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The Copper Pit

157 Vermilion Ave Princeton BC V0X 1W0 · Restaurant - Food Service

Official record from Interior Health →

Inspection summary

The Copper Pit has been inspected 5 times by Interior Health Authority since March 3, 2022. The most recent inspection, on March 12, 2026, recorded 4 infractions.

None of the 5 inspections on record were free of infractions. In the past 12 months there were 2 inspections with 6 infractions recorded. The higher-risk findings here relate to: Protecting food from contamination, Cleaning and sanitizing and Food temperature control.

The number of infractions per inspection has stayed roughly the same over time.

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.

  • 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 5 times across 5 separate inspections, most recently on March 12, 2026. For example: 5 Are the premises and equipment properly maintained and operated in a sanitary manner (i.e. ongoing maintenance)?

  • 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 3 times across 3 separate inspections, most recently on March 12, 2026. For example: 3 Are food contact surfaces, utensils and equipment washed and sanitized in a manner that removes/prevents contamination?

  • 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 2 times across 2 separate inspections, most recently on May 16, 2025. For example: 2 Are proper temperature controls maintained to ensure safe storage and display of foods?

  • Handwashing and staff hygieneHigher risk

    Hands are the main way germs like norovirus move from people to food. Inspectors look for stocked, accessible handwashing sinks, staff washing hands when required, hair restraints, and sick employees being kept away from food. Gaps here can spread illness quickly.

    Recorded once on May 16, 2025. For example: 7 Are there handwashing stations available and properly supplied?

  • Building, plumbing and upkeepLower risk

    Floors, walls and ceilings must be smooth and clean, with working lighting, ventilation, plumbing, hot and cold water, and washrooms. These are rarely an immediate food-safety risk on their own, but persistent problems can lead to pest or sanitation issues.

    Recorded 5 times across 5 separate inspections, most recently on March 12, 2026. For example: 6 Are the premises designed and equipped to ensure safe food handling?

About this data

These results come from Interior Health Authority, 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.

5 inspections

  1. Monitoring

    4 infractions

    • F2.1 Does the facility have proper monitoring supplies?
      • Observation(s): At the time of inspection, the appropriate test strips were not observed on site. Based on the type of quat sanitizer that is present, the QT-40 quat sanitizer test strips are the appropriate test strip.
      • F2.1A Sanitizer test strips must be available for each chemical sanitizer used at the premises.
    • F2.3 Are food contact surfaces, utensils and equipment washed and sanitized in a manner that removes/prevents contamination?
      • Observation(s): At the time of inspection, quat sani-buckets/spray bottle concentration strength observed below 200 ppm. Ensure to wash sani-buckets/spray bottles and cloths frequently to remove residue that may affect sanitizer concentration.
      • F2.3D Sanitizer solution must be available and kept at the correct levels for adequate sanitizing action.
    • F2.5 Are the premises and equipment properly maintained and operated in a sanitary manner (i.e. ongoing maintenance)?
      • Observation(s): At the time of inspection, the following infractions observed below: [1] Build up of grease and miscellaneous items along floor of food premise. [2] Sani-spray bottles were not properly labelled. [3] Build up of food debris in potato cutter. Ensure to clean potato cutter daily. [4] Oil drips along vent hoods.
      • F2.5A All equipment, utensils and food contact surfaces used on the premises must be kept in good working order to ensure the sanitary handling of food.
      • F2.5D Chemicals, cleaners and other agents must be properly labelled and stored separately from food to prevent contamination.
    • F2.6 Are the premises designed and equipped to ensure safe food handling?
      • Observation(s): At the time of inspection, ice and frost build-up were observed along the walk-in freezer door. Operator looking for options to remediate issue regarding walk-in freezer door. Repairs for the door frame to reduce frost build-up. Date: TBD.
      • F2.6H The premises must be equipped with ventilation equipment that is adequate to prevent the accumulation of smoke, grease, water vapour and objectionable (offensive) odours.
  2. Monitoring

    2 infractions

    • F2.5 Are the premises and equipment properly maintained and operated in a sanitary manner (i.e. ongoing maintenance)?
      • Observation(s): At the time of inspection, the following infractions were observed: [1] Oil drips and blackened panels of ventilation hood above cooking units. [2] Oil and grease build up on non-food contact surface of cooking units. [3] Grime and food debris build up on the floor underneath cooking units.
      • F2.5A All equipment, utensils and food contact surfaces used on the premises must be kept in good working order to ensure the sanitary handling of food.
    • F2.6 Are the premises designed and equipped to ensure safe food handling?
      • Observation(s): At the time of inspection, ice and frost build-up were observed along the walk-in freezer door and pipes. Operator informed that work order for the walk-in freezer door and piping in place. Repairs are scheduled for the door frame to reduce frost build-up. Date: TBD.
  3. Monitoring

    4 infractions

    • F1.2 Are proper temperature controls maintained to ensure safe storage and display of foods?
      • Observation(s): At the time of inspection, the coolers adjacent to kitchen doors were observed at 8°C and above. A probe thermometer placed inside a glass of water was left in the cooler for 10 minutes. The probe thermometer, IR thermometer and thermometer inside the cooler all displayed temperature at 8°C. Corrected During Inspection: All potentially hazardous foods such as milk and sauces were moved to the walk-in cooler. Operator voluntarily discarded pickled green beans. The following were food products were discarded: • 200 grams of green beans.
    • F2.5 Are the premises and equipment properly maintained and operated in a sanitary manner (i.e. ongoing maintenance)?
      • Observation(s): At the time of inspection, the following were observed: [1] Grease, dust and food debris build-up between the equipment in cook line. Ensure to thoroughly clean all equipment and surrounding areas in the cook line. [2] Oil drippings on the edge of the ventilation hood. Ensure to regularly clean oil drippings to prevent cross contamination. [3] Scoops submerged inside food products. Ensure that scoops are stored in a sanitary manner that prevents cross contamination.
      • F2.5A All equipment, utensils and food contact surfaces used on the premises must be kept in good working order to ensure the sanitary handling of food.
    • F2.6 Are the premises designed and equipped to ensure safe food handling?
      • Observation(s): At the time of inspection, ice and frost build-up were observed along the walk-in freezer door and pipes. Operator informed that work order for the walk-in freezer door and piping in place. Repairs are scheduled for the door frame to reduce frost build-up. Date: TBD.
    • F2.7 Are there handwashing stations available and properly supplied?
      • Observation(s): At the time of inspection, food grade containers were observed inside back prep line handwashing basin. Ensure that the handwashing basin is ONLY used for handwashing purposes and remains accessible at all times.
      • F2.7E Handwashing stations must remain accessible at all times.
  4. Monitoring

    3 infractions

    • F1.7 Are foods protected from contamination?
      • Observation(s): - food stored on floor of walk-in cooler; please ensure foods are stored off the floor to help protect against contamination
    • F2.3 Are food contact surfaces, utensils and equipment washed and sanitized in a manner that removes/prevents contamination?
      • Observation(s): - please ensure cloths used in prep line are stored in sanitizer or replaced frequently with a clean cloth
    • F2.6 Are the premises designed and equipped to ensure safe food handling?
      • Observation(s): - ice build-up in walk-in freezer continues to be an issue; please look further into corrective actions - including containment and positive drainage of condensate drain components, complete insulation of refrigerant line-set, etc.
  5. Monitoring

    4 infractions

    • F1.2 Are proper temperature controls maintained to ensure safe storage and display of foods?
      • Observation(s): - upright dbl-door cooler and prep cooler reading at 8C
    • F2.3 Are food contact surfaces, utensils and equipment washed and sanitized in a manner that removes/prevents contamination?
      • Observation(s): - sanitizer not dispensing normally; please loo into and correct as needed - please start using single-use cloths/paper towel or store your wiping cloths in a bucket of sanitizer; until your dispenser is sorted-out, please use inserts (or similar) with bleach water at 100-200 ppm
    • F2.5 Are the premises and equipment properly maintained and operated in a sanitary manner (i.e. ongoing maintenance)?
      • Observation(s): - please install curtains in freezer to help reduce frost build-up in walk-in freezer
    • F2.6 Are the premises designed and equipped to ensure safe food handling?
      • Observation(s): - please install heat-tracing in freezer door frame to help reduce frost build-up around door - follow-up date Nov 1/22

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