Skip to content
Loading map…

Vancia Donair and Shawarma

11722 104 Avenue NW Edmonton AB T5K 2T7 · Food - General

7 inspections

  1. Risk Management Inspection

    0 infractions

  2. Monitoring Inspection

    6 infractions

    • 06. Are appropriate food handling practices and plans in place to ensure that food is handled in a manner that makes it safe to eat?
      • Donair cone was turned off and the cone was at 30C surface temperature. Staff said if it gets too hot, the meat burns. The cone cannot be turned off and the meat must be cooked continuously. Please carefully review this handout (Requirements for the Preparation and Serving of Donairs, Shawarmas and Similar Products) - https://www.albertahealthservices.ca/assets/wf/eph/wf-eh-guidelines-prep-serving-donairs.pdf
    • 10. Are food temperatures during storage and processing being controlled to maximize food safety?
      • 1. Tapioca balls measured 50C internal with probe thermometer in the hot holding unit. Staff indicated the hot holding unit could not be turned up any higher.Ensure high risk foods, including tapioca balls, are kept hot (60C or warmer). The staff decided to discard the tapioca balls. There were extra tapioca balls in the fridge that will be used as per each order. Staff also said she would talk with the owner about getting a better hot holding unit.2. Thawing is sometimes done in the sink with warm/ hot water.The above practice is not permitted. Thawing can be done in a cooler at 4C or less; food fully submerged under continuously cold running water; microwaved and then immediately cooked; cooked from frozen.
    • 13. Are properly operating hand washing sink(s) accessible to food handlers, located in suitable areas, and stocked with appropriate hand washing supplies?
      • There was no paper towel at back hand sink or staff bathroom. Ensure hand sinks are always stocked with soap and paper towel.
    • 16. Is the facility free of unapproved animals, vermin and/or insects (unless noted elsewhere), and maintained to prevent the entry or harbourage of pests?
      • Last monthly pest control records onsite were dated Oct 2025.Ensure you complete and have monthly pest control records.
    • 18. Are general nuisance conditions, other than those noted in other violations, being prevented at this food facility (Non-Critical)?
      • Staff indicated that all paper towel dispensers were broken. Paper towel dispensers are required as it protects the paper towel from contamination.
    • 22. Are utensils and equipment maintained in a condition and a manner that ensures the safe handling of food?
      • - There is tape inside the first compartment of the dishwash sinks. There is food debris that get stuck and tape is not smooth or easily cleanable.- Chest freezers at the front have a buildup of frost in them.Ensure surfaces are smooth and easily cleanable. Remove the tape and remove the frost from the chest freezers.
  3. Demand Inspection

    1 infraction

    • 13. Are properly operating hand washing sink(s) accessible to food handlers, located in suitable areas, and stocked with appropriate hand washing supplies?
      • The back hand sink drain was plugged. Operator knew about it and was having it serviced.
  4. Risk Management Inspection

    0 infractions

  5. Monitoring Inspection

    2 infractions

    • 11. Are there adequate and properly operating dish washing facilities to effectively clean and sanitize equipment and utensils (unless noted elsewhere)(Critical)?
      • The dishwasher was in disrepair. Operator indicated a technician has been contacted. Operator indicated the 3-compartment sink will be used for dishwashing until the dishwasher is repaired.
    • 22. Are utensils and equipment maintained in a condition and a manner that ensures the safe handling of food?
      • The inside of chest freezer on the cook line was unclean. Operator cleaned during inspection.
  6. Risk Management Inspection

    4 infractions

    • 05. Do food handlers refrain from handling food while ill and have acceptable attire and hygiene?
      • Staff was noted to blow into gloves prior to putting them on. He did not wash hands when changing his gloves.Ensure hands are washed prior to putting gloves on and also after taking them off. Do not blow inside of gloves. Review this document (Guidelines for Proper Glove Use): https://www.albertahealthservices.ca/assets/wf/eph/wf-eh-guidelines-proper-glove-use.pdf. Staff was instructed to wash his hands and to get a new pair or gloves during the inspection.
    • 06. Are appropriate food handling practices and plans in place to ensure that food is handled in a manner that makes it safe to eat?
      • REPEAT VIOLATION Chicken shawarma cone measured approx 34-44C on the outside. Ensure the meat is being cooked to minimum 74C. Staff must use a thermometer to check the temperature often and adjust the thermostat to ensure the correct temperature is being maintained. Once the meat is cooked, it can be placed in the steam table (which was over 60C at the time of inspection) and then have a secondary cook step prior to serving. Please review and implement: https://www.albertahealthservices.ca/assets/wf/eph/wf-eh-guidelines-prep-serving-donairs.pdf. At the end of the inspection, the staff turned up the broiler temperature and the external temperature of the cone measured above 74C.
    • 10. Are food temperatures during storage and processing being controlled to maximize food safety?
      • Rice was soaking in water at room temperature. Staff said it was only out for about 5 minutes.Ensure high risk foods are not stored between 4C and 60C. Once water is added to a dry food, it becomes potentially hazardous. The staff placed in the soaking rice in the cooler when requested to do so.
    • 16. Is the facility free of unapproved animals, vermin and/or insects (unless noted elsewhere), and maintained to prevent the entry or harbourage of pests?
      • CORRECTED - Multiple flying insects noted in the back prep area, especially on and near the blenders and bubble tea powder containers. This entire area was not clean. NOT OBSERVED - No up to date monthly pest control records were available Ensure this area is thoroughly cleaned and sanitized and proper steps are taken to get rid of the flying insects. Ensure pest records reflect steps taken. Pest control check which can be used: https://www.albertahealthservices.ca/assets/wf/eph/wf-eh-pest-control-checklist.pdf
  7. Monitoring Inspection

    14 infractions

    • 04. Does the operator use approved methods for cleaning and sanitizing equipment, utensils, and surfaces?
      • Sanitizer measured 0ppm Chlorine. A 100ppm solution was made during inspection.Ensure sanitizer measured 100ppm Chlorine. Use chlorine test strips to verify concentration.
    • 06. Are appropriate food handling practices and plans in place to ensure that food is handled in a manner that makes it safe to eat?
      • - Donair cone measured external temperature of approx 30C with IR thermometer. Chicken cone measured external temperature of approx 60C with IR thermometer. Staff were instructed to turn up the temperature immediately to cook the meat to 74C or warmer and then hot hold at 60C or warmer. After 15 minutes, the temperatures had not reached the minimum temperatures and had actually dropped in temperature and staff were told they had 5 min to increase the temperature of the cones or they would be discarded. After 5 min, both cones were >74C. Requirements for the Preparation of and Serving of Donairs, Shawarmas, and Similar Products document must be followed - https://www.albertahealthservices.ca/assets/wf/eph/wf-eh-guidelines-prep-serving-donairs.pdfThe meat needs to be at cooking temperatures while on the spit being rotated under the broiler. The temperatures must be monitored to ensure the meat is at the correct temperatures while on the broiler.
    • 08. Do food handlers ensure that food is protected from contamination (unless noted elsewhere)(Non-Critical)?
      • Many pails were stored directly on the floor along the back hallway.Ensure food containers are stored off the floor.
    • 08. Do food handlers ensure that food is protected from contamination (unless noted elsewhere)(Non-Critical)?
      • A bag of pitas were stored directly on the floor. This was moved off the floor during inspection.Ensure foods are stored off the floor.
    • 08. Do food handlers ensure that food is protected from contamination (unless noted elsewhere)(Non-Critical)?
      • - Staff items (jacket, purse, keys, phone) were stored in the back prep area on the counter with food items. This was moved during the inspection. - Staff items were stored on a cart with a stainless steel tray- Staff items stored on hooks above food pails in the back hallway. Staff items were touching and resting on the food containers.Ensure staff items are stored and separate from food/ food related items. Ensure there is no contact of staff items with food/ food related items. Staff storage area must be designated and only used for staff storage and nothing to do with food/ food related items.
    • 10. Are food temperatures during storage and processing being controlled to maximize food safety?
      • - Cut donair and chicken meat on the stove in a stainless steel insert was approx 20-30C. This was discarded. - A small container of tapioca balls were stored at room temperature. This was discarded.- A block of cheese was being stored on the counter top and had not been put in the cooler after the grocery trip. Cheese was placed in the cooler during inspection.- Still frozen chickpeas were being thawed at room temperature. These were then placed in the cooler to finish the thawing process. - Rice in a rice cooker was cooling while still being in the rice cooker with a lid on it. Staff were instructed to portion into smaller containers, remove lid and cool quickly.Multiple critical temperature violations were noted. Ensure hot foods are kept at 60C or warmer, cold foods are at 4C or colder, and foods are cooked and reheated to 74C or warmer. Thawing cannot be done at room temperature and can only be done by these methods: (1)Cooler at 4C or less (2) full submerged under cold running water (3) microwaved and then cooked immediately afterwards (4) cooked from frozen. Cooling of foods must be done quickly from hot to room temperature within 2 hours and from room temperature to 4C or less within 4 hours. Foods are to be cooled quickly by portioning in small containers, using stainless steel containers over plastic, not putting lids on the containers, stirring often, placing containers in an ice bath, etc.
    • 10. Are food temperatures during storage and processing being controlled to maximize food safety?
      • There was no probe thermomer available to check internal cook temperatures of food.There was no IR thermometer available to check donair/chicken cone temperatures.Ensure a thermometer is available to check internal food temperatures and external temperatures of cones.
    • 12. Are there adequate and properly operating dish washing facilities to effectively clean and sanitize equipment and utensils (unless noted elsewhere)(Non-Critical)?
      • Expired chlorine test strips were provided upon request. These were discarded during inspection. There were other chlorine test strips available that appear to not be expired.Ensure expired test strips are not used and only accurate and valid test strips are used.
    • 13. Are properly operating hand washing sink(s) accessible to food handlers, located in suitable areas, and stocked with appropriate hand washing supplies?
      • - A large stainless steel table was in front of the hand sink, thereby obstructing the hand sink. There was also a sanitizer bucket stored inside the hand sink. Both the table and sanitizer bucket was moved during the inspection.- There was no paper towel at the staff bathroom hand sink or the back prep kitchen hand sink. These were both stocked during inspection.Ensure hand sinks are always feel from obstruction; do not store anything inside or in front of it. Hand sinks must be stocked with soap and paper towel and have cold and hot running water available.
    • 16. Is the facility free of unapproved animals, vermin and/or insects (unless noted elsewhere), and maintained to prevent the entry or harbourage of pests?
      • - Multiple flying insects noted in the back prep area, especially on and near the blenders and bubble tea powder containers. This entire area was not clean. - No up to date monthly pest control records were available Ensure this area is thoroughly cleaned and sanitized and proper steps are taken to get rid of the flying insects. Ensure pest records reflect steps taken. Pest control check which can be used: https://www.albertahealthservices.ca/assets/wf/eph/wf-eh-pest-control-checklist.pdf
    • 19. Does the facility have a valid permit and does the facility operate in compliance with the conditions of that permit, or is the facility awaiting approval prior to operation?
      • Food handling permit is not posted.Ensure a valid food handling permit is posted. If you need to get a copy, please contact 1-833-476-4743.
    • 20. Do food handlers at the facility have adequate food safety training?
      • Owner at the facility did not appear to have basic food safety training knowledge (ie. she did not know proper thawing methods, how to check the dishwasher if it was sanitizing, and said she needed a refresher as she has forgotten some food safety practices).Ensure owners and staff are aware of and able to implement basic food safety training. An option is to take an approved food safety training course: https://www.alberta.ca/system/files/custom_downloaded_images/health-recognized-food-safety-courses-alberta.pdf#search=approved%20food%20safety
    • 22. Are utensils and equipment maintained in a condition and a manner that ensures the safe handling of food?
      • The wooden chopping block has grooves and knife marks in it.Ensure the chopping block is smooth, easily cleanable and non absorbent. Replace or repair the chopping block.
    • 23. Is the facility maintained in a clean and sanitary condition?
      • The following areas were dirty:- Outside and inside of blenders (containers, machines, etc.)- Outside of bubble tea flavoring containers- Outside of all containers- Throughout the entire bubble tea cup sealer machine- Outside of garbage containersEnsure the above areas are thoroughly cleaned and sanitized. Ensure