be used only for hand washing of employees
- Ensure hand washing basin is unobstructed and accessible for hand washing
- Equipment, utensils, multi-service articles and all food contact surfaces are properly constructed
- Testing reagent used to determine concentration of sanitizer
- Food in storage protected from contamination
- Ensure racks, shelves or pallets are clean and designed to protect against contamination
- Certified food handler present in the food service premise
- Re-inspection
1 infraction
- Refrigeration and hot-holding equipment maintained
- Routine Inspection
3 infractions
- Separate hand washing basin provided for food handlers
- Hand washing station must be used only for hand washing of employees
- Ensure hand washing basin is unobstructed and accessible for hand washing
- Manual dishwashing: Wash, rinse, sanitize technique
- Ensure manual dishwashing includes the three steps: wash, rinse, and sanitize
- Food protected from contamination or adulteration
- Store food off the floor to prevent contamination
- Separate hand washing basin provided for food handlers
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