TIM HORTONS

Inspection summary

TIM HORTONS has been inspected 6 times by Nova Scotia Environment and Climate Change (Food Safety Program) since November 9, 2023. The most recent inspection, on November 7, 2025, recorded 1 infraction.

2 of 6 inspections on record found no infractions at all. In the past 12 months there were 2 inspections with 4 infractions recorded. The higher-risk findings here relate to: Handwashing and staff hygiene, Protecting food from contamination and Cleaning and sanitizing.

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.

• 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 2 times across 2 separate inspections, most recently on October 29, 2025. For example: 19(2)(b) - OPERATOR FAILING TO PROVIDE ADEQUATELY DESIGNED & APPROPRIATELY LOCATED HANDWASHING FACILITIES.

• 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 once on October 29, 2025. For example: 34 - OPERATOR FAILING TO ENSURE FOOD & FOOD INGREDIENTS ARE PROCESSED IN A MANNER THAT PREVENTS ADULTERATION & CONTAMINATION.

• 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 once on November 9, 2023. For example: 29(2)(a) - FAILING TO ENSURE MAINTENANCE, CLEANING & SANITIATION PROGRAM INCLUDES PROCEDURES TO ENSURE FOOD ESTABLISHMENT& EQUIPMENT MAINTAINED, CLEANED & SANITIZED.

• Permits, records and postingLower risk

  Operating permits, required signage, written procedures and logs. These findings are administrative: the documentation was missing or out of date at the time of inspection.

  Recorded 2 times on October 1, 2024. For example: 18A - RENOVATING AND EXISTING FOOD ESTABLISHMENT WITH PLANS AND SPECIFICATIONS NOT APPROVED BY THE INSPECTOR.

• Other findingsLower risk

  Findings that do not fit the categories above, such as follow-ups that confirm an earlier violation was corrected, or requirements specific to this type of facility.

  Recorded 3 times across 3 separate inspections, most recently on November 7, 2025. For example: 29(2)(a) - INADEQUATE MAINTENANCE, CLEANING, & SANITATION PROGRAM.

About this data

These results come from Nova Scotia Environment and Climate Change (Food Safety Program), 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.

• View the official Nova Scotia Environment and Climate Change (Food Safety Program) disclosure site
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